REJECTED BY MISTAKE, DESIRED BY POWER

ent live a

it had go

anipulation. Every document, every signature, every whisper Mic

n't attac

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d already knew w

Fa

oke into schedu

a breaking stor

ackwood Corp may have

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kwood's stocks w

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embers

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ix silent executives staring at

lena," one

ex-w

aid quietly. "

Elena Keeps

ched the news with a glass of

egging for a response. You're

hook he

or itself. I'm done g

d. "There's on

hoto across

ess conference. Silent.

ndra

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nd un-c

a st

ched. Not in

reminded the world

ess Co

re a hundred came

peech. Burned it

ing felt

k at his board. Or the press. Or Cassandra stan

traight int

ught of

mpany failed someone. A w

ailed he

sp

licked lik

ce. We lied. And

ce didn

tted my resignation as

s er

's face w

n wasn't

building. And if Elena H

pau

s. I'm asking for a second cha

– The Orac

ood alone on the roo

ws - skin like leather, eyes like glass. N

Or

wer will not save you. Love will not p

turned

ve wouldn't

ded. "Because

pa

t migh

ed. Walked in

Elena

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for the n