Rhodes Industries has been Aldrith Corp's biggest rival for about three generations. No human knew the background of how it all started. All everyone knows is that they had been competitive toward the other and the option of being partners was almost taboo. Rumors spread that they would always try to steal information from the other to become the best, that couldn't be further from the truth.
And only the wolves knew the truth. At least the ones who didn't tell themselves about it.
Aldrith Corp cared very little about Rhodes. Since the whole feud between them began, Aldrith had done its best to keep its distance from Rhodes, but the latter loved to pry and feel as though it controlled the narrative and stayed on top. It would use whatever leverage against Aldrith it had to stay on top, but somehow, Aldrith always found its way back on that pedestal. Rhodes had tried everything short of burning the whole company to the ground, and still, Aldrith prevailed. It was what kept Rhodes' executives up at night, though none of them would ever say so out loud.
So when an application from a high level ex-employee from Aldrith Corp entered Rhodes' database, it was something that had to reach the CEO's desk as soon as possible.
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Azaria frowned at the automated acknowledgement email she had received days ago after applying to Rhodes Industries. It was a generic "Thank you for your application, we'll be in touch shortly."
She thought of going there in person and applying instead of sitting at home and waiting for something to happen. She had enough to live off for a good amount of time, but just sitting and doing nothing had never been her front. Her father always drilled into her head that hard work always paid off, yet here she was. Sitting in her apartment, staring at the screen of her laptop, waiting for just anything.
She sighed and got out of bed and put her laptop away. Looking at it constantly with no results showing up was starting to give her a migraine.
She pulled off every article of clothing she had on and dumped it in the hamper before entering the bathroom for a shower. The water was hot and she stayed under it longer than she needed to, letting the steam fill the small bathroom until she could barely see the tiles on the wall. Maybe a day out would do her some good. It was still well into the afternoon, so she couldn't drag Rowan out because he was at work still. She thought of taking a short walk and getting some fresh air. Staying in her apartment for so long was starting to irritate her. The walls felt like they were inching closer every day she spent inside them.
When she did make it outside, she had no particular destination in mind. All she had on her were her purse, phone and keys. There was nothing particularly special about the day, everyone was milling about as usual, busy with their own business. She walked slowly, in no rush to get anywhere, watching people pass her without so much as a glance. That was the thing about the city, you could be completely invisible if you wanted to be, and sometimes even when you didn't.
I need more friends, she thought.
A park came into view a few minutes into her walk. She had always driven by it on her way to work, but never actually visited. There were a few parents with small children and a few people walking dogs and tossing frisbees to one another. It was a good place to sit and enjoy the scenery. The park was big enough that she could sit on a bench and not be bothered by anyone. At least she hoped.
She took a seat on an empty park bench and took a deep breath. The air was cleaner here. She let herself sit with it for a moment before her thoughts started to settle back in. It had been four days since she quit Aldrith and she wasn't sure where she was going next. Aldrith had been a big achievement in her life. She had always wanted to work there since she learned of its existence. It had taken years of grinding and proving herself before she finally got through those doors, and losing a position in a place like that was not something one would forget overnight. It stayed with you long after.
"I hope they crash and burn," she mumbled, still angered by the whole situation.
There was a sudden noise beside her and she turned to find a golden retriever with bright eyes staring at her and wagging its tail. It had a tennis ball in its mouth and as soon as she gave it her attention, it laid the ball at her feet. The dog looked at her like it had known her for years, tail going back and forth without any sign of stopping.
"Uh…" She looked around, then turned back to the dog. "Hi?" The dog barked again and Azaria laughed. It was the first time she had laughed in days and it surprised her a little. "What's your name, buddy?"
"Max! Don't bother people! I am so sorry." A teenager walked up to her and the dog. He picked up the ball from the ground and clipped the leash back onto Max's collar before the dog could get away.
"It's okay," Azaria said, but the boy was already leading the dog away. She watched them go, Max glancing back at her once before trotting along beside the boy. She sat quietly again and an idea slowly formed in her head. She wasn't a big fan of it, but it could be worth it later on.
Who knows?
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Theon had barely sat in his office after a long meeting when Nathan and Idris rushed in. Their faces were grim as they looked at one another before turning back to Theon.
"What is it?" he asked. He wasn't in the mood for anything at the moment. He needed to get off work and return home to listen to what his mother had decided for her first meeting with Azaria. His chest ached every day that he could not lay his eyes on her. Anything that would sour his mood now would most likely make him implode. There was just so much on his plate, and it pressed down on him as the days went.
He leaned back in his chair and studied the two of them. They always kept their composure in most situations, so the fact that they looked like they had jogged here was not a good sign. Idris was worse because he kept glancing toward the door like he was considering walking back out of it.
"We have a big… problem, Sir," Nathan spoke hesitantly. He turned to Idris before looking back at Theon. "It's…the Operations department…"