I sat in the back of the car, watching the buildings blur by through the tinted glass. The sun had not fully risen, but the world was already awake. My hands rested on my lap, fingers interlocked to keep them still. My chest felt tight, but not with fear. It was the pressure of everything we had prepared for converging into this one day. The board meeting was at eight. Every detail had been sharpened for this. Still, my pulse thudded like I was walking into something unknown.

Julian sat beside ...