Morning sunlight spilled across the glass walls of Sterling Group headquarters, bathing the executive floor in a warm golden glow. The tension that had gripped the company for weeks had finally begun to ease. Employees greeted one another with genuine smiles instead of cautious whispers, and for the first time in a long while, laughter drifted through the corridors instead of anxious conversations.
The successful resolution of yesterday's crisis had restored confidence throughout the company.
More importantly, it had quietly changed something between Peter and Caro.
Caro stepped out of the elevator carrying two neatly organized folders and a cup of black coffee prepared exactly the way Peter liked it. She paused briefly outside his office, steadying her breathing.
She wasn't nervous because of work.
She was nervous because she had started looking forward to seeing him every morning.
That realization frightened her.
Taking a quiet breath, she knocked gently.
"Come in."
