The room was ringing with the aftermath of her declaration.
Nadia could feel the weight of every gaze on her, disbelief and frustration thick in the air.
She didn't waver, she knew what she was here to do and she'd make sure she delivered a perfect show.
she reached into the black leather briefcase she'd arrived with and pulled out a thick stack of documents.
She threw them onto the polished mahogany table.
The papers fanned out, the Alaric Group insignia gleaming at the top of each page.
The weight of every gaze in the boardroom pressed down on her.
Nadia remained perfectly still, her expression composed as the stack of documents she had just thrown onto the table fanned out, the Alaric Group insignia gleaming in the overhead light.
A single, breathless second passed.
Then another—
And then..
"Impossible."
Kareem's voice was sharp, but beneath it, Nadia caught the slightest tremor of uncertainty.
Sara, standing beside him, immediately reached for one of the documents, her manicured nails curling around the crisp paper as she skimmed the contents. Her confident smirk wavered—only slightly, but Nadia saw it.
The tension in the room was electric.
Board members, who had been vocal in their condemnations just moments ago, shifted in their seats, exchanging glances, their previous certainty unraveling.
Zafir remained seated at the head of the table, his fingers pressed together, his face unreadable as he studied the documents in front of him.
But he was listening.
And so was everyone else.
Kareem recovered quickly. "This is a trick." He flicked the paper back onto the table with a sneer. "There's no way Zayne Alaric would invest in this company. Alaric Group is above this. Far above this."
Nadia tilted her head, her lips curling into something that was not quite a smirk. "Then I suppose you should explain why these contracts exist."
Kareem's nostrils flared.
He turned sharply toward the other board members, as if searching for some ally, someone who would denounce her claims.
But they were reading and considering, which definitely ment bad news for him.
One of them, a man in his late fifties, leaned forward. "These signatures—" His voice was cautious, but undeniably intrigued. "This is real."
"Of course, it is," Nadia said smoothly. "I don't deal in counterfeits." it was a silent jab at Sara.
Sara finally found her voice. "There's no reason for Zayne Alaric to do this."
Nadia turned to her, meeting her gaze directly.
"Why does that matter?" she asked, her voice deceptively soft.
"Because it does," Sara snapped. "Alaric Group doesn't invest in companies like this. They acquire them. Dismantle them. If Zayne Alaric wanted to be involved, it would be to take Al-Fayed Enterprises for himself—not to save it."
Her words rippled through the boardroom.
More whispers.
More uncertainty.
But Nadia had anticipated this reaction.
She folded her arms, leaning back slightly in her chair. "You're welcome to call Alaric Group's legal team. Or, if you prefer, Zayne himself. Though, I doubt you'd get through." Her smile was razor-sharp. "He doesn't entertain insignificant calls."
Sara stiffened.
A low murmur passed between some of the shareholders.
One of the older board members, a woman who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "Regardless of why Alaric Group is investing, this changes things."
That was the shift Nadia had been waiting for.
The board had been cornered, forced to acknowledge that the situation was no longer in their hands.
Because money spoke louder than anything.
And the weight of Zayne Alaric's investment?
It was deafening.
Kareem exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the table. "This doesn't change the fact that Nadia is still unqualified. A deal like this might buy time, but it doesn't mean she can run this company."
Nadia met his gaze, her expression unwavering.
"I don't need your approval, Kareem."
His jaw clenched.
She leaned forward, her voice dropping just enough to make it personal.
"I will prove myself. Whether you like it or not."
Sara's nails scraped against the surface of the table. "You're delusional."
Nadia tilted her head, feigning curiosity. "And you're threatened."
Sara's lips pressed together so tightly they turned white.
The battle lines were drawn.
And Nadia could already see it—
The first hints of fear in her opponents' eyes.
Zafir, who had been watching everything in silence, finally spoke.
His voice was calm, but there was something beneath it.
Something new.
"Then let's vote."
The tension in the room thickened.
A vote.
That was how things would be decided.
Nadia turned toward the board members, scanning their faces, assessing them.
Some were still uncertain.
But others.
They were already shifting in her favor.
Because they followed power.
And she had just placed Alaric Group's weight behind her name.
Zafir looked around the table, his expression unreadable. "All those in favor of accepting Alaric Group's investment and allowing Nadia to continue leading this company—raise your hands."
A heartbeat of silence.
A hand raised up.
Two.
Four.
The momentum built.
One after another, hands rose into the air.
Even those who had initially opposed her found themselves swayed by the undeniable reality of who was backing her.
Kareem's face darkened
Sara's nails dug into her palm.
And Nadia, she smiled.
Because she had won.
For today, at least.
But this was only the beginning.