The morning slowly turned into afternoon. The sun finally broke through the clouds, casting a pale, watery light over the city. The light was thin and weak, as if the sun itself was tired, as if it had been fighting the clouds all day and had only now won a small victory. The streets below glistened with the memory of morning rain, and the windows of the apartment building reflected the pale gold light like a thousand tiny mirrors.

Reyansh had left early for his meeting — the big one, the deal that would change everything for R-House. He had dressed carefully that morning, choosing a navy blue suit and a tie the color of deep burgundy. He had stood in front of the mirror for a long time, adjusting his collar, smoothing his hair, practicing the words he would say.