Over the next few weeks, Hazel and Gerald's interactions became more cordial. They would greet each other in the hallway and exchange pleasantries, but they wouldn't linger too long in each other's company. Hazel could see that Gerald was trying to keep his distance from her, and it made her feel more comfortable around him. One day, as Hazel was leaving the office, she realized that it was raining outside. She didn't have an umbrella, and she didn't want to get wet. As she was standing in the doorway, trying to decide what to do, she saw Gerald walking towards her. "Hey, Hazel. Do you need an umbrella?" Gerald asked, holding out his own umbrella. Hazel was taken aback by Gerald's offer. She didn't know what to say or how to react. "Uh, thank you, sir. That's very kind of you," Hazel replied, feeling a bit flustered. Gerald smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction. He knew that he couldn't be with Hazel in the way that he wanted, but he also knew that he could stil

Arin was walking through the cafeteria when she saw Hazel and Gerald, sitting at a table together. They were laughing and chatting, and Arin couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and anger rise up inside her. Arin stood there, staring at Hazel and Gerald while they finished up their meals. The anger couldn't stop bubbling inside her like a volcano ready to erupt. She could not believe what she was seeing, the two people she had been watching from afar having what seemed like a casual and intimate conversation. There was something about the way Hazel was looking at Gerald that was entirely too familiar to her. It couldn't just be that Gerald was trying to make her comfortable around him. It seemed as if they shared something deeper than that of a C.E.O and an employee. Arin refused to believe what Gerald had told him. As they sat. As they laughed, chatted and shared a few moments, Arin could read a certain chemistry between the two of them. It was a natural, almost electri

The temperature of the day was just right, not too cold nor too warm. A gentle breeze was blowing, rustling the leaves on the trees and carrying with it the fresh scent of the earth. The sky was partly cloudy, with patches of blue peeking through the white fluffy clouds. The sun was shining, but its rays were not too strong, providing a pleasant crisp freshness to the air. As you walk outside, you can feel the coolness on your skin, but it's not biting or uncomfortable. Instead, it's invigorating and energizing. The cool weather makes you want to be outside, to take in the beauty of the season, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life but Hazel sat at her desk, typing away at her keyboard when she saw Arin approaching her with a smile that made her blood boil. She just didn't want to have anything to do with this lady but she seemed to be the antagonist of her life. If she tried to avoid her, she would still come to her and she was so sick of her, trailing her around. "Good morn

Gerald sat in his office, staring at his computer screen. He couldn't focus on his work, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Hazel. He just couldn't figure out why Hazel was doing this to her all of a sudden, it was really surprising to see her change like that. He believed that they had settled things and that they had erased the memory of the past to focus on the future. He really had alot of plans for her but she needed to understand what was going on first. He decided to confront her. He got up from his desk and walked down the hallway to Hazel's office. Gerald was flustered as he walked towards Hazel's office, wondering what he could have done to make her ignore him. He had always respected Hazel and had never done anything intentional to upset her not after they had settled the differences between them at least. As he approached her office, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Hazel looked up from her computer, annoyed at the interruption. "Who is the

The conference room was buzzing with tension as everyone waited for the meeting to start. Hazel happened to be the lead designer on the new jewelry project, and she was already seated at the table, going over her notes while everyone was asking her questions. Everyone could notice that she couldn't help but feel nervous about the meeting, knowing that the project was not going well and they were running out of time. Gerald walked into the room with a stern look on his face. He took his seat at the head of the table and began the meeting. Arin, on the other hand had planned the whole thing with Gerald. She knew Hazel was going to be in trouble today because she would make sure Gerald put the whole blame on her. She had told Gerald all sort of things, which was indubitably not doubted by him. Arin knew he believed everything she said, because of the proofs she provided. As she knew, Gerald was someone who believe in nothing but the proof provided to him. Arin was good at gather