Taylor sat at his desk, eyes scanning the cluttered papers in front of him.
The soft glow of the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm hue over the sleek, minimalist furnishings of his office.
It was already past five, and the clock on his desk showed no mercy.
The minutes had dragged themselves along, each heavier than the last. He knew he should have left a long time ago, but work had a way of finding him, pulling him deeper into its relentless current.
Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, the muscles in his neck tightening. He glanced at his watch-five minutes past five-and pushed the chair back with a sharp creak.
He closed the open files across his desk with a quick, habitual movement and reached for the note he had left t
