The building was silent when the elevator doors slid open. The only sound was the low hum of the lights and the faint rain tapping against the tall glass windows. She hugged her file to her chest, heart pounding as she walked down the hallway lined with executive offices. Everyone else had gone home hours ago. Everyone except him.
His door was still lit. A thin line of gold slipped through the gap at the bottom, a quiet warning and invitation all at once.
She had made a mistake this week. Missed a deadline. Flinched when he raised his voice in that low, controlled way that made everyone else straighten in their seats. She had expected a meeting with HR. Instead, she got a short email with one line.
“My office. Now.”
Her throat tightened. She paused at the door, hand trembling before sh
