Chapter 21

Aiden's POV I leaned back in my leather chair, finally alone in my office after a relentless morning of back-to-back meetings. Acquisitions, negotiations, board updates—every minute had demanded sharp focus and absolute control. Now, with a rare pocket of quiet before the afternoon resumed, I opened my phone—and smiled. Aria's counterattack had landed flawlessly. The evidence I'd given her had done exactly what I knew it would. The audio recording had thrown White Industries into chaos, and their clumsy attempts at damage control were only making things worse. Public opinion had turned swiftly, decisively. #TeamAria was trending worldwide. Another blow to White's reputation. Good. Let the bastard suffer. I allowed myself a moment to enjoy it, satisfaction simmering just beneath the surface. But victory or not, the fatigue was starting to creep in. The morning's meetings had been particularly draining, and the adrenaline that had carried me through was now wearing off. I needed twenty m