I sank into the leather chair behind my new desk, running my fingers along its smooth mahogany surface. The office stretched before me - all glass and chrome and breathtaking city views. My office. The words still felt foreign in my mind.
"Tea?" Claire appeared in the doorway, a steaming cup in hand. "I noticed you seemed a bit overwhelmed after the tour."
"Thank you." I accepted the cup, grateful for its warmth against my palms. "It's just... seeing Drake like that. I never expected him to look so desperate."
"Mr. Stone has that effect on people." Claire perched on the edge of my desk. "But you handled it beautifully. The way you stayed composed - that's exactly what we need here."
I took a sip of tea, letting the familiar taste ground me. The morning's confrontation played through my mind: Drake's confident stride crumbling, his face falling as Damien positioned me as his superior. The power shift had been palpable.
