CARTER GROUP INTERNATIONAL
Ryan looked down at the short woman standing in front of him.
She was small.
Messy.
And very loud.
No one in his entire life had ever spoken to him like that before, especially not with such loudness and messiness, which made the scene more intense and revealed her boldness.
Not his employees.
Not his partners.
Not even his parents.
He studied her quietly, eyes cold, expression unreadable.
The woman, however, was still breathing heavily, clearly offended.
Ryan glanced to the side. His secretary stood stiffly beside him, face pale, eyes wide with panic.
“Sir,” she said carefully, lowering her voice, “should we fire her?”
Aria snapped her head toward the secretary.
“Fire me?!” she exclaimed. “What did I do? He’s the one who bumped into me first!”
The cafeteria went silent.
Every nearby employee froze.
Forks stopped midair.
Whispers died instantly.
Katy’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She grabbed Aria’s arm, eyes begging.
“Aria, please stop talking,” she whispered urgently. “He’s the CEO.”
Aria frowned. “The what—”
Then the words sank in.
Her eyes slowly lifted.
Then widened.
Then widened even more.
“…CEO?”
Ryan raised an eyebrow slightly, still silent, still watching her.
Aria’s mouth opened.
Closed.
Opened again.
The realisation hit her all at once, leaving her stunned and making the audience feel her vulnerability and surprise.
And for the first time since she’d arrived at **CARTER GROUP INTERNATIONAL**, Aria Flynn had absolutely nothing to say.
Ryan looked at her one last time.
Really looked at her this time.
Her wide eyes.
Her frozen expression.
The way all that confidence had disappeared in seconds.
For a moment, the entire cafeteria held its breath.
This was the part everyone knew.
The part where Ryan Carter destroyed careers.
He could fire her.
Right now.
One word and she’d be gone before the day ended.
He could make her life miserable.
Transfer her.
Bury her in work.
Break her confidence piece by piece.
People had lost their jobs for far less.
His secretary waited, tense.
Katy couldn’t even breathe properly.
Aria stood there, silent for once, heart pounding loudly in her ears.
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
He hated disrespect.
He hated noise.
He hated chaos.
And she was all three.
But for some reason—one he didn’t bother to understand—he didn’t speak, revealing his restraint and the unspoken tension in the scene.
He simply turned away without a word, his calmness amplifying the tension and making her feel the power he wielded silently.
His footsteps were calm.
Measured.
Cold.
He walked past her as if nothing had happened.
As if she hadn’t shouted at him.
As if she didn’t exist.
A quiet shock rippled through the room.
No firing.
No warning.
No punishment.
Ryan Carter didn’t look back.
And Aria Flynn stood there, trembling slightly, her mind racing as she realised that being ignored by him was far more threatening than any confrontation.
When Aria and Katy returned to their workplace, every single head turned toward them.
People stared.
Whispered.
Paused their work just to look at her.
Aria felt it instantly. The weight. The attention. The silence that followed her every step.

She slowed down, lowering her voice. “Why is everyone looking at me like that?”
Katy grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. Her eyes were wide, full of panic and excitement all at once.
“What just happened?” Katy whispered urgently. “Aria, do you know what you just did?”
Aria frowned. “I bumped into a man. I shouted. Then I almost lost my job. That’s it.”
Katy stopped walking. “That man was Ryan Carter.”
Aria shrugged. “Yes. The CEO. I know that part now.”
Katy stared at her like she was unbelievable. “Do you know how many people have been fired just for looking at him the wrong way?”
Aria blinked. “Seriously?”
“Yes!” Katy hissed. “And you shouted at him. Twice.”
They reached their desks. Aria sat down slowly, her heart still racing.
People nearby pretended to work, but their eyes kept drifting toward her.
Some looked shocked.
Some curious.
Some impressed.
“No one gets away with that,” Katy continued, sitting beside her. “No one. But he just… walked away.”
Aria stared at her screen, hands resting on the keyboard. “Maybe he was in a good mood.”
Katy laughed nervously. “Ryan Carter doesn’t have good moods.”
Hours passed slowly.
