The scent of sawdust and fresh paint lingered throughout the Artemis Tower lobby.
Temporary barriers divided sections of the marble floor while contractors pushed carts loaded with equipment across the entrance hall. A scaffold occupied one corner near the reception desk. Workers in reflective vests moved in and out carrying clipboards, tools, and cups of coffee.
The building was healing.
Not elegantly.
Not quietly.
But it was healing.
Galathea walked beside Seraphina through the controlled chaos, tablet in hand as they reviewed the latest punch list.
"Level twelve still needs lighting replacement," Seraphina said, scrolling through reports. "The contractor swears they'll finish by Friday."
"They said that last Friday," Galathea said.
"They say a lot of things," Seraphina flipped through several pages. "Lobby complete. Executive floors complete. Security systems complete. Mechanical systems eighty-seven percent."
