The atmosphere in the office that afternoon was tense, though no one dared to speak openly about it. Whispers that Hunter Jackson had summoned someone from the managerial board spread like wildfire. In the finance department, several employees kept their heads down, pretending to focus on their screens while their ears strained to catch every sound around them.
Inside her office, Melinda Carter—the usually composed senior finance manager—sat stiffly, her fingers trembling above the keyboard. Her eyes scanned the budget report, but her mind registered none of the numbers.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The sudden knock on her door made her heart leap into her throat.
“Come in…” she said, her voice far weaker than usual.
Two HR officers—a man and a woman in sharp suits—entered the room. Their exp
