The door closed behind Marco and Carla with a quiet click, leaving the conference room heavier than before.
For a moment, neither Hardung nor Preuß moved.
Hardung remained standing, his hands resting lightly on the back of the chair, his gaze fixed on the door as if expecting it to open again. It didn't.
He exhaled slowly.
"I feel like we've just made a huge mistake," he said.
Preuß didn't respond immediately. He leaned back slightly in his chair, his fingers interlocked in front of him, his expression thoughtful rather than dismissive.
"I know what you mean," he said after a moment. "But we can't keep hold of him for too long. Not at this level. Not with this attention."
Hardung shook his head faintly. "Still…"
There was a pause.
Then he added, quieter this time, "I just hope we don't regret it."
Preuß didn't answer.
* * *
Outside, the air felt warmer.
