The office did not change, yet something inside it shifted the moment the decision was spoken aloud.
The HR manager has finalized promotion , her expression calm but expectant, while the secretary remained where she was, composed as always, her posture straight, her presence controlled in a way that had already begun to define her.
Sebastian sat behind his desk, watching, not just listening, his attention sharper now than it had been at the start of the meeting.
"Director level," HR repeated, her tone firm, certain. "Effective immediately upon documentation."
For a brief moment, silence settled in the room—not heavy, not tense, but deliberate, as though waiting for the natural reaction that should follow such an announcement.
It did not come.
Instead, the secretary lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers folding together in front of her in a gesture that carried hesitation rather than confidence.
"I… don't think I'm ready for that," she said quietly.
