AVA'S POV
The late afternoon sunlight spilled through the wide bay windows of the foundation's executive suite, casting long golden streaks across the oak-paneled walls.
I sat in the center conference room, my fingers wrapped around a steaming mug of tea, the floral scent cZurling upward like a promise of calm. But no amount of tea could still the nerves humming beneath my skin today.
Carl was still out there.
We had come so far, from the shadow of deception to the fierce light of truth. But that didn't mean the story was over. If anything, I had come to realize that truth was never a finish line. It was a door. One that led to a hundred other doors.
I glanced across the table at Laila, who was typing notes into her tablet, and Priya, who was reviewing a legal document we had prepared for our newest initiative. The whistleblower protection clause was now finalized and ready to launch, and the internal restructuring of our donation protocols had begun.
