Ninety eight

I sat at my desk, the glow of the computer screen illuminating my eager face. I was on a mission - to learn more about the project that Mr. Dominic handed to me. It was creating waves in the news lately. But to my dismay, the information I found was disappointingly basic, nothing more than what had been broadcasted on the news channels.

Determined not to give up, I decided to shift my focus to the other company involved in the project. Perhaps, they held the missing pieces of the puzzle. I typed in the name of the company and hit enter, hoping to stumble upon something intriguing.

As if the universe was finally hearing my plea, a headline caught my eye. It was an article uploaded by a journalist well known for exposing corporate crimes. My heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what I needed - a potential goldmine of hidden information!

I clicked on the article and began to read. There were quite a lot in it; a lot of shady dealings no one ever hears about on the surface.

But just as I was getting engrossed in the shocking revelations, a shadow loomed over my desk. Startled, I looked up to see a figure standing there. It was Vivian. I looked up at her in surprise.

Vivian stood there with her warm smile, a mug of coffee in her hand, as she leaned against my desk. "Hey, Selene! Whatcha up to?" she asked cheerfully.

I quickly minimized the article tab, not wanting Vivian to catch a glimpse of what I was reading. "Oh, just going through some things, you know, work stuff," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

She raised an eyebrow playfully, clearly not buying my casual response. "Work stuff, huh? Well, you seem pretty serious about it," she said, glancing at the screen with a hint of curiosity.

I quickly changed the topic to steer away from the project. "So, what's up? You seem in a good mood."

Vivian's eyes lit up as she eagerly shared the news. "Oh, you won't believe it! The coworkers from downstairs are arranging a team party tonight, and everyone's invited! It's always so much fun, Selene. You should come, too, to relieve some stress."

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. I really wanted to attend the party and mingle with my colleagues, but I also knew I had work to do, and I wanted to keep my focus on the project at hand. Plus, being new to the company, I didn't know many people yet, and the thought of attending a party where I might feel like an outsider made me a bit anxious.

"I appreciate the invitation, Vivian, but I'm actually quite swamped with work, and I have to go home later, so I'm not sure if I can make it," I explained, trying to find a diplomatic way to decline.

Vivian however shook her head in disagreement. "As a newbie, it's important to mingle and connect, so you won't feel like an outcast," she said, genuine concern in her voice.

"I'll think about it," I finally replied, offering a small smile. "Thanks for inviting me, Vivian."

She grinned triumphantly. "That's the spirit! Just come and have some fun, and you'll see how great it can be. I'll be waiting to hear your decision," she said, patting my shoulder before turning to head back to her office.