Ben sat, staring blankly at his drafting table. It was only 11:30 AM, but he had nothing to do. He tried to busy himself with other tasks but couldn't focus, feeling restless and irritated.
He had finished an internal meeting earlier. Several new projects had come in, but he wasn't assigned any work, while other teams were overloaded.
News of his conflict with Jerry had spread. The story of Ben having an office affair was also circulating. Gossip swirled about who the woman might be. Ben, who had always performed well, had become a controversial figure.
Every day, he tried to act as if he didn't hear the gossip, hoping Nina wouldn't get dragged into it. His wife was still working in the same building.
At noon, Ben decided to go to the food court first to wait for Nina, then to the gym
