Lisa’s POV
I immediately noticed three familiar faces… Mr. Cole sat to the left, going through a document with quiet focus. Chris leaned back slightly in his chair, relaxed in a way that didn’t feel careless…just… familiar with the space. Clara stood near the far end, arranging files. The moment she saw me, she straightened slightly.
“Good morning, ma’am.”
Respectful. Measured.
“Good morning, Clara.”
She gestured toward a seat right beside the head of the table, I moved toward it. Placed the file in front of me, and sat down. No one said anything directly, but I could feel it. Awareness, not heavy, just… present.
Ethan walked in and just like that, the room aligned. No announcement, no effort. It just… happened. He took his seat at the head of the table, he didn’t open the file immed
