CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - IN THE LION'S DEN

      Finally, Luis cleared his throat. "Hey, um, you want to order a pizza? Like old times?" Nia smiled through her tears. "Yeah, that sounds great." As they waited for the pizza to arrive, Luis and Nia settled into a comfortable rhythm of conversation, the years of separation melting away with each passing minute. "So, tell me about this new job of yours," Nia prompted, leaning back against the couch cushions. Luis grinned, his eyes lighting up. "It's amazing, Nia. I'm working as a software engineer at this startup downtown. The team is incredible, and the projects we're working on... it's like something out of a sci-fi movie." "Look at you, Mr. Hotshot Tech Guru," Nia teased, nudging him with her elbow. "I always knew you'd do something amazing with that big brain of yours." Luis ducked his head, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. "It's not that big of a deal," he mumbled. "Are you kidding? My little brother, changing the world one line of code at a time. I couldn't be pr