"Good morning," Lilly said softly, her voice carrying a small, tired smile as she stepped into the office.
Hima looked up from her desk, already surrounded by neatly arranged files and a mug of still-steaming coffee, "Morning! You're early," she said, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "I wasn't expecting you before nine."
"I just visited my brother," Lilly admitted, setting her bag down beside the second desk, "Figured I might as well come in and start early before the rush."
Hima chuckled gently, "That's dedication, or stress. You decide."
"Probably both," Lilly said with a small laugh. She slipped off her cardigan, draped it neatly over the chair, and sat down. The scent of printer ink and roasted coffee lingered faintly in the air. Phones rang softly in the distance, footsteps moved in and out of offices. The rhythm of another ordinary morning at Bergen Global.