Aria tried to focus on her tasks, but she could feel it—the tension, the whispers, the looks. Every time footsteps passed behind her, her heart jumped.
She expected an email.
A call.
Security.
Nothing happened.
Ryan Carter never summoned her.
No warning arrived.
No termination letter appeared.
By mid-afternoon, the office buzzed quietly again, but Aria remained the centre of every silent conversation.
Katy leaned closer. “You might be the bravest—or luckiest—person in this building.”
Aria exhaled slowly. “I don’t want bravery. I just want to survive.”
Finally, the clock struck the end of the day.
Chairs moved.
Bags were packed.
Computers shut down.
Knock-off time.
Aria stood up, shoulders heavy, mind exhausted. She hadn’t lost her job. She hadn’t been fired.
But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something had started the moment she collided with Ryan Carter.
After a long, exhausting bus ride, Aria finally arrived at her small house.
The sun was already sinking, the sky painted in soft orange and pink. Her legs ached as she stepped off the bus, bag heavy on her shoulder, mind even heavier.
She unlocked the door slowly and stepped inside. The familiar smell of home wrapped around her instantly.
Aria closed the door behind her and leaned against it, breathing in… then out.
Safe.
Home.
Before she could even take two steps, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen and smiled tiredly.
*Aunt Rose.*
She answered, dropping her bag on the couch. “Hello, Aunt. I just got back.”
“Back already?” her aunt asked quickly. “How was work? Your first day? Tell me everything.”
Aria kicked off her shoes and walked toward the kitchen. “Work was… interesting,” she said slowly.
“Interesting how?” her aunt pressed.
Aria laughed softly. “Well… I was almost fired. Twice.”
Silence.
“Twice?” her aunt repeated sharply.
“And,” Aria added carefully, “I think I’m already on bad terms with the CEO.”
“What?!” her aunt shouted.
Aria winced, holding the phone away from her ear.
“Aria Flynn, what is wrong with you?” her aunt snapped. “Do you know how hard I worked to get you that job?”
“I know, Aunt—”
“You know what?” her aunt continued, voice trembling with emotion. “I blame myself! I’ve failed as an aunt!”
Aria leaned against the counter, listening. She could hear the worry beneath the anger. The fear.
Her aunt had been the one who raised her.
Fed her.
Protected her.
Ever since Aria’s parents passed away, her aunt had loved her like her own daughter—sometimes too much, sometimes loudly, but always with her whole heart.
Aria smiled softly. “Chill, Aunt,” she said gently.
There was another pause.
“Don’t tell me to chill,” her aunt muttered. “I worry because I love you.”
“I know,” Aria replied quietly. “And I’m fine. I survived the day. I still have my job.”
Her aunt sighed heavily. “You’re impossible. Just like your father.”
Aria laughed, her shoulders finally relaxing. “And you still love me.”
“…I do,” her aunt admitted. “More than anything.”
Aria sank onto the couch, phone pressed to her ear, exhaustion finally catching up with her.
“I’ll do better tomorrow,” she promised.
“You better,” her aunt said, softer now. “Eat something and rest. You have a long life ahead of you.”
Aria smiled to herself as the call ended.
Tired.
Scolded.
Still loved.
And for the first time that day, she felt okay.
Carter Mansion
The lights in the mansion were dim, most of the house already asleep.
Only one room was still alive with soft light—the home office.
Ryan sat behind his massive desk, sleeves rolled up, eyes fixed on the file in front of him. It was already past **11 p.m.**, yet his focus hadn’t slipped even once.
The door opened without a knock.
Justin walked in casually, phone in one hand, looking far too relaxed for the hour. He dropped himself onto the couch like he owned the place—which, honestly, he kind of did.
“Hey, man,” Justin said, stretching. “Why are you still awake at this time? Even machines shut down eventually.”
Ryan didn’t look up. “Some of us work instead of running their mouths.”
Justin grinned. “Ouch. Cold as ever.”
Ryan finally closed the file and leaned back. “I was finishing something. I’m done now.”
Justin raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “You’ve been ‘done’ for the past three hours.”
Ryan shot him a look. “Why are you here?”
