The morning light spilled through my office windows, casting long shadows across the polished hardwood floor. I scrolled through the third email that week from a nervous investor, my stomach clenching as I read their concerns.
"...rumors about the stability of Collins Designs..."
"...unable to commit at this time..."
"...will reconsider when the situation clarifies..."
I slammed my laptop shut. Three major investors backing out in one week wasn't a coincidence.
My phone buzzed. Tina.
"Your sister's in the lobby," she said, voice tight with disapproval. "Says she won't leave until she speaks with you."
My blood turned to ice. "Jessica is here?"
"Want me to call security?"
I pictured Jessica's face—my face but sharper, colder—making a scene in my company lobby. "No. Send her up."
I
