Third Person's POV.
Despite the intense familial drama surrounding his romantic life, Percy threw himself into his new role as CEO of Aethel Designs. He was visibly invigorated by the freedom and the sheer professional challenge. The company was on an upward trajectory, preparing for its public offering (IPO), and Percy was laser-focused on finalizing major contracts and meticulously streamlining operations.
One morning, Alexis arrived at Percy's office, and the air immediately chilled. She looked grim, and this time, the concern was purely professional, signaling an external threat far more insidious than his family feud.
"We have a problem, Percy," Alexis said, her voice tight, placing a file squarely on his sleek, glass desk. "It's not a call from your mother this time; it's worse. It's happening quietly."
"What is it?" Percy asked, his focus immediately snapping away from his internal reports to the business threat.
"The Northwood Project," Alexis explained, referring to a massive, lucrative public infrastructure contract Aethel Designs was poised to secure—a critical win for their IPO narrative. "We were the frontrunner. The final decision was supposed to be announced this week, but it's been delayed indefinitely. Our internal contact, Mr. Hanson, just went silent."
Percy leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "A delay is not necessarily sabotage, Alexis. Public projects are massive machines; they get delayed all the time."
"It gets worse," Alexis countered, pulling out a printout of a low-profile news item. "Two of our major suppliers—the ones we use exclusively for high-grade sustainable materials—just sent notices. They are enacting a 'strategic pause' on all new long-term contracts for the next quarter. They cited 'unforeseen resource constraints.'"
Percy's eyes narrowed as he quickly read the names of the suppliers. They were established, reliable businesses with deep, long-standing ties to the city's old money—precisely the kind of institutions that would quietly and professionally fold to pressure from someone like Genevieve Moore.
"Mother is not threatening us publicly anymore; she's using the Morre Holdings network to create friction," Percy realized, his voice dangerously even. "She's not going for the frontal attack; this is a slow, calculated sabotage."
"Exactly. The suppliers aren't canceling, they're just 'pausing.' The Northwood Project isn't rejecting us; they're just 'delaying.' It looks like bad luck, but it effectively freezes our momentum right before the IPO," Alexis confirmed, pacing the office floor. "She's trying to make us look unstable and incapable of delivering large-scale projects."
Percy stood up and walked over to the expansive window, looking out over the metropolitan skyline.
This is his mother's real color. She can't risk alienating the entire board or facing a lawsuit by publicly attacking a rival company. But she can quietly apply pressure through her massive social and corporate network, causing technical difficulties that look like organic market resistance. She's not trying to ruin Aethel Designs; she's trying to make it fail naturally. She wants Percy to crawl back to Moore Holdings because his new company appears to be floundering. This is sophisticated, passive aggression on a massive corporate scale.
Percy turned back to Alexis, his expression hardened with renewed, cold resolve. The hot anger from the personal attack was gone, replaced by a cold, strategic focus.
"She's testing the strength of our foundation," Percy stated, walking back to the desk. "We have two problems: a supply chain issue and a project freeze. We will address both without acknowledging her influence publicly."
He tapped the supplier notices with a sharp finger. "The local suppliers have loyalty to her, but our business is too important to them to walk away entirely. Alexis, I want you to immediately start forging relationships with international suppliers. We will source materials from Europe. It's more expensive short-term, but it sends a clear message that we are not dependent on the local network—or on her."
"That's a huge shift in logistics and cost, but I can do it," Alexis agreed, already mentally planning the pivot.
"Good. As for the Northwood Project," Percy continued, his gaze sharp, "Mr. Hanson didn't go silent; he was instructed to. We can't sit around waiting for them to unfreeze. We need to demonstrate that Aethel Designs is proactive, not desperate. I'm going to get a new, high-visibility, private sector contract finalized within the next two weeks. Something splashy that generates good press and proves our execution capability."
He looked at Alexis, a spark of competitive fire igniting in his eyes. "We will not let her make us look weak. She wants to freeze us out? We'll use the delay to secure a bigger, flashier win. We are going to counter her quiet chill with loud, undeniable success."
The silent corporate war had officially begun, and Perseus Ser-Dominic Sinclair Moore was ready to fight.