Michael's POV
The car moved steadily toward the airport, but my attention drifted beyond the window without truly absorbing the city rushing past.
This meeting demanded everything I had. The CEO had grown cold feet about our deal, and losing him meant watching months of negotiations and substantial investments crumble to dust.
An emergency meeting was the only solution. I needed to calm his nerves, address his concerns, and lock down this contract before everything fell apart.
Yet instead of strategizing for the business ahead, my thoughts kept returning to that moment in her office.
Something had shifted in Allyson today, and I could sense it like a storm brewing on the horizon.
She carried herself differently. Tense. Cautious. Remote in ways that contradicted everything I knew about her character.
The Allyson I loved was vibrant and genuine, quick with laughter and easy with affection. But today felt like watching a stranger wear her face.
