Sylvia The room was quiet again, but this time the silence wasn’t peaceful.It was thick, like smoke after a fire. Like something invisible was pressing down on everyone’s shoulders, daring them to breathe too loudly.After the storm of the morning meeting, the board had taken a recess. People had scattered like marbles on a smooth floor. Some had rushed outside for air. Others lingered in corners, whispering in pairs, exchanging tight-lipped theories or nervously scrolling through their phones like they were searching for an escape.I hadn’t moved.I stayed in the large, echoing conference room, alone with the weight of my own thoughts. I stood by the tall window, arms folded, staring blankly down at the courtyard below where the hospital’s trees danced gently in the wind. It felt like a different world down there. Calm. Peaceful. Unaware of the war happening in this room.So this was it.My moment.My move.I had laid it all bare, spilled truth like blood on the table. Every fact,
Slyvia The boardroom was colder than usual, maybe it was just me. Maybe it was the nerves I pretended not to have or the storm I was about to bring. Either way, I sat at the head of the long glass table, spine straight, hands folded neatly in front of me.The chairs quickly filled up as the directors, stakeholders, and department heads entered the room, one after the other, murmuring greetings and adjusting files. Each wondering what this meeting was about. Logan was the last to come in. He didn’t say a word, just gave me a slight nod before taking a seat near the corner.I met his eyes for a second. He held my gaze like he was trying to tell me without words: You got this. A silent encouragement.Once all the formalities were done, the secretary stood up, cleared her throat, and began. “Good morning everyone. I hope we all had a productive week. Before we move into the main agenda, let’s begin with some important updates.”She pulled out a few papers and started speaking with calm p
Sylvia I slammed the door to my office shut, okay, not slammed exactly, but definitely pushed it with more force than usual.I leaned against it for a second, breathing out slowly. My chest felt tight, not from fear, but from the anger bubbling just beneath my skin. They were really annoying. I felt like slamming things to the floor. Maryanne and Emily had really done it this time. The fake smiles, the condescending words, the slick little digs, they thought they still had power over me. They have forgotten I'm not slyvia of before. The thought they could still trample over me.I pushed away from the door and marched toward my desk, throwing myself into the chair. My eyes drifted over the room, still warm with the soft afternoon light streaming through the window. But all I could feel was the cold bite of that earlier encounter.I let out a heavy sigh, rubbing my temple.Why was I even surprised? Of course they’d come back early. Of course Maryanne would immediately start sabotaging
Slyvia Monday morning came with a calm breeze and a quiet sense of progress. The air smelled fresh, like rain had touched the earth overnight, even though the skies were clear. The horizon stretched wide and open, painted in soft hues of blue and gold. The sky looked bluer than it had in days, like it had been washed clean for a fresh start.The streets were alive with the usual Monday rush, the horns honking, people pacing with purpose, buses packed with half-sleepy faces, and vendors already shouting prices from roadside stalls. It was the start of a new week, a new rhythm. Somehow, even in the chaos, everything felt like it was finally falling into place.This is week was going to be one of the best week as the renovation at hospital was almost done, and everything looked beautiful. Peaceful. Like a home that could hold healing.Logan and I were… better. Not perfect. But we were speaking. Laughing again. Not like old times. This time, only gentler, more careful.And most important
Logan The restaurant wasn’t anything flashy. Just a quiet little Italian place hidden between a florist shop and a dry cleaner. One of those places you only stumbled upon if you were really paying attention, or if, apparently, you were Sylvia. She had texted me the address earlier, and I’d stared at my phone for a full minute after reading it.How the hell did she know about this place?I walked in and immediately felt the difference from the cold, corporate world I’d just left. It was warm. Cozy. String lights hung low from the ceiling, casting a soft golden glow across the room. The tables were small, intimate. A faded jukebox in the corner played soft Sinatra. And the air smelled like garlic knots and homemade pasta.It was the kind of place that felt like it had secrets… and stories.And then I saw her.She was already sitting near the window, the soft light catching her face just enough to make my chest tighten. She was sipping water, one hand playing with the napkin in her la
Logan The office was louder than usual.Phones were ringing nonstop. Voices were raised across cubicles. Fingers typed like they were chasing a deadline that didn’t exist yesterday but suddenly meant everything today. The usual soft jazz that floated from the lobby speakers, gone. Silence in the background, chaos in the foreground.You could feel the tension, thick like fog, crawling up your spine and pressing against your temples. Even the intern in charge of coffee hadn’t brewed a fresh pot in hours. That’s how serious it was.I stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass in my office, staring out at the city skyline. It was only 5:00 PM, but you’d think it was midnight. The sun had dipped early behind dark clouds, casting everything in gray. The streets below buzzed with cars and people going home, but none of that mattered in here. In here, we were fighting to keep the company alive.I turned back toward my desk where my laptop glowed like a warning sign. Bright red notifications blink