Chapter 4 — Rules

"Let's begin."

Amelia Hayes stood at the front of the conference room, a presentation appearing on the large screen behind her.

"Volkov Industries has offices in twelve countries and employs over twenty thousand people worldwide."

A quiet murmur spread across the room.

Iris blinked.

Twenty thousand?

She quickly wrote it down in her notebook.

Twenty thousand employees.

Then underneath it...

Don't get lost.

She stared at her own note for a second before letting out the tiniest smile.

...

The orientation continued for nearly an hour.

Company values.

Workplace ethics.

Security policies.

Emergency exits.

Dress code.

Email etiquette.

Most of it made sense.

Some of it flew straight over Iris's head.

"Employees are expected to arrive at least ten minutes before their scheduled shift."

She wrote it down.

"Confidential information must never leave company property."

She wrote that down too.

"Any questions?"

A young man near the front raised his hand.

"What happens if we're late?"

Amelia answered calmly.

"It depends on the situation, but repeated lateness is taken seriously."

Several people nodded.

Iris silently underlined Don't be late.

Three times.

...

Around ten-thirty, the group was taken on a tour of the building.

The offices seemed endless.

Rows of modern desks.

Meeting rooms with walls made entirely of glass.

Creative spaces filled with sketches and digital displays.

Private lounges.

A library.

A gym.

Even a quiet wellness room for employees who needed a break.

"This place is... enormous," Iris whispered to herself.

Chloe, walking beside her, laughed.

"I know. I got lost twice just trying to find the restroom."

Iris looked relieved.

"...Really?"

"Really."

"That's comforting."

They shared a small laugh.

It was the first conversation Iris had had with someone her own age in a very long time.

It felt...

Nice.

...

As they rounded another hallway, Amelia stopped.

"Please lower your voices."

The group immediately fell silent.

"This floor houses the executive offices."

Everyone instinctively looked around.

The hallway looked different from the rest of the building.

The lighting was softer.

The artwork on the walls looked expensive.

Large windows overlooked the city skyline.

Even the air felt quieter.

"The boardroom is on your right."

"The executive meeting rooms are straight ahead."

"And at the very end..."

Amelia glanced toward a pair of tall black doors.

"...is the CEO's office."

Nearly every new employee looked in that direction.

The doors remained closed.

No nameplate.

No decorations.

Just dark wood and complete silence.

For some reason...

They looked intimidating.

One of the new hires whispered,

"Has anyone actually met him?"

"I heard he fired someone during their first week."

"No, I heard he made an executive cry."

"My cousin said he remembers everyone's mistakes."

The whispers continued.

Iris listened quietly.

Then tilted her head.

"...If everyone is scared of him..."

She spoke without thinking.

"...Who asks him if he's eaten lunch?"

The hallway went silent.

Several people turned to stare at her.

Even Chloe blinked.

"What?"

Iris looked around, confused.

"...Did I say something strange?"

A few people awkwardly looked away.

One man coughed to hide a laugh.

Chloe covered her mouth, trying not to smile.

Amelia simply shook her head with an amused expression.

"Let's continue."

Iris frowned slightly.

"...I did say something strange."

She wrote another note in her notebook.

Think before speaking.

...

At exactly noon, orientation ended.

"You'll now meet your department supervisors."

One by one, employees were called.

"Finance."

"Legal."

"Marketing."

"Software Development."

"Graphic Design."

Iris immediately stood.

Along with four others, she followed a woman wearing a soft green blazer.

"Welcome."

"I'm Emma Richardson."

"I'll be supervising the design department."

Unlike the formal HR staff, Emma smiled easily.

"You'll like it here."

"I promise."

The design floor felt completely different from the executive level.

Music played quietly in the background.

Color palettes covered the walls.

Design concepts were pinned to large boards.

Several employees sat sketching while others worked on enormous monitors.

One man waved enthusiastically.

"New recruits?"

Emma nodded.

"Behave."

"No promises," he grinned.

The room filled with laughter.

Iris couldn't help smiling.

It felt...

Warm.

Human.

Safe.

Emma introduced everyone before stopping beside an empty workstation near the window.

"Iris."

"This desk is yours."

Her eyes widened.

"My... desk?"

Emma laughed.

"Unless you'd prefer the ceiling."

Iris quickly shook her head.

"No!"

"I mean..."

"The desk is wonderful."

"Thank you."

She carefully placed her backpack beside the chair.

Running her fingertips over the smooth wooden surface.

It was hers.

Her own workspace.

Her own computer.

A small drawer.

A tiny potted succulent someone had forgotten to remove.

She smiled at the little plant.

"...We'll get along."

Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Talking to the plant already?"

Iris froze.

"...I..."

The room burst into gentle laughter.

Her cheeks immediately turned pink.

"I talk when I'm nervous."

Emma's smile softened.

"Good."

"It means the office won't be too quiet."

The others returned to work, and Iris slowly sat down.

For the first time all day...

The tightness in her chest eased.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

She could belong here after all.

She opened the top drawer of her desk to organize her notebook and pens.

Then paused.

There was a neatly wrapped chocolate bar inside with a small sticky note.

Welcome to the team. — Emma

Iris stared at it for several seconds.

It was such a tiny gesture.

But after years of keeping the world at a distance...

Kindness felt almost unfamiliar.

Her eyes grew warm.

She carefully folded the sticky note and placed it inside her notebook instead of throwing it away.

Outside the design department, several floors above...

Alexander Volkov finished his meeting with overseas investors.

As he walked back toward his office, Ethan handed him another folder.

"One last thing, sir."

"The design department's new employees started today."

Alexander accepted the folder without much interest.

He didn't know their names.

He had no reason to.

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