Lily's eyes narrowed with suspicion. She leaned slightly to the side, peering around her brother's arm like she was trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Oh! My brother brought home a girl?" she repeated, her voice a little louder this time as if wanting Gray to explain. "It's not what you think, Lily." Gray let out a short sigh, already dragging a hand down his face. "She's Selina," he said as he turned to the side to point at her. "She's my friend, okay? She lives in the next unit over. We just found out by accident, so I invited her for dinner." At the mention of her name, Selina stepped forward, just a little. She pressed her lips together and raised a hand in a small wave. She suddenly felt shy as she stood there. "Hi, Lily. It's nice to meet you. I've heard... a lot about you." Selina's voice was soft as she talked to Lily. She couldn't help it. She wanted to run to Lily and hug her small frame, but she stopped herself. In her mind, though, all she could think of

After that calm Thursday, Gray was back in his office early the next morning. He was greeted by a few lobby staff members with nods that he happily returned as he walked past them.By now, he was already getting used to the work routine.In the morning, he checked the internal reports that had been sent to his office. There were sales figures for the last week, inventory updates, and shipment schedules.With a mug of coffee cooling beside him, he read through the numbers, cross-checked them against the previous week, and marked a few entries he wanted to focus on.Nothing bad stood out. Instead, there was even an increase in sales after what happened last Saturday.It seemed like the people appreciated how Gray fought for Rowan as a customer.Some of the customers who answered the feedback forms also mentioned a better atmosphere after the manager was removed. They couldn't explain how, but they said the workers around looked happier and livelier.Gray was happy to know that.It seeme

Gray learned a lot from his visit to the store.The team shared a moment together during lunchtime. It was fun and, honestly, refreshing in ways he hadn't expected.It reminded Gray of moments he used to have with his co-workers in the past. Back when work felt less like obligation and more like belonging.The air in the staff room had become noticeably lighter compared to when he first entered a few hours ago. Tension had dissolved somewhere between the pizza delivery and the second round of jokes.Empty pizza boxes were stacked in one corner of the room. Opened boxes of chicken sat between paper plates and half-finished drinks. The scent of garlic and cheese still lingered faintly in the air, mixing with the smell of cola and the warmth of too many bodies in one space.As the workers ate, they shared memories they had in the company. Some were funny. Others were bitter. Most were both.Someone cracked a joke about how one of the guys got caught sleeping in the storage room once by W

The next week passed faster than he had expected. By the time Monday morning rolled around, most of the furniture and appliances he had ordered had already arrived at the grocery store. They came early, even before the main shift began, so only a few workers saw the trucks pull into the service entrance. They probably assumed it was just a standard restock for the store. Gray stood near the back hallway with a clipboard in one hand and coffee in the other, quietly watching the boxes being wheeled in one after another. He had arrived extra early just for this. There were chairs, a fridge, a new microwave, fresh lockers, a medium-sized sofa, and a few more tables. It wasn't anything extravagant, but he made sure that everything was sturdy and would last the employees a long time. He moved through the list carefully, glancing up every now and then as the crew unloaded everything. The sound of wheels squeaking against tile echoed in the quiet hallway. He was able to get every

By mid-afternoon, Gray was back in his office.He leaned back in his chair with his blazer draped over the armrest and sleeves still rolled up. His laptop was open, but his eyes weren't on it.Instead, he was watching the little swirl of steam rising from his freshly brewed cup of coffee.Knock. Knock.While he was in his own little world, a soft knock sounded at the door."Come in."Gray looked up as Marcus stepped inside. He was holding a folder in one hand as he walked toward his table."Hope I'm not interrupting anything.""Not at all," Gray said, gesturing him in.Marcus nodded and stepped fully inside. He placed the folder on the desk before pulling the usual visitor chair slightly closer. He didn't sit just yet."How was your visit?" he asked with a faint smile. "I heard you were at the store again this morning."Gray let out a quiet chuckle and finally leaned forward."It was pretty nice. I just wanted to check in on the staff room upgrade. The items came in early, so I helped