Martin forced a tight smile for the team.
"Thank you. I… appreciate it."
The words tasted like ash in his mouth.
He didn't stay.
He turned on his heel.
Walked straight to the private elevator.
Pressed 45.
The doors closed with a soft, final ding.
"Fuck."
The word echoed softly in the mirrored car, bouncing off the polished surfaces like an accusation.
When the doors opened on the executive floor, he walked straight to his office.
Didn't greet anyone.
Didn't stop for the assistant who tried to hand him the morning brief.
Didn't acknowledge the curious glances from the two VPs waiting outside the conference room.
He shut the door behind him with more force than necessary.
Dropped into his chair.
Pulled out his phone.
There were already three missed calls from Valentine.
Two from Victor Thorne.
One from Elena.
He ignored them all.
The screen lit up again—Valentine calling for the fourth time.
Martin silenced it.
