At that moment Silence followed.
Not the awkward kind—but the kind that comes when even breathing feels disrespectful.
Immediately all eyes shifted toward Mr. Adrian.
Then his fingers moved with precision as he unclasped the third briefcase.
And yet, it felt like time froze.
Edward's chest rose and fell quickly, his throat dry. He didn't know why—he couldn't explain it—but his palms were sweating.
At that moment Liam's face had lost its usual confidence, his eyes darting between Raymond and the man in the suit as if trying to piece together a puzzle that no longer followed any rules he understood.
Avery's hands were clenched tightly on her side, knuckles pale, her eyes refusing to blink as if blinking would make the briefcase disappear.
Even the military man, whose composure had been steel-cast the entire evening, subtly adjusted his collar—because the room had grown heavier.
They had seen what the last two briefcases contained—contracts worth billions.
