LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 26: Chapter 26
A few weeks had passed, and Alex found himself getting used to the new office dynamics. Emily's change in behavior had become old news—people had stopped talking about it, accepting her new distance as part of the evolving workplace. The initial curiosity had worn off, and Emily's constant presence in and out of Dan's office became just another part of the background. For Alex, the office was settling into a familiar rhythm again.
One afternoon, while Alex was eating lunch with a few colleagues at a local eatery, he met Mark there, one of his close friends from college. Mark, pulled out his phone and smiled at a message. "Hey," he said, looking up at the group. "I had a video call with Mia last night."
The mention of Mia immediately grabbed Alex's attention. Mia, one of his closest college friend, had moved out of the city for a new job months ago. Since then, she'd been too busy to keep in touch often, so any news about her was welcomed.
"She says hi to all of you and promises she'll call each of us soon," Mark continued. "She's been swamped with work lately, but she sounded good."
Jane, sitting across from Alex, smiled. "Mia, I know her, she always overworks herself. I'm not surprised."
Alex nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like her. Hopefully, things will calm down for her soon."
"She'll figure it out," Mark said confidently. "She always does."
The conversation shifted back to work soon enough. Emily's behavior wasn't mentioned anymore—it had become old news. Instead, the talk of the day turned to the upcoming elections. The buzz about politics was everywhere, and it was impossible to avoid the subject.
"The election's all anyone can talk about these days," Jane commented, rolling her eyes. "It's affecting everything."
"Yeah, even here," Kyle added. "Have you noticed how our tasks have ramped up? It's like every little change in the world sends ripples through our work."
Alex had noticed it too. The workload had definitely increased in the last couple of weeks, and it seemed like there was always something new to keep them on their toes. Dan had hinted that it was because of changes happening globally, but no one had really given it much thought.
One of the older employees, Tim, chimed in from the next table. "Don't worry too much about it," he said, giving them a knowing look. "This happens every few years, especially around election time. The economy fluctuates, new policies come in, businesses react. It's all part of the cycle."
"Is it always this bad?" Alex asked.
"Sometimes worse," Tim replied. "I've seen years where the workload nearly doubled because of global trends. Changes in trade policies, shifts in regulations, elections—those kinds of things always create chaos for a while."
"So this is normal?" Kyle asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Normal for our line of work," Tim said with a shrug. "But don't worry, it gets lighter eventually. Usually after the dust settles and everyone adjusts to the new policies or the new government. Once things stabilize, the workload tends to drop off."
Alex found that comforting in a way. It explained why the past few weeks had felt so overwhelming. It wasn't just their office—it was the world outside, shifting and changing in ways that had direct consequences on their day-to-day tasks.
Tim continued, "I've been through this a few times. I remember back when the economy took a dip after the last election, the company had to tighten its belt. But after a year, things leveled out. The same will happen this time. Just wait until things change again, and it'll go back to being manageable."
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Despite the reassurance, the increased workload was beginning to weigh on Alex. The steady routine he had built was now disrupted, and he had to constantly adjust to keep up. His meditations during break were getting shorter, squeezed in between the growing list of tasks. At home, the noise and chaos of living with his sister still persisted. She was as energetic as ever, and Alex was finding it harder and harder to focus on his personal goals.
The slow progress of his mental strength was beginning to frustrate him. The progress bar in his mind was crawling, barely moving at all. He knew the distractions were part of the problem, but there wasn't much he could do to change his situation just yet. The idea of moving out and finding a quieter space to live was becoming more tempting by the day.
But for now, Alex tried to take Tim's advice to heart. He just had to ride out the storm—wait for the world to settle down, for the changes to stabilize. Once things calmed down, he would be able to get back into a rhythm, to focus on his meditation and push for more progress.
As he sat at his desk, watching the usual office banter unfold around him, Alex couldn't help but think about Mia's message. She was out there, experiencing the world beyond their hometown, pushing herself in new ways. And here he was, stuck in the same place, dealing with the same challenges day after day.
Maybe she's right, he thought. Maybe it's time to start thinking about getting out of here too.