[PEARL]
I was hunched over my desk, typing furiously as I prepared the minutes of Zach’s last meeting. The office was quiet, only filled with the soft hum of the air conditioning and the rhythmic clicking of my keyboard. The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Jeff entering my office. His face was unusually serious, a stark contrast to his usual light-hearted demeanor.
“What happened, Jeff? Is something the problem?” I asked, my fingers pausing over the keys.
Jeff sat down in front of me, leaning forward slightly. “Do you now trust me, Pearl?”
I hesitated. He had cleared his name, but trust didn’t come easily for me. “I’m getting there,” I replied cautiously.
Jeff nodded. “It’s a promising start. I have to tell you something.”
“What is it, Jeff?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
