----
The morning sun streamed through Hazel's bedroom window as her alarm buzzed softly. She groaned, rolling out of bed, and quickly prepared for the day. Since graduating from university a few years ago, Hazel had dedicated herself to her role at Star Entertainment Company. Her ambition had brought her far, and today was another step forward.
By 8:00 a.m., she was at the company
. Hazel greeted a few employees on her way to her office, her heels clicking against the polished floor. She dropped her bag onto her desk and glanced at the coffee machine in the corner.
"Definitely need this," she muttered, walking over. She brewed herself a cup of strong coffee, savoring the aroma as it filled the room. Taking a sip, she allowed herself a brief moment of peace before diving into her work.
The morning passed in a blur of meetings, emails, and finalizing preparations for the CEO's visit. However, a nagging thought lingered in the back of Hazel's mind—the suspected office leak. It had been troubling her for weeks, with confidential company plans mysteriously surfacing in the public domain.
Determined to get to the bottom of it, Hazel decided it was time to investigate.
---
After finishing her coffee, Hazel called Mia into her office.
"Mia," Hazel began, "I want you to compile a list of all employees who had access to the leaked information. Cross-reference that with any unusual activity in their email logs or work habits."
Mia nodded, scribbling notes. "I'll get on it immediately, ma'am."
After some minutes, Mia returned with a detailed report. Hazel scanned the list of names and paused when she saw one that stood out: Ryan Clarke, a mid-level employee in the marketing department. He had recently made several unexplained late-night accesses to confidential files.
Hazel frowned. "Ryan Clarke… What do we know about him?"
"He's been with the company for three years," Mia said. "But I noticed something odd—his access logs show he's been downloading files at strange hours, and his performance reviews have been inconsistent."
"Has he been questioned?" Hazel asked.
"Not yet," Mia replied.
Hazel stood, her resolve firm. "Call him to my office immediately."
---
Fifteen minutes later, Ryan Clarke entered Hazel's office, looking nervous.
"You wanted to see me, ma'am?" he asked, his voice shaky.
"Yes, Ryan," Hazel said, fixing him with a sharp gaze. "I need to discuss your recent activity. Our system logs show you've accessed confidential files late at night. Can you explain why?"
Ryan's eyes darted around the room. "I—I was just catching up on work," he stammered.
Hazel leaned forward, her tone firm. "Catching up on work, or sharing sensitive information with outside parties? Because I've traced several leaks back to files you accessed."
Ryan's face turned pale. "I didn't mean to… It was just… They offered me money, and I needed it."
"Who is 'they'?" Hazel demanded.
Ryan hesitated before finally breaking. "It's a rival entertainment company. They contacted me months ago, offering a hefty payout if I shared details about our upcoming projects."
Hazel's jaw tightened, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "Do you have any idea what you've done to this company? To your colleagues?"
"I'm sorry," Ryan whispered, his head hanging low.
"Sorry won't cut it," Hazel said coldly. "You'll be terminated immediately, and legal action will follow. Security will escort you out."
As Ryan left the office, escorted by security, Hazel felt a mixture of relief and frustration. She had uncovered the leak, but the damage it had caused could not be undone overnight.
---
By lunchtime, Hazel felt the need for a change of scenery. She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling, before picking up her phone to call her closest friend.
"Hey, Jas," Hazel said when Jasmine picked up. "Are you free this afternoon? I could use some company."
"Of course," Jasmine replied cheerfully. "Let's meet at the café near your office. Same place as always?"
"Perfect," Hazel said, feeling a sense of relief. "See you there in half an hour."
---
Hazel stepped into the cozy café, her shoulders relaxing as she spotted Jasmine already seated at their usual table. They had been roommates during university and stayed close ever since, always meeting up when their schedules allowed.
"Hey, Jas!" Hazel called, sliding into the chair across from her.
Jasmine looked up from her notebook, her face lighting up with a smile. "Haze! Finally out of your work cave?"
"Barely," Hazel said with a mock sigh. "You know how it is. The company keeps me buried under paperwork."
Jasmine laughed, closing her notebook. "I can imagine. You're practically married to that job. As long as they order their drinks jasmine leaned forward with a mischievous grin "So what is going on, you look like you have something big to tell me".
Hazel hesitated, then leaned forward, lowering her voice. "So, guess who's coming to Star Entertainment in the next two days?"
Jasmine's eyebrows shot up. "Who?"
"Zamiel Blake," Hazel said, trying to keep her tone casual.
Jasmine blinked in surprise, then broke into a grin. "Zamiel Blake?As in our zamiel from high school?
Hazel nodded. "Yes, he is the CEO of the company I am working, and I've been assigned to take care of his visit. I'm supposed to make sure everything runs smoothly."
"Oh, this is good," Jasmine teased, leaning forward. "How do you feel about it? Nervous?"
Hazel shrugged, trying to downplay her emotions. "A little. We haven't spoken in years, and now he's technically my boss. It's just… strange."
"Strange, but also kind of interesting," Jasmine said. "You've come so far since high school, Haze. You're practically running that company. He'll see the amazing pers andon you've become. Jasmine gave her a reassuring smile "well , if any one can handle this, it's you just stay professional and show him how much you've achieve since highschool . You are not the same Hazel he used to know "
Hazel smiled softly. "Thanks, Jas. I needed that pep talk." She gestured toward Jasmine's notebook. "What about you? How's the writing going?"
Jasmine's eyes lit up. "Oh, it's going great! I'm almost done with my latest manuscript. My agent thinks it could be my breakout novel."
"That's amazing!" Hazel said, genuinely excited. "What's it about?"
"It's a suspense thriller—lots of twists and dark secrets," Jasmine said, her enthusiasm bubbling over. "Kind of like the stuff you deal with at work, except, you know, fictional."
Hazel laughed. "Sounds like a bestseller in the making. You'll let me read it first, right?"
"Of course," Jasmine said with a grin. "But only if you spill every detail about Zamiel's visit later. You owe me that much."
"Deal," Hazel said, clinking her coffee cup against Jasmine's.
They spent the next hour catching up, their conversation filled with laughter and easy camaraderie. For Hazel, the break was exactly what she needed to calm her nerves about Zamiel's arrival.
---
The next day at the office, Hazel dived back into work. As the director, she had to ensure every detail of Zamiel Blake's visit was perfect. Yet, her thoughts kept drifting to her conversation with Jasmine and the inevitable reunion with Zamiel.
Their shared history from high school felt like a distant memory, but now, it was coming back into focus. Zamiel had always been intense, driven, and charismatic. She couldn't help but wonder how much he had changed—or if he had changed at all.
Her assistant, Mia, knocked on the door, breaking Hazel's thoughts. "Ma'am, Mr. Blake's private jet will land tomorrow afternoon. I've finalized his itinerary and sent it to your email."
"Thank you, Mia," Hazel said, nodding. "Please double-check that everything is prepared for his arrival."
"Yes, ma'am," Mia said before leaving.
Hazel leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. Tomorrow, the past and present would collide, and she had no choice but to face it head-on.
---