Then Valentina leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs as she locked eyes with Crawford sitting across from her. Her expression remained unreadable, but her voice was sharp, precise.
"Firstly," she began again, her tone leaving no room for argument,
"you are not the director of Sterling Design. You do not dictate how this company operates, nor do you decide the kind of risks we should or should not take."
She watched as his jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
"Secondly," she continued, "based on everything you've just said, it's quite clear to me that even you are aware of your own guilt—whether you admit it outright or not. The fact that you feel the need to justify, explain, and dismiss these allegations tells me that you know there's weight to them. And if there's weight, there will be consequences."
Valentina shifted forward slightly, her hands clasped together on the table.
