413: A Delicate Balance

In the dim light of the room, as the older generation reminisced about days long gone, a palpable tension hung over the younger contingent. Wayne's proposition to separate for a more private discussion was met with a swift nod from Clarke Zodiac, who seemed all too eager to revisit the past with an old friend, leaving the youths to untangle a more complex web. As they settled into an uneasy circle, the silence stretched uncomfortably before Teddy, the young man with Clarke Zodiac, broke it, his voice carrying a note of disdain masked as diplomacy. "Your company's problems—while they sound severe—are not our concern. My father has stepped back, and any decisions now fall under my brother's watch." Wayne's eyes narrowed slightly, assessing Teddy with a cool, measured gaze. "That's as may be, Teddy, but past actions cast long shadows. And sometimes, those shadows touch us all, regardless of our desires to remain apart." Teddy, undeterred, leaned forward, a sly smile playing on his lip