It was midweek, and Nia's attention was locked on the monitor in front of her, eyes darting over a detailed list of Catalyst Core's remaining bugs. The room buzzed with a sense of determination as she worked through each security check, readying the game for Friday's big reveal. That launch, planned as the culmination of months of effort, would be the first glimpse the public had into the groundbreaking new features her team had labored over—and it all hinged on Zack's go-ahead after the final tests.
Thinking of Zack, she felt a small, reluctant flutter in her chest. Since their tense meeting last Friday, she hadn't heard from him. He was supposed to come by this Friday for their usual briefings, not to mention for their ritual of coffee and her favorite pastries that he often brought. She shook her head, forcing herself back to the code in front of her, but the memory lingered, distracting her.
