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“If the documents arrive quickly, we may recover some of the delay.”

Blaire nods.

“Please do.”

Edward makes a note.

“I’ll authorize the transfer request this afternoon,” he says.

“Thank you,” Blaire replies.

The meeting continues for another fifteen minutes, but Blaire is no longer as settled as she was at the archive.

She answers every question correctly. She discusses the revised sequence, clarifies which valuation work can continue in parallel and agrees to keep Charlotte’s office informed.

But her phone stays beside her hand.

She checks it twice.

When Edward finally closes the folder, I can’t quite keep the satisfaction off my face.

Blaire notices immediately.

Her eyes narrow.

“Don’t,” she says.

I look at her.

“Don’t what?”

“Look pleased.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

I almost smile.

That makes it worse.

Her expression hardens.

“This is an enormous inconvenience,” she says.

“I understand.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I understand that your schedule just changed.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

Before I can answer, she stands and reaches for her bag.

“I need to make a call,” she says.

Clara looks up at her.