CHAPTER SEVEN – OVERWORKED

As they walked out of the office together, Karina felt a renewed sense of determination. Miguel Eladio might think he held all the cards, but he was underestimating the power of teamwork. And Karina was just getting started. The small group of allies she'd formed was growing stronger by the day, and with their support, she was more than ready to face whatever challenges Miguel threw her way. The battle was far from over, but for the first time since she'd started at Eladio Enterprises, Karina felt like she had a fighting chance. As they stepped out into the cool evening air, Karina took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension about what the future might hold. The bustling office of Eladio Enterprises hummed with activity as Karina Zaslav made her way to the conference room, her heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and dread. She'd been summoned for an impromptu meeting with Miguel Eladio, and experience had taught her that such meetings rarely boded well. As she pushed open the heavy oak door, Karina was greeted by the sight of Miguel seated at the head of the long table, his face an inscrutable mask. Beside him sat Tom, her direct supervisor, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "Ms. Zaslav," Miguel said, his voice cool and measured. "Please, have a seat." Karina settled into a chair, her back ramrod straight, hands clasped tightly in her lap. "Mr. Eladio, Tom," she acknowledged, fighting to keep her voice steady. Miguel leaned forward, his piercing gaze locked on Karina. "I'll cut straight to the chase, Ms. Zaslav. We've recently acquired a promising startup in the renewable energy sector. Your task is to oversee the integration of their technology into our existing infrastructure." Karina's eyes widened. This was huge – the kind of project that could make or break careers. She opened her mouth to respond, but Miguel held up a hand, silencing her. "Before you get too excited," he continued, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, "let me be clear about the expectations. We need a comprehensive integration plan, including financial projections, technical specifications, and a detailed timeline. Oh, and I'll need it all in three weeks." Tom visibly winced at the impossible deadline, but Karina kept her face carefully neutral. She knew this was Miguel's latest attempt to set her up for failure, but she was determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her falter. "Understood, Mr. Eladio," Karina replied, her voice steady. "I'll get started right away." As she left the conference room, Karina's mind was already racing, mapping out a plan of attack. This project would require every ounce of skill and determination she possessed, but she was ready for the challenge. Over the next few days, Karina threw herself into the project with a fervor that surprised even her closest allies. Her cubicle became a fortress of spreadsheets, technical manuals, and half-empty coffee cups. One evening, as the office had long since emptied out, Karina found herself poring over financial projections, her eyes burning from hours of staring at her computer screen. A gentle knock on her cubicle wall startled her from her concentration. "Karina?" It was Elena, concern etched on her face. "It's past 10 PM. Don't you think it's time to call it a night?" Karina glanced at the clock, surprised to see how late it had gotten. "I can't, Elena. There's still so much to do, and Miguel's breathing down my neck for progress reports." Elena sighed, pulling up a chair. "Look, I know this project is important, but you can't keep pushing yourself like this. It's not healthy." Karina ran a hand through her disheveled hair. "I don't have a choice. This is my one shot to prove myself. If I fail..." "You won't fail," Elena said firmly. "But you're not going to succeed if you work yourself into the ground, either. Come on, pack it up. We're getting you some real food and at least six hours of sleep." After a moment's hesitation, Karina nodded, realizing Elena was right. As they walked out of the office together, Karina felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. It was nice to know she wasn't entirely alone in this fight. The next morning, Karina arrived at the office feeling refreshed and reinvigorated. As she settled into her cubicle, she overheard a conversation between two executives near the water cooler. "Have you seen Zaslav lately?" one of them muttered. "She's been here before I arrive and still working when I leave. I hate to admit it, but I'm impressed." His colleague nodded. "I know what you mean. When Eladio first assigned her this project, I thought for sure she'd crash and burn. But she's really stepping up." A small smile played at Karina's lips as she turned back to her work. It seemed her efforts were starting to pay off, even if Miguel remained unimpressed. As the days wore on, Karina found herself facing an ever-growing list of challenges. One particularly frustrating afternoon, she was deep in conversation with Raj, trying to iron out some technical kinks in the integration plan. "If we reroute the power supply through this auxiliary system," Raj mused, pointing at a complex diagram, "we might be able to increase efficiency by at least 15%." Karina nodded excitedly. "That could work! And if we couple that with the new solar array design, we could potentially—" "Ms. Zaslav!" Miguel's sharp voice cut through their discussion like a knife. Karina turned to see him striding towards them, his face thunderous. "I don't recall authorizing you to make changes to the technical specifications," he said coldly. "Need I remind you that time is of the essence? We can't afford to waste resources on untested theories." Karina felt her face flush with anger, but she kept her voice level. "Mr. Eladio, these modifications could significantly improve the overall efficiency of the system. If you'll just look at the projections—" "Enough," Miguel cut her off. "Stick to the original plan. I want a progress report on my desk by end of day." As Miguel stalked away, Karina exchanged a frustrated glance with Raj. "Don't let him get to you," Raj said softly. "We both know you're on the right track." Karina nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She wouldn't let Miguel's pettiness derail her progress. As the project deadline loomed closer, the pressure in the office became almost unbearable. Karina found herself facing new challenges at every turn – last-minute client requests, unexpected technical glitches, and Miguel's ever-present criticism.