Serial Stories.
Get Hooked.
One Installment At A Time.

    “Arden? That's an interesting name.” The comment came from a guy sitting across from me.

         I knew by the sarcasm in his tone, he did not think my name was interesting. It wasn't the first time someone had made passive-aggressive remarks about my name. Usually, I ignored the comments and pretended to take them as a compliment. Because I never wanted to come across as angry or sensitive. Someone unable to take a  “joke”.  But I was not in the mood today.

       Pulling my attention away from my laptop, I glared at him. The first thing I noticed were his unusual blue-gray eyes. The second was the smirk on his face. 

       “It’s a family name given to me by my grandmother. Probably something difficult for a person with a name–” I glanced at the tent card in front of him. “as basic as Shawn to understand.” I smiled sweetly.

          A few people around the table muffled their laughter. I returned my attention back to my screen, but still felt him watching me. The corporate trainer entered the room and called the class to order. Everyone turned towards her. Everyone except Shawn, whose eyes remained on me along with that stupid smirk. I ignored him and faced the front.

          That was the first time I met Shawn Arthur.

         Fast forward two years later, I had completed my training and probationary period at Millburn Investments, and was now one of the top assistant wealth managers in my department. And Shawn Arthur still annoyed the hell out of me. He was arrogant, aggressive, and inconsiderate. Three things I–being a woman–could never be if I wanted to succeed. I had to be humble, kind, and selfless. It pissed me off because not only did he get away with his behavior, but he’d been promoted to a relationship manager for some of our top clients. 

        Most people, especially some of the women at the firm, thought he was charming and polite. They were obviously horrible judges of character. He probably had them mesmerized by his good looks. Yeah, on top of everything else, he had the nerve to be good looking. Tall, beautiful caramel-toned skin, those piercing eyes, chiseled cheekbones, and a smile a dentist had either perfected or would be jealous of. The man was genetically and professionally blessed. And I hated him for it. 

          Meanwhile, I had to work twice as hard being the only Black woman in my department. I’ve always had to work harder, be smarter, and not get half of what I deserved. Now it was finally paying off. This was the first job where I was able to earn the respect of my colleagues and be taken seriously. 

       “Hey, A.K., you look deep in thought.” Came a deep baritone voice that under any other circumstances might sound seductive and sensual, however to me, it sounded like nails on a chalkboard. I’d conjured the devil. 

         “Shawn, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?” I exhaled harshly. He'd started using my initials, A.K. (Arden Kennedy) to refer to me around the office. It was unprofessional, not to mention it sounded extremely ghetto.

            “My apologies, Arden,” he grinned. 

      “What are you doing in my department?” I looked away from him and focused on my spreadsheet. His gaze unnerved me. It made my stomach flutter, which was ridiculous since I couldn’t stand him.

             “Your department, huh?” He raised an eyebrow.

              I rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean.” 

             “I’m here for a meeting. Big announcement,” he replied, walking away from my desk.