The familiar hum of Sterling Industries was a dull thrum in Bart’s ears, a white noise meant to drown out the far more persistent and chaotic symphony that played within his own head. He was buried deep within a mountain of paperwork, reviewing quarterly reports, approving budgets, and generally throwing himself headfirst into the minutiae of running a multi-billion dollar corporation. It was a time-honored tactic, one he’d employed countless times before: bury the emotional debris under an avalanche of professional obligation.