Days turned into weeks. The news cycle moved on, but the damage was done. Anna had been forced to step down as CEO to save the company’s stock price. She had vanished from the public eye completely.
She sent me one brief message: “Don’t call. I need to fix this myself.” It felt like a door slamming in my face, harder than the one in the hotel. I respected her wish, but it hurt like hell.
I retreated to my small apartment with Lisa. I went from designing skyscrapers to fixing kitchen renovations for neighbors. It was humble work, but it was quiet.
“Where is the nice lady?” Lisa asked one night while drawing. “The one who liked my picture?” I didn’t have the heart to tell her that the nice lady belonged to a different world—one we weren’t allowed in anymore.