3:12 PM.
Ava stared at her laptop like it had personally betrayed her.
The Orion report was a disaster.
Numbers were missing.
Charts were outdated.
And one entire section had somehow disappeared.
"Why?" she whispered.
Nati glanced over.
"Why what?"
"Why does everything hate me?"
"Maybe because you keep threatening your laptop."
"I only threatened it once."
"Yesterday."
"That was different."
Nati rolled her eyes.
"You have forty-eight minutes."
Ava looked at the clock.
Then back at the screen.
"Forty-eight minutes isn't enough."
"Then work faster."
"I'm trying!"
Nati smiled.
"You know what might help?"
"What?"
"Not staring at the screen like it's going to finish the report for you."
Ava sighed and started typing again.
3:26 PM.
She was finally making progress.
Until—
Click.
Her laptop froze.
Ava stopped breathing.
"No."
The screen didn't move.
"No, no, no, no..."
She clicked the mouse.
Nothing.
She pressed the keyboard.
Nothing.
Nati leaned over.
"What happened?"
"My laptop died."
"Did you save?"
Ava slowly looked at her.
Nati's expression changed.
"Oh."
"I forgot."
"Oh, Ava."
"I KNOW!"
Ava grabbed her hair.
"I'm going to die."
Nati tried not to laugh.
"This is not funny."
"I know."
"You're smiling."
"I'm stressed."
"You're enjoying this."
"I'm absolutely not."
Ava stood up.
"I need IT."
She rushed toward the IT department.
But before she could reach the elevator, someone stepped in front of her.
She almost crashed into him.
Again.
She looked up.
Aaron.
Of course.
Because apparently the universe had a personal subscription to embarrassing her.
Aaron looked at her.
"Where are you going?"
"IT."
"Why?"
"My laptop died."
He glanced at the laptop in her hands.
"You mean it crashed?"
"Yes."
"Did you save your work?"
Ava went silent.
Aaron stared at her.
"You didn't."
"It was an accident."
"An accident?"
"Yes."
"You were given a deadline."
"I know."
"And you didn't save your work."
"I know."
Aaron sighed.
"Give me the laptop."
Ava blinked.
"What?"
"Give it to me."
She reluctantly handed it over.
Aaron opened it.
He pressed a few keys.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Ava stood beside him nervously.
"Can you fix it?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"You're making it difficult to concentrate."
"I'm not doing anything."
"You're talking."
Ava immediately shut her mouth.
Aaron glanced at her.
"That was surprisingly effective."
She glared at him.
He almost smiled.
Again.
After a few seconds, the screen suddenly came back to life.
Ava's eyes widened.
"My report!"
She grabbed the laptop.
Everything was still there.
She looked at Aaron.
"You saved my life."
"I restarted your laptop."
"Same thing."
"It's not."
"It is to me."
Aaron shook his head.
"Go finish your report."
Ava nodded.
"Right."
She took two steps.
Then turned around.
"Thank you."
Aaron nodded.
"You're welcome."
She hurried away.
Aaron watched her disappear around the corner.
Atlas, who had been sitting beside him, looked up.
Aaron sighed.
"Don't start."
Atlas wagged his tail.
3:51 PM.
Ava was typing like a woman possessed.
Nati stood behind her.
"You're almost done."
"Don't talk to me."
"Okay."
"Seriously."
"Okay."
"Your breathing is distracting."
Nati stared at her.
"You're insane."
"I know."
3:57 PM.
Ava clicked the final save button.
Done.
She grabbed the printed report and ran.
She reached the operations department at exactly 3:59 PM.
She stopped outside Aaron's office.
Her chest was rising and falling.
She looked at the clock.
3:59.
Ava smiled.
"Perfect."
She knocked.
"Come in."
She opened the door.
Aaron was sitting behind his desk.
Atlas was lying beside him.
Ava placed the report on the desk.
"Your report."
Aaron looked at the clock.
Then at her.
"Three fifty-nine."
Ava smiled proudly.
"On time."
He picked up the report.
"Surprisingly."
Her smile disappeared.
"Excuse me?"
"I said surprisingly."
"I heard you."
Aaron opened the report.
He began reading.
Ava stood there.
Waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.
"Well?"
Aaron looked up.
"Well what?"
"Is it good?"
"I'm still reading."
"Oh."
She waited another few seconds.
Aaron turned another page.
Ava tapped her fingers against her side.
Then stopped.
Then started again.
Aaron noticed.
"You can leave."
Ava blinked.
"What?"
"I'll review it."
"But—"
"I'll let you know if there are any issues."
"Oh."
She nodded.
"Okay."
She turned toward the door.
"Ava."
She stopped.
It was the first time he'd called her by her first name.
She slowly turned around.
"Yes?"
Aaron looked at her.
"Good work."
She stared at him.
For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
"Thanks."
He nodded.
She walked out.
The door closed behind her.
Aaron looked back down at the report.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Ava returned to her desk.
Nati immediately looked up.
"So?"
Ava sat down.
"He said good work."
Nati's eyes widened.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"You look like you just won an award."
"I survived."
"You survived a deadline."
"And Aaron."
Nati laughed.
"Girl, you're already getting attached."
Ava frowned.
"Attached to what?"
"Nothing."
"Nati."
"Nothing!"
Ava narrowed her eyes.
Before she could say anything, her computer pinged.
A new email.
She opened it.
From: Aaron Adams
Her stomach dropped.
She read the message.
Miss Alex,
Please report to my office tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM.
We need to discuss your role in the Orion project.
— Aaron Adams
Ava stared at the screen.
Nati leaned over.
"What does he want?"
Ava slowly looked at her.
"Eight AM."
Nati's eyes widened.
"You're finished."
"I know."
"You can't even arrive at nine on time."
"Stop reminding me."
Nati laughed.
Ava dropped her head onto the desk.
"Why did I ever take this job?"
Across the office, David Peterson walked past Aaron's office.
He glanced through the glass.
Aaron was still reading Ava's report.
David stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
Then he looked toward Ava's desk.
Ava was still complaining to Nati.
David's expression became unreadable.
Something about this new arrangement clearly didn't sit right with him.
Inside the office, Aaron suddenly looked up.
For a brief moment, his eyes met David's through the glass.
Neither man looked away.
And neither Ava nor Nati noticed.
But something had just changed.
And tomorrow morning
Ava was going to find out exactly what.