Kelly's POV
The morning meeting took place in the long conference room on the seventeenth floor, the one with the glass wall that overlooked the city like it was something to be measured and managed.
By the time everyone settled into their seats, the air already felt dense, there were too many people, too many expectations pressed into a single space.
I sat two seats down from Michael, notebook open, pen poised. This was familiar territory, this was routine. I told myself that as a way of calming the small knot that had formed in my chest since I’d walked in.
Michael ran the meeting the way he always did, quick, efficient, and controlled. Department heads spoke when addressed, no one interrupted him, decisions were made quickly and logged immediately.
His voice didn’t rise or softe
