Behind The Silence
893 Words
Divya adjusted the stack of files in her arms as she moved quickly through the office corridor. It was only her second day, yet everything already felt faster, heavier—more demanding.
"Miss Divya, Mr Parker is asking for those reports," one of the staff members called.
"On my way," she replied, forcing a professional smile.
She stepped into her father’s office just as he set down his pen.
"Good," he said, taking the files from her. "Sit."
Divya sat.
For a moment, he simply looked at her—not as a boss, but as a father.
Then his tone shifted.
"We have another meeting this afternoon with Lennox Holdings."
Divya’s expression tightened slightly.
"That was fast."
"Business doesn’t wait," he replied. Then, more gently, "And Divya…"
She looked up.
"Mr Leonard can be… intense. You don’t always have to speak. Observe more. Learn. I’m here—I’ll guide you."
There it was again.
Guidance… or control?
Divya nodded anyway.
"Yes, Dad."
"Good girl," he said, satisfied.
By the time lunch arrived, Divya had barely had time to breathe.
Mr Parker surprised her by bringing her meal himself.
"You should eat," he said, placing it in front of her.
"Thank you," she replied softly.
As she ate, her mind drifted.
To last night.
To LX9.
> “If he’s intimidating you, then you’ve already given him power.”
> “Don’t shrink. People like that only respect confidence.”
Divya smiled slightly.
"At least someone gets it," she whispered.
After lunch, she stood in front of the mirror in the restroom, fixing her hair.
"You’re not a rookie," she muttered to her reflection. "Or at least… not a weak one."
---
The meeting room felt colder than usual.
When Leonard walked in with his team, nothing about him had changed—same sharp suit, same composed expression.
But something about Divya had.
She didn’t avoid his gaze this time.
She met it.
And held it.
Just for a second.
Leonard noticed.
The meeting began.
This time, Divya didn’t rush to speak. She listened. Watched. Took notes.
And when she finally did speak—it mattered.
"If we shift the campaign timing," she said calmly, "we can capture both working professionals and younger consumers without splitting resources inefficiently."
There was a brief pause.
Leonard leaned back slightly, studying her.
He didn’t interrupt.
"Explain," he said.
Divya did.
Clearly. Confidently. Without hesitation.
For the first time, Leonard didn’t oppose her immediately.
Instead, he nodded once.
"That could work," he said.
Mr Parker glanced at her, surprised—but pleased.
Divya felt it.
That tiny shift.
He wasn’t dismissing her.
The rest of the meeting continued smoothly, with far less tension than before.
But Leonard kept noticing things.
The way she spoke.
The way she thought.
The way she refused to back down—without being reckless.
Interesting.
---
After the meeting, as everyone began to leave, Divya hesitated.
Then she walked toward Leonard’s quiet secretary.
"Hi," she said gently. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
The young woman looked up, slightly surprised, then nodded.
"Of course."
"I just wanted to say… I noticed you don’t really speak during meetings," Divya said. "But you seem very observant. And intelligent."
The woman blinked—then smiled.
"Thank you."
Divya leaned in slightly.
"If you ever feel overshadowed or uncomfortable, you don’t have to stay silent. You know that, right?"
For a second, the woman looked confused.
Then she laughed.
A soft, amused laugh.
"I’m Lilian Cole," she said. "You can call me Lilly… and I’m Leonard’s younger sister."
Divya froze.
"Wait… what?"
"Not just his secretary," Lilian added, still smiling.
Divya’s eyes widened.
"Oh my God—I thought—"
"That I was being oppressed?" Lilian teased.
Divya covered her face briefly.
"This is so embarrassing."
Lilian laughed again.
"It’s okay. You’re not the first person to think that."
Divya lowered her hands slowly.
"So… you actually like working with him?"
"I like the work," Lilian said. Then, with a small shrug, "But Leonard? He’s a different story."
"I knew it," Divya muttered.
"He’s not as bad as he seems," Lilian continued. "He’s just… stuck."
Divya frowned.
"Stuck?"
"He didn’t exactly choose this life," she explained. "Being CEO—it was expected. Mandatory, really."
Divya blinked.
"So he doesn’t even like it?"
"Not particularly."
That… she hadn’t expected.
Divya leaned back slightly, processing.
So the arrogant, overconfident Leonard…
Was also trapped?
Just like her?
"Wow," she murmured.
The two of them continued talking, the tension gone, replaced by something easy and surprisingly warm.
Until—
"Divya."
She turned immediately.
Mr Parker was walking toward her.
Beside him—Leonard.
Divya straightened instantly.
"Dad."
Her tone was back to professional.
Controlled.
Leonard’s gaze flicked briefly between her and Lilian.
He didn’t say anything.
But there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
As if he was starting to see her differently.
---
That night, Divya lay on her bed, phone in hand.
A small smile played on her lips.
D21: The annoying guy at work wasn’t as bad today.
A few seconds later, a reply came in.
LX9: Maybe he’s learning.
Divya laughed softly.
If only he knew.
Across the city, Leonard stared at his screen, the faintest smirk on his face.
For some reason…
He was starting to look forward to these conversations.
- Writer
