Sylvia's POV
The worst of it was finally behind me.
The company stock had started to crawl its way back up—slow and cautious, like a cat coming out from under a bed.
The online smear campaign that once felt inescapable was now fizzling out, the hashtags dying off like a failed trend.
For the first time in weeks, I could breathe without checking headlines.
My phone buzzed on the counter, and when Noah's name popped up on the screen, I didn't even have to fake the smile that tugged at my lips.
"Hey, Noah," I answered, trying for casual, though there was still a hint of fatigue threading through my voice.
"Hi, Sylvia." His voice came through warm and steady, like chamomile tea on a bad day.
That familiar, velvety calm that made everything feel just a little less shar
