–Laura–
The moment I stepped into the office, I felt the air shift. Conversations halted mid-sentence. Heads turned subtly. Eyes followed me, some curious, some cautious. My heels clicked sharply against the marble floor, the sound oddly loud in the sudden hush.
Ah, yes—Carrie's scandal. That must be it.
I pushed open the doors to my private office—the sleek, dimly lit space I had curated meticulously in tones of obsidian and steel. Aesthetics mattered. Control mattered. As I set my handbag down, Mitch, my ever-efficient secretary, entered with a stack of folders.
She hesitated at first, then approached. "There's been… a development," she said, her voice low as she leaned toward me.
I arched my brow. "Let me guess. It's about Carrie?"
She gave a small nod. "Yes. The team thinks you might be behind the leak."
