[Boardroom—Five Minutes Later]
Elle hadn't moved. Not really.
She was seated, sure. Breathing? Debatable. Mentally? Absolutely nowhere near present. Her soul was off applying for a job at Starbucks, where the worst thing that happened was someone spelling your name "Elbow."
Next to her, Ava was vibrating like an over-caffeinated Chihuahua. On the outside, she looked professional. On the inside? Full Titanic string quartet energy.
At the front of the room, Damien Wolfe clicked a tiny black remote like it held the fate of everyone's employment—which, to be fair, it probably did.
A screen lit up behind him. The words appeared in big, red, terrifying font:
"Q3 Strategy Session: Elevate. Dominate. Destroy."
Elle blinked.
Is that... a business plan or a war crime?
Damien turned to face the room, all smolder and menace. "Let's begin."
He pressed a button. Next slide.
