The leather seat felt cold against Kimi's back as she slid into Kirk's sleek black sedan. Her heart hammered against her ribs, still echoing with the weight of her friends' confused stares. She had wanted to turn back, to explain everything, but Kirk's silent gesture toward the open car door left no room for discussion.
The drive to their new office building stretched ahead of them like an unspoken interrogation. Kirk had strategically chosen this location just blocks from Kolton's company headquarters, a calculated move that now felt heavy with unintended consequences.
Kimi kept her eyes fixed on her clasped hands, though she could feel Kirk's penetrating gaze burning into her profile. The tension in the car was suffocating, thick enough to cut with a blade.
Beta Zed's voice sliced through the silence from the front passenger seat. His head turned toward her, eyes narrowed with barely contained frustration.
"Did you know about Adalind's ridiculous decision?"
