The fracture didn’t begin with conflict.
Charles did not respond immediately.
Which was how I knew he would.
By morning, the floor carried no visible trace of irritation. No abrupt schedule shifts. No clipped directives. No retaliatory theater.
Everything moved with his usual cultivated ease.
Too smoothly.
People who reacted quickly revealed emotion.
People like Charles weaponized delay.
I logged in at 7:33 a.m.
No alerts.
No oversight notices.
No strategic assignments.
Then, at 7:41, a new calendar block populated my screen.
Executive Negotiation Simulation
Participants: C. Agreste / C. Laurent
Location: North Annex Suite
Duration: Full Day
Visibility: Limited Internal Archive
Full day.
Not request.
Not optional.
A longer silence followed than I liked.
“They gave him
