Shea stealthily made her way back to her desk, hoping that her tardiness after lunch had gone unnoticed by her observant colleagues. She nonchalantly powered up her computer, feigning normalcy. However, her attention was quickly diverted as she noticed Zeynep's conspicuous absence from her neighboring workstation. Shea couldn't help but turn her head left and right to scan the office for any sign of her elusive coworker.
Just as Shea was about to give up on finding Zeynep, she watched in surprise as Zeynep emerged from the boss's office, her face creased with worry. Their eyes met, and Shea could see the relief wash over Zeynep's face upon spotting her. Zeynep practically bounced in her seat, exclaiming, "Where have you been?"
Shea replied casually, "Just had lunch. Is the boss looking for me?"
Zeynep shook her head, her expression inscrutable. "No, but he's calling you to his office."
"Why?" Shea's nerves tingled with anxiety.
