There was a collective intake of breath as Mr. Quinn's words sunk in. The board had been left to fend for themselves for years while the chairman watched from the sidelines. Some had tried to stabilize the company, while others had scrambled to save their own positions. On the surface, it had seemed like the situation had been brought under control, but Mr. Quinn was not fooled.
"I've been observing," he continued, his voice hardening slightly. "On the surface, it appears that everything is stable. But in reality, our company is falling apart. The cracks are deeper than most of you realize."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. The board members shifted in their seats, the tension palpable as they began to murmur to one another. Edwards watched them, his expression unreadable, but internally, he was analyzing each reaction, each flicker of fear, doubt, or defiance. They were nervous, and that was exactly what he wanted.