"That's enough!"
Leonard's voice cut through the room like thunder. It silenced us instantly. The kind of silence that stings your ears after a loud bang.
But the glaring contest between Cesar and me didn't end there. We kept staring at each other, a silent war of eyes and tension in the air.
After a heavy pause, Leonard spoke again, this time calmer. "So, Cesar, are you going to join us for a little family time before you head back to the city?"
Cesar took his time, chewing slowly, his jaw working as if it were more than just food he was processing. Then, casually, he said,
"Actually, I'd like to go to your office and have a little chat."
Leonard blinked. He looked genuinely surprised. "I thought you hated hanging out with me in my office. You always say it feels like being trapped in a cage with a wild animal."
I narrowed my eyes at the exchange, but Cesar didn't miss a beat.
With his mouth still half-full, he mumbled, "Well, it feels like I changed my mind."
A heartbeat passed. "For tonight, of course," he added. "Do not take for a regular occurrence."
I nearly rolled my eyes. Nearly. Until I caught myself—because Cesar was watching me.
The rest of us made our way to the family room, settling into the awkward quiet. Leonard and Cesar disappeared into Leonard's office.
Then, minutes later—shouts.
Loud. Intense. Words we couldn't make out but with enough force to make the walls seem thinner. Then, suddenly, Cesar stormed out, brushing past the room like a hurricane, slamming the front door behind him. Not a word. Not a look. Nothing.
When Leonard eventually entered the family room, his face was flushed, and he didn't speak.
"Are you okay?" my mom stood up and asked, voice soft but urgent.
"I'm fine," Leonard replied, brushing her concern off. "Just... Cesar being Cesar."
"What happened?" my mom pressed.
"Irina," Leonard said, But she didn't let up.
"What's wrong?" she asked again, quietly... but firmly.
"Well, where do I begin."
Leonard leaned back and exhaled like he was about to tell a story that tasted bitter in his mouth.
"Cesar threw a big fit because he wanted Casey to go work at Blackwell, and I said no—because she already has a stable job where she doesn't have to kiss his ass...He got mad. Threw words at me. I threw mad words back. He cussed me out and left."
The news was unexpected and heavy. Probably hit my mom the same way, judging by the way her brows creased with confusion.
"But I thought he didn't want Casey to work at Blackwell," she said, almost in disbelief.
"No, not quite," Leonard replied. "He argued that he didn't want her as his PA, not that he didn't want her at the company."
I was stunned.
"I reminded him I told him to give her any position," Leonard continued, "and he flatly refused. And now he's throwing a fit because she's working somewhere else?"
He sighed then, his gaze landing on me with something close to sympathy. But I couldn't let go of what he'd said.
He told me he didn't want me to work there. And considering the treatment I got when I went there—for the first and the second interview—it hadn't exactly filled me with hope about the people who actually worked at Blackwell.
I wasn't exactly excited to leave a workplace that was nice and welcoming, just to go be with those people at Blackwell.
But I didn't voice any of that.
I was also still conflicted about why he even wanted me to work at Blackwell now—after the discussion, the argument, the rejection. After I'd demanded he give me a job and he'd flatly refused. After he'd thrown those sharp remarks at me like daggers to the chest.
Leonard didn't want us dwelling on it.
"It's just Cesar being Cesar," he said again, brushing it off. Then, with an apologetic look, he switched the conversation by picking a movie and putting it on.
I was stuck there, sitting beside him, staring at the screen, but still asking myself one thing.
Why?
The weight of Cesar's outburst still lingered in my mind when I walked into work the next day. I told myself to shake it off, to focus—but no matter how hard I tried, that stormy dinner conversation stuck.
His eyes, his tone, his accusations. It haunted me. But work had a way of grounding me. My morning started normally, like any other. A little quiet, a little routine.
I didn't expect anything unusual. I didn't expect to be called into my boss's office. It was my first time.
I hesitated before knocking, palms slightly sweaty. When I finally stepped in, he was calm—smiling even. The energy in the room didn't scream trouble. He asked me normal questions. How are you doing? Do you like working here? Is HR fulfilling? Were you born in the city?
Small talk. Harmless.
I answered everything politely, and professionally. Told her how much I loved working here, how the people were nice, the experience was exciting and new. Told her yes—I liked working in HR. Everything felt easy.
Until it wasn't.
Until her expression shifted. Just slightly. And her tone softened.
"I hate to be the one to bring this news to you," she said.
My spine straightened. My smile froze. What news?
She continued, her words more careful now. "When we hired you, we actually didn't need someone in HR. But… certain circumstances pushed us to bring someone in."
My stomach dropped. I knew what was coming next.
I could feel the fire building behind her eyes. Not anger—just that inevitable burn of bad news. I sat there, silently bracing myself.
"But," she said gently, "since you've been here, your work has been excellent. You've been good at what you do. You interact well with the team. You've been valuable."
Still, her eyes said it all. It didn't matter.
They had to let me go.
I nodded. "Okay," I said quietly. Because deep down, I already knew. I was out of a job. Again.
I sat in that office, numb, my thoughts swirling. Would I really have to go back and ask Cesar to hire me? Would I have to swallow my pride?
No. I told myself firmly.
I would much rather go back to the cave.
"There's a position," she said, her voice clear, and professional—yet something about it made my heart pound.
"A much bigger company. More developed. Stronger. Huge. It'll look amazing on your CV."
I sat there, still. Frozen. Trying to make sense of what she was saying. My ears were hearing her, but my brain wasn't catching up.
"We forwarded your CV," she added. "There was an opening, and well... they hired you."
She smiled a little, watching me. Waiting. Her fingers nervously tapped the edge of the desk.
I didn't speak.
He looked expectantly at me like he was gauging my reaction. I had none to offer.
A long silence passed.
"So… what do you think?" he finally asked.
"I… I don't understand. I'm sorry, I'm just confused."
He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing his palms together. "We found you a better position. A higher-paying one. More demanding, sure, but perfect for you. We passed along your CV, and they hired you. On the spot."
My mind was spinning. I blinked at him, dumbfounded.
"Since there's no future for you here," he continued, "we wanted to make sure you landed somewhere worthy of your potential. This is a great gesture from us, Casey. You were a good employee. You were perfect. That's why we went this far to help you."
But I didn't feel helped. I felt… cornered.
"So I don't work here anymore," I said softly, still trying to process.
"Not exactly," she insisted. "We're just… promoting you."
"Promoting me?" My voice cracked. "To where?"
She gave me a warm smile as if she was delivering good news.
"The Blackwell Incorporation."
The room tilted slightly. My breath caught.
"At… Blackwell?" I whispered.
"Yes. I know, it's a huge company. And you might feel intimidated. But don't be. You'll fit right in."
She had no idea. No idea what she was saying.
No idea the storm her words had unleashed inside me. No idea how hearing Blackwell made my stomach churn and my thoughts spiral.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to scream, laugh, or cry.
She didn't know what Blackwell meant to me. And she didn't know what Cesar Blackwell was going to do once he saw me again.
After I had sworn never to go back there...Here they were sending me right back.