Chapter 77

• The stress of the past few days had worn on me. Sweat mixed with blood streaked down my face, and the cold of the night air made it feel like ice was seeping into my bones. The tension in the office had never been more palpable, and yet, I couldn’t afford to let it break me. After all, I had far too much at stake.
• "Cassandra..." Bun panted, his breath visible in the chill of the early morning, his eyes dark with exhaustion. "Shouldn’t we be out there helping them? You know the other departments are falling apart. We should be getting involved."
• I leaned against the office wall, trying to steady my breathing. The weight of the situation was starting to feel unbearable. "Orders are orders," I replied, my voice steady despite the chaos surrounding me. "We were told to secure the assets and protect the key accounts. We stick to the plan."