CHAPTER TWENTY - *WORKPLACE DRAMA

They drove for about half an hour, winding up into the hills that overlooked the city. Finally, Erik pulled off onto a small, secluded lookout point. The view was breathtaking – the entire city spread out below them, a glittering tapestry of lights. "Oh, Erik," Anna breathed. "It's beautiful." They got out of the car, and Erik led her to a small bench near the edge of the lookout. As they sat down, Erik draped his jacket over Anna's shoulders to ward off the chill. "I come here sometimes when I need to escape," Erik said softly. "It helps put things in perspective." Anna nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. From up here, all her problems seemed small and distant. "Do you want to talk about what happened tonight?" Erik asked gently. Anna hesitated, then found herself pouring out the whole story – Mark's sabotage, the chaos with the customers, her meeting with Dr. Green, and the constant pressure she felt from all sides. Erik listened attentively, his hand resting comforti