Page 137 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

“Everyone.”

“Executives?”

“Everyone, Julian.”

I look toward Daniel’s desk farther down the executive floor.

Adrian follows my gaze.

“Assistants have been instructed to block calls and route anything media-related directly to PR,” he says. “Daniel included.”

“Who authorized that?”

“Dad, Vivian, and Communications signed off.”

I shake my head.

“This is excessive.”

“It’s containment.”

“It’s panic.”

“It can be both.”

I look back at him.

For once, Adrian doesn’t soften the point.

“We have reporters camping outside the building, regulators collecting communications, and board members trying to carve up authority while the stock is bleeding,” he says. “Dad is trying to shut every open door until we know where this came from.”

I understand the logic.

That makes it worse. Because in another context, I might have ordered the same thing.

I look through the glass toward the conference rooms where Legal is still working.

“So no one gets through?”

“Not without clearance.”

My work phone vibrates again in my hand. Daniel appears at the end of the corridor and waits until I look toward him.

“Vivian needs you back in conference room three,” he says.

“Outside counsel is ready.”

I nod. Adrian steps aside. The conversation is over because another one has already replaced it. I follow Daniel toward the conference room, but Preston’s question stays with me.

What exactly did she have access to in Italy?

For the first time since this started, the crisis reaches beyond the company.

***

The next several days stop having clean edges.

Morning becomes afternoon inside conference rooms. Afternoon becomes night beneath fluorescent lights and financial models. I sleep when exhaustion forces the issue, shower in the executive suite, change shirts, and start again. Every time I think we have contained one part of the investigation, another regulator requests documents, another investor demands assurances, or another board member decides the crisis is an opportunity to question decisions that were considered brilliant six months ago.