The coffee cup in my hand is still warm as I watch the rain streak down the office window. Outside, the city has blurred into a watercolor painting of gray and blue. I take a slow sip, savoring the bitter warmth as it spreads through my chest. The sound of raindrops against the glass creates a steady rhythm that almost masks the quiet hum of the office.

My desk is neat, almost obsessively so—stacks of files arranged by priority, a well-sharpened pen beside my notebook, and a small photograph tucked into the corner of my monitor. It's the only personal item in this otherwise sterile space.

A soft knock at my door interrupts my thoughts. I glance up to see the silhouette of someone standing in the hallway, backlit by the fluorescent lights. "Come in," I call out, setting my coffee down and straightening the papers in front of me, already shifting into professional mode.