Avery blinked, momentarily stunned by how directly the question was flung at her. Inside, her pulse quickened, but her face remained composed. She folded her hands neatly in front of her and inhaled slowly before speaking.
"I can assure you, Mr. Keaton," she said, her voice calm but firm, "that I would never do anything unethical—especially when it comes to something I've built with my own hands. Celestria was born from my own efforts, long before I even stepped foot into Vale Imperium's inner workings. It is built entirely with my own capital, from savings and personal assets that were in no way connected to this company."
There was not even a flicker of hesitation in her eyes now as she met his gaze head-on.
"I would never touch Vale Imperium's funds without authorization. And more importantly, your CEO—Mr. Declan Vale, would never let such a thing happen under his watch."
A few board members exchanged glances, noting her composure, the steel beneath the softness.
