CHAPTER SEVENTY–TWO–A Deal That Changes Everything
During a particularly intense round of Street Fighter, Justin asked, “So, what made you decide to move to New York? Was it just for the Job?”
Laura’s fingers faltered on the controls for a moment. “It’s… a long story,” she said hesitantly. “I guess you could say I needed a
start”
understand that New Yor
New York’s a great place for reinvention.”
fresh
Justin nodded, his eyes still on the screen. “I can
Laura felt a wave of relief wash over her. She wasn’t ready to delve into her complicated past just yet, and she appreciated Justin’s easy acceptance.
As the night wore on, they found themselves at the Pac–Man machine, shoulder to shoulder as Laura demonstrated her skills. “Okay, I have to admit, you weren’t exaggerating,” Justin said, watching in awe as Laura navigated the maze with expert precision.” You’re really good at this.”
Laura grinned, her eyes never leaving the screen. “Told you.
When the
Hours of b
procrastination well spent.”
he game finally ended, Laura turned to Justin, flushed with victory. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the noise of the arcade seemed to fade away.
Justin leaned in slightly. “Laura, I have to say, this has been the most fun I’ve had on a first date in… well, ever.”
Laura felt her heart skip a beat. “Me too,” she admitted softly.
The walk back to Laura’s apartment was filled with comfortable silence and shy glances. As they reached her doorstep, Laura turned to face Justin.
“Thank you for tonight,” she said. “It was really wonderful.”
Justin smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’d really like to see you again, if you’re interested.” Laura nodded, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. “I’d like that too.”
Justin leaned in slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she wanted to. But Laura found herself meeting him halfway, their lips connecting in a sweet, gentle kiss.
As they parted, Laura felt a flutter of excitement and possibility. For the first time in a long while, she was looking forward to what the future might hold.
“Goodnight, Laura,” Justin said softly.
“Goodnight, Justin,” she replied, unable to keep the smile off her face as she unlocked her door and stepped inside.
The next morning, Laura arrived at the Sivarra Tech office feeling more energized than she had in weeks. As she settled into her desk, she noticed Kira Volkov giving her an odd look from across the room.
Before Laura could dwell on it, Bo Chen, their supervisor, called the team together for their weekly meeting. Laura gathered her notes and joined her colleagues in the conference room.
“Alright, team,” Bo began, her crisp voice commanding attention. “Let’s start with updates on the Robertson project. Laura, you want to take us through your progress?”
Laura nodded, standing up to address the group. “Of course. As you can see from the slides I’ve prepared, we’ve made significant headway in optimizing the user interface…”
She was about halfway through her presentation when Kira interrupted. “I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with your approach here,” she said, her tone sharp. “The color scheme you’ve chosen is completely at odds with the client’s brand identity.”
Laura blinked, taken aback by the harshness of Kira’s criticism. “L… well, we discussed this with the client last week, and they were quite pleased with the direction we’re taking.”
Kira scoffed. “Then clearly, they don’t understand their own brand. This is amateur work at best.”
The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Laura felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment and anger.
Bo Chen cleared her throat. “Kira, that’s enough. If you have constructive feedback, we can discuss it after the meeting, Laura, please
continue.”
Laura managed to finish her presentation, but her confidence was shaken. As the meeting wrapped up, she couldn’t help but notice the
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CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO–A Deal That Changes Everything
sympathetic glances from her other colleagues.
As everyone filed out of the conference room, Zaya Patel hung back. “Hey, are you okay?” she asked Laura quietly.
Laura forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just caught off guard, I guess.”
Zaya frowned. “Kira was way out of line. I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately. She’s usually not like this.”
They walked together towards the break room. “Has something happened?” Laura asked. “Did I do something to offend her without realizing it?”
Zaya shook her head. “Not that I know of. To be honest, she’s been a bit… off with everyone lately. I think she might be going through some personal stuff.”
Laura sighed, pouring herself a cup of coffee. “I see. I just wish she hadn’t chosen to take it out on me in front of everyone.”
“Yeah, that was pretty brutal,” Zaya agreed. “Look, try not to take it personally. Maybe give her some space for now. I’m sure Bo will have a word with her about her behavior.”
Laura nodded, grateful for Zaya’s support. “Thanks, Zaya. I appreciate it.”
As she returned to her desk, Laura’s phone buzzed with a text from Justin.
“Hope you’re having a great day! I had an amazing time last night. How do you feel about art? There’s this cool exhibit I’ve been wanting to check out…
Laura smiled, her mood instantly lifting. She quickly typed out a reply, agreeing to meet Justin that weekend.
The next few days passed in a blur of work and anticipation. When Saturday finally arrived, Laura found herself standing in front of her closer, debating what to wear.
“Going somewhere special?” Jessie asked, popping her head into Laura’s room.
Laura nodded, holding up two different outfits. “I’ve got a date. Art exhibit and dinner. What do you think?”
Jessie grinned. “Ooh, fancy. Go with the blue dress. It brings out your eyes.
An hour later, Laura met Justin outside the gallery. He greeted her with a warm smile and a light kiss on the cheek. “You look beautiful, “he said, his eyes appreciative.
Laura felt a blush creep up her neck. “Thanks. You clean up pretty well yourself.”
As they entered the gallery, Justin explained, “The exhibit is showcasing works from emerging local artists. I thought it might be interesting to see what the up–and–comers are doing.”
They wandered through the space, pausing to discuss various pieces. Laura was impressed by Justin’s knowledge of different art styles and techniques.
“I didn’t know you were so into art,” she commented as they stood before an abstract painting
