By early afternoon, the project hub on the executive floor of Langford Group had settled into a rhythm of concentrated efficiency.
Large digital displays illuminated the conference room walls, each filled with financial projections, consumer analytics, and market forecasts. Analysts moved briskly between workstations, quietly exchanging reports while keyboards clicked in rapid succession. Coffee cups sat forgotten beside open laptops, evidence that no one had left their seat for hours.
The atmosphere was intense, but organized.
At the center of it all stood Elena.
She studied the latest presentation projected onto the screen, one hand resting lightly against the conference table while the other flipped through a stack of printed reports.
She tapped one section of the report with the t
