“How’s work going?” Calvin’s voice cut through the air, sharp and deliberate, his gaze fixed like a hawk on Cleopatra seated beside him.

“So far good,” Katie murmured from across Cleopatra, her tone casual, almost distant.

Calvin leaned forward, the shadows in his eyes deepening, a quiet pressure pressing down like the weight of a storm about to break. “I know.”

Katie startled, glancing at Cleopatra with a sheepish smile. “Oops… sorry. Calvin’s asking how work’s going today.”

Cleopatra’s lips curved into a serene, almost radiant smile. “Very well,” she replied, her voice calm yet carrying a quiet confidence that seemed to illuminate the room.

Moonshine, tired of the subtle...