The woman appears at Chen Industries on a Wednesday morning, exactly two weeks after Elena's housewarming dinner.
I know this because Kevin has been tracking the "Post-Elena Integration Peace Period" in a dedicated spreadsheet, documenting each day of calm as a small victory. Fourteen days. Fourteen mornings of quiet coffee and Lucas's pink ears and the ficus growing new leaves in the study. Fourteen days of pretending the past was truly behind us.
The woman stands in the lobby with the easy confidence of someone who belongs in expensive spaces. She's tall and graceful, effortlessly elegant in a cream silk blouse and tailored navy trousers. Her dark hair is pulled back in a sleek low ponytail, and her makeup is minimal but flawless—the kind of polished that comes from years of practice rather than effort. She wears a single strand of pearls around her neck and carries a leather handbag that probably costs more than most people's monthly rent.
