*Eleanor*
Returning to the office felt like stepping into a different world. The silence inside my glass-walled office was nothing like the chaos I had just escaped.
I exhaled slowly and dropped into my chair, trying to calm the storm swirling in my chest. My head was pounding, and my heart still felt hollow after leaving the hospital. But I had to be composed. I had a company to run.
A soft knock came on the door.
“Yes?” I called, sitting up.
My secretary, Claire, stepped inside with a manila folder in her hand. “Here’s the updated construction file, ma’am,” she said, walking forward and placing it gently on my desk.
“Thank you,” I nodded, flipping it open briefly. “Anyone asked for me today?”
Claire hesitated a moment. “No, ma’am. No one’s asked for you directly.”
She was turni
