As the elevator doors slid shut, he pressed his fingers against his brow. He should have known better-someone like Eleanor was never going to help him this time.


    Were they destined to be at odds like this forever?


    "Mr. Goodwin, we''ve arrived." Gavin''s voice cut through his thoughts.


    That afternoon, the news hit:n had been besieged by Goodwin & Co.''s shareholders. Headlines red across business channels, financial news tickers, and influencer blogs alike, all dissecting and criticizingn''s every move.


    Joy stumbled across the story and immediately messaged Eleanor, who was a shareholder herself.


    "Hey, the inte''s sayingn''s facing a shareholder rebellion. Is it true? Is he about to get kicked off the board?"


    Eleanor replied, "It''s true, but whether he''ll be forced out is still uncertain."


    She was suren had other backup ns. The proposal he''d asked her to write was likely just the least damaging of his options.


    Andn-well, even cornered, he was the kind of man who''d never bow his head to anyone.


    In the end, though, the simplest solution would be to pull his investments.


    If that happened, the neural interface project would be shut downpletely-


    That thought made Eleanor''s chest tighten. After all, even the Secretary of State was keeping an eye on this initiative.


    Honestly, Eleanor could write the proposal if she wanted. She''d broken new ground in this field before, and her theories had always been backed by solid, verifiable data.


    As night fell, the lights on the top floor of Goodwin & Co. Tower still burned. Ian stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought.


    Gavin approached. "Mr. Goodwin, I''ve booked a table. Would you like to get some dinner?"


    "No, I''m fine. Go ahead and head home." Ian didn''t turn around.


    Gavin lingered at the doorway, eyeing his boss''s silhouette. "I''ll wait until you''re ready to leave."


    Meanwhile, Eleanor had returned home and was sinking into her sofa when Joy sent her a link. "You have to read this-it''s brutal but spot-on."


    Eleanor frowned and tapped open the article from a popr business blogger.


    **The Downfall of Goodwin & Co.''s Crown Prince: Hasn''s Empire Finally Copsed?**


    "When the shareholders of Goodwin & Co. staged their rebellion, the frigid prince of the business world,n Goodwin, finally got a taste of what it''s like to stand alone.


    At twenty-nine, this so-called wunderkind has run a billion-dor empire with a reputation for ruthless, autocratic decisions.


    Last year, he poured money into pharmaceuticals. Two months ago, he pulled the plug on Medisys''s IPO without warning. Now, he''s betting it all on a neural interface project most experts call science fiction. Isn a genius—or a fool?


    If he can''t resolve this standoff with the shareholders, he could lose control of


    Goodwin & Co., and his pet project may never see the light of day.


    Thements section was a tidal wave of vitriol:


    *Knew it was only a matter of time before he crashed. He never deserved the top spot.*


    *Good riddance. The business world will be better off without him.*


    Eleanor tossed her phone aside, a sinking feeling twisting in her gut. Someone was orchestrating this-settingn up for a takedown.