—Alec—
Time drifted slowly.
One moment, I was in my bedroom, still processing the fact that Mabel Parker hadn’t called or tried to reach out. The next, I was seated in the boardroom of my company’s skyscraper, rounding off a meeting with my team for the government contract as the afternoon sun bathed Washington city in its golden haze.
My company, the Rivera Group, had secured a spot among the top contenders for the contract, and had been invited to the Federal Conference taking place tomorrow at the Ronald Reagan Building.
The meeting came to a smooth end, and while my team exited the room, I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, sipping from my glass of water. I watched the city below bustle—oblivious to the storm in my head.
A soft knock came on the door.
I tilted my head, in time
