The week blurred into one long stretch of motion — code, meetings, and caffeine stitched together by willpower.
Willow's department was running on fumes and adrenaline, pushing to finish their current healthcare interface upgrade before taking on the next big thing.
She'd promised Malik the final rollout would be flawless before the Star Engineering proposal meeting next week. That meant late nights, black coffee, and the quiet hum of screens long after most of the office had gone home.
She didn't mind. Busyness was armor.
The noise of work left no room for ghosts.
Her phone buzzed across the desk, breaking her focus.
She glanced down — and froze.
Zane Reyes.
The message preview glowed on the screen.
Zane: You're impossible to reach. I'm starting to think you're avoiding me.
Her thumb hovered over the phone. She wasn't avoiding him — not exactly.
She was postponing him.
There was a difference.
On impulse, she scrolled upward — and winced.
