One hundred and forty-five

~~Alex~~

I knew Jay would be mad at me.

He had every right to be. I promised I’d come home early tonight, swore I wouldn’t stay late at the office again, and yet here I was pulling into the driveway past midnight with the weight of a dozen unfinished reports still pressing behind my eyes.

I sighed, stepping out of the car and straightening my coat. “He’s going to give me that look again,” I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. That soft, disapproving look that wasn’t really anger, just quiet disappointment the one that made me feel like I’d let the entire world down.

The guards straightened the moment they saw me. “Welcome back, sir,” one of them said quickly.

“Thanks,” I said distractedly, already heading toward the door. “Jay’s still awake?”

The second guard hesitated, exchanging a brief look with the other. “Uh… yes, sir. Vice president Lena is with him.”

I froze. “Lena?”

“Yes, sir,” he said. “She arrived a little over an hour ago. Said president Jay asked to see her urgen