“They didn’t.”
“No.”
She met my eyes.
“I was protecting the campaign.”
“I let you.”
“That does not absolve me.”
“It doesn’t.”
Sophie nodded.
“I’ll draft the policy.”
“Thank you.”
“Do not make me regret supporting it.”
“I can offer no such assurance.”
“That is what concerns me.”
She left.
Rachel waited until the door closed.
“Five days?”
“I panicked.”
“You could have asked for seven.”
“I’m new to boundaries.”
“We’ll build gradually.”
She handed me my phone.
A message from Ellie waited on the screen.
Saw the new headlines. Are they issuing anything else?
I looked toward the closed conference-room door.
Me:No follow-up statement. No one will contact you. If that ever changes, I’ll ask first.
I added:
You don’t need to answer.
Then sent it.
Rachel watched me place the phone facedown.
“You’re not going to stare at it?”
