Agnes I stood outside Elijah’s office door the next morning, taking a deep breath before knocking lightly. The muffled sounds of conversation ceased, and his deep voice called out, “Come in.” Pushing the door open, I found him seated behind his massive mahogany desk, papers strewn about. He looked up, a hint of surprise flickering across his features. I never walked into his office, especially not out of nowhere during work hours. “Agnes, is everything alright?” “Yes,” I replied, stepping inside. “I was hoping to take some personal time today. I thought I might go shopping at the mall.” He raised an eyebrow. “Shopping?” I nodded. “Yes. I need a few things, and I thought it would be nice to get out for a bit.” Elijah leaned back in his chair, considering for a moment

