Five days had passed since Laura disappeared from the company.
Five quiet, peaceful, wonderfully uneventful days.
Clara hadn't realized how much tension that woman's presence had created until it was gone. The lab felt lighter. Meetings were calmer. No more sideways looks. No more whispered rumors. No more subtle sabotage that forced Clara to double-check every file and email.
Just work.
Normal, honest work.
And every time she thought about it, she felt a small, guilty spark of relief.
Nathaniel had actually fired her.
Not reassigned. Not warned.
Fired.
Clean and final.
Part of Clara still couldn't quite believe it.
She hadn't even asked him to do it.
He had simply listened to her that night, held her, and then quietly removed the threat like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The memory made her smile.
