บททั้งหมดของ The Algorithm of Her Heart: บทที่ 41 - บทที่ 50

Vivian stood in the doorway of Marcus's office, watching him on the phone. She knew who he was talking to without needing to ask. The tone of his voice gave it away."That makes sense," Marcus was saying. "Yes, I agree that's the better approach. Thanks for talking this through with me, Elena. I'll make the appointment for next week."He hung up and noticed Vivian watching."What was that about?" she asked, trying to keep her voice casual."Lily's follow-up appointment for her arm. Elena and I were discussing whether to see the orthopedist here or get a second opinion from the specialist she knows at Riverside Medical.""You're consulting Elena about medical decisions now?""She's Lily's mother. Of course I consult her.""I'm here too. I could have given you an opinion."Marcus looked at her with barely concealed impatience. "About orthopedic specialists? Do you have medical knowledge I don't know about?""No, but I care about Lily. I've been involved in her life for over a year. You

Lily was supposed to be doing homework in her room at Marcus's house, but she'd come downstairs to get water when she heard her father's voice through his office door. He sounded different. Scared.She stood in the hallway, frozen, listening to words she didn't fully understand."I know the numbers look bad," Marcus was saying. "But there has to be something we can do. My grandfather built this company. I can't just let it die."Pause."Thirty percent odds aren't good enough. What if we approached different investors? What if we restructured the board? There must be options we haven't considered."Pause. This one longer."I understand. Yes. I'll review the proposal and call you tomorrow."Marcus's voice sounded defeated in a way Lily had never heard before. Her father was always confident, always in control. But right now, he sounded lost.Lily quickly got her water and hurried back upstairs before Marcus could catch her listening. She climbed into bed but couldn't focus on her homewo

Elena cleared her schedule for the week. She told Dominic she needed time for deep analysis work and couldn't be disturbed except for emergencies. He understood and gave her the space she needed.She started with the basics. Public financial records for Ashford Luxury Developments going back five years. SEC filings, quarterly reports, shareholder documents. Everything available through official channels.Then she expanded outward. Industry reports about the luxury real estate market. Competitor analysis. Market trends. Economic forecasts affecting high-end development.By day two, Elena had built a comprehensive picture of Ashford's position in the market. Strong fundamentals, good properties, solid revenue streams. But declining stock price, delayed projects, nervous investors. A company that was fundamentally sound but perceived as weakening.That perception had made them vulnerable.On day three, Elena focused on the hostile takeover itself. The consortium's structure, their fundin

The takeover battle consumed six weeks of intense, unrelenting work. Elena coordinated everything from her office, working eighteen-hour days, managing multiple moving pieces simultaneously.Marcus watched her transform into someone he barely recognized. This wasn't the quiet, uncertain woman who had once waited for his approval. This was a force of nature.The first board meeting after Elena officially joined was tense. Several longtime board members were skeptical about bringing in Marcus's ex-wife. They questioned her credentials, her motivations, her ability to be objective.Elena walked into that meeting carrying a tablet and a confident expression. She didn't ask for their trust. She simply presented her analysis."The consortium believes we're weak because our stock price has declined thirty-two percent over eighteen months," Elena began, pulling up data on the conference room screen. "But that decline is based on perception, not fundamentals. Our actual revenue has only decrea

Elena spent the week after the board meeting reviewing Ashford's financial records. The restructuring required understanding every aspect of the company's operations, including historical financial decisions.She worked from her home office while Lily was at school and the custody schedule kept her daughter with Marcus. Spreadsheets covered her monitors, years of data waiting to be analyzed.Most of it was routine. Real estate acquisitions, development costs, marketing expenses, normal business operations. But on Thursday afternoon, something caught her attention.A payment from seven years ago. The amount was substantial, over two hundred thousand dollars, labeled as "consulting fees" to a company called Meridian Research Group.Elena had never heard of Meridian Research Group. She searched for it in Ashford's vendor database. Nothing. She looked through contracts and agreements. The company appeared nowhere except this single payment.Her analytical mind immediately flagged this as