As Louisa enters the modern, marble-floored lobby of Palmer Tech, her heart hammers against her ribs.

It is loud today, the normal hum of morning activity, the click of heels on polished tiles, the flurry of conversations.

Every glance is laced with mistrust, and every fleeting smile is a disguised dagger.

As she passes small groups of workers hunched by coffee makers or organizing files at their workstations, she hears faint murmuring.

‘They are discussing me,’ she thinks inwardly.

Willing herself to remain composed, she tightens her grip on her bag and adjusts her blazer.

The fluorescent lights overhead create a strong glare, making the path to the boardroom appear...