The statement arrived in his inbox at nine Saturday morning.
Subject line: Draft — Joint Disclosure Statement. Review required.
He was still in bed.
He sat up, opened it on his phone, and read it standing in his kitchen in yesterday's clothes with the kettle boiling and Juno still asleep behind a closed door.
It was clean.
Legal had drafted it with the precise, measured language of people who understood that every word in a document like this was a decision. Seren's secondary gender designation, corrected through official HR channels. The relationship between Seren Valez and Caelan Draxen, which had been reviewed and deemed appropriately managed under the company's internal conflict of interest policy. A statement confirming that Seren's employment record and performance had been evaluated independently of any personal connection.
Three paragraphs.
Professional. Airtight. Everything it needed to be.
He read it twice.
