el's

door remai

quid in my glass. The scotch burned going down, but no

nded myself. Th

he figures were impressive-market expansion, increased revenue, strategic positioning that would cement Sterlin

enthouse feel l

sent the updated contract terms an hour ago. Her email was brief, profess

word felt heavi

ible over the rain. My hand tightened around

re. I took anoth

n of the Westfield properties. European expansion within eighteen months. I'd built this em

uldn't understand the pressure, the con

eek. "She's making you soft, Daniel. When was the last

nd Amelia. But the words had died i

und myself considering employee welfare, community impact, long-term sustainability over i

into something between concern and satisfaction. "Remember

mbered by sentiment. I remembered Lydia leaving me for a better offer,

arity gala, wine-stained and apologetic,

had all be

t, hesitant. Moving down

nched. I d

lear. "I need to know you're all in, Daniel. No dist

de my choice. Si

itcase wheels on mar

et, watching numbers recalculat

Eyre. Amelia had been reading it three months ago, had tried to tell me abou

romise herself for love," she'd said qu

briefly. "Soun

smile I'd grown accustomed to

A passage was underlined in pencil: "I wou

t. I set it down quickly, re

oor opened.

hat followed

. The rain streaked down the glass, blurring the city lights below. Somewh

hou

I told myself. Control. C

buzzed on

A text from Lydia: "You did the

b hovering over the keyboard.

ipping the scotch glass so tig

ack: "See

ent. The scre

zed-standing alone in an empty penthouse, surrounde

scotch in on

continued

e buzze

cation-a calendar reminder I'd forgotten to del

as tom

omorrow. Her twenty-eighth birthday. The one I'd p

rom my hand, clatte

but the sound of my own breathing and the rain outsid

sage from Lydia: "Don't forget. Breakfast

reen. Then at the book on my desk. Th

years, I wondered if I'd just ma