Encoding Love

ZORAH, WITH HER SHY, GENTLE DEMEANOR and sweet charm, did not possess the qualities or attributes one needed to strike fear into others. This was common knowledge.

She was the nice and humble girl her father raised in Greenwich who loved finding gadgets and building model robots in the home garage. Zorah dressed modestly, she was polite, and she cared for others. She was the type of person who warmed people’s hearts and yet the icy chill that surrounded the room couldn’t be thawed.

Nathan Klein had an opposite effect. He unhinged all those who had the unfortunate pleasure of being in his presence. There was something so alarming hidden in the depths of his stormy gray eyes that caused others to panic under their gaze. It was terrifying. He didn’t have to utter a single word and everyone would be completely unsettled by him.

Zorah wished she had some of his mannerisms if only to hold everyone’s attention. Nathan was distinguished and had a presence that commanded the recognition of others. He was captivating. The man had a way of silencing a crowded room when he entered.

She could never do such a thing. Everyone always overlooked Zorah. No one gave her a second glance. She was smart and she was endearing, but Zorah Rhodes was forgettable.

Even as she stood before the movers and the shakers of Klein Technologies, she felt unremarkable. This was her presentation with her research and her design. The people who occupied the conference room were there to see her software and yet Zorah felt like she couldn’t deliver.

Her voice was weak and it wavered and shook. She could barely hold her composure.

It was then, when everyone was fighting to keep their eyes open, that Mr. Klein stood from his seat at the head of the table. He wasn’t supposed to be there. Wilson had assured her that he didn’t attend these meetings, but he had entered donning another finely tailored suit and had completely thrown everyone off guard.

Zorah was not nearly done, but everyone turned their gaze towards him. It was amazing how he instantly captured everyone’s attention. She figured that it came with the power of being a leading figure in the industry.

Her frayed nerves only worsen at that point. She was sure that this was the moment where he would renege on their partnership and realize he made a mistake by choosing her. The contract had yet to be fully reviewed and signed. There was nothing holding him back from ending this now. Her face redden at the thought.

“Ms. Rhodes, I’m going to have to stop you.” He spoke to her in an even tone.

She knew that Nathan was not the type to raise his voice. He didn’t need to. He could get his point across with the manner in which he spoke, verbally tearing through his subordinates. The deep sound of his voice cut like a knife and sent unpleasant chills down one’s spine.

“You are wasting our time.” That hurt. Zorah visibly flinched from his brutal honesty. “I want you to further discuss KT’s current software system and how your design is an improvement.”

Zorah stilled. She had been avoiding talking about the current software in way to avoid a mishap like their first meeting. She didn’t want to take a chance of insulting Mr. Klein and all of people who were involved in his creations.

She hesitated, but only for a few seconds. “The first version of Klein Tech operating system was released in the early 2000s and was designed to run on KT computers. The first of its kind to--”

“I’m not looking for a history lesson, Ms. Rhodes.” He interrupted as he nonchalantly began to move around the room. One hand tucked into his pants as he took a leisure stroll towards the windows. “Tell us why your design is needed.”

He was pushing her, she realized. It was like he was purposely trying to goad her into giving her opinion. Zorah wasn’t necessarily fond of his current software, but she would never say it out loud and in front of his subordinates.

“There’s been eleven versions in total since initial release. The last four versions were systems that were supported by an newer processor.”

Nathan gazed down at the Manhattan streets. He always seemed more interested with what was happening outside than what was happening inside.

“Kohl,” Nathan called to a middle-aged man with brown skin and dark cropped hair. “Did you know this already?” He asked the man arrogantly.

The man, Kohl, looked perceivably tense under Nathan’s intense gaze as he answered obediently. “Yes, sir.”

“What about you, Cynthia?”

He called to a woman whose hair was as black as ink and whose eyes were tired but resembled pure blue gems. “Yes sir, I’m fully aware of this information.”

Nathan turned to her then. “You need to give us more, Ms. Rhodes.” He pressed.

Zorah, feeling like he was having a go at her, retorted back haughtily. “My point, Mr. Klein, is that this company has done very little with its software in the past decade and is banking its success on updates.”

That statement rose a few eyebrows. There were even a few mouths gaping open, stunned that she had the audacity to speak in such a manner. They looked to Nathan as if he would snap or at least appear furious, but his expression was neutral.

“Each version follows the same principle and aesthetic as the version before.” She went on, feeling opinionated. “The only thing new about these designs are their icons and color schemes. You need more than new personalization settings. KT has been getting away with using the same tired software and then adding a few new features as if its groundbreaking work.”

Nathan started to walk toward her then. The entire room’s gaze would pinball between him and Zorah. They all waited on baited breath for the worst to happen. “What do you suggest we do then?”

She started to click through slides of her presentation on a projector with a hand-held remote. The one she stopped on, listed all of the new additions her design would bring.

