[Carter Enterprise]
The Carter Enterprise lobby moved at its usual brisk pace with phones ringing, conversations overlapping and the low hum of business filling the air.
But that was until the doors opened and Alexander Reid walked in.
It wasn’t loud and there was no announcent but sothing shifted all the sa.
A few heads turned followed by a few more. Whispers rippled softly, curiosity and recognition started spreading like a quiet current.
But Alexander barely noticed because his attention was already fixed on the elevator doors just opening across the lobby.
Evelyn stepped out.
She was mid-conversation with an assistant, file tucked under her arm and her expression focused until she looked up and froze.
And for a heartbeat, everything else faded.
"Alexander—" she said, disbelief and relief tangling in her voice.
She didn’t realize she was already moving until she was standing in front of him.
"You are back," she breathed with her eyes searching his face like she needed to make sure he was really there.
"I just got in," he said softly and his gaze lingered on her a second longer than necessary. "I didn’t want to go anywhere else first."
The tension she had been carrying for days loosened, just a little.
"You should have called," she said. "I would have cancelled my etings and—"
"That’s all right, I have to leave anyway," he answered. "I have to attend a board eting in—" He glanced at the watch. "Thirty minutes."
Up close, Evelyn could see the fatigue in his eyes and the tight set of his shoulders. Heinberg hadn’t been easy.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.
He hesitated, then nodded. "Better now."
Her hand lifted instinctively, stopping just short of touching his arm. She curled her fingers back, grounding herself.
"I was worried," she admitted. "The news—"
"The dia escalated the issue a lot," he said imdiately. "But everything is under control now."
"I knew you would handle it," she replied just as quickly. "I just don’t like not knowing how you are holding up."
Sothing softened in his expression at that.
Around them, the lobby had gone suspiciously quiet. A few employees pretended very hard to be occupied while sneaking glances.
"Is that Alexander Reid?"
"That is Evelyn Carter."
"They look solid."
Evelyn was vaguely aware of it now, heat creeping into her cheeks but Alexander’s presence anchored her.
"The eting shouldn’t be long," he said reluctantly. "Dinner later?"
She nodded. "Of course. Call when you are done."
He studied her for a mont, as if committing the sight of her to mory.
Alexander straightened, gave her one last look before turning away.
.....
[Reid Enterprise—The Board Room]
The boardroom was unusually full.
Every seat around the long polished table was occupied by the board mbers, senior executives, legal advisors and a few major investors who rarely attended etings in person unless sothing had gone seriously wrong.
Alexander sat at the head of the table, calm on the surface, his posture composed and his expression controlled. To his right sat Benjamin with his arms crossed, jaw clenched, radiating authority and barely restrained irritation.
Jack sat two seats away almost invisible. No one looked at him when they entered, no one acknowledged him beyond a curt nod. He might as well have been part of the furniture.
The large screen at the end of the room displayed a frozen headline:
HEINBERG PROJECT HALTED — REGULATORY INVESTIGATION ONGOING
A low murmur filled the room until Benjamin spoke.
"Let’s begin."
The chatter died instantly.
One of the senior board mbers leaned forward, fingers steepled. "This situation has already cost us two minor investors and shaken three more. We need clarity imdiately."
Alexander nodded once. "You will have it."
Another investor cut in sharply. "The dia narrative is spiraling. Trespasser or not, the optics are bad. Why were safety violations even possible?"
Alexander t his gaze without flinching. "They weren’t. Which is why we acted swiftly."
He tapped the tablet in front of him and the screen changed to detailed site reports.
"The individual detained had no formal affiliation with Reid Enterprise. The violations he confessed to do not align with our approved blueprints or protocols."
A woman further down the table frowned. "Then why was the project halted so quickly?"
"Because the regulatory board acted on incomplete but alarming information," Alexander replied evenly. "We chose cooperation over confrontation."
When soone finally looked at him, Jack shifted in his seat. He could feel sweat collecting at the base of his neck.
It was a middle-aged investor. "Mr. Jack Reid—were you involved in overseeing Heinberg operations at any point?"
Jack’s heart slamd. He opened his mouth but before a single word could escape, Benjamin cut him off.
"Jack was not directly involved in site execution," Benjamin said coolly, without even turning his head. "Operational oversight remained under senior managent."
Jack’s lips pressed together.
Another board mber frowned. "But he was scheduled to head that branch."
"Scheduled," Alexander cut in smoothly. "Not active. The assignnt was prospective."
Jack clenched his fists under the table.
A legal advisor cleared his throat. "There are rumors which are unverified, of course, that internal access may have been misused."
Silence fell but Benjamin and Alexander remained calm.
Alexander’s gaze hardened just slightly. "We are investigating all possibilities very quietly and thoroughly."
The investor from earlier leaned back. "Including internal?"
"Yes," Alexander said without hesitation. "Including internal."
Jack swallowed.
Soone else glanced at him again but it was longer this ti.
"Then why keep Mr. Jack Reid present today?" another voice asked. "If only for optics?"
Benjamin’s eyes finally flicked toward Jack.
Alexander answered before Jack could even think to respond.
"Because transparency matters," he said. "And because the Reid family stands united during scrutiny. We don’t hide."
Jack felt heat crawl up his spine.
’United’ was a generous word.
Questions kept coming about tilines, regulatory negotiations, potential losses and public statents.
Every ti a question edged too close to Jack, Benjamin redirected it and every ti Jack inhaled to speak, Alexander calmly took over.
He wasn’t being defended but silently managed.
Finally, the chairman spoke. "We will need a formal assurance statent within forty-eight hours."
"You will have it," Alexander said.
"And the project?" another investor pressed.
Alexander’s voice was steady. "It will resu. Not rushed or compromised but clean to ensure no future delays."
There was a pause, then the oldest investor nodded once. "Very well."
Chairs scraped back as people stood. Conversations resud in hushed and cautious tones.
Only Jack remained seated and unnoticed.
Benjamin rose without looking at him.
And Alexander gathered his files with an unreadable expression before leaving the room with Carl.
As the room emptied, Jack stared at the table with his jaw tight and humiliation burning beneath his skin.
They hadn’t accused him or trusted him, in fact, they didn’t even need him.
And that realization hurt more than any confrontation ever could.
....
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