Chapter 4

Day four started differently.

Amara arrived at Pablo Innovations at exactly seven in the morning.

She walked into her office carrying a cup of coffee, placed her handbag beneath her desk and immediately got to work.

Today, she wasn't going to make mistakes.

She opened the brothers' schedules and went through every meeting carefully.

She checked the times.

Then checked them again.

She checked the meeting rooms.

Then the attendees.

Then the notes required for each meeting.

By seven forty-five, everything was organized.

The documents for Lorry's first meeting were printed and arranged neatly on his desk. Nick's presentation notes were placed in the correct folder, and every appointment had been double-checked.

At eight, the brothers arrived.

Lorry walked past her office without saying a word.

Amara watched him disappear into his office.

She smiled to herself.

Try finding something wrong today.

By ten, the first meeting was completed without a problem.

The second went just as smoothly.

She had survived the morning.

She looked at the clock.

Tea break.

She grabbed her purse and headed to the cafeteria.

She bought a coffee and a cupcake and sat at one of the tables near the window.

She took a bite of the cupcake.

“Much better.”

The cafeteria was relatively loud.

Employees were scattered around the room, having their own meals and drinks.

Then the doors opened.

The atmosphere changed immediately.

Amara looked up.

Lorry and Nick walked in.

Within seconds, employees started standing.

Some grabbed their coffee cups.

Others picked up their plates.

People who had been laughing moments earlier suddenly remembered they had somewhere else to be.

Within seconds, almost everyone had left.

Amara looked around.

Then back at her cupcake.

She shook her head.

Seriously?

She continued eating.

Lorry noticed her.

His expression darkened.

“Shouldn't you be working like everyone else?”

Amara looked up.

“I'm on tea break.”

“And I'm saying go back to work. Tea break is ten minutes and your ten minutes is up”

Amara slowly put her cupcake down.

She stared at him.

“I'm sorry, Mr. Lorry, but I'm not going to do that.”

His eyebrows pulled together.

“What?”

Nick looked between them.

Amara stood.

She picked up her coffee and walked toward the brothers.

She stopped directly in front of Lorry.

“Can I ask you a question, Mr. Lorry?”

He said nothing.

“How long does it take you to have a light breakfast?”

Lorry stared at her.

“That is none of—”

“Twenty minutes if he's in a hurry,” Nick interrupted.

He folded his arms, clearly interested in where this was going.

“But it can take more than that.”

Lorry gave him a dangerous glare.

Nick chuckled.

“What?”

Lorry's eyes remained on him.

“I want to see where she's going with this.”

Amara nodded.

“Exactly.”

She looked back at Lorry.

"You take more than ten minutes for a tea beak and whe i do that its a crime. A i not human like you?"

“Look Mr. Lorry, you probably don't care about this, but there are a few things you need to know about me.”

Lorry's expression remained cold.

“I am not like your other employees.”

She gestured toward the empty cafeteria.

“When I see you, I don't get scared thinking you're going to fire me.”

Nick's smile slowly disappeared as he listened.

“You already gave me a written warning yesterday, and that was the first and last warning you'll ever give me.”

Lorry's eyes narrowed.

Amara continued.

“You may think having your employees stiffen around you means they respect you, but they don't. They're just scared.”

She took another sip of her coffee.

“There's a difference between fearing someone and respecting them.”

Nick glanced at Lorry.

Amara wasn't finished.

“And just so you know, fear isn't sexy at all.”

Nick's eyebrows shot up.

Lorry's expression hardened.

“But I see why you're single.”

There was complete silence.

Nick stared at her.

Then he burst out laughing.

A few employees standing outside the cafeteria looked through the glass doors, clearly wondering what was happening.

Lorry slowly turned his head toward his brother.

Nick tried to control his laughter.

“Don't look at me.”

“I've already scheduled your meetings for the whole day and placed the notes on your desk.”

She looked directly at Lorry.

“What more do you want from me?”

She spread her arms.

“Should I roll out a red carpet for you?”

Lorry's jaw tightened.

“You done?”

“Almost.”

She went back and looked down at her cupcake.

“You know what?”

She pushed it away.

“I've lost my appetite.”

Amara picked up her coffee and walked past them.

Nick watched her leave.

Then he looked at his brother.

“You know…”

Lorry turned toward him.

“Don't.”

Nick raised both hands.

“I didn't say anything ....but i was going to say she has a point.”

Lorry's eyes narrowed.

Nick smiled.

“And she's entertaining.”

“Get to work.”

Nick laughed.

“Yes, boss.”

Lorry turned toward the cafeteria entrance.

His eyes followed Amara until she disappeared down the hallway.

He had dealt with arrogant executives.

He had dealt with demanding clients.

He had dealt with employees who thought they were untouchable because they were related to someone important.

But Amara Val was different.

She didn't fear him and that just woke something in him

Maybe interest or just curiosity...but one thing i for sure he wasn't done with her. If she thinks she was different Lorry was yet tp pove to her that she was breakable like everyone else.

.

.

.

Amara returned to her office and sat down behind her desk.

She exhaled.

Her heart was beating faster than usual.

She looked toward Lorry's office.

“What did I just do?”

She shook her head.

Then she smiled.

“Worth it.”

Her computer chimed.

A new message appeared.

FROM: LORRY PABLO

Amara opened it.

«My office. Now.»

She stared at the screen.

Her smile disappeared.

“Oh, crap.”

She stood.

Straightened her blazer.

Picked up her notebook.

And walked toward his office.

She knocked once.

“Come in.”

She opened the door.

Lorry was standing behind his desk.

His expression was unreadable.

Amara closed the door behind her.

“You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.”

She waited.

Lorry looked at her for several seconds.

“Do you always speak to your employers like that?”

Amara thought about it.

“No.”

"Jut me..."

“Because you annoyed me.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly.

“At least you're honest.”

“I try to be.”

He picked up the schedule she had prepared.

“You did well this morning.”

Amara blinked.

She hadn't expected that.

“Thank you.”

“But—”

There it was.

She waited.

“Don't confuse doing your job well with being allowed to disrespect me.”

Amara nodded.

“I understand.”

“Good.”

He put the schedule down.

“You're dismissed.”

She turned toward the door.

Then stopped.

“Mr. Lorry?”

He looked at her.

“Your meeting at eleven has been moved to eleven thirty because the client requested more time.”

Lorry looked at the clock.

“How long have you known?”

“Three minutes.”

“And you didn't tell me?”

“I was on my way to.”

He nodded once.

Amara opened the door.

Then she heard him speak again.

“Amara.”

She turned.

“Yes?”

“If you disrespect me again I'll fire you.”

"Im sorry sir but only your mother can fire me"

She stared at him.

“Get back to work.”

Amara smiled.

“Yes, sir.”

She walked out.

Maybe Lorry Pablo wasn't completely impossible after all.