Sweet Love 2x: Miss Ruthless CEO for our Superstar Uncle-Chapter 83: One Night Early
The summit ended quietly, as expected.
By the next morning, a brief summary circulated among the participating companies. It listed the main topics and little else — no names attached, no quotes, no commentary on who performed well.
Franz arrived at Rochefort Group’s headquarters before eight. The executive floor was still settling into the day, printers running and overnight reports being sorted into trays along the central workstations. He passed the reception desk with a nod, entered his office, and placed the summit materials on his desk without opening them.
Lucas joined him shortly after, tablet in hand. He closed the office door behind him before
"Blackwood’s recent moves are drawing interest from two sovereign funds," he said. "They’ve already circulated their summary. It’s... standard."
Franz scanned the document once and set it back on the desk. The language was careful — alignment, long-term planning, nothing that would unsettle the room.
He didn’t read it twice.
Lucas remained standing near the edge of the desk.
"Anything stand out in the breakout sessions?"
Franz leaned back slightly, eyes still on the page. Two advisory firms had attended the meeting. They weren’t formally linked to Blackwood, but their presence carried weight.
"They’re not linked," he said. "But they cross in logistics."
Lucas watched him for a second. "Indirect exposure."
Franz didn’t answer immediately. His fingers rested lightly on the paper before he slid it aside. "I want clarity."
The pause held just long enough.
"What are you working on?" Lucas asked.
"Look again at the voting structures in our mid-level infrastructure holdings," Franz said. "Check for overlap with our advisory firms — especially where consolidation is active."
Lucas nodded once. "We can have a plan this afternoon."
"Keep it within our team," Franz said. "This is a follow-up after the recent changes."
Lucas’s expression shifted slightly. "This isn’t just a response."
"No," Franz replied. "It’s a precaution."
The executive strategy meeting began at nine. Department heads gathered around the long conference table, their tablets open and quarterly figures displayed on the wall screen.
Franz led as he usually did, starting with allocation — tightening where necessary and holding where growth remained sustainable.
"We maintain durability," he said, glancing once at the slide behind him. "Expansion stays selective."
No one pushed back. The direction hadn’t changed.
When the discussion moved to infrastructure, Franz asked several additional questions — about advisory overlaps, compliance routing, and minority positioning. He didn’t frame it as a correction. He didn’t need to.
The CFO presented the financials. Legal confirmed the separations were already complete.
"Prepare a brief on minority voting in the merger areas," Franz said, turning the page.
One of the senior directors glanced briefly toward Lucas but said nothing.
The meeting ended on time.
By early afternoon, the risk division began the requested review. They labeled it routine due diligence. No one mentioned Blackwood.
Franz had recently joined a group chat created by Nate. He didn’t inform the Brotherhood. He didn’t ask for their opinion on Dominic’s behavior.
He didn’t inform Arianne before adjusting.
The decision fell within his authority.
Late afternoon light stretched across the office windows when Franz’s phone vibrated against the desk.
Flight adjusted. Landing 5:40 p.m.
He read the message once and checked the time. 4:12.
The executive floor had thinned by then.
He called her immediately.
"You moved the flight." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
He remained standing beside his desk, one hand resting on the back of the chair.
"Yes."
"There was one night left."
"I didn’t need it."
Franz walked toward the window, looking down at the slow traffic along the avenue.
"You said three nights."
"I finished sooner."
The line stayed quiet for a moment.
"You’ll be here before dinner."
"Yes."
A bus idled at the corner below before pulling away.
"You reinforced separation."
"Yes."
Franz turned away from the window.
The call ended there.
–
Franz came home earlier than usual. The house was quiet for that hour.
Lily sat at the dining table with her workbook open, pencil resting near the edge of the page. Leo was on the living room floor with pieces from a mechanical kit arranged in careful rows. The lion keychain lay near his knee, close enough to reach, though he hadn’t picked it up.
"Uncle, you’re early," Lily said without looking up.
"Yes."
Leo glanced at him briefly, then returned to the parts in front of him.
Franz removed his jacket and set it aside before moving toward the foyer.
At 5:38, headlights swept across the driveway.
He stepped outside before the vehicle fully stopped.
Arianne exited on her own, carrying her carry-on in one hand. She did not look tired. Her posture was the same as when she left.
"You recalculated," he said, taking the bag from her.
"I did."
"You removed the last night."
"There was no reason to keep it."
They entered the house together.
Lily looked up first, as if confirming what she was seeing.
"You said tomorrow," she said.
"I finished early," Arianne replied.
Lily stood slowly and crossed the room. She didn’t rush. She stepped close, wrapped her arms briefly around Arianne’s waist, then stepped back again.
Leo remained seated a moment longer before rising. He crossed the room and stopped just short of her.
Arianne held out her hand.
He stepped forward and leaned against her for a second — not long — before pulling back.
"You counted," she said.
He nodded.
"I removed one."
He didn’t look at Franz until she finished speaking.
"There was a minor school incident," Franz said. "Handled."
Arianne’s gaze shifted to him.
"You resolved it."
"Yes."
She let the matter rest.
"Dinner first," she said to the twins. "Then we’ll speak."
The routine continued. Lily explained a reading assignment in detail, trying to make up for the early return with extra information. Leo ate his food quietly, sometimes looking at Arianne to check that she was still there.
After the twins went upstairs, Franz remained in the dining room while Arianne filled a glass with water at the counter.
"You met Blackwood," she said.
"Yes."
She took a small sip, then set the glass down. "And?"
"He consolidates quietly," Franz said. "Doesn’t provoke unless there’s a reason."
She did not look surprised. "I expected that."
He watched her for a moment. "He’s patient."
"No," she said evenly. "He’s careful."
The correction was small but intentional.
She leaned lightly against the counter, fingers resting near the base of the glass.
"You reinforced separation."
"That’s right.."
"Minority voting and consultancy overlap."
He nodded once.
"You didn’t call before making your decision."
"No."
A brief pause.
"And you were certain."
"I wouldn’t have moved otherwise."
Arianne held his gaze a second longer before nodding. "That was appropriate."
Franz didn’t answer right away.
"You don’t need my approval for structure," she continued. "If he moves closer, you adjust."
"I understand."
"That’s why I didn’t interfere."
Upstairs, one of the twins’ doors closed.
Arianne lifted her glass, finished what was left, and set it down without looking at him.
"I’ll review the memo tonight," she said, already turning toward the staircase. "Send it to my secure account."
"I will."
She paused at the base of the stairs, one hand resting lightly on the railing.
"There was one night left."
"Yes."
"You handled it."
He held her gaze. "Yes."
She nodded once before continuing upstairs.
Franz remained where he was for a moment before following to check on the twins.
Leo was already in bed, the mechanical kit arranged neatly on the desk. The lion keychain rested on the nightstand instead of in his hand. Lily had fallen asleep with her book open across her chest.
Arianne adjusted Lily’s blanket without waking her and stepped back into the hallway.
Upstairs, a door closed softly.
The hallway light remained on.
