Max didn't even look at the man. His gaze remained fixed on the board members, his eyes like flint behind his shades.
"You heard my wife," Max's voice was a low, dangerous growl that vibrated through the floorboards. "Stop making her angry. If she says they're cut, they're cut. Keep testing her, and I'll personally ensure you all go on a very long, very permanent vacation."
His glare was enough to make the director's blood run cold, but the moment his eyes flickered back to Ruby, the ice melted. His expression softened into something intensely private and tender, a silent check-in to see if she was alright.
"Alright, Mrs. Byron," the Chairman stammered, scrambling to gather his papers. "We... we will have it done immediately."
The directors didn't just leave; they practically stumbled over one another to exit the room, leaving the two of them alone in the sudden, ringing silence of the powerhouse they built together.
