The sun was shining brightly outside, casting a warm glow over the city. Alex stepped out of his car and walked into the TV station's parking lot, his footsteps echoing off the worn buildings.
As he entered the station, he was immediately noticed by Sarah, the producer. She smiled, her eyes lighting up with recognition. "Alex, great to see you again," she said, walking over to him.
Alex's expression remained neutral, his eyes scanning the room. "Sarah," he replied, his voice polite but detached.
The rest of the office staff seemed to take their cue from Sarah, and soon everyone was vying for Alex's attention. Tom and Emily chatted him up, asking about his work and interests. Alex responded curtly, his aloofness only seeming to pique their interest.
Maddie, however, was nowhere to be found. Alex looked around the office, expecting to see her at her desk, but she was absent. Just then, he spotted her standing by the shredding machine, her hair tied back in a ponytail and a look of concentration on her face. She was feeding papers into the machine with a quiet efficiency.
Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sight. He made his way over to her, his footsteps quiet on the carpeted floor. "Working hard, I see," he said, his voice low and smooth.
Maddie looked up, startled, and then smiled. "Just getting some tasks out of the way," she replied, wiping her hands on her pants.
Alex nodded, his eyes flicking to the shredding machine. "I see," he said. "Shall we get started on the project?"
Maddie nodded, and they made their way to the conference room. As they sat down, Alex's expression turned professional, his focus solely on the task at hand.
Their collaboration was productive, with Maddie driving the conversation and Alex providing valuable insights. They worked together seamlessly, their differences in personality complementing each other.
Just as they were getting into the zone, Sarah swept into the conference room, a cup of steaming tea in her hand. "I brought some refreshments," she said, her voice dripping with condescension.
Alex glanced up, his eyes meeting Sarah's briefly before returning to the papers in front of him. "Thanks, Sarah," he said, his voice professional.
Maddie raised an eyebrow, wondering why Sarah was being so friendly all of a sudden. She knew Sarah didn't like her, and she suspected Sarah's motives for bringing tea were more about impressing Alex than being kind.
Sarah sat down, her eyes fixed on Alex. "So, how's the project going?" she asked, her voice sugary sweet.
Alex responded briefly, his focus on the project. "We're making good progress."
Sarah's smile faltered for a moment, before she recovered. "Oh, I'm sure you are," she said, her tone dripping with insincerity.
Maddie felt a surge of skepticism. What was Sarah playing at? She glanced at Alex, but he seemed oblivious to Sarah's undertones.
As they finished up the meeting, Alex gathered his things and stood up. "Thanks for your work, Maddie," he said, his expression professional.
Maddie smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Thanks, Alex. I'll wait for the updated plan."
Sarah, who had been lingering in the background, stepped forward. "I'll walk you out, Alex," she said, her voice friendly.
Alex nodded politely, and the three of them left the conference room together. As they walked through the office, Sarah chatted with Alex about everything from the latest news to her favorite TV shows.
Maddie trailed behind them, feeling a bit like a third wheel. She couldn't help but notice the way Sarah was flirting with Alex, and she wondered if he noticed too.
As they reached the lobby, Alex turned to Sarah and nodded. "Thanks for your help, Sarah," he said. "I'll talk to you soon."
Sarah smiled, her eyes sparkling with interest. "Looking forward to it," she said.
Maddie watched as Alex walked out of the building, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She turned to Sarah, who was still smiling.
"Well, I guess that's it for today," Maddie said, trying to sound casual.
Sarah's smile faltered for a moment, before she recovered. "Yeah, I guess so," she said. "I'll see you around, Maddie."
Maddie nodded, feeling a bit uneasy. She knew Sarah didn't like her, and she wondered what Sarah's problem was.
As Sarah walked away, Maddie let out a sigh and headed back to her desk. She had a feeling that the dynamics between her, Alex, and Sarah were about to get a lot more interesting.