That night, she emailed her boss: “Please provide a Microsoft 365 license or reimburse open-source software.”

She typed: Spreadsheet .

Her boss replied within two minutes: “License already assigned. Check your email for the install link. You didn’t think Excel was free with Windows, did you?”

“Pretty much.”

Elena stared at her blank desktop wallpaper. She had three hours until the first logistics report was due. Her old Mac was already wiped and boxed for return.

Nothing.