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Chapter 47

last update Last Updated: 2025-04-11 15:48:00

Chapter 47

The Caldwell Industries boardroom, typically a place of ordered power and quiet confidence, had transformed into a battleground. Twelve men and women in expensive suits sat around the gleaming mahogany table, faces tight with worry. The floor-to-ceiling windows that normally showcased the impressive city view now seemed to emphasize how far they all might fall.

Samuel Caldwell stood at the head of the table, his silk tie crooked and hair disheveled. Dark half-circles hung beneath his eyes. The stock ticker displayed on the wall-mounted screen showed numbers bleeding red - each minute bringing fresh losses.

"Our shares have dropped another fifteen percent since market open," he said, his voice struggling to maintain steadiness. "That brings our total losses to nearly sixty percent in two days."

Gregory Wilson, the oldest board member and former college roommate of Richard Caldwell, removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "In plain numbers, Samuel. How much hav
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