The fourth floor was already alive with quiet motion—the click of keyboards, the soft shuffle of papers, the low hum of conversation in English, Mandarin, and the occasional French phrase that drifted across the space.
Ren was already at his desk, sleeves rolled up, a cup of coffee balanced precariously near his keyboard.
He looked up when Noel stepped in.
"Morning," he said, his grin easy. "You're early again."
"Habit," Noel replied, setting down his file. "You've been here long?"
"Just ten minutes. Trying to get a head start on the new trade reports. I heard we're doing a case study today."
"Case study?"
Ren nodded. "Something about foreign shipping delays and negotiation responses. Apparently, we're supposed to analyze how the company handled a real dispute."
Before Noel could reply, the elevator doors opened again.
Jace strolled in—no rush, no apology—tugging at the lanyard around his neck like it was choking him.
