Page 186 of Terms of Exposure
But god, I loved watching her win them.
Footsteps echoed from the far end of the corridor.
I stepped back, professional distance sliding into place with practiced ease—but I let my gaze stay warm as I opened the conference room door.
"After you, Ms. Sinclair."
The boardroom was a cathedral of glass and walnut.
Ten chairs ringed an oval table that cost more than most people's houses. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the skyline, morning light cutting hard lines across the polished surface.
I'd sat at the head of this table for years.
Watched deals made and broken.
Careers built and destroyed.
But I had never watched Emma Sinclair present to my board.
This was going to be a pleasure.
I took my seat and let my gaze sweep the room—neutral, assessing—before I spoke.
"Let's begin." The murmurs died instantly. "We have several items on the agenda this morning, but I'd like to start by yielding the floor to our newest board member. Ms. Sinclair has prepared a proposal I think you'll all find worth your attention."
A ripple moved through the room.
Nathan's expression sharpened.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Emma rose, tablet in hand, and moved to the presentation screen. Her heels clicked against the hardwood—the only sound in the room.
She didn't rush. Didn't fidget. Didn't crack.
The first slide flashed on the screen.
ELION INTEGRATION: SUSTAINABILITY & INFRASTRUCTURE OPTIMIZATION
"Good morning," she said. "I'm not here to relitigate the merger or the audit. You've seen the verified numbers. You know what Elion brings to the table."
Next slide: operational footprint breakdown.
"What I want to discuss today is what Elion can do for Falkirk's bottom line. Specifically, your infrastructure and energy expenditure."
Linda's pen uncapped. Alicia leaned forward.
I kept my expression neutral.
Inside, I was doing backflips.
"Falkirk currently operates fourteen global data centers. Based on your sustainability reports and industry benchmarks, your annual energy costs for server maintenance alone are approximately ninety-three million dollars."
She let the number sit.
"Elion's backend architecture was designed for efficiency from the ground up. Our systems run at forty-two percent lower energyconsumption than industry standard—independently verified, fully documented." She gestured to the folders. "Page four."
Papers rustled.
