Sweet Love 2x: Miss Ruthless CEO for our Superstar Uncle-Chapter 87: Cross Alignment

The private roundtable took place in a room separate from the main conference hall. Attendees accessed it through a corridor with frosted glass panels and security personnel who stayed quiet. The list of participants had been set weeks earlier, and each seat was assigned carefully.

The table was long and oval, dark wood polished smooth. Screens were built into the surface at each seat, angled toward whoever sat there. There were no nameplates. None were needed.

Arianne walked in with Franz. Julian was already there, talking quietly with a member of an infrastructure group. Dominic was at the far end of the table, looking over a document on the screen in front of him.

No one stiffened when they crossed the threshold. Still, everyone registered who had entered.

The seating made the room’s alignment obvious.

Dominic sat across from Arianne at the table, which was unobstructed. Franz sat to Arianne’s right, close enough that their elbows could touch if either leaned back. Julian was on Arianne’s left, positioned slightly forward so he could see both Dominic and Franz without favoring either one.

Directors from sovereign funds filled other important roles, including the chair of a pension group and two senior bankers. These bankers are known for successful restructuring work rather than being in the spotlight.

No one commented on the placement. No one needed to.

Arianne took off her coat and hung it over the back of her chair. Franz did the same. As they sat down, their movements fell into place naturally. Dominic finished reading the paragraph in front of him, then looked up and nodded to acknowledge the room.

Julian cleared his throat softly, drawing attention from everyone.

"If everyone is ready," he said calmly, "let’s move forward without any small talk."

He placed his hands lightly on the table, neither clasping nor spreading them.

"The purpose of this session is to discuss cross-border exposure as we adjust our capital more quickly. We know that movement will happen; the key issue is how to manage that movement without increasing systemic risk."

He looked around the table, making eye contact with each person. When his gaze passed over Arianne, there was no added weight. When it reached Dominic, it did not linger.

"Long-term planning," Julian said, "requires short-term discipline. We are not here to focus on appearances. We are here to set clear standards."

His voice was straightforward, steady, and practical.

Arianne sat with her hands on the table. Franz sat up straight, looking relaxed but focused. Dominic leaned back in his chair, with one hand near his screen.

Julian ended his opening with a slight nod. "Mr. Blackwood, please start by discussing the restructuring framework you shared."

Dominic nodded once in response.

"The plan is simple," he said. "We are looking to gradually change where we invest the capital to reduce exposure to unstable areas. We are not pulling out completely; we are adjusting our strategy."

He pressed a button on the table, and a summary chart showed up on the screen.

"Phase one focuses on building liquidity buffers," he explained. "Phase two shifts long-term commitments to areas with clear regulatory oversight. Phase three improves coordination of oversight."

He spoke in a calm voice. He did not keep looking at Arianne. He did not try to impress the audience. He kept his language plain. No emphasis. No color.

One banker leaned forward and said, "You think the rules will stay the same for everyone."

Dominic replied, "They don’t have to be the same. They just need to be close enough."

A quiet acknowledgment moved around the table.

Dominic continued to explain the timelines and necessary adjustments. When he talked about coordination, he made eye contact, remained focused, and stayed steady.

"Ms. Summers," he said in his usual tone, "you previously mentioned that we should report everything clearly before making any changes. Do you still agree with that order in this new plan?"

Arianne looked directly at him.

"I would," she said. "When we don’t have clear reporting structures, it becomes hard to track how capital moves. This leads to higher costs when we need to fix issues."

Dominic stayed silent.

"If we redistribute resources before making things clear, we may get quick results but risk long-term problems. I would move the timeline up by three months," she continued.

Julian tilted his head slightly, showing he understood the change but did not express approval or disagreement.

Dominic placed his hands loosely on the table.

"A delay of one quarter weakens the initial speed."

Arianne didn’t rush her response. "It limits how much can be misused."

The discussion stayed measured. No one raised their voice.

It sharpened Franz’s attention.

She didn’t get defensive when he spoke to her. She also didn’t become overly soft. Instead, she evaluated, replied, and stood firm without raising her voice.

It made Franz more aware, not annoyed or competitive.

Dominic looked at Julian for his opinion. "What do you think?"

Julian considered the screen in front of him. "A quarter might work if we strengthen our liquidity cushions in the meantime."

"That will need cooperation from different areas," one of the fund directors said.

"Cooperation is expected," Julian replied calmly. "If it weren’t, we wouldn’t be here."

