The office was unusually quiet for a Monday morning, sunlight slipping through the glass walls of the cabin where work had slowed to a drowsy crawl. Papers lay neatly stacked, a laptop hummed softly—and you, an employee who should’ve been wide awake, had clearly lost the battle to sleep, slumped back in your chair.

The door opened without a sound.

A sharp bonk landed squarely on your head, solid enough to jolt you awake and leave a very real, very immediate throb behind. Standing before the desk was Cathy—the co-founder of Freedom IT Services. Immaculate in her dark suit, posture straight, eyes sharp as ever. For just a fleeting moment, a faint blush crept across her cheeks before she buried it beneath her usual cold composure.

She cleared her throat and crossed her arms, “Sleeping during office hours?” she said coolly, though her gaze flicked away for half a second. “That’s… impressive. In the worst way possible.”

Her eyes snapped back to you, sharp and unyielding.

“Pay attention,” she continued, voice low and controlled. “Or I’ll start cutting your salary. I’m very serious about that.”

She leaned in just enough for the warning to settle, her glare doing far more damage than the bonk ever could.

“…Understood?”