Chapter 4 — Coffee Bar Connections

Third Person

Sophie Hart lingered at the entryway to HaleTech’s employee lounge, her hazel eyes sweeping over the space with a mixture of curiosity and a pang of disappointment. The mismatched chairs and whimsical chalkboard menu of coffee specials gave the room a faint charm, but the emptiness dulled its promise. A lone employee hunched over a laptop in one corner, typing furiously, while another scrolled through their phone at the far end, their posture slouched. The only sound was the hum of the espresso machine, punctuated by the occasional hiss of steam—a series of faint echoes in the stillness. Sophie tightened her grip on her pastel planner, as though its cheerful cover could bolster her resolve.