CHAPTER 14: The Merger Sinks at Sunrise

Sunrise did not make the harbor beautiful.
It made it honest.
The Asteria sat under gray light with police tape at the gangway and deckhands giving statements instead of polishing brass. The Cross family crest on the stern looked absurdly proud above the water that had nearly swallowed their lie.
At 7:12 a.m., the board of Cross Maritime suspended Gideon’s voting authority pending review.
At 7:26, the merger partner withdrew from the announcement.
At 7:41, a family court judge issued an emergency order confirming Maren as Leo’s sole legal guardian and temporary protector of his trust shares.
Nora read the order aloud in the patrol station’s small kitchen while Leo ate toast someone had buttered too generously.
He listened only to the word safe.
Maren listened to every line.
She had once thought power meant a man at a rail, a yacht under his feet, a room waiting for his decision. Now she understood power could also look like a wet mother signing her name with a child asleep beside her and the right documents finally on the right desk.
Outside, Gideon’s attorney left without looking toward the water.
Some men hated seeing where their certainty had gone under.