Elias looked so small standing under the streetlamp, the rain soaking through his expensive wool coat.

“Stay there,” I told him.

I hung up the phone and walked out of the conference room.

“Ava,” Sarah called after me.

“I’ll handle it,” I said.

I walked down the stairs, my boots clicking softly on the wooden steps.

I opened the heavy front door of the brownstone.

The cold, wet air hit me immediately.

Elias walked across the sidewalk toward me.

His hair was wet, plastered to his forehead.

“Thank you,” he said.

“We are not talking inside,” I said, standing on the threshold.

“I just need you to hear me,” he said.

“I’ve heard you for seven years, Elias,” I said.

“The board offered me a deal,” he said. “If I sign a joint statement with you, they will let me keep my board seat.”

He took another step closer, his eyes pleading.

“They want to show that we are united. They think it will calm the market.”

“I already gave you my answer,” I said.

“If you don’t do this, they are going to release the audit reports,” he said.