Despite Sora's protests, Ravi and Dhiren had cut their road trip short to return home Monday night. Dhiren was keeping Tommy occupied upstairs whilst Sora and Tracy considered their options, with occasional input from Ravi.

Tracy clutched her cup of coffee avariciously.

"Right now, they're not overriding your appointment because they don't want to piss me off as majority shareholder. He'll do it, though. He'll get the job back. It won't be this year, I ensured that in this morning's scheduled vote. You've got that long to make them want you or you're out of a job."

"No pressure."

"That's the cost of doing business, I'm afraid. I wouldn't give up if I were you. You've shown we can conduct business with compassion and still make a killing. We don't have to be ruthless." Tracy rubbed matter from her eyes. She'd flown down from New York to meet with Anthony on Monday morning. It was obvious she hadn't slept a great deal since her brother's failed takeover attempt on Saturday.

"Compassionate business makes us look good. We've become an attractive place to work. We've been dubbed 'family-friendly'. There's a profit to be made in having that for a brand identity, but it's not fast. We have to show we're willing to take the hit in the short-run for doing the unpopular thing in order for our employees to benefit over the long run. I don't know that they're going to give you that time."

"Then, I'll have to make them regret getting rid of me."

"So you will."

Ravi came back from the kitchen carrying a tray of fresh coffee for all three of them.

"In the tradition of CEOs throughout history, you've got a loyalty problem."

Tracy traded her old security blanket for another cup and began to look marginally more human. Sora took hers with thanks, but was more grateful for his arm around her shoulders.

"People that are loyal to Anthony," Sora offered.

"People that loyal to Anthony, Sr. or Anthony, Jr. and then the company," Ravi countered. "You have to convert them to your way of thinking, demote them so they can't be a roadblock to your agenda, or you gotta send 'em packing."

"The employees will riot if I start issuing pink slips out of the blue."

Although Sora wasn't ungrateful for Ravi's input, she worried about alienating Tracy whose support would be vital to her continued employment.

"Meaning you've got your work cut out for you. You'll have to go through employee records, annual evaluations, quarterly performance reviews and so on to find out who you really need where and who you can do without in a pinch. Chances are some people have kept their jobs this long by cozying up to the boss. Find people who may be better suited to these positions and your agenda and promote from within."

Tracy emerged clear-eyed from her caffeine-fueled meditation.

"As much as I dislike telling tales out of school, Ravi has a point. If you want to succeed, heads need to roll."

"People are doing their jobs."

"People are trying to stay employed and they'll professionally disembowel you to do it. If you cannot say the same, print off your resignation. I can't fight for you if you don't want this."

"I want it."

"Prove it."

"Michael Sherman needs to go."

Tracy sat, arms crossed. "Are you asking my permission? You're the boss, dump him. Who's next?"

"Bertie Aldon."

"Aldon's entrenched. You'll get blowback. Are you ready?"

"I love my job. I think I can bring a positive change to Himura Media L.A."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I will be ready."

"Then, you don't need me." Tracy put down her mug and stood to leave. "Let me know if my brother tries anything else. I'm meeting with him again tomorrow morning, his idea. We need to have words, Himura to Himura, because I must have failed to make myself clear. He seems to have forgotten I'm still the only person other than Dad who can put him in a headlock."

"If he thinks you're taking my side, he'll stonewall you."

"The upside of being majority owner is being able to ignore the pouting."

"Can this get worse?" Sora wasn't sure she had the stamina for worse from here. August was putting July to shame.

"Yes. You decide where you raise the white flag. Anthony will push you right to your limit if he can." Tracy dithered a moment. "There is a potential compromise on the table. You and Anthony could co-occupy the executive seat."

"Not a chance."

"Ravi!" Sora was surprised at him.

"I'm sorry, I know it's not my place, but the thought of that guy around you day in and day out, I don't like it."

"He's not interested in me anymore. I sometimes think he hates me. I've heard what he says about me."

"He doesn't hate you. He may not like you, but that's not hate."

Tracy weighed in. "My brother has complicated feelings for you. Like a child, instead of talking about his emotions, he lashes out and makes weapons out of what he can't put into words."

Sora had no desire to analyze the tangle of her former husband's emotional landscape. She had to prioritize the man she had chosen to be with now.

She opted to set aside that immediate issue to walk Tracy to the door.

"Tracy, thank you for helping me deal with this. I don't know how everything got so out of hand."

"This is life in the corporate world. The best thing you can do is call the ref when you're cornered by a foul play. In your case, I'm the ref."

"Do you have somewhere to stay? You're welcome to join Tommy and I here during your visit."

"I'm occupying the Himura Executive suite at the Omni. It's only for tonight. I plan to head home tomorrow. I miss my bed-and my wife, for that matter."

"Give Justine my best when you talk to her."

"I will." Sora and Tracy embraced warmly. Tracy leaned around Sora to tender a wave to the third person in the room. "Ravi, as always, a pleasure."

Ravi stood by the sofa, hands in his pockets. "The same to you. Drive safe."

"Thank you. Until tomorrow," Tracy murmured sotto voce on her exit.

Sora pulled the last of her energy together to face Ravi.

"Do you trust me?"

Ravi pursed his lips, gave an oblique nod.

"I don't want Anthony back. Given the way he's hurt me, I wouldn't want to sit next to him on a plane, much less work with him, much less build another home with him. There's no threat here."

"You still love him. Because of Tommy, because of all the unfinished business. If he promised to change, I'd be outta luck."

"He's sworn to me he could be better before and that was a trick. I have this life now that I couldn't imagine two years ago. I have this dream job and I have Tommy and you. What could Anthony give me that I don't have?"

"Your dignity. He took that with him and left you in shreds. He comes back and you two make up and it's yours. You were right, he was a pig, you two were meant to be all along. I'm a detour."

"Putting aside that dignity remark, which we will be coming back to, where is this coming from?"

"Experience."

"You think Anthony is my destiny?"

Ravi scrubbed a hand down his face and sat back down. He started to say something and then seemed to reconsider.

"I don't know what I'm saying. Forget it."

Sora sat down on the coffee table so that they were face to face.

"I don't think I can. No, I know I can't. Anthony is...he's himself. He's ridiculous and brash and shallow and ruthless. His ego could fill up this room and not leave an ounce of oxygen for anyone else to breathe. He's an egotist. He's vain."

"You love him."

"I care about him, he's the father of my child."

"Like I care about Hana."

"I suppose so. Why?" Sora folded her arms in front of her. "How do you feel about Hana? Is she giving you trouble at the office?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Are you doubting our relationship? You seemed sure before." You staked your life on us.

"You don't need to worry about that. My feelings for you are solid. I'm not so sure yours are for me."

"I'm not sure what to say, this is coming out of nowhere." Sora sifted through her memories. Ravi had been fine before he left for his trip with Dhiren. This was the first hint she'd gotten that he wasn't entirely content. "Somebody's gotten to you. Was it Hana?"

"I don't talk to her that much. She's a non-issue."

"I don't see how she could be. You see her every day. What did she say to make you doubt me?"

"It wasn't..." Ravi sighed. "Anthony Himura and I had words, he made some good points about the past the two of you share. Maybe I'm not the one with the unfinished business. That could be a good thing."

"For me to go back to the man you said yourself is a terrible person? How could that be considered in any way a good thing?"

"I've got the sword of Damocles hanging over my head. It's not even swinging, but sometimes I think I can see it. Bastard that he is, he doesn't have that."

"The list of what I want and need that Anthony cannot give me is endless. Time doesn't even make the top twenty."