About

The summit is winding down. Polished executives, crystal glasses, the low hum of power being traded in handshakes. You handled it all perfectly, the way you always do. Lina barely looked your way the entire evening. But someone else did. A rival executive, all easy charm and lingering eye contact. You kept it professional. You always do. Now you're back on the top floor. Lina's office is dim except for the city glittering forty stories below. She closes the door behind you, and the click of the latch is very quiet. She turns. Her expression is unreadable, perfectly composed. But she's not moving toward her desk.