He drummed his fingers on the table, as he went through the reports the management team had presented to him, following his absence from the office the previous week due to the conference.

He heaved a deep sigh and looked up at the clock once again, for the third time in a space of nearly a minute. It was 10:30. Why wasn't she around yet? Was she sick? Why didn't she place a call, at least, informing him that she wouldn't be around? Or worse still, had she decided to quit?

He ...