Return From Prison

AstraDrive

Ren hurried out of her bedroom, mumbling to herself, "I'm late!" She glanced around, noticing Rys was nowhere in sight. "He must've left for work already," she said before rushing into the bathroom.

She quickly showered, applied a touch of powder to her face, and checked her reflection in the mirror. "Ugh, first day of work, and I overslept!" she scolded herself. Grabbing her handbag, she dashed outside, hopped onto her e-bike, and sped toward her new workplace.

On the way, Ren found herself stuck in traffic due to a heated argument blocking the road. She glanced at her watch, panic setting in. "I can't be late!" She decided to take a detour, even if it meant a longer route. Finally, she arrived, parked her e-bike, and sprinted toward the building.

Reaching the department, Ren paused to catch her breath. "Okay, calm down," she whispered, taking a deep breath before stepping inside.

The door opened, and Rys turned toward the entrance, expecting the new intern. His brow furrowed slightly when an elderly man with white hair, seemingly in his 60s, entered the room.

"Dad!" one of the regular employees called out, rushing to greet the man. Rys sighed in relief, realizing the man wasn't their new colleague. But before he could look away, another figure walked through the doorway.

A stunning woman with long black hair, dark captivating eyes, and an alluring figure entered the room. The room collectively paused, impressed by her presence.

Rys, however, froze for a different reason. He recognized her immediately. 'Ren?!'

Ren's eyes widened when she spotted Rys sitting with the team. Her lips curved into a polite smile as she walked toward him.

As soon as she reached him, they began whispering:

"What are you doing here?" Ren asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

"I should be asking you the same thing," Rys replied, equally surprised.

"I'm an intern here," Ren said.

"Me too," Rys admitted with a small sigh.

Their quiet exchange was interrupted when the manager stepped forward. "Everyone, meet our newest intern, Serenity Heavenwood." Ren smiled and greeted the group formally.

A man in the group eyed Ren with interest, his gaze lingering too long as he licked his lips. However, when he noticed how familiar Rys and Ren seemed, he hesitated.

The manager continued, introducing the team. "This is Dexter, your team leader. Karen is our senior innovator, and David handles programming."

Dexter's gaze lingered on Ren with an unsettling grin, while Karen gave a polite nod, and David offered a friendly smile.

After brief introductions, the manager excused himself, leaving the team alone. Rys and Ren ended up sitting next to each other.

Dexter approached the pair with a stern expression. "Ren, from now on, I want you to handle all progress reports for the team. Make sure they're thorough."

Rys frowned at the demand. "I think it's everyone's responsibility to report their own progress. Ren doesn't need to take on that burden alone."

Ren nodded in agreement. "He's right. I can help, but I think reports should reflect individual contributions."

Dexter's smile tightened, but he said nothing. Instead, he walked back to his office, leaving the room in tense silence.

Karen and David approached them after Dexter left. "Hi, I'm Karen," she said, her tone warm. "And this is David."

Ren smiled brightly. "It's nice to meet you both."

Rys gave a casual nod. "Likewise."

Karen hesitated before speaking again. "Ren, just a heads-up... be careful around Dexter. He has a reputation for harassing women he finds attractive."

Rys's expression darkened, but he smiled confidently. "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one's going to harm my wife."

Karen and David froze in shock. "W-Wife?!" they said in unison.

Ren blushed furiously, caught off guard by Rys's blunt declaration. "I didn't expect to run into my husband here," she said shyly.

Karen chuckled. "You two are perfect together! A handsome superstar type and a gorgeous top-model-like beauty. Talk about power couple vibes!"

David nodded enthusiastically. "No wonder you two seemed so familiar with each other."

Ren's face turned redder as Rys smirked, clearly enjoying her embarrassment.

Rys couldn't resist teasing Ren, and his playful remarks made her cheeks flush red. She felt a mix of emotions—embarrassment, annoyance, and a fluttery feeling she couldn't quite place. She wanted to argue back, but a part of her secretly enjoyed his attention.

Karen, observing the exchange, couldn't help but giggle. "Ren, you're so lucky to have a husband like Rys. Handsome, protective, and sweet!" she said with a wink.

Ren felt her heart skip a beat but quickly reminded herself of the truth. 'He's just my contracted husband,' she thought, trying to temper her emotions.

Rys finally stopped his teasing and turned to David. "By the way, I thought that elderly man earlier was the new intern. Turns out he's your dad?"

David laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, that's my dad. I forgot my lunchbox at home, so he brought it over."

The group burst into laughter, and Rys smiled but then spoke in a quieter tone. "You're lucky to have a good father like that."

The atmosphere shifted slightly. Karen and David grew curious, and Karen asked, "What about you, Rys? What was your family like?"

Rys's expression softened, and he replied, "I grew up in an orphanage. Never knew my real family."

Ren, overhearing this, felt a pang of emotion. She glanced at Rys, realizing they shared a similar void in their lives. Rys noticed her staring and turned to her, his gaze warm. "But I'm lucky now," he said with a slight smile. "I have a beautiful and kind wife."

Ren's cheeks reddened again, and she quickly diverted the conversation. "Why is the team so small, though? I would've thought there'd be more people for such a big project."

David leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Most people don't last here. They either can't handle the work or..." He trailed off, glancing toward Dexter's office. "Let's just say you'll find out soon enough."

Ren furrowed her brows but let it go for now. "What's the current project we're working on?" she asked instead.

Karen perked up. "AstraDrive," she said, motioning toward a folder on her desk. "It's an autopilot car project that hasn't made much progress in months."

"What's the problem?" Rys asked, intrigued.

Karen grabbed the folder and handed it to him. "Here, take a look."

Rys opened the folder and began scanning through the documents. He studied every detail, flipping through the pages with a sharp, analytical gaze. After a moment, he pointed out the issues.

"This is the root cause," he said, showing them a section on faulty sensor integration. "And here, the coding framework needs adjustments. Plus, the battery configuration is misaligned with the hardware specs."

Karen and David stared at him, stunned by his quick grasp of the technical problems.

Rys smiled confidently. "Let's get started."

Karen and David exchanged a glance, both impressed but slightly skeptical of his bold attitude. They weren't used to interns taking charge.

"You're serious?" Karen asked, her tone cautious.

"Dead serious," Rys replied, his smile unwavering. "Let's fix this."

Rys sat at his desk and powered on the computer. "David, send me the current files," he said in a calm but commanding tone.

David nodded, quickly transferring the files to Rys. "On it."

Once Rys received the data, he opened the files and began analyzing them intently. His eyes darted across the screen as he dissected every line of code and specification. After a few minutes, he leaned back slightly and shook his head. "This project has more problems than I initially thought—issues that weren't even flagged."

Karen and David exchanged puzzled looks. "What do you mean?" David asked, leaning closer.

Without looking away from the screen, Rys pointed to several sections of the data. "Look here: the accuracy metrics are inconsistent. The sensory system doesn't match the framework. Sensitivity is off, the hardware is outdated and incompatible, and that's just scratching the surface."

David's jaw dropped. "We've been looking at this for weeks and never saw those."

Karen added, "No one's been able to pinpoint the issues like this before."

Rys sighed and glanced at them. "What's going on in this department? Salaries are being paid for work that isn't producing results. It's no wonder this project is flagged and stagnant."

He refocused on the screen, typing furiously. "First, we need to change the framework. I'll try implementing an auto-match system, but we need to upgrade the hardware—outdated components won't cut it."

As he coded, Rys explained each adjustment, walking them through his methodology. Karen, David, and Ren watched in awe as his fingers flew over the keyboard, seamlessly integrating solutions into the system.

When Rys finished, he ran the program. The screen lit up with improved results, showing increased efficiency and compatibility.

David couldn't contain his excitement. "Wow, Rys! I didn't know you were this skilled in programming. Where'd you learn all this?"

Rys smirked slightly. "From my mentor," he replied cryptically.

The truth, however, was far more complex. Rys had taught himself programming during his time in prison, with Kevin's guidance accelerating his learning. His natural intelligence and determination made him a prodigy in the field.

After a few moments of silence, Rys adjusted his work. "Just a few tweaks left, and once we address the other issues, this program will be perfect."

Karen clapped softly, her expression filled with admiration. David followed suit, grinning widely.

Ren, meanwhile, sat quietly, her eyes fixed on Rys. She felt a swell of admiration she hadn't expected. Who would've thought that the man she had taken in as her contract husband was not only skilled but also incredibly brilliant? She found herself drawn to him in a way she hadn't anticipated.

Rys, noticing her gaze, smirked. "What's with that look, Ren? Impressed?"

Ren snapped out of her thoughts, quickly turning away to hide her reddening cheeks. "Don't get ahead of yourself," she mumbled, though the admiration in her voice was hard to miss.