Avenger From The Past

“Again?” Lara’s voice cracked through the meeting room like thunder. The report had barely left her staff’s lips when the word burst out of her. The room fell silent instantly. She closed her eyes and pressed two fingers to her temples, drawing in a slow, measured breath before speaking again. “What exactly do they think this company is?” she asked, her voice tight with restrained irritation. “A hotel? Somewhere they can just check in and demand whatever they want?” No one answered. Across the long conference table, heads lowered. Eyes fixed on papers, laptops—anything except her. It had only been a few months since her father officially handed the company over to her. A company her parents had built from nothing but stubborn determination and years of sleepless nights. Lara had not flown back to the Philippines just to watch it fall apart. Not on her watch. “M–Ma’am,” one employee said carefully, his voice trembling slightly, “according to Ms. Torres’s manager, the venue might be dangerous because the ground is rocky—” Lara’s gaze snapped to him. “What?” That single word sliced through the room. “How many times are we supposed to adjust to her?” Lara demanded. “The original plan was a beach shoot. She said the dust would give her rashes—which, fine, I understood—so we changed it to an indoor pool. Then suddenly she’s allergic to chlorine, so we changed the venue again.” She leaned back slightly in her chair, her expression incredulous. “The third option was a cold spring. No chlorine. No dust. And now she wants it changed again because the ground is slippery?” Her laugh was short and humorless. “What’s next? Do we also need to adjust because she doesn’t know how to walk?” No one moved. No one dared to breathe too loudly. “Where exactly did you even find that model?” she continued. “Does she realize the theme of this photoshoot is summer wear? Where does she want to shoot instead—Antarctica?” She shook her head in disbelief. “This is beyond unprofessional. My God.” The silence that followed was heavy. Lara had always been kind. Patient. But she had never been the kind of person who allowed people to take advantage of her. “I’ve made my decision,” she said at last, her voice calm but final. “Fire her. Find another model.” Shock rippled across the room. They had spent nearly two months holding auditions just to find the perfect face for the campaign. Starting over now felt almost impossible. Lara was already standing when one of the staff members gathered the courage to speak. “Ma’am, finding a new model will take time,” he said cautiously. “The launch is in three months. We really need to start the shoot soon.” She didn’t look at him. She simply gathered the folders in front of her and rose from her chair. “I don’t care,” she said coolly. “Like I said—fire her.” She slipped her phone into her bag. “Find a replacement within two weeks. Maximum.” Then she paused, glancing around the room. “And please,” she added dryly, “include not stupid in the qualifications for this project.” No one spoke. “Return to your stations,” she said. “This meeting is adjourned.” Without another word, she walked out. The quiet of her office felt like a blessing. Lara sank into her chair and leaned back, closing her eyes as she slowly released the tension from her shoulders. For a moment, she simply breathed. Then she reached forward and pressed the intercom. Less than a minute later, a knock sounded at the door. “Come in.” Rouie, her secretary, stepped inside carrying several folders. “Ma’am, these are the files you requested from the marketing department.” She placed them neatly on the desk before setting down a small package on top. “And this arrived while you were in the meeting.” Lara frowned slightly. “Who sent it?” “A courier delivered it,” Rouie replied. “Security has checked it already. They said it only contains documents.” Lara nodded. “You can go.” When the door closed behind her secretary, Lara picked up the package. There was no name. No return address. Nothing. Her frown deepened as she tore open the plastic. Inside was a single black envelope. She turned it over once in her hands before sliding a finger beneath the seal. The moment she read the first line, irritation surged through her again. Join us for three days of reminiscing and fun. A Senior High School reunion. Lara didn’t bother reading the rest. She shoved the envelope back into the package and tossed it straight into the trash bin beside her desk. There were two reasons she would never attend that reunion. First, she didn’t have the time. The company launch was approaching, and distractions were the last thing she needed. Second—The last thing she wanted was to face the people who had once made her life miserable. A week passed. And during that week, Lara received what felt like a lifetime’s worth of calls and messages from her best friend. Allison. Fortunately, Allison was currently in Paris for a fashion show and photoshoot. That distance was the only reason Lara still had any peace at all. Still, the calls never stopped. Her phone. Her office phone. Even her assistant’s line. Eventually, Lara had no choice but to turn off the office phone entirely. From then on, every update reached her through email. Annoying. But at least it meant she didn’t have to deal with Allison’s endless calls. Lara ignored her completely. She already knew what her best friend wanted. The reunion. Allison wanted her to go. And if there was one thing Lara knew about Allison, it was this— She never gave up until she got what she wanted. Lara could survive an entire day of shopping with her. But that reunion? Absolutely not. She was reviewing the background profiles of newly shortlisted models when raised voices suddenly erupted outside her office. Lara frowned. The argument was loud enough to break through the thick glass walls, but the words were too chaotic to understand. She was just about to stand when— The door burst open. Allison stood in the doorway. Fury radiated from her. Behind her, Lara’s poor secretary looked as though she had just lost a battle. Lara sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s fine,” she said. “Let her in.” “I’m sorry, ma’am,” the secretary said breathlessly. “I tried to stop her, but—” Lara waved it off. The secretary quickly escaped. Allison marched across the room and stopped in front of Lara’s desk, hands planted firmly on her hips. “How dare you ignore my calls, Ms. Castañeda?!” “I’m sorry, okay?” Lara said. “I knew you’d just force me to go to that reunion.” They were now sitting across from each other on the couch in the lounge area of her office. Allison sat with her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised high. “Why won’t you come with me?” she demanded. “It’s not just a reunion, Lara. It’s basically a vacation. Three days away from work!” Lara opened her mouth to respond, but Allison suddenly leaned forward. “I knew it.” A playful grin spread across her face. “There’s someone there you don’t want to see.” Lara rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Ali. Say whatever you want. I’m still not going.” She stood and walked back to her desk. “Come on, Lara,” Allison whined. “No,” Lara flipped open one of the folders. “I have work to do. The launch is in less than three months. I fired the model last week, and we still haven’t found a suitable replacement.” She glanced at her friend. “So you can leave now.” Silence followed. Which was strange. Slowly, Lara looked up. Allison was sitting on the couch with a very familiar expression on her face. The dangerous one. The I-just-had-an-idea smile. “Maybe,” Allison said thoughtfully, “I can help.” _ End of Chapter One