Racing Against Time

Saira hurried down the hallway, dreading what new task Sophia had in store for her. She entered the office, where Sophia sat behind her desk, a stack of files scattered in front of her.

“Ah, there you are,” Sophia said, barely looking up. “I have a task for you.”

Saira took a deep breath, bracing herself. “Yes, ma’am?”

Sophia crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, smirking. “I need you to gather data on last quarter’s client acquisition, summarize the trends, and organize it into a comprehensive report. And it needs to be ready for director  to present in—” she glanced at the clock, a look of smug satisfaction crossing her face “—forty-five minutes.”

Saira’s stomach dropped. A comprehensive report on client acquisition in that short time frame? It would usually take days to compile something that detailed. She didn’t have access to all the data readily available, and she hadn’t been briefed on the latest acquisition trends, either.

Sophia continued, her eyes narrowing. “I assume that shouldn’t be a problem for you, considering you’re Raj’s secretary now.”

Saira swallowed her frustration, nodding. “I’ll get it done,” she replied, though her heart was racing.

Saira nodded and quickly returned to Raj’s office to pull out a few files she could use for data. Without wasting a second, Saira set up at an empty desk nearby, pulling up files, spreadsheets, and the software for sales analytics. She dove in, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she scanned reports, sorted data, and pulled numbers into a summary. She had to identify trends, pinpoint high-value clients, and analyze shifts in acquisitions, all while knowing every minute brought her closer to the meeting.

She checked the time—thirty minutes left. Saira was in overdrive, focused solely on the task at hand. She reorganized her notes into a concise format and summarized the trends: a higher retention rate in certain sectors, a dip in high-net-worth clients, and a spike in new demographics. After what felt like a marathon session, Saira polished off the report, formatting it neatly in the company’s presentation style.

Finally, she printed out the documents and rushed them to Sophia, who took her time scanning the pages before giving an approving nod. “This will do. Now, get ready to head to the boardroom,” Sophia said coolly.

Saira checked her watch. Only fifteen minutes left.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Saira returned to the boardroom to recheck her setup, making sure the important file Raj had given her was front and center for him. But as she looked over the table, she froze, a cold realization dawning on her. The crucial file Raj had handed to her—the one he’d stressed was critical—was missing.

“Oh no, what am I going to do now?” I panicked, clutching the empty space where the file should have been. Raj had drilled it into my head that this file was crucial for today’s meeting, stressing the “severe consequences” if anything went wrong. Determined not to mess up on day one, I held onto it like my life depended on it.

Now, just my luck—on day one, I’d managed to lose it.

And then came the real problem: Sofia, the manager. She’d had a strange air about her from the start, almost as if she was out to get me. Her expressions, her smirks, and now, she’d have even more reason to put me down.