Chapter Six — The Argument
1855 Words
The community center project had become the most important thing happening at Blake International.
For Mia, it was more than a project.
It was proof that a company with money and influence could actually create something that mattered to ordinary people.
For Adrian, it was supposed to be another successful project.
At least, that's what he had told himself.
But after working on it for weeks, even Adrian had begun to care about more than the numbers.
The original plan included a library, a small technology room, spaces for children to study, and several community programs.
Mia had fought for every single one of those features.
And Adrian had allowed her to.
Until the investors stepped in.
It happened on a Tuesday morning.
Mia walked into Adrian's office carrying a folder.
“We have a problem.”
Adrian didn't look up from his computer.
“We always have problems.”
“This one is serious.”
“That narrows it down considerably.”
Mia placed the folder on his desk.
“The investors want to cut several parts of the project.”
Adrian finally looked up.
“I know.”
Mia stared at him.
“You know?”
“Yes.”
“And you're considering it?”
Adrian leaned back in his chair.
“They're concerned about the budget.”
“The budget was already approved.”
“Things changed.”
“People changed their minds.”
“That's what investors do.”
Mia crossed her arms.
“And what do you do?”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?”
“You're the CEO.”
“Yes.”
“So tell them no.”
Adrian sighed.
“It isn't that simple.”
“It is to me.”
“That's because you're not responsible for the company.”
Mia's expression changed.
“No. I'm responsible for the project.”
“And I'm responsible for everything.”
“Then act like it.”
Adrian slowly stood.
“Mia.”
“You can't remove the technology room.”
“We can.”
“You can't remove the study programs.”
“We can.”
“And you're not going to.”
Adrian looked at her carefully.
“You seem very confident about that.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because the whole point of this project is to help people.”
“It's still a business project.”
“No.”
Mia shook her head.
“That's where you're wrong.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“This company doesn't survive on good intentions.”
“I know.”
“Then you should understand the situation.”
“I understand it perfectly.”
She opened the folder.
“The investors want to save money, so they're removing everything that actually makes this place useful.”
“They're trying to reduce unnecessary costs.”
“Unnecessary?”
She pointed at the papers.
“A library is unnecessary?”
Adrian didn't answer.
“A technology room is unnecessary?”
Still nothing.
“Study spaces for children are unnecessary?”
“Mia—”
“No.”
She closed the folder.
“You told me this project mattered.”
“It does.”
“Then act like it.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“You think I don't care?”
“I think you're scared.”
The room became completely silent.
Adrian stared at her.
“Be careful.”
Mia didn't move.
“I'm not trying to insult you.”
“You just called me scared.”
“Because I think you are.”
“Of what?”
“Making the wrong decision.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You don't know me.”
“I know enough.”
“You've known me for three months.”
“And I've watched you work every single day.”
Adrian looked away.
Mia continued.
“You check every detail yourself.”
Silence.
“You stay late because you don't trust anyone else to finish things properly.”
Silence.
“You think if you don't control everything, something will go wrong.”
Adrian's expression became colder.
“And?”
“And I think you're afraid that if something goes wrong, everyone will blame you.”
He looked at her.
“You're making assumptions.”
“Maybe.”
She took a breath.
“But am I wrong?”
Adrian didn't answer.
That was the answer.
Mia softened slightly.
“You don't have to carry everything alone.”
He looked at her as if she'd said something he wasn't prepared to hear.
“My father built this company,” he said quietly.
“I know.”
“He spent his entire life protecting it.”
“I know.”
“And when he died, everyone expected me to do the same.”
Mia's voice became softer.
“You don't have to become your father.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You said that before.”
“Because you still haven't listened.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Adrian picked up the folder.
“I'll deal with the investors.”
Mia nodded.
“And the project?”
“I'll make a decision.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“It has to be.”
She stared at him.
“You're doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Shutting everyone out.”
Adrian's expression hardened again.
“Leave.”
Mia froze.
“What?”
“Leave my office.”
She looked hurt.
“Fine.”
She picked up her folder.
“I hope you remember that you asked me to be honest with you.”
Adrian said nothing.
She walked toward the door.
Before leaving, she stopped.
“You know what your problem is?”
Adrian looked at her.
“You think being strong means never admitting that you're afraid.”
His eyes followed her.
“And that's not strength.”
She opened the door.
