Zachary remained silent, watching William sternly defend his son. He glanced around the room while keeping his amusement carefully hidden.
'Of course, now it's... "anyone would have had questions,"' Zachary thought. 'A few hours ago, Riley probably believed he was the smartest person in the room. Now everyone else is supposed to understand why he made such a spectacular mess of things.'
The situation was serious, and Zachary knew it well. A legal battle with Cresswell could damage Sterling Tech's reputation. Still, he could not deny that part of him was enjoying the sight of William being forced to explain and cover Riley's failure in front of the entire family.
For years, William had carried himself with the confidence of someone who believed every decision he made was well thought, and thus always right. Riley had inherited much of that same confidence.
