The morning sun had barely reached the sky, but the smell of chicken, potatoes, and eggs had filled the air at Azure Palms Resort. Workers are moving like mice being chased by cats. Knives are being used on chopping boards with no breaks. ACs on 16, but the heat from the stoves and the thought of that which has been going round for the past month now kept each worker on his toes as little drops of water travelled down their faces in a curvy line.
Azure Palms Resort was in a beautiful chaos. Everyone did their very best today not to make any mistakes. "Room 10 requested a tortilla, and we're 10minutes late!" Zara shouted. "Ma'am, table 9 wants more chilli pepper". "Tell them to use what they have", Zara replied with a smile as if she had achieved something. But it vanished as soon as it came. The workers around her giggled but dared not make a sound. A junior chef mistakenly dropped the knife in her hand. "Can you all not make any silly mistakes today?" Zara, already frustrated by the day's work, let out. She turned to leave the kitchen but immediately clashed with her assistant. "Eva, why the rush? Who's chasing you?" Eva, with both hands on her waist, panting up and down, "Zara, he's in!"
"Who is in?" She asked, unsure of the "he".
"The manager sent from the headquarters. He just arrived. He came in an SUV with 2 bodyguards". The assistant said rapidly.
Zara, with a puzzled look, said, "he is not supposed to be here until noon. Why is he here early? It's still the early hours of the day".
"Well, he's here already, and he looks serious".
"Serious men don't scare me. They usually crumble after two weeks," she whispered, thinking it was to her hearing, but the cooks and chefs giggled.
Eva, looking at her with one eye closed, "Miss Zara, you aren't worried?
"Why should I? He won't be here for the said 3 months."
"Okay, ma'am, playfully bowing slightly. Eva said and was prepared to leave.
Just then, the door to the kitchen opened wide. A tall gentleman, in an expensive suit, sharp enough to cut onions into equal halves, brown eyes, a full, well-arranged set of dentition, as he smiled, Handsome and smelling like he had fallen into vanilla, entered.
Everyone stared in awe. They expected an older man in his late 40s to appear, but before them was a fine gentleman in his early 30s. Zara was the first to recover as Eva cleared her throat.
"Is this the kitchen?" He asked with his eyebrows pulling down. The question made every worker stare with no word coming out. Zara straightened her back and, with a stern look, stepped forward. "Yes, this is the kitchen. And the people here work tirelessly to keep the resort running".
"Except its efficiency", he replied sharply.
"Excuse me, sir?"
"You heard me well."
The statement hung in the air. "You must be the new acting manager", she asked.
"I am Leo Grant, the new manager of Azure Palms Resort. And you are… glancing at the name pinned to her chest… Ms Zara Ackon, the operations supervisor…"
"Call me Zara, we don't do formalities here. You'll get used to it as time goes by. Let me show you around."
She walked him through every corner of the resort as every staff member got back to their work. She explained in full detail how the resort operates. How food is managed efficiently. How are they able to navigate between private orders and the buffet? He noticed every single happening in the resort. Even those things Zara didn't explain. How staff moved briskly, how customers were happily facing the faint music in the pool, the service, decor…
Zara noticed he didn't pen anything down. Just nodding his way through the walk. And asking important questions that an acting manager shouldn't ask. He asked the questions like her boss.
They stopped at the lobby.
"You run a tight schedule here. It's impressive." He finally let out. "But it needs improvement."
"Improvement on what exactly, sir? You haven't stayed for even an hour, but you're talking of improvements." She said as she shrugged her shoulders.
He looked into her eyes for a while as if wanting to pierce through her soul. She also maintained eye contact, not blinking an eye for a second. Time seemed to have stopped for them. A junior chef called for Zara's attention to distract them, and she quickly left.
Later that day, he laid down rules and regulations. "Effective immediately, daily reports must be submitted to me. It must cover all angles. No exceptions and negligence will not be tolerated. I need accountability."
Zara, shaking her legs and rubbing her hands on each other, finally asked, "You presume we're not accountable enough?"
"A little improvement wouldn't hurt". He smiled but didn't touch his eyes.
"We've been running fine without extra supervision", she replied sharply.
"Then my job should be easier".
The tension between them grew so fast in less than a day. Leo called for the close of the meeting.
"You two are going to kill each other here", Eva said and quickly ran off.
Whispering to herself, "or maybe we'll frustrate each other till death do us part".
She just didn't understand why the Thorne Empire would suddenly send in an acting manager. "Ah, well, he won't last for 2 weeks. He will run away before anyone notices," she laughed to herself.
Leo stared at her with his eyes raised. He shook his head and left the hall on a phone call. Zara traces his steps with her eyes and moves slowly behind him in order not to get caught. Leo's expression when he received the call didn't sit well with her. She followed him till she reached where he was. She hid behind the door and leaned on it to eavesdrop.
"Yes, I arrived early in the morning. Yes, I've started. She's smarter than you said"
Her eyes lifted in excitement, but vanished. Who exactly is he reporting to?
