When Arianne stepped out of the conference room, she wasn't surprised to see Franz waiting for her in the hallway. It had been a week since Vincent collapsed. It was the first time she'd seen Franz at the company since then.
He looked thinner. The suit that usually fit him well hung differently. His jaw was sharper, the shadows under his eyes deeper. He had been at the hospital, then with his mother, then alone with whatever Alex's last words had left him carrying.
"Aria," he called after her. "Can we talk?"
Arianne nodded. This was a conversation neither of them could avoid.
"I have a meeting with Compliance in an hour. Let's talk in my office."
They walked together. The tension from the meeting followed them, settling in the space between their steps.
Gio was in Arianne's office when they arrived, preparing documents on her table. He looked up, saw their faces, and withdrew without a word. The door clicked shut behind him.
