“You’ll design the operational model. People Operations handles policy. Legal handles compliance. Managers handle staffing. Your job is to make sure the program works in the real company instead of becoming a beautiful PDF no one can use.”
Daniel looked at her.
She knew exactly which insult would work on him.
“A beautiful PDF?”
“Yes.”
“That’s manipulative.”
“I know.”
He laughed.
The sound surprised him.
From the yard, Lily looked toward the house.
Daniel immediately stopped.
Then noticed her face.
Not frightened.
Watching.
He breathed again.
“I need time.”
Evelyn nodded.
“You’re not going to give me a deadline?”
“No.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“How long were you going to wait before texting me?”
“Friday.”
“It’s Wednesday.”
“That’s practically a week.”
“Evelyn.”
“Fine.”
She stood.
“One week.”
That evening Daniel found a drawing on the table.
Birch Road.
Oak tree.
Three figures.
One tall.
One small.
One medium-height figure with long dark hair.
Daniel stared at it.
Then sat down.
The Arcturus board meeting took place five weeks later.
Daniel had accepted the role provisionally, contingent on board approval and on the conditions Evelyn promised remaining intact.
Project Lighthouse had already become controversial.
Victor Hale opposed it.
Not publicly at first.
He described concerns.
Operational consistency.
Managerial burden.
Equity between roles.
Cost.
Potential abuse.
All reasonable topics.
What bothered Evelyn was the pattern underneath them.