Chapter One: Price Tags on the Lens

The next morning, she blamed exhaustion until the finance supervisor entered the elevator with words above his head. [STRONGEST DESIRE: Conceal the three hundred thousand yuan he embezzled.] [EXCHANGE PRICE: Make this month’s ledger balance.] Everywhere she looked, people carried invisible price tags. Some wanted promotion, some wanted an ex to suffer, and one wanted nothing more than to leave work on time. A stare of three seconds brought the letters into focus. After the seventh reading, a needle of pain pierced her temple. Cheng dropped a revised report on her desk. “Sign. The bag is authentic.” Black-gold letters formed above him. [STRONGEST DESIRE: Complete the autumn sale.]