Chapter 21: The Gilded CageThe invitation was thick, cream-colored cardstock, embossed with the Kingston Holdings logo. A "casual family dinner." To Leo, it was a summons to the gallows.Across the city, Elara stared at an email from a headhunter. The subject line: "Opportunity of a Lifetime: Lead Innovator at Apex Global." It was the kind of role she’d dreamed of—complete creative freedom, a massive budget, and a clean slate. It was also in another city.That evening, the "casual dinner" was anything but. Leo’s father, Arthur Kingston, sat at the head of a table longer than most studio apartments.“The board is