The office floor had grown quiet, most lights dimmed except for a few that still burned softly above Noel's desk.
The faint whir of the air vents mixed with the rhythmic tapping of his keyboard.
His focus was razor-sharp—click, drag, type, save.
He wanted to finish before Luca called again.
A notification popped up.Task completed. Noel exhaled, leaning back for the first time in hours. His shoulders ached. The clock on his screen blinked 8:47 p.m.
He started gathering his things—neatly stacking folders, shutting down his laptop, slipping it into his bag.
"Done already?"
Noel turned. Mr. Max was leaning against the doorframe, jacket slung over his arm, a half-smile softening his face.
"Yeah," Noel said lightly. "Just wrapping up."
Max stepped closer, stopping by the desk. "You've been working hard all day. I was thinking—let me treat you tonight. A meal. Consider it a welcome gesture, since we didn't properly celebrate you joining the team."
