What If?

Chapter 34 - Midnight Brew

The laptop screen in front of Launa became the sole source of light illuminating the already dim Head of Audit's office. The wall clock showed exactly nine o'clock at night. Officially, office hours had ended at four this afternoon, but Launa was still too lazy to pack up and head home. In the midst of this silence, she actually felt incredibly at peace.

Launa’s fingers moved across the internet page, browsing through digital articles from two months ago regarding the explosion tragedy of The Oceanic Star, which belonged to Miranda Ellsworth, Glenn’s mother.

Launa read the lines of the news carefully, one by one.

"Fuel tank explosion..." she murmured softly, skimming through the published initial investigation results.

She gave a faint shake of her head. Her instincts told her something was off. While occasionally muttering under her breath, her hand scribbled down the strange points in her little notebook. As Glenn's assistant, for some reason, she wanted to do something more than just her standard duties.

Launa puffed out her cheeks, exhaling a heavy sigh. Your eyes felt incredibly bloodshot and burning from staring at the screen for so long. The moment she finally looked up, she only just realized that the entire floor had gone pitch black and completely dead silent.

Her throat felt parched. Launa got up from her chair, intending to head down to the lower-floor pantry to fix herself some coffee. As she stepped out toward the main lobby, the atmosphere was indeed quiet, though a few employees could still be seen here and there in their cubicles, stuck working late.

Ding!

The elevator doors slid open. Launa stepped into the quiet metal box. But just as the doors were about to close, a leather-shoed foot suddenly shot out from the side, blocking the sensor until the doors opened back up.

Launa gasped in surprise, instinctively taking a step back. A guy in an office shirt with neatly rolled-up sleeves stepped inside.

"Evening. Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," the guy greeted her warmly, a faint smile on his face.

Launa ducked her head slightly, returning the greeting awkwardly. "Good evening, sir."

"Working late too?" the guy asked, making small talk as the elevator began its descent.

Launa gave an awkward laugh, scratching the back of her neck even though it didn't itch. "Ah, yes, sir. Just wrapping up a few last-minute things." In reality, she just didn't feel like heading home yet.

"Same here, I just finished up a division report myself," the guy replied. He then turned around to face Launa and politely extended his hand. "I'm Ryan."

Launa briefly shook his hand. "Launa."

Ding!

The elevator chimed and the doors opened at the pantry floor. As it turned out, they were heading to the same place. Walking out together, Launa stepped hesitantly toward the pantry bar counter. Her eyes blinked in confusion at the rows of espresso machines, grinders, and coffee beans neatly lined up there.

Usually, whenever she wanted coffee, Launa would just brew a packet of instant coffee. The modern equipment in front of her left her a bit bewildered.

Ryan, noticing her confusion, let out a soft chuckle. "Want to make some coffee? Unsure of how to use the machine?"

"Uh... yeah," Launa answered honestly with a shy smile.

"Let me make it for you then. What kind of coffee do you want?" Ryan offered, taking the initiative as he got into position in front of the machine.

"Just a double shot of espresso, I guess," Launa piped up, throwing out the menu item she heard most often without actually knowing the crazy effects behind it.

Ryan immediately looked over, staring at Launa with a raised eyebrow. He secretly thought to himself, Wow, this girl is pretty hardcore, drinking a double shot this late at night.

Ryan offered a faint smile, then picked up a glass jar filled with coffee beans. "That’s a pretty bold choice for this hour. But wait, do you have a history of gastric issues or acid reflux?"

Launa instantly nodded quickly. "Ah, yes, I do have acid reflux."

"Whoa, then it’s dangerous to slam your stomach with a double shot of Robusta espresso," Ryan quickly put the jar back and grabbed another one containing slightly lighter-colored beans. "Let's work around it by using Arabica beans instead. The acidity level is lower and far safer for a sensitive stomach. The roasting process is medium, so the flavor stays rich and strong just the way you want it, but it won't leave your stomach twisting in pain."

