Ann stood at the entrance of the boardroom, her heart pounding in her chest. The air inside felt cold, heavy with tension. Every head turned as she stepped in. Whispers stopped. Eyes narrowed.
Richard sat at the far end of the long table, his face unreadable. He didn’t look up as she entered. His silence pierced deeper than any words could. She forced herself to walk forward, trying to stay calm. Her hands trembled slightly, but she kept her chin up.
“Ms. Smith,” said one of the board members, Mr. Caldwell, folding his hands. “You know why we’ve called this meeting?”
Ann nodded. “Yes. I’ve been accused of something I didn’t do.”
Caldwell leaned back. “Sensitive files were accessed using your login credentials. Documents were leaked. We’ve lost clients. The company is under fire.”
“I k
