Chapter 4 — Corporate Tensions

Leona

The vibrant hum of conversation filled the venue, voices rising and falling like the flicker of the string lights above. Leona stood near the refreshments table, her fingers absently grazing the rim of her glass. She shifted slightly on her feet, her posture rigid despite the festive setting. The laughter and warmth of her colleagues felt distant, as if she were watching a scene through frosted glass. She had agreed to come—reluctantly—but now that she was here, it felt like a misstep. She was a surgeon, methodical and precise. Social gatherings like this didn’t fit neatly into her world of structure and control.