The next day, Cody brought a bunch of popsicles and started handing them out in the office.
He passed one to Maria. The cold treat instantly took the edge off the heat, and with everyone enjoying a brief break from work, the mood lightened and laughter filled the room.
After wrapping up her last bit of work, Maria stretched lazily, unwrapped the popsicle, and took a bite—just as the office went oddly silent. Something felt off.
Curious, she walked out, looked up, and locked eyes with Amelia.
Well, that explained the sudden hush.
Amelia was holding a lunchbox. A second ago, she’d been chatting away with Cody, but the moment she saw Maria, her smile froze.
A second later, a sharp snort escaped her lips. “The company’s hiring you to create actual results, not to coast by a
