Adrian watched him the entire time.
He knew exactly what the sight was doing to the Director's hard-won restraint. He could feel the raw pull of the bond stretching between them like a wire under tension, vibrating with every breath Lucian took. He had deliberately placed himself in the center of Lucian's vision to prove a point: if Lucian wanted to play the role of the disciplined director who kept his distance, Adrian would make that discipline a living hell.
"The shell company used to clear the funds is called Jane-Aegis Logistics," Valerius chimed in, his tone casual but his eyes sharp as he watched the silent power struggle unfold. He cleared his throat, leaning forward to tap a section of the map. "Here's the problem: Jane-Aegis isn't a new creation. It's an old Syndicate asset that was supposed to have been entirely liquidated during the Board Consolidation twelve years ago."
