The Unauthorized Tour
For the next two hours, Catherine—Intern, Unremarkable—conducted the most infamous tour in Meridian history.
They visited creative first. Designers crowded around as Catherine translated banter into bright, quick hands. Robert studied the mood boards as if they were blueprints, nodding with delighted awe. Word traveled fast: The CEO’s dad is here. He signs. That intern is incredible.
Catherine’s phone buzzed and buzzed. Where are you? from her supervisor. We need those books. The messages stacked up like hail.
Yet every time she considered stopping, Robert’s face stopped her—lit, alive, hungry to understand this kingdom his son had built.
In analytics, Catherine felt the hair prickle on her neck. On the mezzanine above, half-shadowed, stood Michael Hartwell. Hands in pockets. Watchful, unreadable.
Her stomach dropped. Fired by lunch, she thought. When she looked up again, he was gone.
