CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT - A SHOCKING REVELATION

Back at the subsidiary, Mara threw herself into work, trying to ignore the constant buzz of her phone. She was in the middle of a tense meeting with her marketing team when Nadia knocked on the door. "I'm sorry to interrupt," Nadia said, her face grim. "But Jake from IT just handed in his resignation. He cited a 'toxic work environment' as the reason." Mara felt as if she'd been punched in the gut. Jake had been one of her most reliable employees, someone she thought she could count on. His departure would be a significant blow to the already struggling team. "Thank you, Nadia," Mara managed, her voice tight. "Could you please reschedule the rest of my meetings for today? I need some time to... process this." As her team filed out, casting worried glances her way, Mara sank into her chair. She felt utterly defeated. Everything she'd worked so hard to build seemed to be crumbling around her. Her phone buzzed again - another message from Cassius. With a sigh, she finally picked it u