Elena woke to a message that wasn’t from the unknown number.
It was from Adrian, sent just after six.
Come in as soon as you can. Don’t speak to anyone on the floor before you see me.
The tone of it sat wrong in her chest. She dressed quickly, skipped anything that took time, and caught an earlier bus. The city still looked half-asleep under a flat grey sky. By the time she reached Vale Holdings her hands were cold.
The executive floor was quieter than usual. The floor assistant glanced up and then away again too fast. Elena walked straight to Adrian’s office. The door was closed. She knocked once.
“Come in.”
Adrian stood behind his desk with his jacket off and his sleeves rolled once. He looked like he had been there for hours. A printed email lay in the centre of the desk.
“Close
