TIMELESS LONGING

rtening first day at Lucas Technologies, she could hardly muster the enthusiasm to face a second one. She forced hersel

the sharp words that had pierced her self-esteem and the days when she had doubted her worth. "You'll never be good enough," he had said, h

environment. The buzz of conversation was a welcome distraction, but as she

ning against the wall with a casual arrogan

t the words felt like a fragile facade. Nadia's laughter echoe

e constant reminder of her inferiority. At lunchtime, she j

r?" Mia asked, pourin

ng the back of her neck. "Lucas was... wel

onally. He's like that with everyone. Just wait until yo

idating have a soft side? Lucas had a way of cutting her down

as working on. As she shuffled through her notes, she could feel the anxiety cr

tmosphere thick with tension. Lucas was seated behind his

p from his laptop. "You need to be more p

s sweating. "I've been working on the proj

harp. "You're here to deliver, not to play catch-up.

of Mark's relentless belittling. "You're weak, Lila," his vo

ng herself with the conviction in h

ue eyes, but he quickly masked it with indifference.

he had stood her ground, but the victory felt hollow. The moment

loomed over her. She remembered how Mark had isolated her, insisting she coul

, her phone buzzed with a message from Nadi

t was an invitation to a confrontation, a cha

presentation?" Mia asked, inte

Lila replied,

tudying her. "You sure

ough her heart pounded in her

reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Just rememb

red for the presentation, the shadows of her past and t

e team, she felt the familiar knot in her stomach tighten. Lucas scrutinized

she stumbled over her words. "Uh,

ting her, waiting for her to falter. "Is this the best you

mlessly redirecting the conversation. "Lila has some grea

ent. But the moment also reminded her of her inadequacies. How lon

e weight of Nadia's mocking smile haunted her, intertwining with the pain of her past. Lila

was packing her things when she

adia said, her tone ooz

t raced. "W

ere. If you can't keep up, maybe you should consider a differe

igniting within her. "I'm not going anywhere," she shot back, s

her eyes. But before she could relish the victory, she felt L

Lila?" he asked, his v

he faced both Nadia and Lucas. "Yes, just

She had faced challenges, but with every confrontation, she could feel the memories of

e buzzed again with a message from Mi

against the setting sun. He paused, glancing her way, and Lila felt a mix of anxiety and unce

t her again? What if he had mor

he moment stretched, and just as Lucas opened his

rouble," she said with a la

ucas Technologies might just be the beginning of a nightmare, not just from Nadia's ta