Chapter 62 I Couldn't Stand It If She Had To Hurt Any More Than This

• ACE
• By nine in the morning, we were already in Blackwood’s main hall—a place that only ever got used for events like this. The kind where silence is heavy, and everything smells like old money and regret. The sky outside was overcast, shadows of gray-blue light creeping through the tall windows and soaking the room in a cold hue. The Blackwood family portraits lined the walls like judges. Reggie’s was one of the biggest—arms crossed, chest puffed, staring straight at the spot where we were now all seated. It felt like he was still watching. Even from the grave.
• People had started to arrive—major shareholders, a few board members, and of course, him: interim CEO, Albert Coleman. His smile was stiff, like he knew he was the most unwelcome guest.