New Rules, Old Mia
Mia Novak never tried to be liked. She didn’t walk through doors like a shadow, but like a storm, not to draw attention, but because she never bothered to hide it.
That morning, she walked into the Coreline Systems building three minutes later than scheduled. A seemingly insignificant delay, if she hadn’t just spent ten minutes convincing the security guard that the company’s parking space policy was “discriminatory, nonsensical, and designed for spineless yes-men.”
“So, you’re new?” the guard asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No. Just loud,” she replied, earning the quiet approval of everyone within earshot.
In fact, Mia had come for a job interview for a commercial sales role. A job that, according to many, required: field visits, a smile on your face, diplomacy, flexibility, and the kind of smoothness Mia simply didn’t possess. But she had something else, instinct, sharpness, and the ability to walk into an office unprepared and walk out with a signed contract.
When she knocked on the HR office door, she found a young man leaning back in his chair, flipping through reports with a coffee cup in hand. He wore a work uniform, a blue shirt with a discreet company logo and dark trousers. At first glance, just an ordinary employee, maybe even from the IT department.
But the smile he gave her… was anything but ordinary.
“You’re three minutes late. That’s almost five,” he said with a grin.
“And you watch the clock too much for someone in a uniform. Analyst?” she asked directly, with a slight smirk.
“Depends who’s asking.”
“The one who’s here to fix your sales.”
“Then let’s say… I’m intrigued.”
Josh Stone was rarely caught off guard. He was a numbers genius, a man with a mission, a vision, and a secret: he was the founder and owner of Coreline Systems, one of the fastest-growing startups on the market.
Still, he had decided to start from the inside, to meet the people, see how they operated, how they breathed, and who was worth his attention. And Mia… instantly made it onto his list of “those to watch more closely."
The following week, Mia became part of the team, as a sales representative.
She spent most of her days outside the office, visiting clients, analyzing the market, breaking stereotypes, and signing contracts without playing any “corporate games.” Her directness was both a breath of fresh air, and a problem.
Her reports arrived on time. Client feedback was brutally honest. Sales rose by 14% in the first two months. And yet, the company’s management saw her as “difficult.”
Only Josh saw a system in her, one that operated outside the rules, but flawlessly.
“You know you’re changing the world while annoying it?” he said to her once when they ran into each other at the office.
“I’m not changing the world. I’m just reminding it not to fall apart under the excuse that ‘it’s always been this way,’” she replied, with that look that intrigued him more than he cared to admit.
Three months later, Mia was promoted to Sales Manager, on Josh’s personal recommendation. Although no one knew who he really was, his influence among the executives was undeniable.
And with the new position, Mia didn’t change, neither her behavior, her vocabulary, nor her style. Always in bold jackets, a leather bag slung over her shoulder, and headphones in her ears, she resisted the typical corporate mold.
Josh watched her from the shadows. Every woman in the company was in love with him, because they thought he was ordinary, approachable, funny. Only Mia seemed immune. Or she pretended well.
The two of them played a game of words, glances, and mutual provocation. He tried to analyze her. She tried to throw him off balance. And both of them succeeded - partially.
