Love Algorithm

Chapter Four: Marcus's Perspective

Marcus sat in his corner of the sprawling open-plan office, his eyes fixed on the half-empty cup of coffee in front of him. The morning sun streamed through the large glass windows, casting long shadows on the polished floors, but none of it seemed to reach him. Instead, he sat there, staring at the cup like it held the answers to the universe—or at least to the current mess he found himself tangled in.

Two days.

That's all they had. The demo was closing in fast, and despite his usual ability to shrug off pressure, Marcus couldn't shake the tension that had settled in his gut since the meeting with Jasper. His instincts were telling him something wasn't right, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

Across the room, Elena was sitting at her desk, hunched over her screen, typing at a speed that would make most people's hands cramp. She was doing what she always did—working herself to the bone, pushing herself harder than anyone else would ever dare. He could almost feel the energy radiating off her, a tightly wound coil of nerves and determination.

It wasn't his problem. Or at least, that's what he kept telling himself.

Marcus leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched her. He wasn't the type to get involved in other people's drama. Elena was more than capable of handling herself. She was sharp, efficient, and annoyingly good at everything she did. If anyone could pull off this demo, it was her.

But that didn't stop him from worrying.

His phone buzzed on the desk, drawing his attention away from Elena. He glanced down at the screen, half-expecting another reminder from Jasper about the demo, but it wasn't the CEO this time. It was Sarah.

Sarah: Drinks after work? You look like you need it.

Marcus couldn't help but smile a little. Sarah always had a knack for knowing when he needed to blow off some steam. She was good at reading people, especially him. He quickly typed a reply:

Marcus: You read my mind. See you at 7?

As soon as he sent the message, he turned his attention back to the office. It was busy, as always, with the usual hum of activity in the background. Developers and engineers moved between workstations, their conversations low and clipped, full of technical jargon and the occasional burst of laughter.

But Marcus wasn't laughing.

He hadn't realized how much this whole situation was bothering him until now. Maybe it was the uncertainty of the demo, or maybe it was seeing Elena under so much pressure. He wasn't sure why it mattered to him. They weren't friends—not really. They barely even got along on a good day. And yet, he couldn't shake the gnawing feeling that something was about to go wrong.

And if it did, it would be Elena who took the fall.

You're overthinking this, he told himself. She'll be fine.

But deep down, he wasn't so sure.

---

By lunchtime, Marcus was more restless than ever. His work was progressing slower than usual, and no matter how hard he tried to focus, his thoughts kept drifting back to the demo and to Elena's cold, determined expression from the previous night.

He couldn't take it anymore.

Pushing his chair back from his desk, Marcus stood up and made his way across the room toward Elena. He wasn't even sure what he was going to say—maybe nothing. Maybe he just wanted to make sure she hadn't snapped under the weight of it all.

As he approached, he noticed the subtle tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers flew over the keys with almost mechanical precision. She didn't even look up when he stopped beside her desk.