The next morning, the sun rose over the tall glass buildings of New York City. At the office of CloudWave Ltd., a soft morning light filled the rooms. Everything looked very professional and very calm. The air was filled with the quiet hum of computers and the sound of people clicking their mouses. Employees walked from one desk to another, carrying blue files, notebooks, and steaming cups of coffee. Some talked quietly on their headsets, and others typed so fast that their fingers looked like a blur.
Inside his private glass cabin, Henry was sitting in his large leather chair. He was not working. He was not looking at the many graphs on his computer screen. Instead, his eyes were fixed on a small piece of plastic in his hand. It was the ID card he had found on the cafe floor the night before.
He turned the card over and over between his fingers. Every time the card flipped, Zara's face looked up at him. In the photo, she was smiling a very sweet, happy smile. But Henry remembered the girl from yesterday. Yesterday, her eyes weren't sweet—they were sharp, strong, and full of fire. She had stood up to him when no one else would.
Henry leaned back and took a deep breath. The office chair made a soft creaking sound.
"Interesting," he whispered to himself.
He read the name on the card again: Zara Williams. Henry was the boss of this company. He met hundreds of new people every month. He saw thousands of faces. But he never imagined that the girl he had a giant fight with in a coffee shop would walk into his very own company as a new worker. This was a one-in-a-million coincidence. It had happened only one day after their big argument.
Henry pressed a silver button on his desk phone. Beep.
"Send Leena to my cabin," he said. His voice was deep and very serious.
A minute later, there was a knock on the door. Leena walked in. She was the office manager. She wore a neat blue shirt and carried a thin folder under her arm. Leena was a person who never wasted a single second. Her hair was tied in a perfect bun, and she always looked ready for a challenge.
"Yes, sir?" she asked politely, standing in front of his desk.
Henry didn't say a word at first. He placed the ID card on the wooden table and slid it across toward her.
"Who is she?" he asked.
Leena picked up the card and looked at the photo. She nodded immediately. "Oh, this is Zara Williams. She just started with us yesterday. She is a junior assistant in our research team. Is there a problem, sir?"
Henry looked past Leena and out through the glass wall. On the main office floor, employees were walking around, chatting and working. They had no idea that a big storm was brewing inside the boss's office.
"Tell her to come and meet me," Henry said.
Leena raised her eyebrows. She looked a little surprised. "Right now, sir?"
"Yes," Henry replied. "Immediately."
Leena didn't ask any more questions. She knew that tone of voice. Henry used that tone when he was either very angry or about to make a very big decision. She turned around and left the cabin.
Henry picked up the ID card again. He stared at the photo. The girl in the picture looked so innocent. It was hard to believe she was the same person who had called him a "rude man" and told him he was a "fool" for not backing up his computer.
"So, you joined my company yesterday," he whispered. "The timing is very interesting, Zara."
Outside the cabin, the office was busy. People were typing and talking. But at one small desk in the corner, Zara was sitting very quietly. She was trying to organize her new notebooks. Her hair was still a little bit damp from the morning rain. It looked like she had walked to work because she couldn't afford a taxi. Her eyes looked very tired, with dark circles under them. It was clear she hadn't slept at all the night before. She was probably still worrying about the broken laptop.
Suddenly, she saw a pair of black shoes stop in front of her desk. She looked up and saw Leena.
"Zara," Leena said softly. "The boss wants to see you in his cabin right now."
Zara's heart gave a giant thump against her ribs. She froze. Her hands, which were holding a pen, stopped moving completely. She felt a cold shiver go down her back.
"The boss?" Zara asked, her voice shaking. "You mean... Henry sir?"
"Yes. Please go quickly. He is waiting for you," Leena said, then she walked away to help another worker.
Zara felt a knot of fear in her stomach. It felt like a heavy lead ball. She stood up very carefully, feeling a little dizzy. She hugged her notebook tightly against her chest, like it was a shield that could protect her. She started walking toward the big glass cabin. Every step felt like she was wearing heavy iron boots. Her feet did not want to move, but she knew she had no choice.
