CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY EIGHT - The Final Game of Power Begins

"This is exactly the kind of outdated thinking that's holding us back," Marcus said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Ethan's right – we need to be bolder, take more risks." Logan gritted his teeth. "And risk the stability of the company? The livelihoods of our employees?" "Sometimes you have to take risks to move forward," chimed in Rachel. "Maybe if you'd been willing to do that sooner, we wouldn't be in this position." The meeting devolved into another argument, with Logan struggling to maintain order. As the board members filed out, many of them clustered around Ethan, who stood in the corner with a small, satisfied smile. Deonna watched all of this with growing concern. She could see the toll it was taking on Logan, the dark circles under his eyes growing more pronounced with each passing day. But she too was feeling the strain. As she worked tirelessly to support Logan and keep the company running smoothly, she found herself increasingly isolated from the rest of the family.