The conference room buzzed with low conversation, the steady shuffle of papers, and the occasional chime of a phone on silent. Valerie sat at the head of the table like a queen in waiting, her eyes sharp, the faintest smirk playing at her lips as Mara entered.
"Well, well, the prodigal queen returns," Valerie teased, gesturing for Mara to take her seat at the head of the table while she takes the one beside her. "Took you long enough."
Mara cracked a small smile, setting her files down. "Careful, Val. I might just start getting comfortable again."
The meeting moved along in waves, updates on ongoing projects, financial reports, upcoming charity galas and then came the thing that snagged Mara's attention.
"There's a need for immediate humanitarian work in Los Vinania," one of the directors announced, laying out a dossier. "Supplies, mobile clinics, shelters for displaced families. The usual, but the situation's volatile. We need to move fast."
