Nadia's Point Of View
"What?!!" My voice tore through the operations department like jagged glass. The heavy executive chair still rattled against the partition wall behind me, and my chest heaved so violently I could barely draw a full breath. The air felt thick, suffocating, as if the room itself had conspired against me.
Lydia scrambled from her seat, high heels clicking frantically against the floor as she rushed to my side. Her hands trembled so badly she couldn't even lower them smoothly. I noticed the color had drained from her face, leaving her looking almost ghostly under the harsh fluorescent lights. She'd always been loyal to me, perhaps too loyal, and now I watched that devotion transform into shared horror.
