Roman's office was quieter than usual, the kind of quiet that didn't come from peace but from control. The blinds were half-drawn, cutting the daylight into clean lines across the polished desk. His laptop sat open, multiple windows layered across the screen, numbers moving, projections shifting, decisions forming beneath his gaze.
His phone rested near his hand, the call already connected.
"Elena."
Her voice came through steady, familiar, carrying a faint background noise that didn't belong to the city. "Good morning, sir."
Roman leaned back slightly in his chair, his attention still on the screen in front of him. "morning How is your mom?"
There was a small pause, softer than hesitation.
"She's better," Elena replied. "The treatment is working. She's responding well."
Roman nodded once, though she couldn't see it. "Good."
He didn't add anything unnecessary. He never filled silence just for comfort. But this time, the pause stretched a second longer than usual.
