Nicole's POV
I kept telling myself it was temporary.
That was how I justified it in the beginning, by treating Chelsea's behaviour like a short-term disruption instead of what it was clearly becoming, something I could smooth over with enough structure and routine if I stayed on top of it.
It was just a stress response driven by the surge of adrenaline, nothing more. The aftermath of a plan that had moved faster than she had expected. None of that was unusual. None of it meant that she was losing control. It just meant she needed time to realign herself and readjust to the consequences and fallout that was possibly coming..
Thankfully, the packhouse still ran smoothly. That was the one thing that I clung to. The gates opened and closed on schedule, meals were served, staff st
