The morning after the planning session began not with an alarm, but with the sound of rain against the window. It was a soft, steady rhythm that matched the shift in my own internal landscape. I woke up at seven, feeling a strange sensation in my chest. It wasn't the tightness of anxiety, nor the hollow ache of exhaustion. It was something lighter. Anticipation. Not for a battle, but for a meeting. A normal business meeting.
I got out of bed. Marcus was already up. I could smell coffee and toast downstairs. I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The dark circles were still there, but the hardness in my eyes had softened. I looked like a person who was sleeping again. I dressed in casual clothes. Jeans. A sweater. No suit. No armor. It felt exposed, but also liberating.
Downstai
