| chapter 18

My gaze remained fixated on the mess before me—papers drenched in coffee and a chaotic state of my desk. Anger simmered beneath the surface of my stern face, a slow burn that threatened to erupt at any moment. 

Nina started making her way back towards her desk, her passing figure and movements were a blur against the backdrop of my mounting frustration. With each step that she took towards her desk, my pulse quickened, rage coiled within me. I clenched my fists, nails dug into my palms as I watched her retreat. 

But just then, amidst the chaos, a voice cut through the tension. “What just happened here?” the voice asked, looking at my messed up desk state. Ella's arrival drew my attention, her shocked expression mirrored the surprise at the scene before her. My gaze flickered to the cup of coffee she held, and a sudden impulse seized hold of me.