The glass doors slid open, and Damian walked into the boardroom with that quiet power people could feel before they even looked up. Everyone stood briefly—Mr. Carter, Daniel, and the rest of the board.

“Good morning, everyone,” Damian said, taking his seat at the head of the table. “Let’s get straight to business. We have a lot to cover.”

The room settled. Evelyn clicked her tablet and the screen lit up.

Damian turned toward the group.

“Before we dive into projections, I’d like to introduce someone. This is Mr. Daniel Pete, CEO of A.C. World Empire, our newest strategic investor.”

Polite applause followed. Daniel nodded, smiling like a man who...