116
Ericka was already in motion when Amanda stepped inside.
She stormed from one side of the office to the other, heels striking the hardwood in sharp, clipped beats.
Her blazer swung slightly with each turn, her gestures sharp, the packet of notes in her hand rattling as she flipped through the marked-up pages again and again.
"There were so many inconsistencies with that update," she snapped, her voice low but sharp as a blade.
"Half the numbers didn't match, and the projections don't even get me started.
It was chaos, Amanda." She slapped the packet against her palm before slamming it down onto her desk, the sound cracking through the quiet office.
She grabbed her pen again and jabbed it at the papers, her voice climbing.
"I circled almost every single slide!
Do you see this? Look!" She flipped page after page, red circles bleeding across figures, margin notes written in quick, frustrated strokes.
"Expense allocations that don't line up with last quarter.
Revenue projections that were never cross-checked. Sloppy. All of it. Sloppy."
Her pacing grew faster, her breaths heavier, shoulders tense beneath the tailored suit.
Her hand swept over her desk in agitation, sending a pen holder rattling dangerously close to the edge.
"How am I supposed to walk into a boardroom and pitch confidence when the foundation is this flimsy?
When the people beneath me can't even get the basics right? "
Amanda stood steady near the door, letting Ericka's fury spill unchecked. Her notepad was tucked carefully under her arm, her posture calm, every line of her body deliberate. She knew better than to interrupt until Ericka had emptied out the heat of her first wave.
But when Ericka turned toward her again, breath coming uneven, Amanda reached back and quietly turned the lock on the office door with a soft click.
"Ericka," Amanda said gently, her voice the opposite of the storm that raged across the room.
But Ericka didn't stop. She shook her head, one hand gripping the back of her chair, the other slicing through the air. "Unacceptable. Completely unacceptable. I don't have time for this not with deadlines this tight. Not with"
Amanda closed the distance in three quiet steps, reaching out to catch Ericka's hand mid-gesture. The contact made Ericka freeze, her dark eyes snapping to Amanda's.
Amanda softened her grip, sliding her hand down Ericka's arm until her palm rested against her sleeve. Her voice was firm, but low, steady, soothing. "Baby, you have to breathe."
Ericka's chest rose and fell, still too quick, her jaw tight as if she wanted to argue.
Amanda stepped closer, using her other hand to gently tilt Ericka's chin up until she met her eyes. The storm she found there was fierce, but underneath it, Amanda could see the cracks of exhaustion, the weight Ericka carried too often alone.
"Stress is not good for you," Amanda said softly. Then, with deliberate care, she added, "Or for the baby."
The words hit like a stone dropped into still water.
Ericka blinked, her breath hitching just slightly, the fire in her expression faltering.
For a moment she looked away, her lips parting like she wanted to deny it, to push forward anyway.
But Amanda kept her gaze, her thumb brushing gently over Ericka's knuckles, anchoring her.
"I'll handle it," Amanda continued, her tone steady as if the decision had already been made. "I'll go through every slide, every number, and every inconsistency. I'll get you a clean update by the end of the day. You don't have to carry this one."
"Amanda " Ericka started, her voice rough, ready to protest.
But Amanda squeezed her hand, cutting her off.
"No. Listen to me. What you need right now isn't another fight with these numbers.
What you need is to step back, breathe, and clear your head.
So how about this?" She let her hand slide gently up Ericka's arm, her touch firm but reassuring.
"You go. Drive around the city. Roll the windows down. Get some air. Clear your head."
Ericka's throat worked, her eyes searching Amanda's like she wanted to argue but couldn't quite find the words.
Amanda softened her tone, though her words stayed firm. "Because right now? You're scaring everyone out there."
Ericka's jaw flexed, her chest rising and falling more slowly now, though her hands still trembled faintly against Amanda's. The silence stretched between them heavy, charged, but no longer sharp.
Amanda didn't let go. She stood there, steady, waiting, holding Ericka's gaze until her shoulders finally slumped the tiniest bit, the fight leaving her enough to let Amanda's words in.
Ericka's jaw tightened as she stared down at the papers still littering her desk, red circles glaring back at her. Her chest rose and fell in another sharp breath before she finally let out a low, frustrated sigh.
"Fine," she muttered, reaching for her sunglasses on the edge of the desk. She slid them on, masking her eyes, her armor snapping into place even as the tension still radiated off her.
Amanda nodded once, her hand brushing Ericka's arm briefly. "Good. But wait one second."
Ericka arched a brow, but Amanda had already turned toward the door. She unlocked it and stepped out first, closing it halfway behind her so Ericka remained unseen.
The staff scattered across the floor looked up instantly, eyes wide, hands paused over keyboards. They didn't even try to pretend they hadn't heard the slam earlier. The nervous energy was thick, every glance filled with questions they didn't dare ask aloud.
Amanda's voice was calm, even, but carried enough authority to slice through the room. "Everyone, listen."
The floor went still.
"Keep your heads down and don't say anything. Got it?"
There was a beat of silence, then one by one, the staff nodded quickly.
Amanda gave a single, firm nod back. "Good." She slipped back into the office, opening the door wider. "Come on," she murmured to Ericka.
Ericka followed, her chin lifted, her sunglasses in place. She moved with her usual command, but Amanda could feel the heat of her tension still simmering under the surface.
Amanda walked slightly ahead, leading her through the hushed floor, every staff member lowering their gaze the second Ericka passed. The silence was heavy but obedient, exactly as Amanda had ordered.
When they reached the private elevator, Amanda guided her down to the lobby and out the side entrance where her driver was already waiting. The sleek black car gleamed at the curb, the driver snapping to attention as soon as he saw them.
Amanda opened the rear door, her hand brushing Ericka's arm lightly as she guided her inside. Then she leaned toward the driver, her voice calm but clipped with purpose. "Drive her around for an hour or two. Let her breathe. And make sure she gets some food."
"Yes, ma'am," the driver replied with a nod.
Amanda closed the door firmly, stepping back as the car pulled away from the curb. The tinted windows caught the city's reflection as it disappeared into traffic, carrying Ericka off for the break Amanda knew she needed.
Amanda exhaled slowly, squared her shoulders, and turned back toward the building. There was work to do, and she'd promised Ericka she'd handle it.