The conference room on the 12th floor of the corporate tower was quiet after 9 PM. Most of the staff had left hours earlier. The only light came from the long fluorescent panels above the polished mahogany table that could seat twenty. Kavya sat alone at one end, her laptop open, fingers moving across the keyboard as she fixed the last few slides of the quarterly presentation. Her formal navy blouse was still neat, the black pencil skirt hugging her hips, her dark hair tied back in a simple ponytail. She had stayed late because the senior managers wanted the deck perfect for the morning meeting. She told herself it was just one more hour.

The door clicked shut behind her.