#33 "Don't Let Them Rattle You."

Alexander was sipping his coffee in the kitchen, contemplating which task to tackle for the day.

As he passed through the living room, his attention was captured by the turned-on television. Sophia appeared on the screen, doing her best to evade the reporters.

As usual, her posture was straight, and she displayed no signs of concern. Reporters bombarded her with questions about an alleged attempt to bribe a lawyer. They accused her of underhanded actions against a neighboring company.

Apparently, the collaboration with Mr. Thompson was also not going well, Alexander thought. He increased the volume of the TV.

He had vowed not to involve himself with her again; he hoped their differences had been resolved on the stormy night when he had invited her to his home.

Despite everything, he found himself staring at the report, feeling a gnawing unease. He couldn't believe that Sophia would resort to bribery; she was a reputable lawyer.

Deciding it was time to head to work, he grabbed his