London City

She practically ran into the office, her breath coming in short, frantic gasps. Quickly, she glanced at her wristwatch.

"Thank God, I made it!" she whispered to herself. It was five minutes to eight.

"I heard the boss is coming in today. They say he's extremely punctual—won't tolerate even a minute's delay."

Muttering to herself, Emma stepped into the elevator, only to find herself joined by a man in black pants and a blue T-shirt. The moment he entered, she instinctively moved aside to make space.

The man briefly glanced at her—his sharp gaze registering her movement with mild displeasure. His furrowed brows made it clear he didn't appreciate her reaction.

Emma reached out to press the button for the fifth floor, but at the same moment, the man did the same. Their hands nearly touched, and she hesitated, suddenly frozen in place.

She had never seen such perfection in a man before.

Tall, well-built, with a sharp jawline, tanned skin, and striking blue eyes that seemed almost glass-like. His tousled brown hair fell naturally over his forehead, and the light stubble on his face only added to his allure.

Emma found herself staring.

The man's frown deepened as he turned fully toward her.

"Why are you staring at me?" His voice was cold, and his tone laced with irritation.

Emma's face flushed with embarrassment. She quickly looked away, realizing how rude she must have seemed.

He waited for an apology. But when she remained silent, he snapped his fingers in front of her face, drawing her attention back.

"Hey, girl! I asked you something."

His tone carried an air of authority, as if he were a king and she a mere subject expected to obey.

Emma, who had been biting her tongue to stay silent, finally lost her patience.

"I wasn't staring at you," she said boldly, meeting his eyes, "I was admiring nature's beauty."

With that, she confidently stepped out as the elevator doors opened, leaving him momentarily stunned.

For the first time, he realized—this seemingly ordinary girl was anything but ordinary.

---

Emma's Thoughts

Emma had spoken bravely, but her heart was still racing.

"Sure, he's handsome. But so arrogant! Acting as if he owns the world!"

She muttered under her breath, her fingers clacking against the keyboard as she tried to distract herself from the encounter.

"Who are you talking to?" Her colleague, Mary, peeked over from the next cubicle.

"The walls," Emma replied dryly.

Unbeknownst to her, the man from the elevator—who was now her boss—had just walked past and paused at her words.

"The walls? How does that work?" Mary looked at her like she had lost her mind.

Emma gasped in mock disbelief. "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"That walls have ears!"

Both Mary and the man—who had been eavesdropping—were caught off guard.

At first, the man had pegged her as timid. Then, when she had confidently spoken back to him, she seemed fearless.

But now? Now she seemed outright crazy.

"Seriously? Walls with ears?" He shook his head and walked away, amused yet bewildered by her antics.

"Who told you that?" Mary asked, intrigued.

"It's a well-researched fact by Pakistani aunties. My friend told me."

Mary smirked. "And if the walls actually tell someone what you're saying?"

Emma smirked back. "Walls only have ears, not mouths!"

That shut Mary up, and she returned to her work. Satisfied, Emma took a deep breath, finally letting go of her frustration.

She was the type of person who never let things weigh on her for long—venting in her own unique way before moving on.

---

Meeting the Boss

An hour later, Emma received a message—she was summoned by the boss.

She had already been warned by her colleagues that the boss personally handled new employees on their first day. She had mentally prepared herself for this meeting.

But as soon as she entered his office, her face lost all color.

Seated before her, casually leaning back in his chair, was the same man from the elevator.

With one hand, he held her file; the other rested under his chin as he looked at her, amusement flickering in his sharp blue eyes.

Emma quickly composed herself. Stay calm, Emma. You didn't say anything wrong. In fact, you even complimented him.

"Have a seat, Miss Emma," he gestured toward the chair in front of him, returning his focus to her file.

Emma let out a quiet sigh of relief, glad he wasn't staring at her anymore.

"I reviewed your work. It's good… but…"

Emma's momentary relief shattered.

"But what?"

"You'll be placed on a trial period again. You have one week. If I'm satisfied with your performance, you can keep the job. Otherwise, there's no place for you here."

Emma clenched her fists, resisting the urge to slam them on the table.

He had dismissed her hard work with a mere "It's good", and now, without hesitation, he was threatening her position.

"Okay, sir," she replied through gritted teeth, standing up to leave.

"Miss Emma." His voice stopped her in her tracks.

Her fingers curled into a tight fist as she turned back.

"Did I say you could leave?" He arched an eyebrow, his tone firm.

Emma swallowed her irritation, shook her head, and sat back down.

This time, he took his time studying her.

Dark brown hair tied in a loose bun, with a few strands framing her face. Deep brown eyes that were lowered but still held a spark of defiance. Flushed cheeks. Fair skin. A long brown shirt paired with black jeans.

She was pretty.

But not his type.

"You may go now," he finally said.

Emma, utterly confused by the entire interaction, stood up and left without a word.

She might have left the room silently, but in her head?

She was cursing him in every language she knew.

---

A Call from a Friend

Dressed in a pink hijab with a matching white and pink dress, Noor was out shopping for groceries when she suddenly thought of Emma.

Taking out her phone, she dialed her number.

After a few rings, Emma picked up.

"As-salamu Alaikum, Emma!" Noor greeted cheerfully.

"You too, Noor," Emma replied, her tone noticeably dull.

"What's wrong? You sound upset."

"Nothing. Why did you call?"

Noor immediately caught on—Emma wouldn't talk until she was ready.

"I wanted to ask if you could come over today."

Emma had expected Noor to pry and was secretly hoping for it. When she didn't, she pouted slightly.

"I can come any day!" she replied, exaggerating her sulk.

"Okay, then tell me what happened." Noor chuckled.

Emma, no longer holding back, spilled everything about her horrible first day at work.

"Oh, so that means you won't be coming over?" Noor asked once she was done.

"No, I have to finish these files within a week. But I'll complete them early just to prove that arrogant man wrong!"

"You totally can!" Noor encouraged her.

"Why did you ask me to come over, by the way?" Emma asked, now feeling lighter.

"I was buying ingredients for baking. You've been craving lava cake, so I thought we'd make it together."

Emma's eyes widened in horror.

"Thank God I escaped! Your plan was terrifying!"

---

To be continued...