Another silence stretched between us.

“Yes, she is already in the boardroom,” Nathan said. “I know. Just get us up there.”

The phone clicked shut.

A second later, the scanner on the wall beeped again.

The red light turned to a solid, bright green.

The heavy steel doors of the elevator slid open with a soft hiss.

“Let’s go,” Nathan said.

We stepped into the mirrored cabin.

I watched the floor numbers light up on the panel as we ascended.

My hands were shaking, making the papers inside the folder rustle.

Nathan reached down and took my hand.

His palm was warm and steady.

“We are going to finish this today, Emily,” he whispered.

The elevator chimed as we reached the fourteenth floor.

The doors opened to a wide, carpeted lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The sky outside was grey, and heavy rain was beginning to pelt against the glass.

Two security guards in black uniforms stood near the double oak doors of the boardroom.

They looked up, their faces turning pale when they saw Nathan.

“Mr. Vance,” one of them said, stepping forward to block the path. “Mrs. Vance told us—”