"Is this really everything I need to do?"
My voice came out quieter than I intended as I stared at the mountain of documents stacked neatly but mercilessly across my desk.
Invoices. Contracts. Expansion permits. Payroll summaries. Complaint reports. Internal memos.
All of them left behind by one man.
Sylvester.
I lifted my gaze slowly toward my secretary, who stood stiffly in front of my desk, fingers nervously twisting the edge of her tablet. When she met my eyes, she winced and scratched the back of her head.
"A-actually…" she began, hesitating. "That's not even half of it, Ms. Sylvia. There are still documents from three other branches that haven't been consolidated yet."
She quickly looked away, as if afraid of my reaction.
I closed my eyes and tapped my foot against the floor—once… twice… three times.
Now I understood.
Now I finally understood why Sylvester had handed everything over to me so suddenly. Why he'd laughed—too lightly—when he said, You'll be fine.
