She looked directly at him.
"Are you certain, sir?"
Faisal spread his hands.
"Absolutely."
Amara drew a slow breath.
Then delivered the sentence she'd rehearsed only once, because she knew its meaning too well to forget.
"قبل أن توقّع، اسألهم لماذا اختفى اسم المالك من الصفحة السابعة."
The room went silent.
Faisal's expression changed.
The joke disappeared.
He opened the agreement and turned toward page seven.
Amara watched his eyes move across the paragraph.
Then she saw the moment he understood.
He wasn't reading the entire original Arabic provision.
He was reading a revised English description that no longer identified the community trust as the owner.
But he remembered the name.
His brother had spoken about it.
And the omission was significant enough that he stopped the dinner.
"Nobody touches this agreement," he said.
Victor's expression hardened.
"Mr. Al-Rashid, with respect—"
Faisal raised one hand.
"Not another word until I understand what she said."
Then he looked toward Amara.
"Translate it into English."
She remained calm.
"Before you sign, ask them why the owner's name disappeared from page seven."
One adviser looked toward Kessler.
Another reached for his phone.
The billionaire folded his hands.
Then asked the question everyone in the room was afraid to answer.
"Who is the owner?"
Amara looked toward the document.
"The Harbor Nine Community Trust."
Kessler stood abruptly.
"That's a gross mischaracterization."
Amara turned toward him.
For the first time that evening, she allowed herself to meet his eyes.
"Then show Mr. Al-Rashid the recorded deed."
Victor Langley recovered before anyone else.
He leaned forward, adopting the smooth, reasonable tone Amara remembered from the office where he fired her.
"Your Excellency, this employee has a personal interest in a historical dispute. She isn't qualified to advise you on the transaction."
Faisal looked toward him.
"Is she correct about the name?"
Victor hesitated.
"The trust's historic interest has been addressed through subsequent agreements."
"That wasn't my question."
The lawyer adjusted his glasses.
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then answered.
"The original materials refer to the trust, yes."
Faisal stared.
"Then why isn't it identified here?"
Victor began discussing the distinction between underlying title, commercial operating rights, and the form of the transaction.
Some of his statements were technically reasonable.
An acquisition of corporate shares didn't always involve transferring land ownership directly.
Certain contractual rights could remain in place after a sale.
And companies frequently used summaries to describe complicated agreements.