Ethan
The sound at the door arrives just as the clock strikes the end of the workday. A soft, precise knock. And I know it's her.
I don't need my assistant to announce anything. I don't need to check the time again. I don't need to confirm. Vanessa.
I swallow… My throat feels dry for a second, something that almost never happens… but today isn't just any conversation, today isn't a work meeting. Today I'm closing a chapter on something that's been looming in my life for years.
"Come in," I say.
My voice is firm, controlled.
The door opens and there she is.
She enters with that confidence that has always defined her. Elegant, impeccable… but her brow is barely furrowed, as if she already senses that this isn't a normal meeting.
She closes the door behind her, her eyes fixed
