Chapter 177
Olivia
I stifled a yawn, staring at my computer screen while stretching my arms above my head. My back cracked in three distinct places as I twisted side to side. After hours of tweaking, our concept boards were polished to perfection.
“And we’re officially finished, I announced, saving the file one last time.
Dylan pumped his fist in the air. “Thank god. I was starting to forget what sunlight looks like.”
Ava closed her laptop with a dramatic thud. “If I had to adjust that logo placement one more time, I might have thrown myself out the window.”
“Top floor,” Marcus reminded her, gathering his sketches. “You’d definitely die. And then who would make our presentations look pretty?”
“Someone less talented and twice as expensive,” Ava replied, flashing a tired grin.
I checked the time on my phone, 9:37 PM. We’d been at it for nearly fourteen hours straight.
The team began gathering their belongings, moving with the slow, dazed movements of people who’d been staring at screens for too long.
“Anyone want to grab a drink?” Brandon suggested halfheartedly.
A chorus of groans answered him.****
“My bed is calling,” Ava declared. “And it’s saying very dirty things about how good it’ll feel to collapse into it.”
“TMI, Ava,” Marcus laughed, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder.
said their goodbyes and filed out of the conference room until only Dylan remained, hovering near
clean
waved him off. “I’ll see
washed over his face. “Thanks, Mrs. Carter. You’re
he left, I sat alone in the silent conference room, taking a moment to breathe. The quiet felt good after hours of discussion and debate.
chair and pulled out my phone to
finished. Team just left. Presentation
reply came almost
Congratulations. Still at the
About to
you. Don’t
to drive. I
I insist. Wait for me. 15
the parking garage, perfectly capable of getting
See
and headed down to the lobby, waving goodnight to the security guard who looked
late again, Mrs. Carter?”
I explained, settling into one of the
you work overtime?” he
laughed. “Technically, yes. But
I stood alone at the curb, taking a moment to breathe in the crispness of the evening,
car’s headlights slicing through the darkness in a brilliant flash
phone buzzed with a
Drinks tomorrow?
Ryan’s confrontation, James stepping in, and Alexander showing up unexpectedly with
the day after tomorrow instead? And maybe
Her response came quickly.
fancy.
Perfect. Just text me
Will do! Btw, how did things end with
at her
tell you everything the
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!