The CEO's Office
The night had been unusually quiet for the CEO. Kael, though no one in the office would ever call him by his first name, he arrived home in his usual late-evening haze, briefcase in hand, suit still pressed perfectly. The city lights outside the window glittered like scattered jewels, but inside, the apartment was dark, silent except for the soft hum of the air conditioner.
He poured himself a glass of whiskey, swirling it absently as he sank into the leather armchair by the window.
And yet, despite the calm, his thoughts weren't on reports, mergers, or the endless responsibilities that came with his position. They were on her.
The girl from the office
Aria.
No one had ever talked back to him the way she had. Not once. Not in the past five years at this company, not in the countless interactions with colleagues, interns, or assistants. Every word she had said, every stubborn tilt of her chin, had struck a chord somewhere he couldn't name.
He should have dismissed it. Brushed it off. But the memory lingered — that sharp, confident tone, the fire in her eyes when she argued. Irritating. And yet, there was something about it that drew his attention.
He shook his head, trying to focus. "It's just one girl," he muttered under his breath, though the truth sounded hollow, even to himself. One girl shouldn't matter this much.
---
Morning arrived too quickly, and the office hummed with the usual energy of the new day. Kael walked into the boardroom to review the batch of presentations from the new employees. It was routine, nothing he particularly enjoyed, but it kept him occupied. A hundred slides, a hundred introductions, each blending into the next.
Most were mediocre, expected, forgettable. But one — a crisp, well-structured presentation with clear analysis and thoughtful suggestions, made him pause.
Curious, he tapped the screen to see the employee name. A secretary in HR had submitted the batch; the first slide didn't catch her identity. He scrolled down, noting the meticulous details, the clarity, and the confidence embedded in the work. Impressive.
"Who submitted this?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge that made the nearby assistant flinch slightly.
"Uh… that one, sir? It's part of the new employee batch," the assistant replied, flipping through the internal database. "Let me check… Ms. Aria Langford."
Kael's breath caught.
Aria Langford.
The name was… familiar. Too familiar.
He leaned back slightly, his mind racing. That name, her face, it clicked in his memory with startling clarity. The girl. From yesterday. The one who had spilled coffee on him and dared to argue.
His lips pressed into a thin line. She's one of the new employees?
He had spent the night imagining her in various scenarios, irritated by her audacity, secretly impressed by it, and now, fate had the audacity to place her under his corporate watch.
"Send her to my office," he said, voice neutral, carefully controlled. "Now."
The assistant looked surprised. "Yes, sir."
Kael picked up the glass of whiskey, taking a slow sip as he tried to calm the sudden, inexplicable surge of emotion.
No one had ever… unsettled him like that. Not in years. And yet, he reminded himself firmly, this was business. This was discipline. Not fascination. Not attraction.
He would see her. That was all.
---
Aria had barely settled into her desk that morning when the assistant appeared at her side.
"Aria Langford? The CEO wants to see you in his office immediately."
Her stomach dropped. "Uh… yes, of course," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
She walked briskly through the hallway, clutching her bag as if it were armor. The last thing she wanted was another incident, but something told her that this wasn't just about coffee anymore.
When she reached the executive floor, Kael's office door was open. She hesitated, then stepped in.
The room was vast, sleek, intimidating. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city, but she barely noticed. Her attention was entirely on the man sitting behind the massive mahogany desk.
He looked up from the papers he had been reviewing. His eyes locked onto hers, and for the first time, Aria noticed a sharp, evaluating edge in his gaze. It wasn't anger. Not exactly. But it was… piercing.
He stood slowly, his posture commanding. "Ms. Langford," he said, voice calm, measured, but with an undercurrent that made her pulse quicken.
"Y-yes, sir?" she stammered, heart hammering.
He motioned for her to sit across from him. "Do you know why I called you here?"
"No, sir," she admitted, shifting in her seat.
Kael leaned back slightly, steepling his fingers. "I received your presentation this morning."
Aria blinked. "Oh, yes. I… I submitted it with the batch from HR. I didn't realize"
"You didn't realize that the one you submitted…" He paused, giving her a long, measured look, "…would end up on my desk?"
She shook her head, trying to hide her rising nerves. "No, sir. I didn't expect it."
He let out a low hum, running a hand through his hair. "I see."
The pause stretched, filled with tension she couldn't explain. His eyes held hers like he was trying to read something deeper, beyond what he should even care about.
And then, he said it, slowly, carefully: "You're the same girl from yesterday. The one who… argued with me in the lobby."
Her stomach lurched. "I, I… yes. That was me, sir. I'm so sorry for—"
"Stop," he interrupted, voice soft but firm. "There's no need to apologize. You made your point."
She froze. "I… made my point?"
Kael leaned forward slightly, his expression neutral again, but with a subtle intensity. "Yes. Few people have ever dared. And yet, here you are, prepared, professional, and… bold."
Aria swallowed hard, trying to read what that meant. Was it praise? Or was it another reprimand? She couldn't tell.
He stood and walked slowly to the window, hands behind his back. "I must admit, I did not expect to see you among the submissions today. You… surprised me."
Her pulse quickened. "I, I didn't mean to cause trouble, sir."
"No," he said, almost to himself. "You didn't. It's… unusual."
Aria couldn't help but feel a strange mix of relief and confusion. This was the CEO, after all. She had expected anger, reprimand, perhaps even dismissal from the batch submission review. But instead… he was… considering her? Evaluating her?
Kael turned back, his gaze unwavering. "Sit tight. I will have HR inform your manager. I want you in my office tomorrow morning."
Aria blinked. "Tomorrow, sir?"
"Yes," he said, voice calm, precise. "You will explain your approach to me directly. I expect clarity, preparation, and professionalism. Do not disappoint me."
"Yes, sir," she said, voice steady despite her racing heart.
As she left the office, she couldn't help but glance back. He was already reviewing another document, his posture relaxed but his focus sharp. Something about him… was impossible to read.
And Aria knew, without knowing why, that tomorrow would not be an ordinary day at work.
---
That evening, back at home, Aria replayed the entire encounter in her mind. The first day, the coffee incident, and now… the direct meeting with the CEO. She felt equal parts terrified and exhilarated.
Little did she know, this was just the beginning. The threads of fate, of chance, of lives long past, were beginning to twist in ways she could not yet understand.
Her tenth life had just grown infinitely more complicated.