Chapter Nine

First day at work and Sarah Chen could not hide her excitement; this was definitely the next stage of her life she had envisioned for herself. She once again thought about her struggles as she stared at her computer screen, the blue light casting shadows across her face as she scanned the lines of code in rapt concentration. Would she have come this far if she had not left her vices behind? Was she naive to think she could possibly make this project a huge success?

The uncertainty and questions continued to run fast in her mind. She was tensed and already on her second cup of coffee, and it was not even 12 noon yet. Sarah got up to walk off the stress. She gingerly made her way to the workstation of her team where she asked if there was a smoking area within the premises.

She was directed to the rooftop, and she gingerly walked away muttering her thank you to the staff who had provided the information. Andrew, was it? She could barely catch the name as she had begun to feel suffocated in the building.

Her elevator ride to the rooftop had been antsy, and Sarah held her breath until her face was slammed with air as soon as she stepped out on the rooftop. She gulped in as much as she could and heaved a huge sigh of relief for finally stepping out of an enclosed space.

Sarah searched her purse for a cigarette and was happy she finally found one. She could not remember the last time she ever smoked. The tension had to go, and this was the only way she knew how to relieve it.

Deep in her thoughts, she did not notice the presence of another person who also occupied a space at the rooftop, and this would have remained the case until the voice that had her stressed during their first meeting said, "You smoke."

Startled, Sarah sharply turned around and was gobsmacked in the face by her boss Tony in a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up showing off his arms and his snuggly fitted cashmere pants that somehow managed to give him both an edgy and stylish look at the same time without one actively overshadowing the other.

Sarah muttered her greetings once again and moved to put out her cigarette. "Oh no need, I didn't know you smoked that's all," Tony said quickly to stop her as though he had interrupted her time off.

"Occasionally, to take off the stress," Sarah replied. Tony hummed in understanding whilst taking a glance at her before saying, "I know this is a new challenge for you, but I want you to also know that there's no pressure and I won't hire you if you weren't good enough for the role," Tony stated as if knowing the cause of her worries and fears.

Sarah did not know when she let out a huge breath of relief. She at least felt more at ease and with a renewed confidence. She was, however, surprised just how much he could ease her fears with just a few words of encouragement.

She gingerly put out the cigarette and moved to take her leave. "I know my story is already out there and I can see the judgment in the eyes of people whenever I find myself outside, but I am at least grateful to you for giving me the opportunity. Thank you," Sarah said as she made her way back into the office.

I've reviewed the text and corrected only the grammar and tense errors while preserving the original content. Here are the corrections:

The MediTech Solutions project was her salvation, her escape from the wreckage of her personal life. The office was quiet at 11 PM, just how she liked it, no distractions, no memories, just work.

Her phone buzzed against the desk, mother again, her third call tonight. Sarah silenced it without a second thought, the way she'd been doing for weeks now. They'd find out about the divorce papers eventually, but not yet. Not until she was ready.

"You're still here."

The voice made her jump. Tony Kane stood in the doorway of her office, his tall frame silhouetted against the hallway light. Unlike her, he'd unbuttoned his shirt and still had his sleeves rolled up, showing forearms corded with muscle. His dark eyes held a question.

"I could say the same about you," Sarah replied, immediately regretting how defensive she sounded.

Tony shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "The patient dashboard isn't going to debug itself. But I thought I was the only workaholic on this floor."

He stepped into her office, and Sarah felt the space shrink. Tony moved behind her, leaning over her shoulder to look at the document she was working on. His cologne, something woodsy and expensive, filled her senses. Did he take a shower in the office, or had she not noticed the first time because they had been outside? He was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body, close enough that she had to fight the urge to lean back into him.

"Show me," he said, his voice low.

Sarah swallowed hard and began explaining the interface issues. As she walked through the needs of customers as a result of her newly conducted market research, Tony pulled up a chair beside her, their shoulders nearly touching. He asked thoughtful questions, challenged her assumptions, and offered suggestions that made her defensive at first, then grudgingly impressed.

"You're right," she admitted after an hour of collaboration. "The check-in process is much cleaner and simpler."

Tony leaned back in his chair, studying her with those intense eyes. "You know, when I requested you for this project, Peterson told me I was making a mistake. Said you were too distracted by personal issues to handle something this critical."

Sarah froze. "Who is Peterson? You know what, I don't even care, he should mind his own business."

"I told him he was wrong," Tony continued as if she hadn't spoken. She blinked, caught off guard by the compliment.

"I make it a point to know the best talent in the industry," he said simply. "Even when they're hidden away in family businesses."

The mention of her family sent a jolt of anxiety through her. She'd spent years trying to prove herself at her family's company, only to have her accomplishments dismissed as nepotism. The MediTech project was her chance to build something that was unquestionably hers.

"It's late," Sarah said abruptly, saving her work and shutting down her computer. "We should both get some rest."

Tony nodded, but made no move to leave. "There's a conference call with the medical advisory board tomorrow at 9. They want to discuss the chronic disease management features."

"I'll be ready," she assured him.

"I know you will." His confidence in her was unsettling. "Do you need a ride home?"

"I have my car," she said too quickly.

Tony held up his hands in surrender. "Just asking. The parking garage isn't well-lit at this hour."

As if on cue, her phone buzzed again. Father this time. Sarah silenced it without looking, but not before Tony caught the caller ID.

"Everything okay?" he asked, his tone carefully neutral.

"Fine," she lied. "Just family stuff."

Tony nodded, recognizing the dismissal. "See you tomorrow, then."

He paused at the door. "Sarah?"

She looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Whatever's going on with your family... don't let it stop you from doing exceptional work here. This health management platform could change lives."

Before she could respond, he was gone, leaving her alone with the weight of his words and the lingering scent of his cologne.