Merlina walked into work expecting a normal day. Coffee in hand, emails to check, a few minor fires to put out. Nothing monumental. Nothing life-altering. Nothing that would make her chest tighten before 9a.m.
She stopped short when her boss called everyone into the main conference room. The chatter hushed, chairs scraped against the floor, and all eyes turned to him.
"Everyone, I have exciting news!" Elias Park announced. "We've officially secured the partnership with CCL Group!"
Applause rippled across the room. Merlina clapped, her hands mechanical. Her stomach had dropped somewhere near her shoes.
Her boss didn't pause. "This is huge. CCL is a powerhouse, meticulous, precise. We need to be ten times sharper than usual. Ten times faster."
He scanned the room, eyes locking on one team member. "Nate, I need you to finalize the overview slides by noon. Yes, all of them. Make sure they're airtight."
Nate nodded, scribbling notes, already moving.
