The polished conference room is now empty, save for Ella and Liam. The residual hum of the projector is the only sound. Liam steps closer, his shadow falling over her desk. "You were good, Carter. Surprisingly good."

He reaches out, not to touch her, but to trace the edge of her laptop screen. His finger leaves a faint smudge on the matte finish. "But this is just the beginning, isn't it? Sophia's absence, your rise… it's all very convenient."

Ella meets his gaze, her own hardening. "Convenience has nothing to do with it. It's about competence."

Liam smiles, a slow, predatory curve of his lips. "Is it? Or is it about ambition? I can help with that." He leans in, his voice dropping to a near whisper, the scent of his expensive cologne suddenly overwhelming. "Tell me, Ella, what else are you willing to risk?"