07:30 PM – DINER IN BROOKLYN
Brooklyn at night always had a certain energy. The dim yellow streetlights, the distant sound of car horns, and the crisp cold air mixed with the scent of grilled burgers from the small diner where Emily and Lucas usually hung out.
Lucas was already seated in their favorite booth, his leather jacket carelessly tossed beside him, while Emily was still busy scanning the menu—even though she always ordered the same thing.
"You're seriously looking at the menu?" Lucas eyed her skeptically, leaning back in his seat.
Emily shrugged, her gaze still fixed on the menu. "What if I want something different tonight?"
Lucas smirked as he sipped his root beer. "Bullshit. You're gonna get a double cheeseburger with extra pickles, fries, and a vanilla shake. Like always."
Emily finally closed the menu with a small huff. "Fine. But someday, I might surprise you."
"Yeah? The day you order a salad, I'll start believing in miracles." Lucas chuckled.
A waitress, a middle-aged woman with a worn-out red apron, walked over. Lucas signaled without even asking Emily.
"Two double cheeseburgers, extra pickles, large fries, vanilla shake for her, and a Coke for me."
The waitress nodded and walked away. Emily looked at Lucas with an amused expression. "When was the last time I even had to order my own food?"
Lucas shrugged. "That's what best friends are for."
Emily leaned back, taking a deep breath. Today had been long. Lucas could probably see it on her face because he suddenly studied her more intently.
"Okay, spill it. You look like you just survived a corporate warzone."
Emily scoffed, playing with the straw in her water glass. "I wouldn't call it a 'warzone,' but it's intense as hell."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Good intense or bad intense?"
Emily thought for a moment, then shrugged. "A little bit of both. The team is solid, the project is huge, and..." She hesitated before continuing, "The boss is kinda terrifying."
Lucas let out a small laugh. "Oh? Define terrifying."
Emily stared out the window for a second before sighing. "You know those guys who don't have to say much, but the moment they do, everyone just moves? That's him."
Lucas smirked. "So he's like… a finance bro version of Batman?"
Emily laughed. "Something like that. He's crazy smart, a perfectionist, and doesn't take bullshit."
Lucas whistled. "Sounds exhausting."
Emily nodded, twirling her straw. "Yeah, but also kinda… I don't know. Challenging?"
Lucas narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh no. No way. Don't even think about it."
Emily frowned. "Think about what?"
Lucas pointed at her with a fry. "You always get this look when you start getting interested in something—or someone. And I swear to God, Em, if you're even slightly intrigued by your boss..."
Emily chuckled. "Dude, chill. I just meant the job is challenging. The boss is just… part of it."
Lucas gave her a skeptical look. "Uh-huh. Just don't let him eat you alive."
Emily lifted her milkshake. "I'll survive."
Their food arrived, and for a moment, they both fell silent, enjoying their meal amid the background noise of the diner—people chatting, the clinking of spoons against plates, and the occasional ding of the doorbell as someone walked in.
Lucas leaned back after taking a bite of his burger, glancing at Emily. "So, do you like it there?"
Emily chewed slowly, thinking before answering. "I think so. It's crazy, but I kinda like it."
Lucas nodded. "Good. You need a challenge to keep that brain of yours from rusting."
Emily scoffed. "Wow, so supportive, asshole."
Lucas laughed and raised his glass. "To new challenges and overpriced burgers."
Emily lifted her milkshake. "And to best friends who know me better than I know myself."
Their glasses clinked softly before they went back to enjoying their night—completely unaware that in the coming weeks, Emily's life was about to get far more complicated than she ever imagined.
THE PRESSURE & THE TEMPTATION
09:30 AM – UI/UX WAR ROOM, CALLOWAY HOLDINGS
Emily sat down at the long conference table, surrounded by the buzzing energy of the UI/UX team. The whiteboards were covered in flowcharts, sticky notes stuck to every surface, and multiple screens displayed app analytics in real-time.
Ana, with a coffee in one hand and an iPad in the other, started the meeting.
"Alright, people. We've got a problem. Engagement numbers dropped after the last update, and guess who's breathing down my neck about it?"
Jared leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Let me guess—our favorite billionaire?"
Lisa nodded. "He walked in this morning, and I swear the temperature dropped by ten degrees."
Everyone laughed, but Emily stayed focused, tapping her pen against her notebook.
Lucas, sitting beside her, nudged her arm. "Yo, you good? You look like you're plotting a murder."
Emily rolled her eyes. "I have 24 hours to fix this mess, so yeah, I'm kind of in crisis mode."
Jared whistled. "Damn, Calloway gave you a deadline? Welcome to hell."
Ana clapped her hands. "Okay, focus. We need solutions. Emily, you got a plan?"
Emily nodded and pulled up a presentation on the screen. "I analyzed user behavior post-update. The engagement drop isn't because of the features—it's because the changes were too sudden. Users are creatures of habit. We disrupted their flow, and now they're frustrated."
Lisa raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the fix?"
Emily clicked to the next slide. "We introduce a guided walkthrough. A subtle onboarding pop-up that highlights changes and teaches users how to navigate the new UI without feeling lost."
The room was silent for a beat. Then Ana grinned. "That… is actually brilliant."
Jared nodded. "Makes sense. We don't change the features, just how we introduce them."
Lucas smirked at Emily. "Damn, new girl flexing her brains already."
Emily smirked back. "You better keep up, Lucas."
---
11:45 AM – ETHAN'S OFFICE
Emily stood in front of Ethan's desk, her laptop open as she presented the new plan.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, watching her with his signature unreadable expression. His perfectly tailored suit, sharp jawline, and piercing blue eyes made it nearly impossible to ignore his presence.
"So," he finally said, "your solution is essentially… teaching people how to use what we gave them?"
Emily crossed her arms. "People don't like change, Mr. Calloway. Even if it's good for them. You have to guide them through it."
Ethan tilted his head slightly. "And you think this will work?"
Emily met his gaze, unwavering. "I don't think. I know."
A slow, almost imperceptible smirk played at Ethan's lips. "Fine. Implement it. And if this doesn't work, Carter, you better have another miracle up your sleeve."
Emily smirked. "Don't worry. I always do."
As she turned to leave, Ethan's phone buzzed on his desk. The name on the screen flashed: Sienna.
Emily hesitated for just a second before walking out.
Behind her, Ethan exhaled and picked up the phone.
"Sienna."
Her voice purred through the speaker. "Ethan, baby. You've been working too hard."
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. "You call me during work hours for what, exactly?"
Sienna chuckled. "To remind you that you promised me dinner tonight. And I expect champagne, penthouse views, and—" she lowered her voice— "other things."
Ethan closed his eyes briefly. Sienna was stunning, high-class, and a complete handful. But she was also… distracting.
Still, he found himself saying, "Fine. I'll see you at eight."
Sienna giggled. "That's more like it. See you tonight, lover."
As the call ended, Ethan glanced at his office door where Emily had walked out just moments ago.
Interesting.