Ayla's POV
The moment I left Elena's office, disappointment settled into my chest like a quiet weight. I kept my expression composed as the door closed behind me, but inside, my thoughts were anything but steady.
I had barely taken three steps down the corridor when my phone vibrated in my hand.
Miss Aaron.
I slowed, answering before I could overthink it. "Good afternoon, ma'am."
"Ayla," she said warmly, "are you free today?"
The question caught me off guard. "Yes," I replied after a brief pause. "I am."
There was a smile in her voice. "Good. I was thinking we could do something different. A girls' spa this afternoon. No boardrooms. No pressure. Just time to talk."
I glanced once toward the closed office door behind me, then back down the hallway stretching ahead.
"That sounds lovely," I said. "I'll be there."
As the call ended, something in me shifted. The heaviness I'd carried out of Elena's office eased, just slightly, replaced by a quiet sense of possibility.
