The office hummed with the usual buzz, but Sadiya was focused on her spreadsheets when the lights flickered and went out. Darkness filled the room, broken only by the soft glow of laptops and emergency lights.
"Not now," she muttered, reaching for her phone. That's when she heard a calm voice:
"Need some help?"
She turned. A tall, sharp-eyed man leaned against a cubicle. Dark hair, tailored suit, and an air of quiet confidence.
"I… think I'm okay," she said, flustered.
"Daniel Cole. I'm here to review your department this week. Looks like the power had other plans," he said with a small smile.
Something about him made her chest tighten. She returned to her work, feeling his gaze linger longer than necessary.