FULL PART: For the first time in twenty-one years of business, Everett Shaw sat alone in his office and felt ashamed of the silence

It had always sounded like success to Everett.

Now it sounded like a machine he had built and forgotten to make human.

The sticky note sat on his desk.

I was already protecting your company. You were too busy insulting me to notice.

Naomi Reed’s handwriting was neat, slanted slightly to the right, like even her letters were trying to keep moving forward.