Nora Vale

"Ethan Cole?" "Depends who's asking." "Nora Vale. MarketWire." She offered a hand. Her grip was cool and firm. Ethan felt the ridiculous urge to apologize for being interesting. "I read your StrataQuant layoff post," she said, sitting across from him. "I didn't write a layoff post." "Exactly. Everyone writes one now. Gratitude, resilience, open to opportunities. You vanished." "Maybe I was busy being grateful privately." Her mouth tilted. Not quite a smile. "And trading microcap battery recyclers." There it was. First question territory. Do not answer her first question honestly. "I trade sometimes," Ethan said. "You bought Atlas Loop before a takeover rumor hit several private Discords, then sold before the company denied it.