The high-definition monitor had barely faded to black before the silence in the Golden Investments boardroom turned heavy. Jake didn't move. He remained standing, his gaze fixed on the empty screen, his fingers tapping a slow, contemplative rhythm against the edge of the mahogany table.
Every piece of the puzzle Darius had just laid out was mathematically flawless. The loan was airtight, the tax loopholes were legally viable, and the dividend-fueled amortization loop was a masterclass in corporate engineering. But in Jake's mind, a cold, persistent friction remained.
He turned slowly to look at Samuel Carter, who was meticulously organizing the legal briefs inside his briefcase.
"It doesn't add up," Jake said, his voice quiet, slicing through the quiet room.
Samuel paused, his hand resting on the leather flap of his case. He looked up through his glasses, his expression neutral, seasoned by decades of watching oligarchs play chess. "Which part?"