A quiet agreement was heard among the group.

Franz spoke up for the first time since the meeting started. His voice was soft but clear.

"Timing for liquidity will affect how well we can use our resources," he said. "If we set our buffers correctly, the quarter will be productive instead of limiting."

Dominic looked at him without showing any irritation or dismissal.

"Do you think the calibration is feasible?"

Franz considered the screen. "It is. If we standardize reporting before phase two."

Arianne did not look at Franz while he talked, but she noticed how they were aligned.

Julian watched this from his side. His expression stayed the same.

The conversation continued, focusing on technical details and regional variables. The team adjusted their figures and tested their assumptions. Everyone stayed calm; no one raised their voices or leaned across the table.

At one point, someone passed a folder with extra projections along the table. Arianne took it from Julian, quickly looked through the pages, and then turned slightly to hand it to Franz.

The movement was routine.

Their fingers brushed. Neither pulled away immediately.

Franz grabbed the folder while she let it go. For that moment, neither pulled away right away.

Julian noticed it. He didn’t look down. His jaw tightened once before he returned to the screen.

Dominic continued talking, not noticing or choosing to ignore the small change at the edge of his sight.

"We will need agreement among leaders before we can start," he said, pointing at the display.

He did not focus only on Arianne when he spoke. He let his words hang in the air.

"This might need a review by executives."

Silence followed for a beat.

Julian relaxed in his chair. "We expect alignment," he said calmly. "That’s the purpose of this forum."

His comment removed any suggestion that the proposal was aimed at a specific person.

Dominic nodded. "Of course."

The session moved to its final part, discussing timeline checkpoints and follow-up steps. Notes were taken. Dates were tentatively proposed.

As the moderator announced that time was almost up, participants shifted in their chairs, getting ready to stand.

Dominic organized his papers in front of him. Arianne closed her folder and placed it in front of her. Franz adjusted his cuff again.

As they stood up, they moved closer together because of their chairs. Franz gently placed his hand on Arianne’s lower back to help her as she moved behind the chair.

The touch was brief. She didn’t move away.

Dominic saw it. His expression didn’t shift as he buttoned his jacket.

Julian also noticed. He looked from Franz’s hand to Arianne’s face and then back to the documents he was collecting. He did not say anything.

Dominic walked around the table and approached Arianne, maintaining the same steady pace he used earlier.

"Ms. Summers," he said, stopping at a respectful distance, "Can I ask for clarification later this evening?"

The room was still filling up. Julian was close enough to listen. Franz stayed by Arianne’s side.

Arianne met Dominic’s gaze. "In open review."

This was neither a refusal nor an agreement. It was a clear boundary.

Dominic nodded once. "That will suffice."

He did not say anything more.

Julian closed his folder and tucked it under his arm. "We will meet again tomorrow at nine," he announced to everyone. "Get some rest."

The delegates started leaving the room, their voices low but lively. The quiet of the meeting gave way to smaller conversations.

Arianne walked toward the exit, and Franz kept pace with her. The corridor outside the closed room felt cooler and had softer lighting.

Behind them, Dominic briefly paused at the doorway. He watched as the last participants left the room. His gaze followed Arianne and Franz down the corridor for a moment before he turned in the other direction.

Julian stayed a step behind them.

"That was a productive meeting," he said casually.

"It was," Arianne agreed.

Franz looked at him. "The quarter adjustment looks doable."

Julian nodded. "It will take discipline."

"That’s nothing new," Arianne said.

Julian briefly looked between them. "No," he said. "It isn’t."

They arrived at the main hallway, where the doors opened to the larger forum space. They could faintly hear conversations from other private sessions.

Julian stopped. "I’ll go over the revised metrics tonight," he said. "We can talk before tomorrow’s session."

"Agreed," Arianne said.

Franz nodded in agreement.

Julian looked at them for a moment longer than needed. His face showed no emotion.

"Good evening," he finally said before turning away.

Arianne and Franz walked down the corridor together.

They didn’t speak right away.

The air felt tighter. Not heavy. Just closer than before.

Franz glanced at her as they walked.

"You changed the timeline," he said quietly.

"Yes."

"On purpose?"

"Yes."

He nodded. He did not ask anything else.

They reached the exit doors leading to the residential area of the venue.

The closed room behind them kept its discussions private.

In front of them, the evening awaited.

Neither of them spoke as they reached the doors.

Franz pushed one open.

She stepped through first.