I nodded, my mind still buzzing from everything I had been reviewing. The pack led company records never ended—Fuller Corporation's financial scrolls first, then Quinn Corporation's. Each line of numbers felt heavier than the last, like it carried the pressure of the entire territory's stability.
Stacey noticed how I kept yawning and quietly placed a cup of coffee beside me. The warmth helped a little, but not enough to clear the tension in my chest. "By the way, Ms. Stovall," she asked carefully, "will the external audit go to AC Credit or Harrison Credit?"
That question made my thoughts slow. The man from yesterday—the one with too many smiles and not enough honesty—had spoken about the tender, but left too many gaps. It felt less like business and more like a test of loyalty between rival-backed firms under different Alpha influences.
I thought for a moment before answering. "How long will the audit take?"