She reached the heavy glass door. She took a deep breath, tried to stop her hands from trembling, and knocked softly. Knock, knock.
"Come in," Henry's voice boomed from inside.
Zara pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was large and smelled like expensive wood and leather.
The moment she walked in, her eyes met Henry's. He wasn't smiling. He sat behind his giant desk, watching her with a look that was calm but very cold. Zara stopped a few feet away from the desk. She felt like a tiny bird standing in front of a mountain.
Henry leaned forward. He picked up the ID card from the table. He held it up between two fingers so she could see it.
Zara's face went completely white. She looked like she had seen a ghost. For a few seconds, she actually forgot how to breathe. She realized now that he knew exactly who she was. He had her card. He knew she worked for him.
Henry placed the card back on the table with a loud clack. He didn't say anything. He just watched her.
Zara could hear her own heartbeat. It sounded like a drum in her ears. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. She remembered everything from the cafe—the spilled coffee, the black screen, the way she had shouted at him. She felt a wave of shame.
Finally, Zara found her voice. It was very small and quiet.
"Sir... I know yesterday was very bad," she began. She kept her eyes on the floor. "I am so, so sorry for what happened. I should not have spoken to you like that. I was very stressed. I was angry. I did not mean to insult you. It was a terrible accident."
Henry didn't move. He sat there like a statue made of stone.
Zara felt desperate. She looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears. "Sir, I really need this job. I worked so hard to get this chance. I walked to every shop in the city for a month. Yesterday was just a mistake. I promise I am not a careless person. Please... please don't fire me. I will work harder than anyone else. I will do my best every single day."
The room went silent. The only sound was the low hum of the air conditioner. Henry leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. He watched her face closely, as if he was reading a book. Zara felt like he could see right through her.
"So, you really need this job," he said finally. His voice was low.
Zara nodded her head fast. "Yes, sir. I really do. I have a reason." She paused, then took a brave breath. "I am three months pregnant."
Henry's eyes widened. He looked surprised. His mean, serious face softened for just a second. His fingers, which had been tapping on the desk, stopped moving.
Zara continued, and now her voice was shaking so much she could barely speak. "I have no family to support me, Henry sir. I have no one to help me buy food or pay for a doctor. I had to leave my old life because of many bad problems. Right now, I live in a tiny rented room with almost no money. This job is the only way I can take care of my baby. If I lose this job today, I have nothing left. I will be on the street."
The cabin became very quiet again.
Henry didn't look angry anymore. He looked thoughtful. He looked at the window, watching the birds fly past the skyscraper.
Zara lowered her head. "Sir, please. I am not asking you to feel sorry for me. I just want a chance to work. I will do whatever it takes."
Henry took a very slow, deep breath. "Three months pregnant?" he repeated softly.
Zara nodded. She wiped a tear from her cheek with her sleeve. She was terrified of what he would say next. She waited for him to point to the door and tell her to leave.
Henry tapped his finger on the desk one more time.
"Alright," he said. "I can forgive you for the laptop and for the way you spoke to me."
Zara felt a giant wave of relief. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She felt like she could finally breathe again. Her muscles relaxed, and she almost wanted to sit on the floor and cry with joy.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you so much!" she cried.
"But," Henry added, raising one finger.
Zara's relief vanished instantly. She felt the fear come back. Her heart started racing again. "But?" she asked quietly. "Is there something else?"
Henry leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers. He looked very serious now.
"I will let you keep your job," Henry said. "But there is one condition. You must follow it perfectly, or you will have to leave CloudWave forever."
Zara's breath caught in her throat. She looked at him, her eyes wide with worry. "A condition? What is it, sir? What do I have to do?"
Henry didn't answer right away. He just smiled a very strange, mysterious smile. It was the kind of smile that meant he had a secret plan that no one else knew about.
"The condition is this..." Henry began.
If you think Zara's life was complicated before, wait until you hear what Henry is about to ask! A huge twist is coming, and it will change Zara's world forever. Don't miss the next part of the story!