“That's loneliness.”
Then she left.
Adrian remained standing behind his desk.
For several minutes, he didn't move.
Her words stayed in his mind.
That's loneliness.
He hated that she was able to do that.
She could walk into his office, argue with him, challenge every decision he made, and somehow say the exact things he had spent years avoiding.
He sat down.
Outside the office, Mia walked quickly toward her desk.
Daniel noticed her expression immediately.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Daniel frowned.
“That doesn't look like nothing.”
“He told me to leave.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
He looked toward Adrian's office.
“That's bad.”
“I know.”
Daniel hesitated.
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Mia sat down at her desk.
She opened her laptop.
But she couldn't concentrate.
For the first time since she'd started working at Blake International, she felt like she'd gone too far.
Maybe Adrian didn't want someone questioning him.
Maybe she'd forgotten that he was still her boss.
Maybe she had mistaken their growing friendship for something that gave her permission to tell him what to do.
She closed her laptop.
Across the building, Adrian was having the same problem.
He couldn't concentrate either.
He looked at the project documents.
The investors wanted the cheaper version.
It would save the company millions.
It was the logical decision.
The safe decision.
The decision everyone expected him to make.
But then he remembered Mia's voice.
A library is unnecessary?
A technology room is unnecessary?
Study spaces for children are unnecessary?
He rubbed his forehead.
He hated arguments.
Especially arguments where the other person might be right.
The next morning, Mia arrived at work early.
She avoided Adrian's office.
She avoided Daniel.
She avoided anyone who might ask questions.
She focused entirely on the project.
At nine thirty, an email appeared on her screen.
From: Adrian Blake
She stared at it.
For several seconds, she didn't open it.
Finally, she clicked.
The message was short.
Meeting with the investors at four.
Nothing else.
Mia sighed.
She typed a response.
Understood.
Then she stopped.
She almost added something more.
Instead, she deleted it and sent the message.
The day passed quietly.
Too quietly.
For once, nobody argued.
Nobody complained.
Nobody made sarcastic comments.
And somehow, Mia missed it.
At four o'clock, the meeting began.
Mia wasn't invited.
She didn't know why.
Perhaps Adrian wanted to handle it alone.
Perhaps he didn't want her there.
She tried not to care.
At five thirty, the meeting ended.
Adrian walked out of the conference room.
Daniel followed him.
“How did it go?”
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
“The investors agreed to give us another week.”
Daniel nodded.
“That's good.”
“They want a revised budget.”
“And?”
Adrian looked toward Mia's desk.
“And we're keeping the original design.”
Daniel smiled.
“I knew you would.”
Adrian glanced at him.
“Don't.”
Daniel raised his hands.
“Didn't say anything.”
“You were about to.”
“Probably.”
Adrian walked toward his office.
He stopped beside Mia's desk.
She looked up.
For a moment, neither spoke.
“The original plan stays,” he said.
Mia blinked.
“What?”
“The library. The technology room. The study programs.”
She slowly smiled.
“You kept them?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Adrian looked at her.
“Because you were right.”
Mia stared at him.
“Did you just say I was right?”
“Yes.”
“Out loud?”
“Yes.”
She smiled wider.
“Should I call Daniel? I think he needs to hear this.”
Adrian almost smiled.
“Don't push your luck.”
She laughed.
He turned to leave.
“Adrian?”
He stopped.
“Thank you.”
He nodded.
Then he looked back at her.
“And Mia?”
“Yes?”
“You were wrong about one thing.”
“What?”
“I wasn't scared of making the wrong decision.”
She waited.
“I was scared of making the right one and having it fail anyway.”
Mia's smile faded slightly.
She understood.
“You don't have to know how everything will end.”
Adrian nodded.
“I know.”
“And if it fails?”
“We fix it.”
“Exactly.”
He smiled faintly.
“See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, Mr. Blake.”
He walked away.
Mia watched him disappear into his office.
For the first time, she realized something.
Adrian wasn't impossible because he didn't care.
He was impossible because he cared too much.
And somehow, that made understanding him even harder.
Neither of them knew that their argument had changed something between them.
They had stopped being two people who simply disagreed.
They had become two people who could challenge each other without walking away forever.
But sometimes, understanding someone meant getting close enough to hurt them.
And Mia didn't know yet that the next argument would hurt far more than either of them expected.
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