Ethan didn't knock.
He never did.
He pushed the door open with his shoulder, balancing a cup of coffee in one hand and a folded jacket in the other, already talking before he was fully inside the room.
"So," he said, eyes scanning the space before landing on Alex. "I hear congratulations are in order."
Alex didn't look up from his laptop. "If this is about the deal, it's done."
"That's what I said." Ethan dropped into the chair opposite him. "But I wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth. Or whatever rich animal you qualify as."
Alex closed the laptop slowly, like he was buying time. "They folded faster than I expected."
"Because you don't blink," Ethan said. "People hate that. Makes them nervous."
Alex shrugged. "They wanted the money. We had it. End of story."
Ethan studied him for a second, head tilted. "You're restless."
Alex frowned. "What does that even mean?"
