48

EIGHTEEN

Greg stood under the shade of a large tree, his posture a mix of impatience and fatigue. The quiet of the night was occasionally interrupted by the distant sounds of the city. "The duration of the movie should be over, right?" Greg muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes wearily. "Nevermind, I’ll watch a few more." He shrugged, settling in to wait for his boss and Talia to finish their business.

***

Inside the office, the ambient light from Talia’s desk lamp cast a warm glow on her focused face as she typed diligently. Her concentration was shattered when Malia burst into the room, practically slamming a document onto her desk. The sudden noise jolted Talia, and she looked up, her surprise evident in her wide eyes.

"Talia!" Malia’s voice cut through the air like a blade. Her face was flushed with anger, her eyes narrow slits. "Who gave you the courage to slack off in the middle of a crucial project? Do you know how important Mr. Bernard's project is? If you can’t handle it, the