Exhaustion weighed heavily on Kimi's shoulders as she slumped back in her office chair. The morning had started before dawn, and she had thrown herself into work without so much as grabbing a piece of toast. Her stomach growled in protest, but the looming deadline kept her chained to her desk. The pressure felt suffocating.
After wrapping up a discussion with one of her team members, Kimi glanced toward the conference room. "Alpha is still in his meeting," an employee informed her as they passed by.
With Kirk occupied, Kimi decided to retreat to her workspace for a moment of peace. She peeled off her blazer, feeling the oppressive heat of the office building. Settling into her chair, she allowed her eyes to drift closed for just a second.
The sharp trill of her phone shattered the brief respite. Fishing the device from her purse, she saw Olive's name flashing on the screen.
