My fingers were cold, but my chest felt light.

Alexander walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window.

He looked out at the city lights glittering through the downpour.

The yellow cabs looked like small golden beads sliding along the dark streets below.

“It’s over,” he said.

“It is,” I agreed.

I closed my laptop and slid it into my leather bag.

“Where will you go now?” I asked.

“I’m staying right here,” he said.

He turned around to face me.

“There is a lot of work to do.”

“The board will need to be dissolved and replaced.”

“The accounts must be audited by an independent firm.”

He walked over to where I stood and looked down at my hands.

“I can’t do any of it alone, Clara,” he said.

“I don’t expect you to,” I said.

“But I am not going back to being just a secretary.”

A genuine smile appeared on his face, the first real one I had seen in months.

“I wouldn’t dream of offering you that,” he said.

“We will rebuild this company together.”

“On honest foundations.”

“No shortcuts. No secrets.”