Victor laughed it off. “Relax,” he told Ethan. “We’re all on the same side.” Then he looked at Mara and added, “She’s really protective, no?” Mara heard the insult hiding inside the seemingly light compliment. Ethan heard it too, and his smile disappeared at once.
Over the next week, Ethan stayed up reading email threads and checking who had been copied. Mara watched him move differently—less charm, more focus. He asked for access logs. He asked for calendar notes. He started treating Victor like a problem, not a savior.