Chapter 177

Roman's POV

“Have you seen this?” I asked, dropping my tablet on the desk so the screen faced up between us like an accusation and a trophy at once.

Lauren reached for it. She sat opposite me with the composed, deliberate air she’d cultivated; when she flicked through the headlines a small, satisfied smile curved her lips. The expression was quiet, almost private like someone who’d just watched a plan click into place and had the luxury of enjoying the first small victory before the clean-up began.

I watched her. I couldn’t help it. There was still a recoil in me, a wariness that showed up as a flinch behind my eyes — whenever she exercised the kind of power that didn’t come from a title or a bank account. Her influence right now came from a different source entirely: truth laid bare. That was the kind of leverage that made investors run.

The tablet showed a cascade of articles, reposts and social snippets. Some were professional-minded, clin