Chapter 1: Introduction
The office buzzed with the hum of fluorescent lights and the occasional burst of laughter from the lunchroom. It was a typical Monday morning, and the coffee maker gurgled its familiar tune, signaling that another pot was ready. Nikos, tall and dark-haired, leaned against the counter, his blue eyes scanning the room as he took a sip from his mug. He was an analyst, one of the best in the department, with a mind that could crunch numbers faster than any computer. But today, his focus was not on the spreadsheets piling up on his desk. Today, his thoughts were elsewhere—specifically, on the woman sitting across from him.