The Unexpected

The new employee

"Dera was lost in deep thought, recalling how it all began."

She sat behind the polished mahogany desk of her office, staring out over the cityscape. The vast skyline of Texas stretched in front of her, the rising towers reflecting the light of the early morning sun. From this vantage point, everything seemed perfect—controlled, orderly, and exactly as it should be.

Her phone buzzed quietly beside her, breaking the momentary stillness. She glanced at the screen, seeing a message from her father: Don’t forget the board meeting at 10 AM. Your presence is required.

She sighed softly, tapping out a quick reply: Of course, Father. I’ll be there.

Dera smith, at only 25, was already a force in the corporate world. As CEO of Smith Enterprises, a conglomerate that controlled a wide range of industries from oil to tech, she was a young woman in a seat usually occupied by men twice her age. The Smith family legacy had been built on power, influence, and wealth, and Dera was the one tasked with carrying that torch forward.

She had inherited her father’s sharp business mind and her mother’s poise. But it was her father’s fierce expectations that guided every step she took. His vision for her was clear: she would lead Smith Enterprises with strength and grace, and her personal life would be secondary—if not nonexistent.

But as much as she thrived in the business world, Dera couldn't shake the sense of isolation that came with it. She had everything anyone could dream of—status, wealth, power—but all of it felt hollow. The pressure to constantly perform, the demands of family, and the absence of true connection often left her feeling like she was drifting in a sea of expectations.

She had known for years that her future had already been planned for her. A marriage to a powerful business associate. Children to continue the legacy. But those thoughts seemed distant now. Her life was mapped out for her, but somewhere along the way, Dera had begun to question what she truly wanted.

As she continued to stare out at the sprawling city, a knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts.

“Come in,” Dera called, her voice cool but welcoming.

The door opened slowly, and a figure stepped inside. It was her personal assistant, Sandra, holding a stack of papers in her hands.

“The board meeting agenda, ma’am,” Sandra said with a slight bow, placing the documents on Dera’s desk. “And a reminder, you have a lunch appointment with Mr. Charles in an hour. Should I cancel?”

Dera glanced at the clock. It was 9:30 AM.

“No need to cancel,” she replied, flipping through the papers. “I’ll be there.”

As Sandra turned to leave, Dera’s mind wandered back to the reason she’d been so distracted this morning. The recent hiring of a new in-house lawyer. The company had been in need of a strong legal presence, and Dera had personally selected the candidate—Richard Johnson.

Dera remembered the second time she’d seen him in action. It was during a corporate dispute that had escalated into a full-blown lawsuit. She had watched him in the conference room, his calm demeanor and sharp mind standing in stark contrast to the chaos around them. While the other lawyers had fumbled with paperwork and lost their temper, Richard remained composed, a silent force.

He was younger than most of the other legal staff, and his background was not what one would expect from a high-level corporate lawyer. Richard had come from a working-class family, struggled through law school, and worked his way up through smaller law firms before landing this job. His determination was undeniable, but it was his integrity and his relentless drive to do what was right that made him stand out.

It was that integrity that intrigued Dera. She had been raised in a world where appearances meant everything, and people often hid behind polished facades. Richard, on the other hand, was raw—authentic—and that quality both unsettled and attracted her.

Her thoughts were interrupted again by a soft chime on her phone. Another message from her father: Make sure Jay gets a proper introduction during the meeting. We need to keep him in line.

The words felt like a weight in her chest. Her father’s cold dismissal of anything outside his vision for the company always made her uneasy. But she pushed those feelings down and focused on the task at hand.

As the hour drew nearer, Dera walked to the elevator, her heels clicking on the marble floors of the sleek corporate building. The day’s events loomed ahead—her father’s endless expectations, the weight of her title, and the pressure to maintain the Smith family legacy. And yet, despite it all, her thoughts kept circling back to Richard, the young lawyer with the quiet intensity and undeniable honesty.

When she arrived at the boardroom, she found most of the senior executives already seated, discussing the company’s latest projects. Her father, as usual, sat at the head of the table, his eyes immediately locking onto hers when she entered. There was a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze, but Dera had long since learned to ignore it.

"Good morning, everyone," Dera said, her voice strong, carrying the authority that came with her position. “Let’s begin.”

The meeting unfolded in its usual way—long discussions, strategic decisions, and the constant undercurrent of tension as the board members sought to prove their worth. But Dera’s mind wandered to Richard again. She wondered how he would fare in this world, a world so different from the one he’d grown up in.

And then, just as the discussion shifted to the company’s legal matters, her father spoke.

“I believe we have a new face among us today,” Mr smith said, his gaze turning to Richard, who was sitting at the far end of the table, slightly more reserved than the others. “Mr. Johnson, would you like to say a few words?”

Richard’s gaze flicked briefly to Dera before he stood, his posture straight but relaxed. He was the epitome of humility, yet there was a quiet confidence in the way he carried himself.

“Thank you, sir,” Richard began, his voice steady. “It’s an honor to be a part of this team. I’m here to serve the company and uphold its values. I believe in integrity and in doing what’s right, no matter how difficult.”

There was a pause as the room absorbed his words. Dera couldn’t help but notice how his honesty seemed to stand in stark contrast to the polished words of the other executives. She found herself leaning forward, intrigued.

Her father’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Richard. “We’ll see if your actions live up to your words, Mr. Johnson.”

Dera felt a flicker of unease in her chest. But she said nothing, watching Richard closely as he took his seat again.

The meeting continued, but for Dera, it was no longer just about business. She was beginning to realize that the quiet lawyer she had hired might just be the one person who could challenge everything she had ever known.

As the meeting drew to a close, Dera caught Richard’s eye again. This time, she couldn’t look away. The attraction, the curiosity—whatever it was—was undeniable. But more than that, there was something else. A feeling she couldn’t quite name, but knew would change everything.