Melody drew in a deep breath, her heart pounding softly as she approached the bank building rising majestically before her.
The sleek glass façade glinted under the morning sun.
She reassured herself silently, "Everything will go well," before turning off the car engine with a satisfying click.
Stepping out, she caught her reflection in the window.
Her gaze shifted to the rear window, newly repaired after the incident where would-be thieves had attempted to smash their way into her vehicle.
She had watched her car being towed to the repair shop, a sinking feeling in her stomach as she realized how much money she spent on getting it fixed.
However, a glimmer of relief washed over her when she learned that at least some of the men had been locked. It had given her some sort of satisfaction.
As she walked toward the bank entrance, her thoughts wandered to Maverick.
She thought about how he was doing. This morning, he had been in bad shape, and she genuinely wanted to help him, but he had dismissed her without a second thought.
It felt as if he didn't want anything from her, and she was curious— she wanted to figure out the cause of this sudden change in his demeanor.
He was different.
After discovering they had once been best friends, separated by her aunt's decision to move for better opportunities, she noticed a spark in his eyes. She missed him too. He had always been a good friend, providing support and comfort when she needed it.
She recalled his silly jokes, especially the one about "marrying her", which made her scoff internally.
Now that they were reunited, she was ready to catch up on everything. But she had the gut feeling that he had no intention of giving her that opportunity.
His energy had shifted, especially since Ethan entered the picture, and she couldn't pinpoint the reason.
With a sigh of concern, she wanted to ask how he was holding up but realized she didn't even have his number.
That would be her first task when she got home; hopefully she wouldn't forget to get his number.
Melody pushed her thoughts aside as she walked into the bank and headed towards the elevator. After pressing the button and ascending, she stepped out and made her way towards the manager's office. To her surprise, she was greeted with a shower of confetti that fell onto her hair, momentarily bringing a smile to her face.
Champagne popped and cake appeared to celebrate her achievement. Spotting her manager, she recognized him as the mastermind behind this celebration.
"Here's to our teller supervisor!" he declared, handing her a cup, and then filling it with the sparkling gold wine.
She clinked glasses with him first and then everyone before sharing a heartfelt "Thank you, everyone, I'm genuinely grateful for every one of you."
From the lobby, she had been promoted to being the teller supervisor, and words couldn't capture her excitement.
She looked forward to leading her new team, even knowing it would come with its challenges—a new phase in her life, she was ready to face it.
"Your things have been moved already, just head there and relax, you know, do you," her manager suggested with a smile.
And Melody smiled at him in return. He had been the best manager yet, and she was grateful to him. He didn't make her life or anyone's life while being here miserable and still he didn't tolerate nonsense.
"Uhmm... Okay," Melody replied, processing the whirlwind of emotions.
One of her colleagues approached her. "I've heard that the team you're leading isn't exactly welcoming; it sounds like you're in for a challenge."
Her manager shot the colleague a glare, causing her to purse her lip and then heady away quickly.
But Melody smiled in response. "Melody is always ready, right?" he said, turning to her.
She nodded confidently. "There's nothing I can't face," she reminded herself.
"Thank you all," she said again as she excused herself and headed to her new office on the floor above. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button.
As she walked into her new office, her gaze settled on a group of four women and two men. They were deep in discussion, but the moment they saw her, they went silent.
"This doesn't look promising," Melody thought.
They didn't seem welcoming at all.
They didn't give her a second glance, their lips twisting in disapproval and frown on their faces as they dispersed to their desks, acting as if she were invisible, she cleared her throat to break the tension.
As the new team leader and supervisor, she needed to establish her authority. "Can we set up a meeting in five minutes?" she asked firmly, yet invitingly.
Silence hung in the air, increasing the awkwardness. Just as she was about to speak again, one voice broke through.
"Alright, meeting in five," someone said.
Melody shot a glance back at the group. Unlike the others, one person still wore a smile.
Melody smiled in return and nodded at her briefly, She turned and confidently strode toward her cabin. As she walked away, the whispers behind her began to surface.
"What was that about, Angie?" one girl asked, her tone laced with disbelief.
"What? That's our leader. Am I supposed to ignore her?" Angie shot back.
"Setting up a meeting in five minutes? Who does she think she is?" another chimed in, mockingly mimicking Melody's tone.
"Cut her some slack. She's just started" Angie replied.
"Yeah, sure. I still believe Marcus would have done a better job," the girl scoffed. Angie sighed in frustration but then didn't push it as she didn't want to fight with her colleague.
So that's the issue, Melody thought as she entered her office, surveying the space assigned to her.
One of them had expected to assume the role she now occupied, and her promotion had ignited their resentment. Even without extensive experience, she understood the dynamics at play; she could read the room. This would undoubtedly be a challenge.