Awakened
She reached for her wool coat resting on the leather armchair, slipping her arms through the sleeves with practiced grace.
I looked down at her, taking in her immaculate tailored black trousers, her proud posture, and the quiet resolve radiating off her small frame. The southern branch was about to turn into a ruthless, chaotic warzone filled with panic-stricken local directors, corrupt union bosses, and aggressive press hounds who would slice a novice to pieces just to save their own skins.
"We’re traveling together," I added, my voice dropping into a low, fiercely protective register that left zero room for argument. "They’d gobble you up in a second without me here."