Chapter 304

Olivia POV

I arrived at Carter Enterprises before the sun had fully risen, the building still half-empty and quiet. The elevator ride to my floor felt longer than usual, my mind already churning through the Cornerstone materials I'd spent half the night reviewing.

Dylan wasn't in yet. I'd beaten even him to the office.

Good. I needed the silence, the space to think without interruptions.

My office smelled like expensive leather and the faint trace of yesterday's coffee. I dropped my bag, fired up my computer, and dove back into the Cornerstone files.

An hour passed. Then two.

My phone buzzed around eight thirty, breaking my concentration. Emilia's name flashed on the screen.

I opened the message, expecting her usual chee