Chapter 4

The boardroom felt colder than usual as I arranged my presentation materials on the polished mahogany table. The quarterly marketing strategy meeting was minutes away, and executives were filtering in with their usual pre-meeting chatter. I smoothed down my navy silk blouse, a small armor against what I knew was coming.

Tyler entered with Lea close behind, their bodies not touching but moving in the synchronized rhythm of people intimately familiar with each other's presence. He nodded at me with casual professionalism while Lea's eyes swept over my presentation materials with barely concealed contempt.

"Good morning, everyone," I began once…