They bowed lower, silent, cowed. My office was suffocating with fear and failure as well.
And then, from beside me, Carmela cleared her voice softly. She rose gracefully, walking closer, her hand settling on my shoulder. She leaned down.
"Why are you so pissed like this?" she cooed. "Relax. I'll handle everything. After all, it was just a Gamma who left. She can be replaced easily."
Her words iced my veins. For a few seconds, I froze, my chest stilling, my mind blank. Then I nodded slowly, my lips curling into something that wasn't a smile.
I lifted my eyes to the room, to the trembling cowards who dared call themselves my assistants. "Carmela is right," I said flatly. "Elodie was just an assistant. And she's gone. From now on, Carmela will be in charge of company affairs."
The silenc
