CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – OFFICE PARTY

The aftermath of the crisis left the office in disarray. Mara found herself swamped with extra work, trying to catch up on everything that had been pushed aside during the emergency. She was running on coffee and sheer determination, her exhaustion evident in the dark circles under her eyes. One afternoon, as she was struggling to keep her eyes open while sorting through a mountain of paperwork, a shadow fell across her desk. She looked up to find Cassius standing there, a concerned frown on his face. "Ms. Aniston," he said, his voice softer than usual, "when was the last time you took a break?" Mara blinked, trying to clear the fog from her brain. "Um... what day is it?" Cassius's frown deepened. "That's what I thought. I'm assigning you some additional help. You can't keep going like this." "But sir," Mara protested weakly, "I can handle it. There's just so much to do and-" "This isn't a suggestion, Mara," Cassius interrupted, his tone firm but not unkind. "You're no good to an