The office felt different after the morning meeting.
Not in a way anyone else would notice.
But I did.
Because I was trying too hard not to.
I stayed at my desk longer than usual, reviewing documents that didn’t need reviewing, replying to emails that could have waited. Anything to keep myself anchored.
Focused.
Untouched.
Unaffected.
“Ava.”
I looked up.
Lila again.
Of course.
“You survived the early meeting,” she said, sliding into the chair across from me without asking.
“Barely.”
“That bad?”
“No. Just… long.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “And?”
“And what?”
“And you’re avoiding something.”
“I’m working.”
“You’re deflecting.”
I sighed softly, closing the file in front of me. “What do you want, Lila?”
“The truth.”
“You can’t always have that.”
“I usually do.”
A paus
