A Punishment

"Anyways, I don't have any reason to waste my time with you," Kiara asserted with a tinge of irritation, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. Clutching the files tightly, she continued, "I have a meeting to catch up with."

In the wake of her declaration, Kiara stormed off, her hurried footsteps echoing through the corridor.

The air crackled with tension, leaving Darren momentarily speechless as his attempt to respond was left hanging in the air.

"Why do I always have nothing to say whenever I'm around her?" Darren scoffed inwardly, his frustration evident in the silent echoes of his thoughts.

—-

The conference room buzzed with anticipation as all workers were seated, their eyes shifting towards the entrance in unison. The hushed murmurs and occasional shuffling of papers ceased as the CEO made his grand entrance.

A collective rise ensued, every employee standing in a synchronized show of respect, acknowledging the gravity of his presence, before gracefully settling back into their seats.

As the meeting progressed, the CEO, a commanding figure at the front, took control of the room.

With a commanding voice that resonated through the space, he announced the arrival of a new member, infusing an air of curiosity among the seated employees.

The spotlight shifted to Kiara as the CEO welcomed her, acknowledging her presence with a nod of approval.

"There's someone else who is going to be joining us today, his addition is going to be valuable as his potential is promising."

The room held its breath, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation, as the CEO's words hinted at an imminent enhancement to their team.

"Let's make welcome, one of LA's biggest businesses, the Hernandez group of companies; his son is here to join us as the production manager.

Welcome, Mr. Darren Hernandez!"

A wave of anticipation swept through the conference room, and the sound of enthusiastic applause filled the air.

Eyes turned towards the entrance as everyone awaited the arrival of the new addition. In a dramatic entrance, Mr. Darren Hernandez stepped into the room.

Dressed in a sharp charcoal suit, accented by shiny accessories, he exuded an air of sophistication. His hair was meticulously styled, drawing the attention of every onlooker.

The room momentarily fell into a hushed awe as the workers took in the sight of their new colleague.

Kiara raised her head, curiosity etching on her face, she discovered the identity of the mysterious addition.

To her surprise and chagrin, it was none other than Darren, her rival.

"Him?" Kiara felt disappointed as she contemplated the prospect of collaborating with the very person with whom she'd endured unpleasant encounters before.

Nonetheless, she sighed and uttered, "I'd have to strive to work together and ensure we attain our company's goals anyways"

With the meeting adjourned, the team dispersed to their respective duty stations.

Darren discreetly approached Kiara, seeking her attention.

He had an earnest desire to clarify matters regarding the cryptic note she had received.

_ _

"Congratulations on your role here," Kiara stated, her tone a nuanced blend of respect and lingering frustration.

Arching an eyebrow, she questioned, "What's your reason for calling my attention?"

"What's your role here again?" Darren asked nonchalantly.

Trying not to make eye contact, in order not to be aggravated,

Kiara replied "I just got a job here as the production assistant"

"Pff, I guess you're one of those I get to work with," Darren muttered, his regret evident.

Darren, adopting an air of nonchalance, continued,

"Well, I just wanted to clarify things with you."

Leaning in, he continued with a sly grin, "First off, take every impersonation of me off your damn head, I didn't send the note you received that day; my friend did!"

"Secondly, I don't think I'd wanna approach you for anything like that."

"And thirdly," he said with a boastful swagger, looking at Kiara from her head to toe, "You're not my spec, so I don't see any reason why someone as special as me would approach a lady like you."

"Do you know me? I'm not sure you do?" Darren's eyes dilated.

"Let me give you a bit of information, I'm Darren! Darren Hernandez, the only son of Carlos Hernandez, a top business man here in Los Angeles! It's only a privilege getting a note from me, that's if you can ever get one!"

So like I said, take off that idea that I'd ever walk up to you to do what? Have a nice time? Darren scoffed, "you wish."

