Chapter 46


    -Alex’s POV-


    The air in my office hung heavy with a silence so thick it felt tangible. The three of us- myself,


    Amaya, and the woman who had introduced herself as Ms. Edwards-sat across from each other, an


    awkward tableau of simmering emotions and unspoken tension. My gaze was locked on Amaya,


    who studiously avoided my eyes, flitting her attention around the room as if desperately seeking an


    escape route.


    I knew her well enough to recognize the telltale signs. She hadn’t wanted to be here. In fact, if she


    had her way, she wouldn’t have stepped foot inside this building, let alone my office.


    Ms Edwards broke silence. “So…” she began, “did you have a chance to go over the designs I sent


    you already?”


    My eyes flickered away from Anaya’s face. Truth be told, the redesign project hadn’t even


    registered on my radar. It was something the board had deemed necessary, a bureaucratic hurdle I


    hadn’t bothered to invest any emotional energy in. I hadn’t been interested in anything. Not since


    she left. But the project had to be done, a formality to be addressed.


    “No,” I admitted bluntly. There was no point in pretending. I wasn’t interested in wasting time with


    polite lies, she didn’t look like she would appreciate it either.


    Ms. Edwards seemed surprised by my honesty. A hint of a smile yed on her lips. “Well, Mr.


    Thorne,” she said, her voice betraying a hint of amusement, “at least you’re being honest. No need


    for pretense, I appreciate that.”


    I had guessed.correctly then. Pretenses were not part of her agenda. She preferred frankness, a


    quality I found oddly refreshing in this tense situation.


    I leaned back in my chair, the leather creaking beneath me. “There’s no point in wasting either of


    our time.”


    My gaze drifted back to Amaya, lost in thought, a frown etching lines on her forehead. For a


    moment, the anger simmering within


    power she me almost subsided. The sight of her, even her annoyance, had an inexplicable calming


    effect on my wolf. That was the had over me, a power that both terrified and intrigued me.


    As if sensing my shift in focus, Ms. Edwards cleared her throat, bringing my attention back to her.


    “Oh, forgive me,” she said, a touch of apology in her voice. “I was so eager to get down to business


    that I neglected proper introductions. Mr. Thorne, allow me to introduce Ms. Stone here.”


    There was a flicker of something in my chest – a strange mix of satisfaction and irritation, perhaps –


    satisfaction at the fact that she hadn’t taken Ivan’s name and irritation at the realization that she still


    carried her father’s name no matter how much hate I had for


    the man.


    Ms. Edwards continued, her voice smooth and professional. “Ms. Stone is a raw new talent, and I


    felt it would be beneficial to have her involved in this project from the very beginning. Once we have


    finalized this initial stage, Amaya will be leading the charge on the redesign.”


    “Amaya would be what?”


    We both turned to stare at her, my lips twitching with a near-smile at her unguarded reaction. I knew


    what had happened. It was something she always did, talked to herself in her head and it had


    slipped out before she could hold it.


    1/3


    Chapter 46


    Ms. Edwards, however, seemed oblivious to the momentarypse. Ignoring the interruption, she


    simply turned the conversation back towards the project at hand. “So, shall we proceed with


    reviewing the designs, Mr. Thorne?”


    A slight tip of my head was all I gave, and that was all she needed.


    “You mentioned the board pushing for this redesign, but ultimately, this is yourpany, your vision.


    What do you envision for this space? How do you want it to reflect your brand and yourpany


    culture?”


    I ran a hand through my hair, the weight of the decision settling on my shoulders. It was true, I


    hadn’t given much thought to the redesign before. But as she phrased it, the idea of creating a


    space that embodied the essence of mypany, a space that resonated with my vision, sparked a


    flicker of interest within me. N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    “Well,” I started slowly, choosing my words carefully, “I built thispany from the ground up. We’re


    a techpany, at the forefront of innovation, but we’re also a team. Coboration is key. So, I


    guess I want the space to reflect that. Open floor n, something that encourages interaction and


    communication. But also, there needs to be a focus on functionality. Clean lines, sleek design,


    nothing too shy or distracting.”


