The morning of the board meeting arrived with a heavy, oppressive heat that seemed to seep through the tinted glass of the Pedro Corporation headquarters.
Amara stood in front of the full-length mirror in her dressing room, her fingers trembling as she smoothed the fabric of her tailored black suit.
The gold anklet Julian had given her in the boat, a relic of a life that felt a century old, clinked softly against her skin, a hidden weight of a happier time.
Julian was behind her, his reflection a sharp, dark contrast to her paleness. He reached out, his large hands grounding her as they rested on her shoulders.
"You don't have to do this alone," he murmured, his voice a low, protective vibration. "I've cleared my schedule. I'll be in the observer's seat. If he so much as breathes in your direction, I'm ending the meeting."
