Lena's office was shrouded in silence the next morning, save for the rhythmic tapping of her pen against the desk. She had barely slept, replaying her heated conversation with Elias and the unsettling revelations of the night before. The tension between them was palpable, and it left her feeling untethered. For the first time in years, she questioned whether Elias truly believed in her leadership or worse, if he was beginning to doubt her altogether.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Reed stepped in, holding a stack of documents and wearing his usual calm expression.
"You called for me?" he asked, his tone neutral but his eyes searching her face.
"Yes. I need you to go over the financial reports for the past quarter again. Double-check everything. After what we found last night, I want to ensure there aren't any more vulnerabilities." Lena said, forcing a smile.
Reed placed the papers on her desk and gave a curt nod.