(Author's POV)
The next evening, Phineas walked into the hospital room carrying a basket - fruit, a good bottle of juice, some expensive chocolates that Leo would absolutely eat in one sitting. Martha was sitting by the window. She stood up when he came in, and Aurora watched her mother's expression shift in real time: polite surprise, then a longer, more assessing look, then something careful and calculating settling behind her eyes.
"This is my - " Aurora started.
"I'm her direct supervisor," Phineas said smoothly, extending a hand to Martha. "Phineas. Please, don't bother with any formality - just use my name."
Aurora stood slightly behind him and tried not to look like she was holding her breath. She'd told Martha he was the company's CEO. Martha had nodded and smiled and said of c