Launa listened in fascination, her eyes watching how deftly Ryan's hands moved to grind the coffee beans and operate the espresso machine until a rich, fragrant coffee aroma immediately drifted through the air. It didn't take long before a warm cup of coffee was slipped in front of her.

"Are you Mr. Glenn’s assistant? Mr. Simon’s son? This is my first time seeing you, and you looked a little lost with this corner of the office," Ryan said as he began brewing his own coffee.

"Yes, I’ve only been working here for a few days," Launa replied warmly. However, deep down, a sense of wonder began to creep over her. How on earth did the guy next to her instantly know her position? Had news about her spread that quickly? "What I mean is... do heads of other divisions not have personal assistants, sir?"

Ryan let out a soft chuckle, turning to look at Launa with an understanding gaze. "None, Launa. Standard operational procedures in this company dictate that positions at the division head or head of audit level like Mr. Glenn aren't facilitated with a personal assistant by the office. The only ones who get a personal assistant are the upper board of directors, or well... Mr. Simon himself. That's why the moment Mr. Glenn suddenly brought in a personal assistant, you immediately became a hot topic in several employee group chats. Plus, he already has Jerry as his assistant. Is the workload as the head of the audit division really that heavy?"

Launa’s heart sank. Ryan’s words instantly triggered negative assumptions in her head. Employee group chats? A hot topic?

Noticing the drastic change on Launa’s face, which had suddenly turned tense and uncomfortable, Ryan quickly waved his hand to dismiss it.

"Relax, don’t go thinking the worst. You know how office people are barely any work, but plenty of gossip," Ryan cut in quickly, trying to ease her mind. "As long as you’re not doing anything weird and are purely working professionally here, just tune it out. Besides, getting into Mr. Glenn’s division is no easy feat."

Launa managed a faint smile, even though a small knot still lingered in her chest.

"I’ve been with this company for two years myself, as a permanent employee in the operations division," Ryan explained.

Hearing the phrase 'two years,' a question suddenly crossed Launa’s mind. Driven by a mix of casual curiosity and intrigue, she worked up the courage to ask. "Ryan, if you don't mind me asking... back when you first started, did you have to go through a complicated contract and internship period, or was there another path?"

Ryan laughed out loud, shaking his head. "Not complicated at all. Back then, I just submitted my CV, got invited for a single interview with HR, and was accepted just like that in no time."

Ryan’s expression suddenly turned a bit bittersweet as he continued. "Back when Madam Miranda Ellsworth was still around, this company was run beautifully. The employees were well taken care of, and getting a job here wasn't made difficult as long as you relied on honest skills. But... ever since Madam Miranda passed away two months ago, the entire system here has completely changed."

Launa nodded understandingly in silence. A sharp tug twisted in her chest. This meant the chaos within the system began exactly when Glenn's father took over the throne of leadership from the late Miranda. Launa chose to keep the other questions that suddenly flooded her mind to herself; she didn't want to seem too nosy questioning a stranger.

"Give the coffee a try," Ryan said, breaking the silence.

Launa complied. She lifted the cup and took a slow sip. Instantly, a perfect balance of bitterness and a gentle warmth spread across her tongue. Her eyes lit up immediately. "This is amazing! I've never tasted coffee this good before."

Ryan smiled proudly, folding his arms across his chest. "Of course. Before I ended up stranded as an office worker here, I used to be a barista."

Launa nodded understandingly. No wonder his movements when brewing the coffee earlier looked so professional and incredibly deft.

Launa glanced at her silver wristwatch, which was already closing in on half past ten. She quickly set her cup down and offered an apologetic smile. "Ryan, thank you so much for the coffee. I need to head back upstairs; I still have a few files I need to wrap up."

"Sure thing, Launa. Don't push yourself too hard."

Hearing that, Launa simply gave a firm nod.

"Mm-hmm. Thank's."

*****