Daniel Harper was seconds away from signing the most important contract of his career. With a single signature, the merger between his company and the powerful Grayson Holdings would be finalized, catapulting his business into a league he’d only dreamed of.
Billions were on the line. His pen hovered just above the page when the boardroom door opened.
Elena Cruz slipped inside quietly, pushing her cleaning cart with practiced care. “Sorry,” she murmured, eyes down. “I just need to empty the trash.”
No one paid attention. The room was already celebrating. Elena stopped beside the bin near Daniel’s chair, adjusted the liner—and leaned in just enough to whisper, “Don’t sign. It’s a setup.”
Daniel froze. The pen slid from his fingers and tapped softly against the table.
“What?” he murmured.
Elena straightened, met his eyes for a single serious second, then moved away as if nothing had happened. Daniel’s pulse thundered. Across the table, his longtime partner Michael Ross watched him closely.
“You all right?” Michael asked smoothly.
“Ready to finalize?” added Richard Cole, Grayson’s representative.
Daniel swallowed. The contract was unchanged. The room felt unsteady.