Naomi smiled faintly. "I was already planning to."
Leonard scoffed. "Good."
Naomi took a step back, then another, giving him space. "Before I go," she said, "there's something you should understand."
Leonard crossed his arms. "This ought to be good."
Naomi met his eyes. "Everything you've said today, every assumption, every dismissal, every moment you thought you were in control has been recorded. Not just by me."
Leonard laughed, sharp and dismissive. "Recorded for who? Your journal?"
Naomi didn't answer right away. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She turned the screen toward him. Leonard's eyes flicked down, then widened. It wasn't a recording app. It was a live dashboard: market indicators, analyst notes, real-time sentiment tracking. At the top, a familiar name: Apex Meridian Holdings.
Leonard's laugh died mid-breath. "What is this?" he asked, quieter now.
Naomi slid the phone back into her bag. "Context."
Leonard took a step closer. "Who are you?"
Naomi held his gaze. "Someone who evaluates risk."
Leonard's voice dropped. "This is some kind of game."
Naomi shook her head. "No. Games end. Patterns don't."
Leonard looked around the room, suddenly aware of how many people were watching him now. Not supporting him. Watching. He lowered his voice. "If you think you can threaten—"
"I'm not threatening you," Naomi said evenly. "I'm leaving."
Leonard hesitated. "And if I don't want this to go any further?"
Naomi paused at the doorway and turned back one last time. "Then you should have treated me like I mattered before you decided I didn't."
Leonard swallowed. Naomi opened the door and stepped out into the terminal corridor. Behind her, the room buzzed with whispered questions and hurried movement. Phones came out. Conversations overlapped. Leonard Whitmore stood frozen, staring at a future that suddenly felt unfamiliar. And Naomi Carter walked away knowing one thing for sure. The story wasn't over. It was just getting to the part where the truth became expensive.
***