The next morning, Lena woke up early, her heart beating fast. Today was the day. The day she had worked so hard for. She had put everything into her project, staying up late and skipping meals to make sure every part was right. She told herself she couldn’t mess this up, not when only five people would be chosen out of twenty.
Instead of going to her office, Lena went straight to Blackwood Empire. She couldn’t risk being late. The elevator ride to the fifth floor felt so slow, and she kept twisting the strap of her bag to calm herself down.
When the doors finally opened, she stepped out and looked around. She thought she would see other people there to submit their projects, but the floor was quiet. Only Blackwood Empire workers were there, typing on their computers or walking around wit
