The next morning, I had to leave home early.
The issue with Benjamin Otavio and Vanguard Ark Investments was still sitting at the back of my mind—unresolved, heavy, and waiting—but work didn't pause just because something else was burning quietly in the background. If anything, it demanded more precision. Less distraction.
Val made sure I didn't walk out on an empty stomach.
I was halfway to the door when she cleared her throat from the kitchen.
> "Kai."
I stopped. Slowly turned.
She stood there with her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised, already knowing the answer to the question she was about to ask. The smell of toast and eggs lingered in the air.
"You're not leaving without eating," she said.
"I'm running late," I replied, attempting a reasonable tone. "It's just a site visit."
"That's exactly why you're eating," she countered, pushing a plate toward me. "You supervise better when you're not starving."
I sighed, but sat anyway.
"Five minutes," I said.