    Ms. Edwards nodded, jotting down notes on her tablet. “Functionality and coboration,” she


    echoed, her voice thoughtful. “Those are excellent starting points. Is there a specific color palette


    you have in mind? Perhaps some materials you prefer to work with?”


    I pondered for a moment. Color had never been a strong suit of mine, but certain things came to


    mind. “I like the idea of a modern feel,” I said finally. “Something clean and professional. Maybe a


    mix of grays and cks, ented with pops of color here and there. And for materials, definitely a


    focus on high-quality finishes, Metal, ss, maybe some wood ents for warmth.”


    Ms. Edwards’ eyes lit up with a spark of enthusiasm. “I see,” she said, her voice taking on a more


    animated tone. “A modern aesthetic with pops of color to add personality. And a blend of materials


    for both functionality and warmth. This is all very interesting, Mr. Thorne. I can definitely work with


    this.”


    We continued in this vein for a while, bouncing ideas back and forth. Ms. Edwards was an excellent


    listener, prompting me with insightful questions that helped me articte my vision more clearly.


    There was a sense of creative energy in the room, a coborative effort that surprised me.


    I hadn’t expected to enjoy this process so much,


    Suddenly, a voice broke through our conversation. “Excuse me,” Amaya said hesitantly, “but


    wouldn’t apletely open floor n be a bit distracting for focused work?”


    I nced at her, surprised to see her involve herself. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, a hint


    of her passion for design evident in her voice. Despite myself, a small spark of satisfaction flickered


    within me.


    “That’s a valid point,” Ms. Edwards acknowledged, turning towards Amaya. “Perhaps you could


    borate on your suggestion? Mr. Thorne mentioned the importance of coboration, but also the


    need for focused work areas.”


    Amaya shifted in her seat, a hesitant smile ying on her lips. “Well,” she began, “what if we


    incorporated designated quiet zones into the open floor n? Maybe soundproofed pods or private


    meeting rooms for when employees need to concentrate. That way, we can still maintain a sense of


    openness while also providing spaces for focused work.”


    I listened intently as Amaya borated on her idea, outlining specific design elements andyouts.


    Her voice was confident, her knowledge of design principles undeniable. While there was a part of


    me that still bristled at her presence, I couldn’t deny the merit of her suggestions.


    11:37 Fri, 21 Jun


    Chapter 46


    June


    “That’s actually a great idea,” I admitted, surprising myself with the words. Amaya’s eyes widened in


    surprise, a flicker of something akin to gratitude crossing her face before she quickly schooled her


    expression.


    Ms. Edwards beamed, clearly pleased with the direction the conversation had taken. From that


    point on, Amaya became a more active participant in the discussion. We debated material choices,


    lighting options, and even the incorporation of natural elements into the design. I couldn’t stop


    staring at her. When we were married, whenever she was excited, her eyes sparkled, just like it was


    sparkling now. She had never wanted to be involved in mypany because she believed in us


    having our own space but this was a side of her I hadn’t seen in a long time, a reminder of the


    woman who had once stolen my heart. I think in this moment, she had forgotten about who we


    were. Right now, I was just a client and she was excited about bringing a vision to life.


    Suddenly, the pleasant hum of conversation was disrupted by a sharp ringtone. Ms. Edwards


    reached into her purse, her brow furrowing slightly as she nced at the caller ID. “Excuse me,


    gentlemen,” she said, her voiceced with a hint of apology, “that appears to be an urgent call.”


    We both fell silent as she answered the phone, her voice dropping to a low murmur. She listened


    intently for a moment, her expression growing increasingly grave. “Alright,” she finally said, her


    voice firm butced with a hint of concern. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. Thank you for letting


    me know.” With that, she ended the call, a deep sigh escaping her lips.


    “I truly apologize for this,” she began, turning back to us with a strained smile. “Something


    unexpected hase up, and I need to handle it immediately. Amaya, you take over from here.”


    Amaya opened her mouth to speak, perhaps to protest, but Ms. Edwards was out of the door with a


    final apologetic nce in my direction leaving me and Amaya in the same space with the door shut


    behind us.