The lesson ended, but the air in the room didn’t lighten. Instead, it grew heavier, charged with a sudden, sharp intensity. He handed me a sheet of paper, his demeanor shifting from instructional to severe. His focus was absolute, leaving no room for distraction.
“Are you mad at me?” I asked, the words slipping out almost immediately.
He looked at me for a brief second, then looked away. The silence was answer enough. Yes. Of course he was.
“Do you want me to be?” he replied, his voice low.
That was not what I had expected to hear.
“Then why the test? I hate tests,” I said, frustration rising. I had never liked finance; no one could force me to engage with something I despised.
“Take it.” He didn’t spare me a second glance.
This time, I knew he was dead serious.
I took the piece of
