Reese froze for a second, still processing what Karter had just said.


    She''d always known the person backing Karter was powerful. There was no way they could''ve scooped up all those shares from the previous shareholders if they weren''t. After Zach tried to shut them down, Ramos Corporation had picked up a handful of new partnerships thanks to the media attention, but they still hadn''t made back the money Karter had invested in the first ce. Now, with Ratcliff Global breathing down their necks, Karter was willing to bail them out with such a huge sum.


    Who exactly was this mysterious backer?


    Lost in thought, Reese took the funding authorization papers from Karter and skimmed them. Everything looked legit.


    Just then, the phone rang, snapping Patrick out of his shock over the massive offer. He picked up, listened for a moment, and his face immediately darkened.


    "Ms. Meyer, there''s a problem," he said quietly. "The bank just rejected our emergency loan application fromst week. They say they''ve received a risk alert and suspect Ramos Corporation is insolvent. They want us toe up with ten times the coteral, immediately."


    Reese''s chest tightened. The Ratcliff Global board was clearly out for blood. They weren''t just trying to hurt Ramos Corporation. They wanted to finish them, no questions asked.


    "Ms. Meyer..." Karter nodded toward the documents in her hand, making his point clear.


    Reese pressed her lips into a thin line. She still hadn''t figured out if Karter''s mysterious boss was an ally or an enemy. She didn''t want to put the fate of Ramos Corporation entirely in his hands.


    While she hesitated, there was a knock at the door. The admin manager burst in, looking frazzled.


    "Ms. Meyer, there''s a crowd of suppliers downstairs. They all have contracts and are demanding payment. Some of them are threatening to go into the warehouse and take goods to settle their ounts if we don''t pay up."


    She paused, ncing nervously at Reese. "And there are rumors online that Ramos Corporation won''t make it through the week. With Ratcliff Global''s pressure, three of our partners have already asked to break their contracts."


    Reese closed her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to stay calm. She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down. Outside, a crowd was gathering, holding up signs with "PAY YOUR DEBTS" written in bold ck letters. The sight was like a punch to the gut.


    She pressed her forehead against the cool ss, took a deep breath, then turned back to face the room.


    "Have security guard the warehouse. No one goes in or out without my approval she said, her tone steady "Finance needs to pull together a detailed list of what we owe every supplier, sorted by how critical they are to us. Admin should write a public statement right away, making it clear that Ramos Corporation has the resources to meet all its obligations and that we''ll go after anyone spreading false rumors. I want every department head in the conference room in ten minutes."


    Once the admin manager left, Reese went back to her desk. She double-checked


    the funding agreement for any hidden uses that might put Ramos Corporation


    at risk. There were none. Finally, she signed her name.


    "Mr. Shaw, please tell your boss I owe him one," she said.


    Karter nodded, unbothered. "You''re too polite, Ms. Meyer."


    Reese smiled faintly, tucked the paperwork away, and headed straight to the conference room. Everyone''s eyes followed her as she took her seat at the head of the table and epted the list from finance.


    "Pay off our core suppliers today," she ordered. "For everyone else, we''ll give them an exact payment schedule and apany-stamped letter ofmitment."


    "But Ms. Meyer, our cash flow..." the finance head started.


    Reese looked around the room, her voice leaving no room for doubt. "The funding issue is handled. We have enough to cover every


    Qu


    outstanding debt. Our job now is to hold steady and survive Ratcliff Global''s attack.


    She remembered Rosie''s earlier text and let out a cold snort.


    Ratcliff Global had chosen this


    moment to strike, right when Sebastian was out of the picture.


    Clearly, they''d been convinced was the reason for Sebastian''s downfall and thepany''s stock crash. Rosie and Tata were almost certainly the ones stirring up all the rumors online—they wanted to use Ratcliff Global to force her into a corner, then swoop in with their own money and demand she drop the charges against Dylon.


    Not a chance.


    And as for the Ratcliff board trying to pin Sebastian''s mess on her? They''d have


    to dream on.