Stephanie returned to her office with measured steps.
The door sealed softly behind her, the smart glass dimming to a neutral opacity. For the first time since leaving the Situation Room, she allowed herself a single steady breath.
'Focus.'
She set her tablet on the desk, sleeves pushed slightly back, posture relaxed but alert. The wall display automatically synced, rotating through the division's current projects.
Then—
The door slid open without a knock.
Maria walked in.
She carried a stack of physical folders—already a red flag in a fully digitized industry—balanced unevenly in her arms. Loose documents peeked out at odd angles. Sticky notes overlapped one another, some half-falling.
Maria's heels clicked sharply as she approached.
"Your first assignment," she said, dropping the stack onto Stephanie's desk with a thud.
Papers slid. One folder tipped over entirely.
Maria didn't apologize.
