Ethan leaned back against the headrest, absorbing the gravity of Jason's words. His father's ingenuity—and his own sudden, terrifying importance—settled over him.
"I understand the clause," Ethan finally said, his voice quiet but sharp. "But if Vincent has half the city bought and paid for, why would a simple contract matter? What stops him from just nullifying the contract and taking everything anyway?"
Jason ran a hand over his tired face, relief evident that Ethan was asking strategic questions instead of panicking.
"Because not everyone in the company knows what really happened," Jason explained. "While your father, Vincent, and I owned the core shares and took most of the money, when the company grew, it couldn't remain a private entity. We had to go public, and that meant forming a Board of Directors—a Council."
