They didn’t care. They heard “no,” decided they didn’t like it, and replaced it with “yes.”

“Aurora?”

Robert’s voice snapped me back to the room. Everyone was looking at me.

I stood up. My legs felt heavy, like they were filled with lead.

“I apologize,” I said. My voice was steady. It didn’t shake. “I have a family emergency I need to attend to. My team can finish the presentation.”

I didn’t wait for permission. I walked out of the boardroom, down the long hallway, and into the elevator. As soon as the metal doors closed, I let out a breath that sounded like a scream.

I went down to the parking garage and got into my car. It was quiet there, and dark, and for a second, it felt safe. I didn’t start the engine. I just sat in the driver’s seat and looked at the phone again.

I zoomed in on the background of the photos. I was looking for damage. I was looking for clues.

In the corner of the photo with my dad, I saw a suitcase. It was open. Clothes were spilled out all over the floor of the deck. They hadn’t been there for an hour. They looked settled.

I looked at the timestamps. They had been there since yesterday.