In the afternoon, I followed Dominika to a magazine book signing event, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to meet our new project manager. Dominika had kept the details mysterious, saying only that we'd have someone “experienced" and “highly recommended" to lead this next phase. But as we stepped into the conference room, the air felt charged, the sense of anticipation prickling at my skin. There, on the other side of the table, stood Charles—calm, collected, and completely unexpected.
For a moment, I froze, the surprise hitting me like a cold splash of water. Charles's attention was on Dominika, his handshake firm and businesslike, the perfect model of professionalism. Meanwhile, I felt the back of my neck burn with a familiar heat, my mind racing to reconcile this version of Charles
