The Mysterious Nerd

Chapter 2: The Office Gal

Noah Leighton stood outside the modest brick building that housed TechTide Solutions, the small tech company he had recently acquired. The cold morning air bit at his face, but it was nothing compared to the icy resolve in his mind. He wasn't here for the fanfare or the rehearsed pleasantries that came with a planned visit. No, he wanted to see the place in its natural state—before he decided the company's fate.

He tugged his coat collar up and pushed open the front door. The small, dingy reception greeted him, along with the unmistakable smell of stale coffee. A woman at the desk, too engrossed in her phone, barely glanced up. Clearly, they weren't expecting anyone of importance. He didn't care.

As he strode in, Ricky, the boss, looked up from his desk, his face turning a pale shade of white as recognition dawned. Ricky immediately jumped to his feet, clumsily straightening his tie.

"Mr. Leighton," Ricky stammered, half-bowing, "We didn't expect—"

"I'm just here for a quick tour," Noah interrupted, holding up a hand. "No need to make a fuss. I won't bother you much." His tone left no room for further discussion. He didn't want the red carpet rolled out. He wanted reality, not the polished version of this place.

Ricky, clearly flustered, nodded vigorously. "Of course, of course. Please, follow me."

Noah didn't wait for Ricky to lead the way. He stepped forward, his eyes scanning the office floor. People were hunched over in cubicles, some chatting at their desks, others sipping coffee in a small break area. It was what he expected—relaxed, a little too comfortable for his liking, but he'd seen worse. That is until he heard an unexpected voice.

"Hey, you."

Noah paused mid-step. The voice was sharp, direct, and utterly unbothered by his presence. It wasn't directed at him—at least, not at first. He turned to see a girl crouched in front of a computer. Her sweatpants were far from professional attire, and her hair was a wild mess, but she seemed too engrossed in her work to care.

The boss, Ricky, had stiffened beside Noah, his face now an embarrassed shade of red. "Alana," Ricky began, clearing his throat, "I think you should—"

Noah raised a hand, silencing Ricky. He was intrigued now. The girl continued speaking, not even glancing up.

"Can you pick a tie from the drawer and tie my hair, please?" she said, her voice steady as her fingers flew across the keyboard. "My hands are kind of busy right now."

Noah arched a brow, both amused and curious. Before Ricky could say a word, he moved forward, his footsteps quiet as he approached the girl.

"If you do," she added quickly, "I'll do your next assignment for free... a small one."

Noah's lips twitched into a small smile. He opened the drawer as she requested and pulled out a tie. She still hadn't looked up, completely focused on the screen in front of her. He stepped behind her and deftly tied her hair, the faint scent of strawberries reaching him. It was an unexpected, almost ridiculous detail to notice, but for some reason, it stuck.

When he was done, he straightened up. "What's your name?" he asked, still standing behind her.

"Just give me your work," she replied, still engrossed in her computer. "I'm the office gal. You give me your programming aim, I write codes for you, and you pay me 30 percent of the bonus you get on the code completion. Wait... you don't know about this? Are you new or something?"

She finally stopped typing, turning around to face him. Noah's breath caught for just a second. She had the most striking green eyes he had ever seen, bright and piercing, even in this poorly lit office. But before either of them could say anything more, Ricky rushed forward, stepping between them as though trying to shield her from Noah's gaze.

"Alana," Ricky hissed, panic in his voice, "Stop talking. Do you know who this is?"

Alana's brows furrowed as she looked back at Noah, confused. Ricky continued, pointing at him dramatically. "This is Mr. Noah Leighton—the new owner of TechTide Solutions."

There was a moment of stunned silence, and in that instant, the entire office seemed to wake up. People who had been sipping coffee, laughing, or chatting casually suddenly took notice. Whispers spread like wildfire as employees began to gather, drawn to the unfolding drama. Noah could feel their eyes on him, but he remained unfazed.

Alana, on the other hand, blinked a few times, the color draining from her face. She stood abruptly, clearly flustered now that she realized who she had been talking to.

"I—uh, I didn't know..." she began, rubbing her ear awkwardly, a nervous habit she clearly wasn't aware of.

Noah ignored the growing crowd around them, fixing his gaze on Ricky. "Ricky, take Miss Alana to my office," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "I'd like to have a conversation."

Ricky, still visibly shaken, nodded vigorously. "Right away, Mr. Leighton. Alana, come with me."

As the murmurs of the onlookers grew louder, Noah turned and began walking toward the corner office, the one reserved for the company's executives. He didn't need to look back to know that Alana was following. He could already feel her nervous energy from across the room, but what intrigued him more than anything was how she had behaved before she knew who he was.

Most people cowered in front of him, afraid of his reputation. But not her. No, she had treated him like just another person in the office—someone she'd bargain with for a free task and 30 percent of a bonus.

He couldn't help but wonder how this oddball coder would fit into his plans for the company. One thing was certain: she wasn't like anyone he'd met before.

And that made her interesting.