Chapter 28

The rest of the dinner unfolded in a haze of carefully constructed pleasantries and simmering tension. Carole, acutely aware of the unspoken power dynamics at play, navigated the conversation with a practiced grace born of necessity. She answered questions about her background, her work experience, her hobbies – all innocuous topics that served as a smokescreen for the unspoken agendas swirling beneath the surface. Each response was carefully calibrated, each word weighed for its potential implications. She was a chess piece, and she was playing to win.