The report praised the company's efficiency and claimed that staffing costs had been reduced substantially over the previous two years.
Alexander frowned.
He read the paragraph again.
Then he called Emily back into the office.
"Can you ask our investment team to review the labor practices associated with this proposal?"
"Certainly. Is there a particular concern?"
"I want to understand how they've achieved these reductions."
Emily glanced at the report.
"I'll ask them to examine staffing levels, wages, turnover, and contractor arrangements."
"Good."
She paused.
"Is this related to last night's incident?"
Alexander considered the question.
"Partly. But the investigation should stand on its own."
He closed the folder.
"People often reveal their values in small moments. The difficult part is determining whether those moments reflect an isolated mistake or a deeper pattern."
Emily nodded.
"I'll arrange the review."
As she left, Alexander looked through the window again.
He was not interested in destroying Richard Coleman's business.
He was interested in knowing whether the company could be trusted with a major investment.
The distinction mattered.
A responsible decision required evidence, not anger.
Meanwhile, across the city, Victoria sat at her dressing table trying to convince herself that the previous evening had been nothing more than an unfortunate misunderstanding.
She had slept poorly.
Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered Alexander's expression.
Not anger.
Not humiliation.
Disappointment.
That was what troubled her most.
She could handle someone shouting at her. She could dismiss criticism as jealousy or resentment.
But Alexander had not behaved like someone trying to win an argument.
He had simply allowed her words to reveal her character.
And she could not take them back.
Richard entered the bedroom carrying his phone.
"Have you spoken to anyone from Sterling Hospitality Group?" she asked.
"No."
"Perhaps you should call Mr. Bennett personally."
Richard looked at her.
"Why?"
"To explain."
"Explain what?"
"That I didn't mean it."
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"Victoria, the more you try to explain it, the worse it may sound."
"So we just do nothing?"
"We wait for the investment team to respond."
She stared at him.
"You make it sound as though we're going to lose everything."
Richard did not answer immediately.
He had spent years building his company. He had taken risks, negotiated contracts, and persuaded investors to support projects that other people considered too ambitious.
He knew how quickly confidence could disappear.
A single lost partnership would not destroy his business, but the Sterling investment could open doors to projects he had pursued for years.
Without it, his growth would be slower.
With it, his company could expand significantly.
He was afraid.
And because he was afraid, he was angry.
"You should have walked away," he said.
Victoria folded her arms.
"You could have stopped me."
"I tried."
"You laughed."
Richard looked away.
That was the truth he did not want to face.
He had found Victoria's initial comments amusing. He had enjoyed the feeling of being on the side of someone who appeared socially powerful.
He had not intervened until the conversation threatened his own interests.
He had behaved better than Victoria only when the consequences became personal.
The realization unsettled him.
"I shouldn't have laughed," he admitted.
Victoria seemed surprised.
Richard picked up his jacket.
"I have a meeting. We'll talk later."
After he left, Victoria sat alone in the bedroom.
She opened her phone and searched Alexander Bennett's name.
Articles appeared immediately.
There were photographs of him standing beside community leaders, visiting construction sites, speaking to university students, and attending events with employees from his hotels.
One photograph showed him sitting at a cafeteria table with several young workers.
Another showed him in a warehouse wearing a plain jacket and safety shoes.
A third showed him opening a new training center for people seeking employment in hospitality.
Victoria scrolled through the images.
She had assumed that a person of his status would care deeply about appearances.
Instead, the articles described someone who had built a reputation by focusing on practical results and the people responsible for achieving them.
She found an interview in which Alexander had discussed his childhood.
The interviewer had asked what he considered his greatest professional accomplishment.
His answer was brief.
"Building a company that gives people opportunities I didn't have when I was young."
Victoria read the sentence twice.