CHAPTER 54 THE CONFERENCE

Hana stepped into the bustling newsroom, the usual energy that greeted her in the morning feeling strangely subdued. As she made her way to her desk, she couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on her, the whispered conversations that fell silent as she passed by. Taking her seat, Hana powered up her computer and began sifting through her emails, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't ignore the shift in atmosphere around her, the subtle glances and hushed tones that seemed to follow her every move. It wasn't long before the whispers reached her ears—a rumor circulating through the newsroom like wildfire. Hana's heart sank as she realized what it was about: her pregnancy. The news had spread like wildfire, fueled by speculation and gossip, until it had become the talk of the office. Feeling a knot form in her stomach, Hana tried to focus on her work, but the weight of the scrutiny was impossible to ignore. She could feel her colleagues' judgmental stares, their whispers cutting t