Monday morning came earlier than Alicia expected.Sunlight filtered through the curtains, nudging her awake before her alarm could. For a brief second, she lay still, staring at the ceiling, letting the weight of the day settle on her chest.Her first official workday at Marie Whiston Company.She sprang out of bed almost immediately.“Okay… no lateness today,” she muttered as she hurried through her routine.She dressed quickly, packed her bag, left Emily a note since she was still asleep, then ordered a cab back to her own apartment. She needed her laptop, her project files, and the quiet space to mentally prepare. There were schedules to review, documents to organize, and a new work rhythm to settle into.By the time she arrived at the office, the building was already alive with movement. Phones rang, keyboards clicked, voices floated across open spaces.Alicia settled behind her desk and opened her laptop.“Let’s do this,” she whispered to herself.Spreadsheets filled her screen. P
Last Updated : 2026-01-18 Read more