la

w sideways. My hand knocked my water bottle and it hit

re going straight back to their screen

alf escaped from its ponytail, one side of my fac

ust ha

d. Was all that just a dream? B

ooked around. Calmly, I was

between desks with purpose, the printer ran without s

nt before it registered. This en

nd looked at the date in

y 2

in panic before

y 2

. Two months before I died while Rona

ay before? With the ex

rtment head presented directly to Lucian Vale in front of the entire

report that morning and the numbers had been wrong. Three months of careful analysis

eeting anyway because I

of his-that this was not the standard he expected. That carelessne

re and taken ev

arm around my shoulders. He's like that with everyon

w I wondered: was all that a fake? Wa

ated to the report folder, begging to whatever supernatural t

report and the numb

eeding into column five. Three months of careful work bro

from scratch. I knew what it was supposed to say an

d the ti

ed: yesterd

fice at six, from

Trying to figure out how and why this happene

his report? She did have acc

me a hundred horrible memories of my life t

ix this before the meeting to avoid the reprimand

our and for

t keep my hopes high. The c

-

dn't f

erials. I fixed my outfit and pushed my

ived this once. I

een hoping to misremember. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a lon

her short dark hair tucked behind one ear, completely at

e I found my seat at the back-a

ally opened. Luci

famous, and the kind of handsome that felt almost unfair. He was also the most

criticism of everything I submitted. Even when I eventually quit-pushed o

e table, sat, and looke

for a second too long before moving on. That didn

n," h

I sat with my broken report in my lap and m

the standa

ss has con

weekend to reconsider y

d look at the report without looking at me-like my presence

Mont

y name from his lips. My legs were stead

ership analys

sat at my desk for an hour telling myself I knew this work, that I kne

id, my voice a shy whisper, "there w

t, please," he sai

g to me so that I was stumbling over my words, the jumbled numbers getti

and turned to Mr. Vale as he stared ba

es," he said.

a file co

e his voice, but I hated hearing that condes

ce was a bit steadier now. And I was actually glad

his notepad. I bit my lip ner

report," he said, "is no

he exact same w

d, not having enough

lessn

sir." I cut him off and i

heard small gasps from aro

, his brows knitted

t 11:47pm yesterday," I

. "I left the office at six. I noticed the corruption this morning

your files?" he ask

ifted at t

proach. He had not asked who had access to my files. He had simply c

aying those

said carefully. "Stand

r than was strictly professional. Making me a

the full report separately." He lift

wly, relief wa

. I pressed them flat against my thig

carelessness h

who has acces

my lap and Vivienne's warm smile still fresh in my memo

been