The heavy electronic lock of Conference Room A clicked shut with a sharp, heavy metallic snap, sealing the three of them inside the glass cage. Instantly, the corporate chaos, the ringing phones, and the muffled murmurs of the outside atrium were completely cut off, replaced by an oppressive, suffocating silence. The thick glass panels insulated the room perfectly, turning the bustling world outside into a distant, slow-motion movie where people stared in but couldn't hear a single word. Jake walked slowly toward the head of the long mahogany table, his footsteps heavy and deliberate. He slammed a thick leather folder onto the polished wood surface. The sudden, violent sound echoed off the transparent walls like a gunshot, causing the compliance files near the edge to flutter. He did not look at Emma, who was watching his every move with bated breath. Instead, his focus turned entirely on Lisa. His eyes burned with a calculated, freezing intensity that seemed to drain the remaining
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