Justin shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d check on my favourite cousin.” He paused, then smiled slowly. “And maybe tease him.”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Say what you came to say.”

Justin leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I heard you went soft on a girl at your company today."
The room went quiet.
Ryan looked at him calmly, hiding his emotions behind a composed exterior, which invites the audience to wonder about his inner world.
Justin chuckled. "Relax. I know you better than anyone." Ryan's voice was calm, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of hesitation. "You don't let things slide. Ever. Yet today, you did."
Ryan stood up, walking toward the window. "It was nothing."
"Nothing?" Justin laughed. "Ryan Carter and 'nothing' don't exist in the same sentence."
Ryan said nothing.
Justin smirked. "So… who is she?"
Ryan turned back slowly. "There is no 'she.'"
Justin leaned back, hands behind his head. "Man, just get a girlfriend already."
Ryan scoffed. "I don't have time for distractions."
Justin raised an eyebrow. "Distractions? You mean humans?"
Ryan ignored him.
Justin sighed dramatically. "You know people are starting to talk, right?"
Ryan glanced at him. "Talk about what?"
Justin shrugged. "About how you've never dated anyone seriously. No scandals. No women. No emotions."
He paused, then added with a grin, "At this rate, people will start thinking you're interested in men."
Ryan shot him a sharp look. "Careful."
Justin burst out laughing. "Hey, I'm just saying. You're rich, powerful, good-looking, and emotionally unavailable. It's suspicious."
Ryan turned away again, his expression unreadable. "My personal life is none of their business."
Justin stood up. "True. But one day, even you will want something real."
Ryan's jaw tightened slightly, hinting at unspoken struggles beneath his calm exterior, drawing the audience into his complexity.
Justin watched him for a moment, his smile fading just a little as he wondered what Ryan was really thinking. "Yeah," he said softly. "That's what you keep telling yourself."
The room fell quiet again.
Outside, the night stretched endlessly—calm, dark, and full of things Ryan refused to acknowledge.
The next morning
Aria woke up before her alarm could even ring.
Her eyes opened suddenly, her heart already racing.
Today, she couldn't afford mistakes, and her unwavering focus reflected her resilience, inspiring empathy from the audience.
Not even a small one.
She sat up on the bed and sighed, rubbing her face.
Her first thought wasn't breakfast.
It wasn't even work.
It was him.
She prayed silently that she would never bump into the CEO again.
One encounter was more than enough for a lifetime.
Katy's words echoed in her head.
*The meanest man on earth.*
Cold. Ruthless. Heartless.
And yet… he had let her go. A part of her still couldn't believe it-how someone so cold and ruthless could show mercy. She still didn't understand how she was standing there, employed, breathing, and not fired on the spot.
She still didn't understand how she was standing there, employed, breathing, and not fired on the spot.
She had talked back.
Raised her voice.
Accused him.
Anyone else would have been gone within seconds.
Maybe… he wasn't that bad?
The thought surprised her.
She stood up and walked to the mirror, fixing her hair slowly.
Her reflection looked tired, but determined.
"No mistakes today," she whispered to herself.
After getting dressed, she checked the time twice.
Still early.
For the first time, she wasn't rushing.
She felt calm.
She grabbed her bag and headed out, locking the door behind her.
Today, she wasn't taking the bus.
Her aunt had booked a nice ride for her that morning.
A small luxury.
Aria knew her aunt was just managing too.
Every extra expense mattered.
Yet she still did it, without hesitation.
That alone made Aria's chest tighten.
She remembered the day she turned eighteen.
The day she gathered enough courage to speak.
She had told her aunt she wanted to live on her own.
That she didn't want to be a burden anymore.
Her aunt had stared at her in disbelief.
Then pulled her into a tight hug.
"You will never be a burden," she had said firmly.
"Not today. Not ever."
They had struggled together for years.
Side by side.
Hand in hand.
When everyone else disappeared, her aunt stayed.
Loved her.
Protected her.
As the car moved through the quiet streets, Aria looked out the window and smiled softly.
She made a promise in her heart.
A serious one.
Her first paycheck wouldn't be for clothes.
Or food.
Or herself.
It would be for her aunt.
No matter what.