The meeting had been a success. A major deal was secured, and I had played a role in it. As I stepped into the elevator beside Martin, the air between us felt heavier than it should have. I clutched the file in my hands, pretending to review the contract details, but my focus was splintered. I could feel him—his presence, sharp and focused, commanding without effort.
The elevator doors slid shut, enclosing us in a quiet, isolated space. The hum of the moving lift filled the silence, a stark contrast to the tension crackling between us. I took a slow breath, trying to steady myself, but the silence lingered—heavy, unspoken, almost suffocating.
"What did you think of the negotiation?" Martin’s voice cut through the silence, smooth but laced with something else. Something unreadable.
I gla
