Chapter 20: The Reluctant Motivator

About an hour after arriving at the office, Christina was already immersed in her work. It was Friday, and she knew she had to finish everything before the weekend because if she ended up working overtime, the fiery Latina at home, Nora, would have her head. Though it might have been an exaggeration, the thought of facing one of Nora's bilingual scoldings—delivered in a dizzying mix of Spanish, English, and Mandarin—was enough to keep her on track. Especially since Nora had a unique habit: she always switched to Spanish when she was truly angry. Somehow, despite the intensity, Christina found it rather endearing. "Ms. Richardson, Manager Samantha is looking for you," came the voice of one of Christina's colleagues. She nodded, gathering the necessary materials for the meeting, and made her way toward the manager's office. Christina paused for a moment before knocking lightly and entering the room. She noticed Director Lin from her department sitting inside as well but quickly composed