Sweet Love 2x: Miss Ruthless CEO for our Superstar Uncle-Chapter 82: In the Same Room

The capital strategy summit was held on the upper floors of a private financial institute overlooking Montclair’s older banking district. The building still carried its old stone exterior, but inside everything had been stripped down and rebuilt in glass and steel.

Only a small circle had been invited. There was no public registration and no press. The people here weren’t looking for visibility.

Franz and Lucas entered the building through the back door, which was accessible only to approved delegates and panelists.

Lucas wore his badge on his jacket. They arrived on time — not early, not late.

Conversations stayed low. People spoke in small groups: institutional investors, private equity directors, regulatory advisors, and senior counsel. There were no loud greetings. No one lingered for show.

Franz attended as Franz Rochefort.

Very few people here knew about his other career. It didn’t matter.

Gilbert walked over to him at the registration desk, calm as always. Nate and Julian arrived soon after, giving brief nods instead of long greetings.

"The restructuring panel is second," Gil said in a calm tone.

Franz looked at the printed program in his hand. "Got it."

Julian briefly glanced at the far side of the hall, where the panelists were gathering. "He’s in charge."

Franz showed no reaction. He folded the program and put it in his pocket.

"Understood."

They entered the main hall separately. The seats were spaced out. No clusters. Franz chose a seat a few rows from the front, facing the center aisle, so he could see the stage without drawing attention. Lucas sat one row behind and to the side, close enough to step in if needed but otherwise staying hidden.

The moderator began the summit immediately. The agenda appeared in plain text on the screen behind them — consolidation models, governance adjustments, cross-border regulation. There were no decorative graphics, no background music, and no over-the-top applause.

Dominic Blackwood joined the other panelists when called.

He walked straight to his seat and adjusted the microphone once. After that, he barely moved.

Franz sat still and observed.

When Dominic spoke, his tone was calm and matched the rest of the room. He did not raise his voice or try to emphasize his words.

"Our goal," he said, "was to integrate our systems instead of just growing bigger."

He chose his words carefully. The slide behind him showed the steps for acquiring companies and the levels for combining them, without any flashy effects.

He spoke calmly and didn’t rush. When asked how quickly to consolidate, he responded without becoming annoyed.

"Preparation is more important than speed," he said. "Good preparation leads to lasting results."

Franz noticed Dominic’s hands didn’t move much. His posture was relaxed, and he showed no need to assert his authority except through the clarity of his model.

The panel ended with applause. Attendees slowly rose as the session broke into smaller discussion groups around the hall. Soft conversations began again, forming small groups around the panelists and institutional leaders.

Franz stood calmly, walking toward a group that was talking about midterm allocation discipline. Lucas went in a different direction. He briefly talked with a compliance advisor before stepping aside to watch.

"Rochefort has held back on expanding this quarter," one investor noted as Franz joined the conversation.

"We focused on building a strong foundation," Franz responded calmly. "Expanding without proper integration makes management harder."

They stayed on allocation and minority voting adjustments. He answered two more questions, nodded once, and stepped away.

Dominic was talking with two representatives from a sovereign fund about future capital investments. He maintained a steady posture. He listened carefully before he spoke. His hand movements were slight, mainly pointing to printed numbers instead of using big gestures.

Franz did not approach.

A senior institutional investor facilitated the introduction by connecting two discussions with ease.

"Mr. Rochefort," the man said, stepping in front of them and giving a polite nod. "I don’t believe you’ve met."

Franz looked over.

Dominic looked back at him without any hesitation.

"Mr. Blackwood," the investor continued, "this is Franz Rochefort."

Franz reached out his hand first.

"Franz Rochefort."

"Dominic Blackwood."

Their handshake was firm and brief. They maintained steady eye contact, showing neither challenge nor submission.

A server passed between them with a tray of drinks. Dominic took one but didn’t touch it. He remained beside Franz, both of them watching the last of the guests leave the main hall.

"You moved quickly," Dominic said. "Faster than most expected."

Franz didn’t look at him right away. "Waiting would have made it worse."

"Some people weren’t ready."

"They wouldn’t have been ready in six months either."

Dominic glanced toward the cluster of board members speaking near the exit. "You replaced three positions in one quarter."

"They weren’t performing."

"They were loyal."

Franz finally turned his head. "To whom?"

Dominic held his gaze for a second longer than necessary. "You know the answer."

Franz didn’t respond to that.

The noise in the room dropped as the doors to the hall closed.

"You tightened things quickly," Dominic said. "People notice when things change that fast."

"They’ll adjust."

"Or they’ll resist."

Franz’s expression didn’t shift. "They didn’t have to stay."

A brief silence followed.

Dominic set the untouched glass back on the tray as another server passed by. "You’re confident."

"I’m prepared."

"That’s not the same thing."

Franz looked back toward the stage. "It’s enough."

Dominic studied him for a moment before giving a small nod. "We’ll see."

"Yes," Franz replied.

Neither smiled.

A moderator approached Dominic from the side and said quietly, "We’re ready for the roundtable."

Dominic nodded once and replied, "Excuse me."

"Of course," Franz said.

They stepped away without looking back.

Dominic walked toward a private meeting room at the side of the hall without slowing down. Franz turned back to the main area and continued talking with another investor who had been waiting to discuss governance thresholds.

Julian came over to Franz a few minutes later, after watching from a short distance.

"He’s careful," Julian said.

Franz thought about the word before replying. "Yes."

The rest of the summit moved on. Franz joined the discussion about allocations and spoke briefly when he had the chance. He did not mention the earlier introduction, nor did he change his posture or tone afterward.

After the closing remarks, people left the formal session slowly instead of all at once. No reporters were waiting outside the secured area. The exit process was smooth and orderly.

Franz walked into the hallway alone. He paused at the window for a moment. The skyline was already darkening, the lights in the older district coming on one by one.

Dominic was careful.

That was enough.

Franz adjusted his sleeve and headed for the exit.