-Maya’s POV-
The cacophony of construction filled the air – hammering, sawing, drill whines echoing through the uast putted space. Amidst the chaos, I
stood frozen, a lone ind of calm in a sea of activity.
People scurried around me like busy ants–construction workers in hard hats, electricians wrestling with wires, a team of
painters meticulously applying a coat of crisp white to the exposed brick wall. I barely registered their presence,
my mind lost in a whirlwind of thoughts.
“Amaya?” Ms. Edwards‘ sharp voice cut through my fog. She stood beside me, her clipboard clutched in one hand, the other resting on her hip. “Come o
I blinked, forcing myself back to reality. This was it. The moment of truth. After weeks of nning, mood boards,te
nights spent poring over blueprints and fabric swatches, the redesign was finally taking shape. A nervous flutter rose in my stomach.
“Right, sorry,” I mumbled, forcing a smile. “Sure, what is it?”
She gestured towards the center of the room, where a team of workers were assembling a massive structure. It looked like a giant metal frame, but the
“That.” She announced with a flourish, “is the centerpiece of our open floor n – the coboration hub.”
“Coboration hub?” I repeated, peering at the skeletal structure. “Exin?”
Her smile widened. “Ah, yes! The heart of this new design. It’s a multi–
level tform, essentially. We’ll have different sections dedicated to different types of coboration –
brainstorming zones, breakout areas for smaller meetings, even a quiet zone with soundproofed pods for
focused work.”
My eyebrows shot up. “That’s actually a great idea,” I admitted. “I remember suggesting dedicated quiet zones during the initial meeting with
Mr. Thorne.”
A hint of amusement flickered in her eyes. “Indeed you did,” she conceded. “And a great idea it was. Mr. Thome was quite impressed with
your suggestion, you know.”
My cheeks flushed a faint pink. “Really?” I stammered, surprised,
“Absolutely. He specifically mentioned it during ourst call. He even said something about appreciating the bnce between open
coboration and focused work areas.”
My surprise deepened. I mean I didn’t think he would specificallyment on how much he liked my idea. Back then we each did our own thing so we d
“So, “She continued, her voice cutting through my reverie, “let’s take a closer look at the different levels. Up here, on the top tform, we’ll have a dedica
She pointed to a section of the frame where a tform was taking shape. I could picture it –
a clean, minimalist space bathed in natural light, a perfect stage for showcasing ideas.
“Moving down a level,” She continued, leading me towards another section of the frame, “we have the brainstorming zone. Whiteboard walls,
A grin spread across my face. A ping pong table? That was unexpected, but I liked the idea. A touch of fun could go a long way in sparking
creativity.
“And finally,” She concluded, leading me towards the base of the structure, “we have the quiet zone. Soundproofed pods,fortable ergonomic chairs,
dive project.”
We walked around the structure, Ms. Edwards exining the finer detalls –
lighting options, soundproofing materials, venttion systems. It wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating a functional,fortable space that c
“This is all fantastic,” I enthused, genuinely impressed with the level of detail and thought that had gone into the design. “The mix of open space and ded
She beamed. “Thank you, Amayal it wouldn’t havee together this well without your input. You have a real eye for design and a great understanding
Warmth
spread through me at her praise. It felt good to be appreciated then. faint cough cut through our conversation, and I turned to see a young man standing
toolbelt, his face streaked with dust.
“Excuse me, Ms. Edwards?” he asked hesitantly. “The electricians need to know where to run the wiring for the presentation area’s projector
screen.
H
She nodded, a smile still lingering on her face. “Of course, Michael. Let’s see…” She pulled out a roll of blueprints and began studying them with a pract
on the ceiling, right here,” she pointed to a specific spot on the ns, “so the wiring
needs to run…”
They huddled over the blueprints for a few minutes, discussing wire cement and outlet configurations. I took the opportunity to wander around the res
The open floor n felt surprisingly spacious, with floor–to–
ceiling windows bathing the interior in natural light. Demolished cubicle walls had been reced with sleek ss partitions, allowing for visual
connection while maintaining a sense of separation.
Over in one corner, a team of workers was busy constructing a small kitchte. Modern stainless steel appliances gleamed under the harsh lights, and
countertop.
“This is looking great,” I said to myself, a satisfied smile curving my lips. It was starting
to feel real, this vision we’d meticulously crafted on paper, I could
almost picture the employees bustling around, coborating in the open areas, taking breaks in thefortable lounge
spaces.
Suddenly, a wave of nostalgia hit me. I thought back to a time when this was what I wanted to do for him. Alex had always been impersonal when it came
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to refocus. There was still a lot to be done. We needed to finalize furniture selections, choose color palettes for the
As if on cue, Ms. Edwards reappeared beside me, the blueprints now neatly rolled up and tucked under her arm. “So, Amaya,” she began, her voice brim
I shook my head, a genuine smile gracing my lips. “Honestly, Ms. Edwards, I’m impressed. It’s exactly how I envisioned it. Maybe even better.”
A pleased smile spread across her face. “Excellent! That’s what I like to hear. Now, let’s talk about the color scheme for the open floor n.
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10:24 Sat, 22 Jun & **
We discussed a mix of grays and cks with pops of color, right?”
I nodded in agreement.
€90%
“Oh, that reminds me,” She eximed, snapping her fingers with
sudden recollection. “Mr. Thorne’s office. He mentioned needing some minor work done in there. I know we’re both wiped after today, but could you poss
Before I could voice out a protest she was already dialing Ruth’s number, directing her to show me to Alex’s office.
Letting out a mental groan, I knew the inevitable truth. Being cooped up in his space, surrounded by
his scent, would undoubtedly trigger my wolf. Nheless, I followed Ruth’s hurried steps, a silent vow forming in my head to get in and out as quickly a
The moment I stepped through the doorway, a wave of Alex’s scent hit me, sharp and familiar. It was a potent cocktail of clean cologne, leather
from his chair, and the subtle undercurrent of his wolf. My breath caught in my throat, and the primal pull was almost overwhelming.
“You can go ahead and take a look around,” Ruth said cheerfully. “I’ll be waiting just outside if you need anything.”
With a curt nod of thanks, I was left alone. My initial intent was a simple sweep of the room- a quick mental note of theyout, furniture arrangements, an
His office was the picture of understated elegance –
dark wood furniture, clean lines, and muted tones on the walls. Everything felt. impersonal, almost sterile, devoid of any personality.
My gazended on his desk – and against my better judgment, I found myself drawn towards it.
I sat on his chair then closed my eyes, letting his scent wash over me and then as if something shocked me, I jumped up but in the process hit the desk,
This was one of those times when I should have let the rational part take control but I did not. My hand pulled the drawer open even more and there was
a single file on it. I picked it out and opened it and a gasp immediately left my throat.
It was a picture of me, naked.
But that was not the worst part. There was a man sprawled on the bed behind me and it was…
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