You just needed me not to.”

My father turned to face the room.

“The board,” he said, “will now conduct an emergency vote.”

Rupert lunged toward him.

Security moved first.

Chapter 13 — You Were Never the CEO

Two officers caught him before he reached my father, one at each arm, and the sight of it — Rupert Brandt, the newly crowned king, held fast between two men in dark suits — was the moment the room stopped being afraid of him.

“Take your hands off me!” he shouted, twisting.

“I am the CEO of this company!”

My father’s voice cut clean through the ballroom, quiet and absolute.