People began to slowly merge into one stream leading to the conference room. I had to part with Galya and Lena, as the seats for the personnel department were several rows higher. I, along with the leadership team, was allocated a place in the front row. In the twilight of the hall, I comfortably sat down in a chair with my name on it and literally shuddered at the words I heard to my left, a few centimeters away from me:

- Well, hello, birdie. Did you miss?

Slowly, I turned my head and saw the Queen beside me. The man sat in the chair next to me, and a...