I leaned back in my chair, the leather creaking under my weight, and glanced at my secretary, Clara, who was sorting through a stack of papers at her desk just outside my office. The hum of the city buzzed faintly through the thick glass of my ceiling-to-floor windows, a reminder of the world moving on while I felt stuck in a loop.
“Clara,” I called, my voice steady but tired. “Clear my schedule for the day. I’m not taking any calls, no meetings. Nothing.”
She poked her head through the door, her brows raised in that knowing way she had. “You sure, Mr Ford? That’s the third time this week you’ve gone full hermit.” Her tone was light, teasing, but there was a flicker of concern in her eyes.
“Just do it,” I said, softer this time, offering a half-smile to ease the edge in my words. She n
