Behind the Spotlight

Chapter 2
Freen POV

As expected, my dumb friends are late. It’s been 14 minutes since I parked my car near the building, and I’m still waiting. They’re always late. Just as I’m about to step out, there’s a knock on my window. Of course, it’s Nam.

“Hey, fuzzy! Open up!” she says with her usual grin. God, I’m not in the mood for her jokes right now. I unlock the car, and all three of them pile in.

“Thanks for showing up on time, guys,” I mock, already annoyed.

“Don’t blame us! It’s your bestie Nam’s fault,” Noey pipes up from the backseat.

“She can’t keep it together in the morning,” Noey adds, earning a loud shout from Nam.

“Noey! It’s called morning sex, not whatever you’re calling it. And for your information, it’s with my sweet boyfriend. Unlike you losers.” Nam looks smug as she flips her hair.

“Especially you, fuzzy. Still a virgin, huh?” she teases, pointing at me like she’s just won the lottery.

“Shut up, Nam,” I snap, starting the car. “At least I’m not sleeping with every guy I meet. I’m happy, okay?”

Nam, completely unfazed, starts taking selfies. Why? Because that’s what she does—constantly uploading stories, documenting every little thing.

Becky POV

Saint told me about the meeting today, but I still don’t understand why I need to be there. I’ve already explained the project to my manager. Why can’t they handle it? Do I really need to meet the team in person? Probably a bunch of old men in their 50s. Ugh, boring.

Sofia, my assistant, drops some files on my desk, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Ms. Becky, here’s the information about the team members. The meeting starts in 30 minutes,” she says before leaving the room.

I glance at the document and see the names:

• Freen Sarocha (AI Specialist)
• Nam Orntara (Data Scientist)
• Noey (Business Analyst)
• Yuki (Web Developer)

Hmm, all women. Well, okay, maybe older women in their 50s then. Curious, I start searching them on Instagram, starting with Freen.

Her account has zero posts. Just a profile picture, and that’s it. What’s with the username though? Imnotyourboss? Kinda funny. Her profile picture shows a young woman. She looks… pretty.

Next, I check Nam’s account. Wow, she’s hot. She posts a lot of stories, and one catches my eye. It’s Freen… driving? She looks so classy and effortlessly cool in the photo.

Before I can stalk them further, Sofia knocks again. “Ma’am, they’re here.”

I take a quick look in the mirror and head to the meeting room.

When I walk in, they all stand up, which is nice, I guess. And then I see her. Freen. She’s looking straight at me with those sharp brown eyes. Her wavy hair falls perfectly over her biker jacket, paired with black jeans and boots. She’s… different. I’ve met so many people in my career, but no one has ever made me feel like this—completely stunned.

Saint clears his throat, breaking the silence. “Uh, Becky, this is the team: Freen, Nam, Noey, and Yuki. Guys, this is Becky.”

“Oh my god, you’re even more beautiful in real life!” Nam blurts out. Of course, she’d say that.

“I’m a big fan!” Noey chimes in, clearly excited.

“Thank you for having us. It’s a pleasure to work with you,” Yuki says politely. She seems chill.

But the one person I want to hear from is quiet. I move closer to Freen. “And you must be Freen,” I say, holding out my hand. She looks at it for a moment before shaking it.

“That’s right, ma’am Rebecca. I’m Freen,” she replies, her voice low and confident. My heart skips a beat.

And then she does it. She smirks. Not just any smirk—a cocky, make-you-weak-in-the-knees smirk. She leans in slightly, and I swear my brain short-circuits.

“We should start the meeting, ma’am,” she almost whispers, and I feel like I’m melting.

“Oh, drop the formalities. Just call me Becky,” I manage to say, trying to keep it together.

“Okay, Becky,” she says, and then stumbles over her words. “Let’s, uh, start this boring meeting and get it over with. And… if you like us afterwards, maybe we can go for lunch? I mean… all of us.”

She’s nervous. That’s… really cute.

We finally sit down for the meeting, and I can’t stop glancing at her. Every time I do, I catch her looking at me, only for her to quickly look away. It’s adorable. But I focus on staying professional because this project is important.

When it’s Freen’s turn to speak, I feel like I’ve been holding my breath, waiting.

“That’s all from us,” she says, looking directly at me. “If you’re on board, we’ll start working immediately.”

Her confidence is undeniable. Everyone agrees to proceed, and we set up an office in our building for their team. That’s how we’ll be working closely together—very closely.

And honestly? I can’t wait.