ROWEN

The boardroom had cleared out, leaving behind the faint traces of tension that still clung to the air like smoke after gunfire. The meeting was done.

Ethan and Ava had been publicly dragged out by security. Elora had stood her ground with an air of controlled fire. I knew this wasn’t over, not by a long shot. But it was a victory—a loud, public one. For now.

I left the conference room last and took the elevator to the executive floor. The silence inside the metal box gave me a few seconds to breathe. I didn’t smile. I didn’t sigh. I didn’t even blink longer than necessary.

My mind...