The CEO's Stand.

The room was filled with tension, the kind that seeped into every corner, lingering in the air like an unspoken threat. The large windows along the side of the conference room did little to ease the pressure, the morning sun casting long shadows across the polished mahogany table. John stood at the head of the table, his presence commanding yet calm, his gaze sweeping over the board members who had once looked to him for guidance and leadership. Now, many of those same faces wore expressions of doubt, some even outright disdain. His uncle had done his work well, sowing seeds of distrust in his absence.