Work With You Again.

On getting home, Darren tossed his tie aside as the weight of Kiara's presence lingered in his mind like a persistent melody.

He couldn't escape the thoughts that weaved through his consciousness. "Why won't her thoughts leave me alone?" he grumbled, sinking into his bed with a furrowed brow.

Meanwhile, Kiara, in her own world, reflected on Darren's unusual appreciation. A glimmer of surprise danced in her eyes.

"Guess he is changing," she muttered, her fingers absently trailing along the edge of her nightstand as she prepared for bed.

As if guided by an unseen force, both Darren and Kiara turned off their lights simultaneously, succumbing to sleep with the echoes of each other's thoughts lingering in the night air.

_ _

The next morning, Nolan, with a friendly demeanor, intercepted Kiara's path into the office, acknowledging her recent workload.

"Hey Kiara, you've been quite immersed in work lately. Thank goodness you're done now. How about the three of us take a breather, make a treat to the park, and cool off our heads this weekend?" Nolan proposed with a warm smile.

Kayla, unexpectedly materializing into the conversation from behind, couldn't contain her enthusiasm. "That's no biggie! Perfect!" she exclaimed, her excitement contagious.

Kiara, caught off guard, smiled in agreement, and the three of them ventured off to their respective duty posts, already anticipating the weekend plans.

Meanwhile, Lora, donning a friendly facade concealing ulterior motives, strategically made her way to Kiara's office, aiming to establish a connection.

"Hey Kiara, well-done for the job so far, in partnership with the production manager, making the movie shoot is a resounding success," Lora commended, her words carrying an air of sincerity mixed with an underlying agenda.

"Thank you, Lora," Kiara responded with genuine appreciation, unaware of the hidden motives behind the seemingly friendly exchange.

"Has the copy been released yet?" Lora asked.

Kiara, still unaware of the impending intrigue, replied, "No, no. The last time we inquired, they said it'll be ready in two weeks thereabouts"

"Ok, ok, fingers crossed. Let's hope they love it," Lora remarked, subtly hinting at her vested interest, before gracefully making her way back to her place of assignment.

Darren, impeccably dressed for work, strode purposefully into the scene, heading straight to his office.

Having long awaited this opportunity, Lora received a summons from Darren,

"Hey you! Come to my office as soon as I get there," his words commanding authority.

Darren's words Prompted a mix of excitement and curiosity making Lora walk her way to his office.

However, her mood shifted when she discovered the purpose behind the call was related to Kiara.

Darren's request added a layer of resentment to the air as he instructed, "Help me give this file to Kiara and ask her to fill the form."

"Ok, sir," Lora responded, concealing her disappointment as she exited his office.

Outside Darren's office, Lora's steps slowed, her demeanor shifting from anticipation to a cloud of discontent.

Her perfectly arched eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of frustration and envy as she subtly muttered to herself, the words escaping in hushed tones only she could decipher.

As she navigated through the office corridors, the faint echoes of her discontent lingered in the air, a sense of perplexity wrapped around her, each step seemed laden with a growing sense of resentment, her internal monologue expressing the rising tide of jealousy.

Passing by colleagues who noticed the subtle shift in Lora's mood, she managed a forced smile, concealing the emotional turmoil beneath a facade of professionalism.

"What's so special about her that everything just has to be on her side? When did she even start working here that all attention began gravitating towards her?"

It became increasingly clear that jealousy was taking root in Lora's heart, growing stronger with each passing interaction involving Kiara.

With the forced smile still masking the resentment within, Lora made her way to Kiara's office, the file clutched in her hands like a symbol of unwelcome duty.

Politely, albeit with a subtle undertone of disdain, Lora dropped the file on Kiara's desk. "Darren asked you to fill this up," she instructed, her words carrying the weight of unspoken emotions.

The forced smile still lingered for a moment, a fragile attempt to conceal the jealousy that brewed beneath the surface.

Kiara's curiosity piqued contemplating the purpose behind Darren's request, "What's the purpose for the form, did he tell you?

"No he didn't! You can find that yourself" Lora replied.

Arriving at Darren's office, she hesitated briefly before knocking. The door opened, revealing Darren engrossed in his work.

"Sir, you mentioned a form that needs filling?, I don't really understand the purpose" Kiara inquired with a furrowed brow, her eyes searching for an explanation.

As Darren looked up, the room seemed to hold its breath for a moment. The air carried an unspoken tension, a subtle undercurrent beneath the surface.

It was as if Darren was seeing her with fresh eyes. Confusion and surprise played on his features as he tried to comprehend why Kiara appeared different in that moment.

In an inexplicable twist, the resentment he harbored towards her seemed to dissipate. The weight of animosity lifted, leaving an unusual sense of clarity.

Darren found himself unable to meet Kiara's gaze directly, a subtle realization settling in that their dynamics had undergone an unforeseen transformation.

In pretence to be engrossed in feigned concentration on his computer, Darren broke the silence in the room, his words carrying a blend of sincerity and newfound ease.

"It's for a film firm. They require our assistance in an upcoming project.

It seem like the previous contract has opened doors for another collaboration.

I thought it would be fitting for us to work together again," Darren explained.