Isabella POV
Two weeks after our triumphant return from London, I should have felt invincible. Cross-Sterling Europe was exceeding every projection we'd made, our Manhattan headquarters buzzed with acquisition plans that would reshape multiple industries, and the Morrison Foundation had just announced its first round of research grants to international acclaim. By every measurable standard, we were building exactly the empire we'd dreamed of.
So why did I feel like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop?
"The regulatory filing for Morrison Holdings is complete," Marcus Chen said, sliding documents across my desk with his usual precise efficiency. "Though I should mention there's been some... unusual interest from the SEC about our acquisition timeline."
I looked up from the European quarterly reports that showed profits thirty percent above projections. "What kind of unusual interest?"
