Alex's mind spun in wild, uncontrollable circles as he stared down at the scattered documents on his desk. His thoughts moved like a raging storm, crashing into each other with no clear direction. He could practically feel the weight of his family's failing business pressing down on him, suffocating him one breath at a time.
Everything rested on connections. On affiliations. On who owed who, and who held enough power to pull another out of the pit.
And right now, the Stones were dangling over that pit by a single thread.
Alex dragged a shaky hand across his face, the exhaustion sinking deeper into his bones. His father paced the room in slow, heavy steps, muttering curses under his breath. The crash of the shipment had caused more than financial loss, it shattered every projection, every plan, and every safety net they thought they had.
If Alex didn't think fast…If he didn't come up with something smart enough, bold enough, unpredictable enough…
They were finished.