“Forget about small enhancements here and there and under-the-hood improvements. That is a basic approach to new software. Your competitor’s are talking the holes and faults in your software and using it against you by creating better versions. It’s time for KT to leave their competitors in the dust and completely rework the system. By do something entirely new that can really shake up the industry.”

During her small tirade, Zorah had not realized Nathan was standing just beside her in the front of the room. She had been trying to explain her thoughts to everyone and was unaware of the man’s movements. He wasn’t close enough to touch but he was near enough that the cologne he wore clouded her senses. It was light, crisp and smelled like cinnamon. It was a delightful smell.

“You believe your design,” he pointed to projector. “Can accomplish all this?”

Zorah grinned. “I guarantee it.” It didn’t take much after that to get her in the troughs of her concept. She explained everything in great depth and clarity, but also maintained the interest of everyone around.

It wasn’t until after she was finished that she realized Mr. Klein had only tried to get her more excited to deliver her presentation. It worked. She did outstanding and the entire room stood and cheered for her afterwards.

Of course, Nathan wasn’t a part of the small crowd, having slipped out without her notice. Zorah wished she could’ve seen his face. She wanted to know if he was pleased with what she did, but like everything else involving the man, she would always be left guessing.

It pleased her to know that the members of her team were satisfied and looking forward to working with her. Their many faces had been marred with doubt and uncertainty, but as they came up and introduce themselves to Zorah, they were more than eager to get started.

One woman, with bouncy auburn curls and a honey brown complexion, was the most honest out of the group. “You are my new hero,” she confessed openly. “You are the only person I know in this building who has stood toe to toe with the great Nathan Klein and went on to keep their job.”

Zorah smiled uneasily. Did Nathan take their discussion as her challenging him? She hoped not and hoped she was keeping her job, but every day it felt like she was on the verge of being fired. Of course, it was her own negative thoughts making her believe it was true.

“My name is Teresa Arnold. I’ll be your software analyst during this project, Ms. Rhodes.”

There was something about Teresa that she liked. She was a woman with a genuine smile and Zorah knew that was going to be hard to come by in this business. In the interested of making allies while at Klein Technologies, her first pick was Teresa.

“It’s nice to meet you. Please call me, Zorah. I look forward to working with you.”

“I as well. If you can take on the likes of Mr. Klein than I’m sure there’s no telling what you can do.”

Zorah liked the sound of that. She returned to her office on high note. There was only one pressing matter to attend to and that was the contract. She could do nothing else at KT until it was signed, sealed and delivered to Nathan’s attorney.

Regardless, she did some prep work just so she didn’t seem useless and fall behind on deadline. She was just finishing up when she received an email. She opened the email eagerly, hoping maybe it was from Eric. One look at the sender’s address and her stomach dropped from sudden anxiousness.

From: Nathan Klein, CEO [NathanK@kleintech.com]
Subject: Introductory meeting
To: Zorah Rhodes

Ms. Rhodes,

Let this email serve as a congratulations on a job well done at today’s introductory meeting. I have attached a document with my notes and comments in which you might find useful.

Please be aware that in order to continue forward, the contract needs to be signed and sealed. We do not want to waste too much time on negotiations. If there is anything I can assist you with regarding the contract and it’s terms, do not hesitate to contact me.

Nathan Klein, Chief Executive Officer
Klein Technologies, Inc.

Zorah released a sigh once she finished reading the email. She was in the habit of assuming the worst case scenario. It was the first time she ever received a direct email from Nathan himself. Wilson was her usual point of contact from emails to phone calls. Wilson delegated everything on his behalf.

She nibbled on her thumb nail, contemplating if she should respond or not. It didn’t miss her how Nathan had paid her a compliment. Congratulations on a job well done. It was short, but she still felt a sense of gratification from the words.

In the end, she figured it would be rude to not say anything so she typed a quick reply, read over it several times before hitting send.

From: Zorah Rhodes [Zorah.Rhodes@lollandsw.net]
Subject: Re: Introductory meeting
To: Nathan Klein

Dear Mr. Klein,

Thank you for attending this morning’s meeting. I think it was great preview to what’s in store. Also, I appreciate the notes and will consider your suggestions.

As for the contract, my attorney and myself, as well as Miora Holland will be reviewing the terms and their entirety over the weekend. We will have an agreement come Monday. Have a nice weekend.

Sincerely,

Zorah Rhodes
Lead Systems Architect
Lolland Software

She didn’t expect a response. She gathered her belongings, preparing to catch a taxi home. As she was about to shut down her desktop, another email was in her inbox.

From: Nathan Klein, CEO [NathanK@kleintech.com]
Subject: Introductory meeting
To: Zorah Rhodes

I expect you in my office Monday morning.

Nathan Klein, Chief Executive Officer
Klein Technologies, Inc.