"Do you really want it, Alex?"
Victoria locked eyes with him and didn't look away.
It wasn't a simple question. It was a test. The kind she had learned to ask before anyone stepped into a fight they might not be able to leave.
"Think carefully," she said. "That building already has three serious buyers circling it, and more complications than a newcomer should walk into. You can still avoid all of that."
She paused, watching him closely.
"But the moment you try to take it, those three won't just stand aside," Victoria said. "They'll join hands and do everything they can to stop you." She looked him straight in the eyes, making sure the weight of her words settled.
"At that point, it won't be about a useful building anymore. It becomes pride. Reputation. And if you still force the deal through… they won't swallow the loss. They'll come after the company. They'll create problems for your people. They may even come after you directly."
