“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Did he promise you something?”
“No. Not directly.”
“But you hoped.”
Her eyes filled, though she did not cry.
“Yes.”
I studied her.
Bianca had humiliated me because she believed she had been chosen to witness my replacement. She had mistaken proximity for intimacy and secrecy for trust.
I should have hated her.
Part of me did.
But Adrian had built the room in which both of us had been deceived.
Priya’s phone buzzed. She read the message and stood.
“Daniel is asking for me.”
“Because of the credit review?”
“Yes.”
“Tell him the company is not being destroyed.”
Priya paused.
“Isn’t it?”
“No.”
That was the first clear decision I had made since entering the hotel.
“Marcus suspended support because he believes there may be undisclosed liability. That is not the same as tearing the company apart. Employees should not lose their jobs because Adrian lied.”
