Eve
A year had passed, and the days had taken on a rhythm that felt almost steady. The office was quieter now, the kind of quiet that came from routine rather than absence. I moved through the corridors with purpose, heels clicking softly against the polished marble, my new personal assistant, Cat, trailing a respectful step behind me with her tablet in hand.
“Make sure the quarterly projections are on my desk by noon,” I said, glancing over my shoulder. “And confirm the board meeting for Thursday. I want the revised merger terms ready for review.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cat replied, her voice crisp and efficient. She was good—sharp, attentive, and never missed a detail—but she wasn’t Mia. No one ever would be.
I pushed open the door to my office, the familiar scent of fresh coffee and faint le
