CHAPTER TWENTY ONE – IMPOSSIBLE DEADLINE

The tension in the office was palpable as Karina made her way to her desk one Monday morning. She could feel Miguel's eyes on her as she passed his office, his gaze burning with barely concealed animosity. As she settled in, Tom Reeves approached, looking uncomfortable. "Karina," he began hesitantly, "Mr. Eladio has assigned you to lead the Nexus Project." Karina's heart sank. The Nexus Project was notorious within the company – a massive undertaking that required coordinating multiple departments and navigating a labyrinth of conflicting interests. It was widely regarded as a career-killer, with the last two project leads having left the company shortly after its failure. "I see," Karina said, keeping her voice steady. "When's the deadline?" Tom winced. "That's the thing... You have six weeks." Karina's eyes widened. "Six weeks? But that's impossible! The last attempt took three months, and even then-" "I know, I know," Tom interrupted, looking pained. "I tried to argue for more