Lex arrived at the conference room ten minutes early. Barnie wouldn't expect it—he never did.
The space was almost painfully familiar. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked downtown Manhattan, their edges framed by heavy curtains that were never drawn. The long mahogany table stretched across the room like a battlefield, its surface empty except for a single leather-bound planner at the head of the table.
Barnie's seat.
Lex didn't sit.
Instead, he drifted to the window, hands tucked casually in his pockets as he watched the street below. The city felt smaller here.
Behind him, the door hissed open.
"You're early."
Lex turned his head just enough to catch Barnie's reflection in the glass. His uncle stepped inside with the quiet confidence of a man who'd been winning for far too long. His charcoal suit was tailored to perfection, and the faint click of polished shoes echoed softly against the floor.
Barnie's pale blue eyes met Lex's in the reflection.
"Well, this is a surprise," Barnie said, stepping toward the table and setting down a thin stack of files. His voice was smooth, almost pleasant. "I assumed you'd stroll in late, hungover or distracted by one of those hobbies you never finish."
Lex smiled faintly. "Guess I'm full of surprises today."
Barnie's gaze lingered for a moment longer than necessary.
"Seems like it."
Lex didn't move, watching as Barnie took his seat at the head of the table, fingers steepling under his chin.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Barnie broke the silence first. "You met with Elias this morning."
Lex didn't answer right away. He could feel Barnie watching him carefully, measuring his reaction.
"Briefly," Lex said, turning away from the window. "He's thorough, as usual."
Barnie smirked faintly. "Thorough is one word for it. Old is another."
Lex let the comment hang between them. Barnie had never hidden his distaste for Elias—mostly because Elias represented the last obstacle between Barnie and total control.
"Elias is loyal," Lex said calmly.
Barnie chuckled under his breath, leaning back in his chair. "Loyalty is just stubbornness with better PR."
Lex tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "Is that why you kept Trent around?"
Barnie's smirk widened.
"Trent's useful. And he knows when to follow orders."
Lex sat down across from his uncle, resting one arm lazily over the chair. He could feel the undercurrent of tension now—thin, but stretching tighter with every word.
"I didn't come here to talk about Elias," Lex said.
Barnie's gaze sharpened almost imperceptibly. "No?"
Lex leaned forward slightly.
"I came to see what you're planning."
Barnie arched a brow. "Planning? Lex, you overestimate how much thought I put into keeping tabs on you."
Lex smiled faintly. "You always put more thought into it than you admit."
Barnie tapped his fingers against the table, thoughtful.
"You've grown up," Barnie said after a beat. "But you're still impulsive. I wonder if that'll change, or if you'll just get better at hiding it."
Lex met his uncle's eyes directly. "I guess we'll find out."
For a moment, neither of them blinked.
Then Barnie broke the stare, pulling one of the files from his stack.
"Elias won't hold the trusts forever, Lex. Eventually, they'll come to you. But until then, I suggest you find something productive to do."
Lex's gaze flicked briefly to the file—a property deal by the looks of it.
Barnie was already moving pieces, even now.
"I'm sure I'll stay busy," Lex said smoothly, rising from his seat.
Barnie didn't look up. "I'm sure you will."
Lex walked to the door but paused just as he reached for the handle.
"Oh," Lex added, casting a glance back at Barnie. "Trent's sloppy, by the way. If you're planning to send him after me again, tell him not to park so close to my building next time."
Barnie's pen froze mid-stroke.
Slowly, his eyes lifted to meet Lex's.
For a second, Lex saw it—the flicker of amusement, laced with something sharper.
Barnie's smirk returned. "Duly noted."
Lex let the door swing shut behind him, heart beating steadily as he walked down the corridor.
Barnie was watching.
But Lex wasn't worried.
Not this time.