chapter 6- The punishment

Chris Zayden stood by the large glass windows of his penthouse office, sipping his coffee. He was restless.

Chris decided to do something he rarely did—visit the departments personally. He wanted to see how she was doing , but he justified it to himself as a random check on the development block.

Dressed impeccably in a dark grey tailored suit, his hair slicked back neatly, Chris exuded authority as he walked through the corridors. His posture was upright, his long strides confident and purposeful. The sound of his polished black shoes echoed, announcing his presence. Employees froze or straightened in their chairs as he passed, their expressions turning tense and alert.

As he entered the development block, the air seemed heavier. The employees were all alert, stealing glances at him while pretending to work. His presence always had this effect, like a storm cloud entering a calm sky.

At the far end of the room, Chris noticed a heated argument. Mr. Kumar, the department leader, was leaning over Hema's desk, his voice raised. Hema sat rigidly, her back straight and her hands clutching the edge of her chair. Her expression was calm, but her eyes betrayed a mix of frustration and exhaustion.

Chris's jaw tightened as he walked closer, his polished shoes clicking against the tiled floor.

"What's going on here?" Chris asked, his voice cold and cutting.

The sound made Mr. Kumar stiffen instantly. He turned to see Chris approaching, his face pale. "Sir, good morning. I was just discussing yesterday's issue with the intern."

"Discussing?" Chris raised an eyebrow, his piercing gaze shifting from Mr. Kumar to Hema. "It sounded more like yelling to me."

Hema glanced up at Chris, her eyes meeting his briefly before she looked away. Her hands rested on the desk, her posture stiff but composed.

"Explain," Chris commanded, folding his arms across his chest.

Mr. Kumar quickly grabbed a file from the desk and handed it to Chris. "Sir, this is the report that was sent to the client yesterday. It had several errors, which could have cost us the deal."

Chris took the file and scanned it, his sharp eyes moving quickly over the pages. He frowned slightly, then looked at Hema. "Is this true?"

"Yes, sir," Hema said, standing up from her chair. She adjusted her maroon kurta, smoothing the fabric as she spoke. "The errors were my fault. I was under pressure and didn't double-check the data before submitting it. I take full responsibility."

Her tone was steady, but there was a hint of weariness in her voice. Chris noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the way she clasped her hands tightly, as if grounding herself.

Mr. Kumar interjected, his tone harsh. "Taking responsibility is one thing you can do, but such mistakes are unacceptable—"

"That's enough," Chris said sharply, cutting him off.

Mr. Kumar fell silent, his posture shrinking slightly under Chris's gaze.

Chris turned back to Hema. "You should have been more careful. This is a professional environment, and mistakes like this can't happen. However…" He paused, his tone softening just a fraction. "If this is how you work, I'm not sure there's a future for you here."

Hema blinked, surprised by his words. "Sir… I—"

Chris held up a hand, silencing her. "That doesn't excuse the error. You'll stay back today and complete the pending work. Everyone else will take the day off."

The employees around the room exchanged glances, whispering among themselves.

Hema was shocked yet maintained her composure .

Chris's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. "It's a lesson for you—and for them."

Hema's face remained calm, but her hands tightened into fists at her sides. She nodded slowly. "Yes, sir."

Chris turned on his heel, addressing the rest of the team. "The day is yours. Leave now."

The employees exchanged worried glances, whispering among themselves about how harsh he was being. While most were relieved they weren't in her shoes, some genuinely felt sorry for her.

The employees hurried to pack their things, eager to escape the tense atmosphere. As they filed out of the room, Chris glanced back at Hema. She had already sat down, her fingers poised over the keyboard, ready to begin.

As the workday progressed, Hema quietly stayed at her desk, her head bowed as she focused on her tasks. 

Arvind, her friend from the testing department, dropped by. He walked over to her desk, his tall frame towering over her seated posture. His white shirt was slightly creased from the morning rush, and his glasses reflected the light as he peered down at her. Chris noticed him in his monitor and got angry as Arvind stays around her, at least he consoled himself thinking he may get her to have lunch.

"Hema," Arvind began, his voice warm and concerned. "Let's go out for a quick bite. You can't keep skipping meals."

Hema shook her head, her fingers still typing on the keyboard. "I'm fine, Arvind. Really. I have a lot to finish, and I don't want to waste time."

Arvind pulled a chair next to her and sat down. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes betrayed his worry. "You're not a machine, Hema. Skipping lunch isn't going to help you finish faster."

She glanced at him, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Arvind, please. I'll eat later. I promise. Just… let me work for now."

Arvind sighed, leaning back in the chair. "You're too stubborn, you know that?"

Hema smiled faintly, her eyes still on the screen. "I know."

After a moment, Arvind stood up, placing a hand on her shoulder briefly. "Take care, okay? Call me if you need anything."

She nodded, her focus already back on her work. As Arvind walked away, he glanced back at her, feeling a pang of helplessness. It hurt him to see her like this, but he knew better than to push her further.

Hema's dedication didn't go unnoticed. Even Chris, watching her through the cameras, couldn't ignore the pang of guilt growing in his chest. Though he was harsh in his punishment, part of him admired her resilience and determination.

It's 7 pm already… no one was in the building except for Hema, Chris and security and maintenance team.