Chapter 1: "Welcome to the Team "
NOIDA Sector 62 – 9:10 AM
The corporate tower stood tall, its mirror-glass façade catching the dusty morning sunlight as traffic honked in the background. Rohan paused at the entrance, adjusting the cuff of his neatly pressed shirt, nerves tingling in his fingertips. His ID card hung freshly printed around his neck, and his leather office bag still had the smell of newness.
He had imagined this day countless times — his first job, first team, the first real step into adulthood.
The NovaTech Solutions tower loomed above like a promise — and a test.
Inside, the security guard checked his joining email and directed him to the 9th floor: Product Strategy Division — Team Phoenix.
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9:35 AM – Floor 9, NovaTech Solutions, Noida
The 9th floor was quieter than he expected — no chaos, no ringing phones — just a cool, focused energy.
Open cubicles with low partitions, whiteboards scribbled with acronyms and arrows, giant screens glowing with dashboards and Jira tickets.
As Rohan stepped out of the lift, he was greeted by a woman with sharp eyes and a friendly smile.
“You must be Rohan? I’m Priya — associate analyst, six months old here. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Rohan smiled politely. “Thanks. I’m honestly a little nervous.”
“Good. That means you’ll work harder,” she winked. “But you’ll be fine... once you get used to Sarika.”
Rohan had read her name in the org chart. Sarika —Project Manager, leading Team Phoenix. The team’s backbone. Feared. Respected. Mysterious.
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9:40 AM – Sarika’s Cabin
Priya led him past several cubicles and a glass-walled meeting room into a quieter zone near the far end — the client area. Seated inside a glass cabin, Sarika looked like she belonged in a movie — dressed in a crisp beige formal kurta with cigarette pants, silver studs in her ears, her hair tied neatly back. Her skin had a natural glow, and there was an effortless grace in her posture as she typed something with sharp, quick fingers.
She looked up just as they reached the door.
“Rohan Sharma?” she asked, voice firm.
He stepped in, nodding. “Good morning, ma’am.”
There was a pause. Her gaze lingered on him — not unkind, but piercing. Assessing.
“Don’t call me ma’am,” she said without smiling. “I’m Sarika. We don’t do hierarchy here.”
“Sorry... Sarika.”
“Sit.”
Rohan took the seat across from her, trying not to look too obviously flustered.
Sarika didn’t soften. She leaned back, folding her arms.
“We have three developers, two analysts, one UI designer, and now you. I work closely with the client, but I manage the delivery end-to-end. I don’t do handholding. If you don’t know something, ask. If you still can’t do it, learn. But don’t waste time pretending.”
“Understood,” Rohan said softly.
She studied him for another second. “You look... soft-spoken.”
Rohan blinked. “Uh… yes, I guess.”
“That’s fine. But I don’t care about personality. I care about ownership. Be clear. Be fast. Be precise.”
He nodded quickly. “Yes, Sarika.”
“Good. Priya will help you settle in. The stand-up is at 10:15. Be there.”
With that, she returned to her screen, typing again with that same sharp rhythm, as if the conversation was already over.
Outside, Priya leaned in and whispered with a grin, “That was actually one of her warmer intros.”
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10:15 AM – Team Phoenix Stand-Up
The team gathered near a standing screen. A typical agile stand-up — quick, direct, no fluff. Rohan noticed four others:
• Karan, backend lead, looked serious and barely spoke.
• Meenal, the UX designer with her kurti sleeves rolled up and a coffee mug permanently in hand.
• Amit, the QA guy with glasses and a love for sarcastic jokes.
• And Priya, now gently elbowing Rohan to relax his shoulders.
Sarika arrived without a word. She didn’t stand in the middle, just to the side, arms crossed.
“Amit, smoke tests were missed again. Third time this month. I’m tired of chasing you.”
“Sorry. I’ll fix it by EOD.”
“No ‘sorry’. Just deliver.”
“Yes, Sarika.”
Her gaze moved to Rohan.
“Mr. Sharma. Your board’s empty.”
“I—I didn’t have access till this morning.”
“That’s not an excuse. Chase what you need. Or you’ll always be waiting for someone to tell you what to do.”
“Understood,” he said, trying to stay calm.
She gave a slight nod, turned on her heel, and walked away — her dupatta trailing behind her, the heels of her block sandals echoing softly on the floor tiles.
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11:30 AM – Pantry Area
Rohan sat alone with his coffee, head spinning. This wasn’t how he imagined his first day. No cake, no smiles, no “Welcome Rohan” balloons.
Just pressure, perfection, and Sarika’s shadow everywhere.
Priya joined him and smiled kindly.
“Don’t worry. She’s brutal in the beginning. But if you survive her, you’ll grow fast. She doesn’t praise, but she protects her team like a lioness. And... you’ll see.”
Rohan gave a nervous smile. “She’s... intense.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Priya said. “Or she’ll break you.”
