CHAPTER 9 SILENT STRUGGLES

As Claire gathered her belongings, fatigue seeping into her bones, she couldn’t help but wonder about the tangled web of deceit that had led Ethan, her troubled CEO, into this mess. For a man of such apparent intelligence, to have been duped into buying a company laden with debt, it seemed almost incomprehensible. But there he was, weighed down by the burden of his impulsive decision, like a ship caught in a storm of his own making. Claire watched the shadows lengthen across the office walls, the setting sun casting a dull, mournful light over the scene. As she stepped out of the building, the brisk evening air nipped at her skin, as if echoing the chill that had settled into her bones during the long hours spent at Ethan’s side. The hum of the city surrounded her, a stark contrast to the deafening silence of her thoughts. How could this man, who had built such an impressive career, been so easily tricked? And why had he not done his due diligence before making such a colossal investm