The Missing File Crisis

Saira hurried down the hallway, her mind racing as she replayed every step she’d taken since she first held that critical file. How had it disappeared? She had been so careful, almost obsessively so. Now, with only minutes left, panic was setting in.

Sophia’s words echoed in her mind: “I assume that shouldn’t be a problem for you, considering you’re the CEO’s secretary now.” Saira hadn’t expected things to be easy, but the pressure of this role was proving more intense than she’d imagined. And Sophia’s satisfaction at her struggling made it worse. Her heart pounded as she checked the clock—twelve minutes until the meeting.

Determined not to lose her nerve, Saira took a deep breath and retraced her steps in her mind. She remembered gathering data files from Raj’s office, creating the report, and setting up in the boardroom. She’d left the files there briefly… had someone else taken it? Her eyes darted around and spotted an unmarked door nearby, recognizing it as a storage room she hadn’t checked.

With no time to lose, Saira slipped into the room, combing through stacks of files and folders. But it wasn’t there. Each second ticking away increased the tension in her chest. She’d worked so hard, only to lose the one thing Raj had explicitly told her was crucial.

Just as she was about to give up hope, a voice interrupted her thoughts. It was Raj’s PA, Alexa. “Saira, you’re needed in the boardroom—now.”

Saira’s heart sank. She didn’t have the file, and time was nearly up. Steeling herself, she followed Alexa back to the boardroom, hoping she could come up with some kind of solution.

Once they were inside, Alexa turned to her with a slight frown. “Do you have the important file Raj requested?”

Saira hesitated, her pulse hammering. “Actually… I don’t know how, but it’s gone. I’ve looked everywhere. I’m so sorry; I really don’t know what happened to it.”

Alexa sighed, about to say something when Sophia strolled into the room with a smug grin. She had obviously picked up on the situation immediately.

“Oh dear,” Sophia said, her tone dripping with feigned sympathy. “Lost something, Saira? It’s just day one, and you’re already losing files. Maybe this position isn’t quite suited for you.”

Sophia’s words stung, and Saira felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. Sophia continued, casting a condescending look her way. “You know, being organized is key for a secretary—especially for someone as important as the CEO. Perhaps next time, double-check your work before assuming you’re ready.”

Alexa, ignoring Sophia’s jabs, was already typing something on her phone. A moment later, she looked up. “Saira, no need to worry. I have the data in soft copy on my drive. Quickly make a hard copy of the file, and we’ll handle it from there.”

Relieved, Saira shot Alexa a grateful look, then hurried to the printer station to print out the documents and arrange them. Sophia, watching her scramble, gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes, a flicker of irritation in her gaze. An idea seemed to glint in her eyes, as if plotting her next move to make things more challenging for Saira.

Saira finally assembled the hard copies, attaching them neatly in a fresh file. She double-checked every page, ensuring it was in the correct order. But just as she was about to return to the boardroom, Raj himself walked in, a few minutes earlier than expected. His gaze immediately settled on the documents in her hands, noticing her nervousness.

“Is everything ready?” he asked, his tone neutral but his eyes sharp.

“Yes,” Saira said, hesitating only for a split second. But Raj could sense something was off. His brow furrowed as he took the file from her, flipping through the pages.

“These pages are fine, but some changes I made last night aren’t here,” he said, sounding puzzled. “Alexa, did we not update the soft copy?”

Alexa nodded. “We didn’t get the final changes from you, sir. But I can add them in quickly.”

“Good,” Raj said, motioning Saira to follow along as he guided her through the necessary adjustments. Together, they made sure each page had the correct data in place, refining the final points and organizing the report just as Raj wanted.

With three minutes left, the final file was ready.