The Heart Thief

the heart thief - |20|

Millie

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           I walked into the office, the usual hum of conversation filling the air. Something was different today. Excitement rippled through the room, and I couldn't help but wonder what had caused the sudden shift in the office. Whispers swirled through the air, mingling with the clattering of keyboards and the occasional burst of laughter.

           I headed to my desk, passing clusters of colleagues engaged in animated discussions. Their voices grew louder, their gestures more animated, as I approached. I caught snippets of conversation, words like "Director," "promotion," and "opportunity" floating through the air like elusive whispers.

           Finally reaching my desk, I slide into my chair, looking up when someone knocked on my desk. It was Stephen. A pen sat between his teeth as he held a mug in his grasp. We were not really that close, and I tried to stay away because he was a gossip. He talked a lot, from important to unimportant things. He was the reason I muted the group chat.

           "Hey, Millie, did you hear?" he asked, chewing on the pen. I shook my head and he grinned. "Check your email." He pulled the pen from his teeth and winked at me, making a beeline for his own desk.

           Confused and curious, I turned on my computer and noticed my inbox blinking with a new email. I clicked on it, anticipating something juicy. The subject line read, "Director of Project Development Position - Now Open to All Employees."

           My eyes widened a little at the news. That position was open for everyone to give it a try? It was a big promotion that I assumed everyone wouldn't want to pass on. No wonder the air in the office was different today. I continued reading the email. The previous director, ill and taking an early retirement? Poor Saul. This was probably sad for him, but someone else's happiness.

          The room buzzed with anticipation as I scanned the email, my eyes skimming over more of the details. It outlined the open competition, the chance for any employee to step up and claim the coveted position.

          I leaned back in my chair, observing the scene before me. Co-workers huddled together in tight-knit groups, their voices escalating in volume and urgency. Conversations filled the air, snippets of excitement and nervous anticipation mingling together. I watched as hands gestured wildly in the air, emphasizing points, and punctuating dreams of advancement. Some wore expressions of determined resolve, fueled by a desire to seize this golden opportunity.

           Others displayed a hint of apprehension, their glances betraying the knowledge that the odds were stacked against them. Even those who had been disengaged, the silent observers in the background, now found their voices and their stakes in the race for the Director's chair. Each desk offered a glimpse into the dreams and desires of my colleagues, as if the buzzing air had taken physical form in their post-it notes, vision boards, and motivational quotes.

           I shook my head. I could be the only person not interested in the position. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't against promotion, but I didn't think the job suited me. Gavin, on the other hand, I knew would chase for it, so it would be funny to see how it would play out. Watching him fight for something with the people he found inferior and actually losing to them would make me have a long life.

           The discussions were abruptly interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. Heads turned as Kyle burst into the midst of the conversations, breathless and wide-eyed.

           "Guys, you won't believe it!" he exclaimed, voice trembling with excitement and trepidation. "Mr. Harley just arrived, and he's with a new employee."