Elena’s voice cut through the line with the icy precision of a scalpel, devoid of any apology or warmth. “Did I keep you waiting?”
Marcus froze mid-step in his dimly lit office, the restless anxiety that had gnawed at him through the sleepless night suddenly exposed as a hollow farce. “You stood me up for this?”
“Not entirely,” she replied coolly. “I’m taking a few days off as well. I need a break.”
His voice faltered, edged with disbelief. “Time off? Do you have any idea what’s unfolding right now?”
“I’m not feeling well,” Elena interrupted, her tone unyielding. “Or does the company risk collapsing without my constant presence?”
The words landed like a blow. Marcus’s mind flashed back to the previous day—the frantic negotiations, the endless documents, the weight of a multi-million-d