Kiara, caught off guard, found herself at a loss for words as she grappled with a mix of embarrassment and uncertainty about how to respond.

"Guess I'm done with my conversation with you," Darren declared, and without waiting for a reply, he bounced out, leaving a silence in her wake.

Reflecting on his predicament, he lamented inwardly,

"Why do I have to get this punishment from my dad?"

"How does he expect me to cope in a low-class company like this?"

"What did he mean when he said he wanted me to grow by building up a growing company when I could just work at his company?"

"How many more trials would he give me before I finally get to work with him? Now I get to work with her," he pondered.

Kiara entered her office, with the weight of Darren's harsh words hanging heavily on her shoulders, casting a shadow over her usual upbeat demeanor.

Lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed Kayla's approach until the sweet aroma of a smoothie wafted under her nose.

"You care for some smoothie?" Kayla offered, extending a cup towards Kiara with a warm smile.

Kiara's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected gesture.

"Oh, uh, thanks, Kayla," she replied, mustering a weak smile.

"That's really kind of you."

Kayla nodded, understanding the need for a small gesture of kindness in moments of distress.

"Got them from a shop nearby. Thought I should get one for you too," she explained, handing over the drink.

Grateful for the gesture, Kiara accepted the smoothie and took a sip, letting the cool sweetness wash away some of the tension.

But despite Kayla's effort to brighten the mood, Kiara found herself unable to shake off the lingering sting of Darren's words.

"Looked like the rumors were real," Kayla commented, attempting to strike up a conversation.

"So Mr. Hernandez's son really is going to be working with us. That's a top-up anyways."

Kiara forced a polite smile, though her mind was elsewhere.

"Yeah, it seems so," she replied vaguely, lacking the energy to engage further.

Noticing Kiara's distracted state, Kayla's brow furrowed in concern.

"What news feed are you checking out on?" she asked, observing Kiara's absent-minded swiping on her phone.

Caught off guard, Kiara scrambled for an explanation. "Just checking Google Maps to explore some new places," she lied, her gaze fixed on her phone screen.

"On the call log?" Kayla pressed, sensing something amiss.

Kiara's heart sank as she realized she had been caught. "I, uh, just remembered I need to call my aunt," she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Concern flickered in Kayla's eyes as she studied Kiara's troubled expression.

"Is everything okay?" she asked gently.

For a moment, Kiara considered confiding in her, but the words caught in her throat.

"It's nothing, really," she replied with a forced smile. "Just some personal stuff on my mind."

Kayla nodded understandingly, though a flicker of doubt crossed her features.

"Well, if you ever need to talk, I'm here,"

"Thanks, Kayla," Kiara murmured, grateful for the support, even if she wasn't quite ready to accept it.

As the day drew to a close, Kiara finally returned home, the door closed behind her, shutting out the outside world.

As she let out a sigh, the echoes of the unsettling conversation at the office still replayed in her mind.

She briskly made her way to her bedroom, the subtle sounds of her footsteps emphasizing the tension in the air.

Upon entering, she tossed her bags onto the bed, the thud resonating with the weight of her emotions.

With a deliberate movement, she approached the full-length mirror, a silent witness to the myriad thoughts swirling in her head.

As Kiara locked eyes with her reflection, the memory of Darren's words flooded back.

"Not his spec?" she muttered, her eyebrows knitting together in disbelief.

The audacity of his presumptuous judgment left her questioning.

"Who does he think he is?" The dim room reflected the glint of defiance in her eyes as she shook her head, attempting to dispel the lingering negativity.

In a soliloquy that served as both self-affirmation and defiance, Kiara verbalized her thoughts.

"How dare he talk to me in that manner?" she exclaimed, her voice carrying a mix of anger and hurt.

Her gaze remained fixed on the mirror as she began to flaunt her beauty to herself, a silent rebellion against the unwarranted criticism.

"He isn't even as handsome as Kayla painted him to be," she quipped, a subtle smirk playing on her lips.