An Unwanted Attention
1286 Words
The peaceful routine Soraya had settled into didn't last long.
Over the next few days, work at Hale Group returned to normal after the board meeting. Everyone was busy with their own assignments, and Soraya slowly became more confident in her work.
As usual, Mia arrived with two cups of coffee.
"I still don't understand how you always get here before me," Mia said as she placed one cup on Soraya's desk.
Soraya smiled.
"I like arriving early."
"I don't."
Mia yawned dramatically.
"If I become rich one day, I'm sleeping until noon."
Soraya laughed.
"You've been saying that every morning."
"And I'll keep saying it."
The two girls laughed together before starting work.
Their desks were side by side now, making it easier for them to help each other.
Whenever Soraya had a question, Mia patiently explained it.
Whenever Mia forgot a file or misplaced a document, Soraya was always the one who found it.
Mr. James noticed their teamwork several times but said nothing.
Deep down, he was pleased.
...
Elsewhere in the company...
On the twenty-third floor...
A woman dressed in an expensive white suit stood beside the large windows with a cup of coffee in her hand.
Her name was Vanessa Quinn.
The eldest daughter of the Quinn family.
One of Aurora City's Top Twenty families.
She had graduated from one of the best universities overseas before joining Hale Group two years ago.
Most employees respected her.
Some admired her.
Others simply stayed out of her way.
She was intelligent.
Confident.
And she never accepted second place.
Her assistant walked over.
"Miss Quinn, the documents you requested."
Vanessa accepted them absentmindedly.
Just then, through the glass wall overlooking the central lobby, she noticed something downstairs.
President Adrian Hale had just stepped out of the executive elevator.
Employees respectfully greeted him as he walked by.
Nothing unusual.
Until...
A young woman carrying several files accidentally dropped one of them.
The papers scattered across the floor.
Without thinking, Adrian bent down, picked up the nearest file, and handed it back before continuing on his way.
The entire exchange lasted less than ten seconds.
But Vanessa noticed something else.
The employee...
Was someone she had never seen before.
She watched as the young woman bowed politely.
"Thank you, President Hale."
Adrian gave a small nod before walking away.
Vanessa narrowed her eyes.
"Who is she?"
Her assistant looked downstairs.
"Oh."
"I think she's one of the new employees."
"The one in Executive Operations."
Vanessa continued watching until the girl disappeared around the corner.
"In all the time I've worked here..."
"I've never seen President Hale stop to help anyone."
Her assistant smiled awkwardly.
"It was probably nothing."
Vanessa didn't answer.
Maybe...
It really was nothing.
Still...
She couldn't stop thinking about it.
...
Meanwhile...
Soraya had no idea someone had been watching.
She returned to her department and placed the files on Mr. James' desk.
"Thank you," he said.
"No problem."
As she returned to her seat, Mia leaned over.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah."
"I just dropped a file."
Mia laughed.
"You and papers are becoming enemies."
"I know."
The office once again filled with laughter.
For Soraya...
It was just another ordinary day.
She had no idea...
That somewhere else in the same building...
Someone had already started remembering her face.
Not because of who she was.
But because of who had stopped to help her
The following days passed quietly.
Soraya continued learning more about her job with Mia by her side.
Every morning, they greeted each other with smiles.
Every lunch break, they sat at the same table near the cafeteria window.
Sometimes they talked about work.
Sometimes they talked about their families.
Other times, Mia simply entertained Soraya with funny stories she had heard around the company.
"I swear," Mia whispered one afternoon, "if Mr. Collins loses one more file, I'm going to buy him a GPS."
Soraya burst into laughter.
"A GPS?"
"So it can help him find his documents."
"You really have an answer for everything."
"I try."
The two girls laughed so loudly that a few nearby employees looked over and smiled.
Not far away, Vanessa Quinn happened to walk into the cafeteria.
She had come with two colleagues from the Marketing Department.
As they searched for a table, Vanessa's eyes landed on Soraya.
"So that's the new employee..."
One of her colleagues followed her gaze.
"You mean Soraya Carter?"
"You know her?"
"Only by name."
"I heard she's new in Executive Operations."
Vanessa looked away without saying anything.
She calmly sat down with her colleagues, but every now and then, her eyes drifted back toward Soraya.
The girl looked... ordinary.
Simple clothes.
No expensive jewelry.
No designer handbag.
Nothing about her suggested she came from a wealthy family.
Yet somehow...
President Adrian Hale had noticed her.
Vanessa couldn't understand why.
---
That afternoon, Executive Operations received an urgent request from another department.
Mr. James called Soraya over.
"Soraya."
"Yes, sir?"
"I need these reports delivered to the Strategic Planning Department."
"Alright."
"It's on the twenty-third floor."
Soraya accepted the documents with a smile.
"I'll take them now."
She had never been to the twenty-third floor before.
After asking for directions, she finally found the department.
The office was larger than most of the others she had seen.
She walked to the reception desk.
"Good afternoon."
"I'm from Executive Operations."
"I have documents for the Strategic Planning Department."
The receptionist smiled politely.
"I'll call the department manager."
Just then...
A pair of high heels clicked against the marble floor.
Soraya turned slightly.
A beautiful woman dressed in a white business suit walked toward the reception.
She carried herself with quiet confidence.
Several employees greeted her respectfully as she passed.
"Good afternoon, Miss Quinn."
She acknowledged them with a small nod.
As she approached the reception desk, her eyes met Soraya's for the first time.
There was a brief silence.
Vanessa glanced at the folder in Soraya's hands.
"New employee?"
"Yes."
"My name is Soraya Carter."
Vanessa gave a polite smile.
"I'm Vanessa Quinn."
Her smile was graceful.
But somehow...
It didn't reach her eyes.
Before Soraya could say anything else, the department manager arrived.
"I'll take those reports."
"Thank you."
Soraya handed over the folder.
"Have a nice day."
"You too."
She turned and left the department without another thought.
Vanessa quietly watched her disappear through the elevator doors.
The department manager noticed.
"Do you know her, Miss Quinn?"
Vanessa looked away.
"No."
"I was just curious."
"She's from Executive Operations."
"I see."
The manager didn't think much of it and returned to his office.
Vanessa remained where she was for another moment.
Then she looked at her assistant.
"Find out more about Soraya Carter."
The assistant blinked.
"Miss Quinn?"
"I only want basic information."
"Which department she works in."
"Who her supervisor is."
"And how long she's been with the company."
The assistant nodded.
"Understood."
Vanessa turned toward her office.
She wasn't investigating Soraya because she hated her.
Not yet.
She simply wanted to understand why President Adrian Hale had shown a small kindness to someone who seemed, in every way, like an ordinary employee.
Sometimes...
The smallest questions became the beginning of the biggest problems.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of what had just happened, Soraya returned to her department.
Mia looked up from her desk.
"There you are!"
"I was starting to think they kidnapped you upstairs."
Soraya laughed.
"It only took a little longer than expected."
Mia handed her a bottle of water.
"Welcome back."
"Thanks."
Soraya smiled, sat down, and continued working.
She had no idea...
That from this day forward...
Someone else in Hale Group had quietly begun paying attention to every step she took.
- Writer
