bChapter /bb201 /b

    bThe /bnext bday/bb, /bMia woke to the soft hum of Alden’s voice, his little song about trucks and dinosaurs drifting from the bliving /broomb. /b

    bThe /bclock showed 6:30 a.m. Why is he up so earlyb? /b

    Her body ached with the weight of yesterday’s activities, but Aiden’s giggles were like a spark, pulling her out of bed.

    He had told him yesterday that Esther ckwell was her boss, it wasn’t a lie and it wasn’t entirely true.

    bCase /bclosed.

    She walks barefoot to find him lying on the rug, his dark curls messy, pushing a red toy car across the floor.

    “Morning, baby, why are you up so early baby” Mia said, her voice soft with sleep but warm with love.

    Aiden’s eyes lit up, and he scrambled up, crashing into her legs for a hug. “Mama!” he squealed, his arms tight around her knees.

    Miaughed, bending down to scoop him up, his small body warm against hers. She kissed his forehead, breathing in the faint sweetness ofst night’s cake scent still clinging to his hair.

    “Ready for school, champ?” she asked, tickling his side.

    He giggled, squirming in her arms. “Yesi! /i/ wanna show Miss June my truck!” He waved the red car in her face, his grin wide and bright.

    It was the toy car Ethan just bought for him

    She carried him to the kitchen, setting him on the counter as she packed his lunch…and a tiny note tucked inside… Love you baby.

    She gets him ready, while getting herself ready too.

    She helped him into his school uniform, her fingers gentle as she buttoned his shirt, her eyes lingering on his face.

    Those dark eyes carried a shadow of someone else.

    “Be good today, okay?” she said, ruffling his hair.,,

    “Okay Mama,” Aiden said, puffing out his chest, and Mia’sughter filled the apartment

    Ethan was still sleeping so she left him a text before leaving the house

    She dropped him off at preschool, he saw his teacher and straight away ran to her, his backpack bouncing.

    The sight of him, so small but so full of life, gave her the strength to face the day ahead.

    By the time Mia reached the ABLoffice, her thoughts already ran too wide making her doubt her decisions over and over again.

    The open office space was quiet and peacefulb, /bshe settled at her desk.

    She pulls out the files she didn’t finish yesterday, lining them up in neat rows.

    She had stayedte yesterday because of the files they had dumped on her desk with smirks and no thanks.

    Let them try it again today, she knows they will, Mia has watched enough of those dramas to know how some workers behave in bbig /bbpanies /bblike /bbthis/b.

    Well she’s waiting for them…

    The office came alive as her coworkers walk in, their chatter loud and careless.

    bChapter /bb201 /b

    bOne /bbby /bbone/b, bthey /bbgrabbed /btheir bfiles /bfrom the stack she had organized yesterday, not sparing bher /ba nce, not olfalling sangre time and

    bSarah /bbif /bbshe /bremembers her name correctly, swept by, snatching a folder. Another guy followed, his eyes on his bcoffee /bbcup/b.

    Mia kept her head down, her stomach twisted with resentment.

    She had poured herself into their work yesterday, stayedte while they left early, and they acted like it was her job to do what she bdid/bb. /b

    An hourter, Mr. Cruz, the assistant director, appeared at her desk, his face calm but serious.

    “These need to be processed by the end of the day” he said, dropping a new stack of files.

    Mia stretched her arms, a small smile breaking through her guarded expression.

    “Got it, Mr. Cruz,b” /bshe said, her voice soft but steady.

    She felt a spark of pride as she opened the first file, her eyes scanning the numbers and notes. It was a managing data for game projects, budgets, schedules…

    She threw herself into it.

    Her mind races to his son every minute, he wonders how his day is going?

    And another person that was upying her entire head was Alex… she refuse to even think about it.

    A stupid part of her can’t help but wonder what he looks like now.

    He’s upstairs, you can go check. The traitorous part of her suggested

    Mia, stop it!

    She closes her eyes, begging her heart to calm down.

    Minutester, the files started piling up again. Sarah dropped a folder on her desk, her lips curled in a smug smile, not saying a word.

    Then another girl, then another, and another… like six of them just dropped their work for her.

    Mia didn’t flinch, didn’t nce their way. She kept her face nk, her pen moving steadily across her own work. Insideb, /ba smirk curled in her chestb, /bsharp

    and defiant.

    They really expected her to do their work again today? In their dreams…

    She pushed their files to the side, her focus locked on her own tasks.

    t

    The hours dragged on, Her back ached from sitting so long, but she didn’t care.

    As closing time neared, the office grew restless, her coworkers packing up with hurried movements, their voices loud with ns for the eveningb. /bMia finished herst file, her fingers trembling slightly from the long day.

    She opened her drawer and put her work in it, locked it, and packed her things to leave.

    The lock clicked shut with a satisfying snap, a small victory. She had done her work, and only her work, leaving the others‘ files untouched. Let them deal with their own mess tomorrow.

    She grabbed her bag, and stood, ready to leave this ce behind for the day.

    Aiden was waiting, and that was all that mattered.

    She looked towards Esther ckwell’s office as she passed a corridor. She hasn’t s

    I seen the woman today.

    bChapter /bb201 /b

    Another bthing /bthat bbothers /bher so much is if she bwill /btell bAlex /babout her. bMaybe /bthe bshould /bhave bbegged /bbher /bnot le tell her self.

    She moved through bthe /bboffice/b, her steps quick but quiet, her eyes scanning the space.

    At bthis /bpoint she doesn’t even know her fate in this ce anymore.

    If she can just work for a month, collect her sry, she will run and not look back.

    The moment she rounds the hall that would lead her to the elevator, a figure stepped out of the elevator

    Mia froze instantly, her heart mming against her ribs..

    Fuck!

    She has forgotten he was here…

    AD