Jeff Jelly had turned cinnamon red.

Not metaphorically.

Not emotionally.

Visually.

His gelatinous body vibrated like an overworked printer as he slammed both hands on the conference table.

“THAT’S IT,” Jeff shouted. “I’M DONE BEING CALM.”

Green beans shot out from vents, crawling across the floor and locking every exit with perfect, terrifying efficiency.

Allen Apple looked around in horror.

“…Jeff?”

“No one leaves,” Jeff said, voice shaking, “until ACCOUNTABILITY RETURNS.”

The room fell silent.

Then the doors burst open.

“WHY ROOM SMELL LIKE PROMOTION,” Obesseus asked, waddling in.

Jeff spun. “YOU.”

Allen squinted at a blinking screen behind Obesseus.

“Oh no.”

The projector flickered to life.

PROMOTION CONFIRMED

TITLE: SENIOR SNACK OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

REASON: PRESENT

Obesseus gasped. “OBESEUS BOSS?”

“Yes,” Allen whispered. “Apparently.”

Obesseus beamed.

“OBESEUS ACCEPT.”

He immediately sat down at the main desk and began eating the spreadsheets.

Jeff screamed. “THOSE ARE PERFORMANCE METRICS!”

“CRUNCHY,” Obesseus replied. “VERY PROFESSIONAL.”

Meanwhile, in the back of the room, Julian Jellybean slowly backed away from Grant the Grapefruit.

Grant noticed.

“…Why are you smiling like that?”

Julian shrugged. “New information.”

He gestured toward Allen.

“Allen,” Julian said casually, “didn’t you mention an overtime compliance room?”

Allen’s eyes widened. “Julian—”

Too late.

The floor panel slid open.

Grant rolled forward… and stopped.

“Oh no,” Grant said calmly. “This feels like betrayal.”

Julian waved. “Nothing personal. Points are gone. Survival remains.”

Grant was gently escorted into Allen’s Overtime Trap, where a clock immediately began ticking louder than necessary.

“YOU SET ME UP,” Grant shouted.

Julian nodded. “Growth moment.”

Grant yelled, “I BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS!”

Julian adjusted his hat. “You brought me into chaos. I’m pivoting.”

That’s when the lights turned soft pink.

The room filled with a warm, heavenly glow.

Everyone froze.

A clipboard descended from above.

Angie AngelFood Cake floated gently into the room, calm, radiant, and deeply disappointed.

“Julian Jellybean,” she said sweetly, “you skipped three meetings, sabotaged a system, and led a coworker into an overtime violation.”

Julian scoffed. “I don’t recognize authority.”

Angie smiled.

“I assign you… overtime.”

The room gasped.

Julian froze.

“…You did WHAT?”

Angie nodded. “Just one hour.”

Silence.

Then—

“No,” Julian said softly.

The lights flickered.

The clocks froze.

The green beans wilted.

“I break systems,” Julian said louder. “I don’t stay late.”

Jeff Jelly screamed, “EVERYONE STAY CALM.”

Obesseus raised his hand. “OBESEUS STILL BOSS?”

Angie sighed. “Yes.”

“GOOD,” Obesseus said, shoving the last spreadsheet into his mouth. “OBESEUS DECLARE MEETING OVER.”

Julian snapped his fingers.

The overtime clock shattered into confetti.

Grant escaped the trap, furious.

“You TRADED me!”

Julian grinned. “Temporary setback.”

Angie folded her clipboard.

“This is going on your record.”

Julian shrugged. “I don’t read.”

Jeff collapsed into a chair, no longer red, just tired.

Allen stared at the ruins.

“…We need a new system.”

Obesseus stood proudly.

“OBESEUS PROMOTE EVERYONE TO NAP.”

Silence.

Then applause.

The screen updated itself one final time:

POINT SYSTEM: ABOLISHED

OVERTIME: OPTIONAL

MANAGEMENT: QUESTIONABLE

Julian smirked.

Grant groaned.

Jeff sighed.

Allen updated his résumé.

And Obesseus fell asleep in the executive chair.