Chapter 6 High School Grad
1006 Words
Laura arrived five minutes early at the 12th-floor training room, only to find it empty.
She checked the email to confirm the time—new employee orientation was set for 10 AM. Was she the only new hire recently?
Shrugging off her confusion, she closed her eyes and began to mentally review her work over the past week.
So far, Danny had proven to be a classic hands-off boss. Most of the projects he was supposed to oversee were managed by his assistant, Evan. Danny himself was often nowhere to be found.
She had two options. First, she could work diligently, earn Evan's trust, and aim to join Danny's inner circle.
As for the second... the memory of what had happened in the luxury boutique resurfaced, and her cheeks grew warm. She quickly shook her head, forcing herself to stop thinking about the close, breathy encounter in the fitting room.
She'd had admirers before but had never felt moved by any of them. When faced with her cold rejections, most men would back off.
But Danny didn't seem to understand rejection. Even when she was clear about her disinterest, he kept pushing the boundaries, purposely creating ambiguous situations.
No, she couldn't let herself be swayed. She had no intention of becoming just another one of his many flings, discarded once the novelty wore off. How would she continue her investigation then?
Perhaps she could try getting closer to his driver, Pike...
"Hey, you must be Laura! Why are you here so early?"
Laura's thoughts were interrupted by an excited voice. She opened her eyes to see a well-groomed woman standing at the door.
"Hello." Laura glanced at her watch and realized it was already half past ten. "Are you here for the training too?"
"Yes, it starts at 11. I wanted to come early to make a good impression on Rina, but you beat me to it! By the way, I'm Trish Hernandez of the Marketing Department."
Laura raised an eyebrow. It seemed she was getting special treatment. However, she recalled her few encounters with Rina and couldn't think of any reason she might have offended her.
She kept her tone casual. "I just happened to have some work on the 12th floor, so I came straight here. Don't worry. If Rina asks, I'll say you arrived first."
More employees trickled in, with Rina arriving last, right on the dot.
Clad in a red blazer paired with matching black shorts, she exuded confidence as she strode into the room, her presence commanding attention.
Her gaze swept over the new recruits one by one, lingering slightly longer on Laura.
Those who were familiar with Rina exchanged knowing glances. It seemed the hottest new hire had caught the HR director's special attention.
Laura met Rina's gaze calmly. She caught the fleeting hint of mockery and triumph on Rina's face and raised an eyebrow. Was Rina planning something?
"Welcome, everyone, to Dope Group. To foster better collaboration, let's start with some introductions. Ella, you go first."
A woman with her hair tied in a bun stood up gracefully. "Hi, everyone. I'm Ella, a Yale School of Management grad, currently working in the CEO's office. I enjoy hiking and rock climbing, so feel free to join me for an adventure!"
Next came Ron from MIT's Computer Science Department, followed by Lydia from Harvard Law School...
As each new employee shared their prestigious credentials, Laura suddenly realized that she was surrounded by Ivy Leaguers and graduates of world-renowned universities—true elites of society.
Compared to them, her résumé was painfully sparse.
She glanced at her seat, situated on the far right. Based on the order, she'd be the last to introduce herself.
The contrast between her background and the others' would be stark, given the impressive lineup before her.
She caught Rina's gaze and noticed the smug, challenging smile on her face.
Rina's intention was clear—she wanted to humiliate Laura.
If Laura couldn't match the caliber of the others, she'd be branded as a woman of little more than good looks.
Either she'd have to accept a role as a mere plaything for powerful men or brace herself to have her dignity trampled.
Of course, Laura could always make an excuse and leave. If she did, Rina would "accidentally" leak Laura's educational background in the office gossip chat...
Rina's smile widened, anticipating Laura's eventual embarrassment.
Finally, the second-to-last employee finished his introduction, and several people shifted their attention to the last person in line.
Rina suddenly clapped her hands to draw attention. "As you all know, Mr. Dope's office has never hired a female employee—until last week, when someone broke the tradition!"
Her words piqued the group's curiosity, and all eyes turned to Laura.
"I'm sure everyone, myself included, is curious about what makes this young lady special enough to earn Mr. Dope's approval. So, let's welcome Ms. Laura Byron to share her story..."
Following Rina's gesture, every gaze in the room zeroed in on Laura, with some even clapping.
Faced with the mix of surprise, skepticism, and envy in the crowd, Laura stood up calmly and looked directly at Rina. "It seems everyone's interested in me," she said evenly. "Should I stand in the center to make it easier for everyone to see?"
Rina's smile stiffened, and she was unsure of Laura's intentions. But she quickly regained her composure. "That's what I'd expect from our top new recruit! It seems Ms. Byron enjoys the attention. Please, come to the front."
Suppressing a laugh, Rina inwardly cheered. If Laura wanted to embarrass herself, Rina would be more than happy to let her.
All eyes were on Laura as she stepped onto the platform, her black suit giving her a composed, detached look. Her voice was clear and calm as she began her introduction.
"I'm Laura Byron, 19 years old, a graduate of Stevenson High School, currently working as Mr. Dope's secretary. That's all."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Then, murmurs erupted throughout the crowd.
- Writer
