Ste feigned confusion. "Wasn''t it you who asked me toe, Ethan?"

    Israel''s expression stiffened, but he quickly recovered. "I''m still a manager at The Williams Group. If people could just stroll into my office without so much as a call ahead, I might as well throw open the doors and turn it into a marketce, don''t you think?"

    Ste smiled, unfazed. "Come on, Ethan. I''m your sister, not some stranger barging in.

    Besides, we''re going to be working together in the samepany from now on. Sure, I don''t know much yet, and I haven''t aplished anything here.

    But let''s not forget-I actually own more shares than you do. So technically, you should be calling me boss when you see me in the halls.

    And as apany leader, I should have ess to every office in The Williams Group, shouldn''t I?"

    Her words seemed casual, but every linended like a well-aimed dart, making Israel bristle.

    The thought of being outranked by a woman he''d always looked down on made his skin crawl. When Ste had first returned to the Williams family, he hadn''t openly mocked her, but he certainly hadn''t respected her either. In fact, he''d thought even wasting a sneer on her was beneath him.

    Israel let out a coldugh. "Ste, you haven''t even started at The Williams Group

    yet, and you''re already acting like you own the ce?"

    Ste remained perfectly calm. "As a member of the Williams family, why shouldn''t I treat our familypany as my own?"

    She sighed lightly. "Ethan, we share the same parents. Why do you always treat me like an outsider? Why do you look at me like I''m a nuisance?"

    Israel felt a chill run down his spine at her innocent act. A flicker of worry crossed his mind was Ste recording this, or maybe even live-streaming? Aurora had warned him to be careful. He needed to watch his back.

    Regaining hisposure, Israel replied, "You''re overthinking things. I don''t see you as an outsider, and I don''t have anything against you.

    The reason I called you here today is because you seriously injured an innocent bystander. The victim''s family is here, demanding an exnation. No matter what, hitting someone is wrong. All I''m asking is for you to apologize. That''s not too much, is it?"

    "Of course not," Ste replied smoothly.

    Israel was a little surprised by how agreeable she was. He stood up. "I''ll take you to meet them."

    He couldn''t help but think about the family of the injured boy-oil tycoons and financiers, people who''d raised their son to be so wildly entitled. They were hardly saints themselves. Now that they were face-to-face with the woman who''d nearly killed their precious child, they''d probably want to tear Ste apart.

    A faint, almost imperceptible smirk yed at Israel''s lips.

    As the two stepped out of the office, they nearly collided with Coleman and Auroraing down the hall. The four of them stopped, momentarily surprised.

    Aurora was the first to speak. "Ethan, Ste, where are you off to?"

    "We''re going to see Father," Israel replied, ncing at them. "What about you two?"

    Aurora smiled. “Coleman said the board just voted to approve my position at The Williams Group. He''s showing me around, helping me get familiar with the ce."

    In truth, Coleman wanted to

    introduce Aurora to each

    department; making it clear she was family. The Williams family never hid

    their identities or started a fer.

    bottom. Other than sparing

    themselves the roughest jobs, they didn''t really have to "work their way up."

    The Group was running smoothly, so there was no need for any drama.

    Israel knew Coleman was trying to establish Aurora''s authority, making sure no one in thepany would dare give her a hard time.

    After thinking for a moment, Israel turned to Ste. "Dad''s office is on the top floor. I''ll have my assistant take you up. I''ve got something else to handle down here."

    Each of the three Williams brothers managed their own division of thepany. Jonathan might be the designated heir, but Israel and

    Coleman''s portfolios were just as impressive. If they proved

    themselves more capable

    now

    overtaking Jonathan wouldn''t be out of the question.

    The Williams Group headquarters was built specifically for the family. Each brother controlled an entire floor, with their own loyal teams and spheres of influence.

    Israel also wanted to introduce Aurora to his trusted executives, making sure they''d watch out for her once she started.

    Ste didn''t seem to mind. "All right, I understand."

    Once she''d gone, Coleman turned to Israel. "How''d she get up here? I thought you said she wouldn''t make it past security."

    Israel sneered. "She probably shed her Williams family credentials-ssic move, using the family name to throw her weight around. She really knows how to y that card."

    Israel''s methods might be

    straightforward, but for apany as tangled and political as The Williams Group, they were effective. If Ste couldn''t even manage to get up to the executive floors, she''d never survive the constant challenges ahead.

    The Group''s internal politics were cutthroat. Even the Williams siblings weren''t immune; Ste, as the neer, would be fair game for every ambitious shareholder in the building.

    If she failed this first test, she''d be just anothermb among wolves, waiting to be torn apart by the boardroom predators.

    After all, with Israel making it clear he didn''t support his own sister, who would risk crossing him to help her?