~ Elara ~
The sixty-fourth floor of Helix Tower always felt a few degrees colder than the rest of the world. It wasn't just the air conditioning; it was the way the glass and steel seemed to swallow any sound that didn't have to do with profit margins or legal liabilities. As a junior employee, I had learned to navigate these hallways with my head down, keeping my footsteps light on the plush carpets. In this building, being noticed by someone like Gideon Moore usually meant you’d made a mistake that was about to cost you everything.
I stood by the breakroom counter, waiting for the espresso machine to hiss through its cycle. My eyes drifted toward the glass-walled lobby where a woman sat on one of the low, uncomfortable designer chairs.
It was Amara Moore. Or Amara Kline, depending on
