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Chapter Thirty

last update Last Updated: 2024-10-28 18:00:43

The elevator doors were about to close when I pressed the button, eager to reach my office. Suddenly, Daryl appeared, his presence a surprise. His smile broadened as he spotted me and quickly stepped inside. A few other employees followed, their greetings for Daryl filling the confined space of the aging elevator, its walls lined with scratched metal and faded advertisements.

The air was thick with the scent of stale coffee and the faint hum of the motor. The fluorescent lights cast a pale glow on the faces of the passengers, highlighting the wrinkles around Daryl's eyes as he laughed at something someone said.

Daryl's voice, a cheerful baritone, cut through the hum of the elevator. "Let's grab lunch together?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

The suggestion, innocent enough on its own, felt like a bomb in the confined space of the elevator. My heart pounded against my ribs, a frantic drum solo in my chest.

I could feel the weight
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