Bonds

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 played 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

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

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

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

the man.

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

“Amaya would be what?”

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

Chapter 46

the momentary lapse. Ignoring the interruption, she simply turned the conversation back towards the

head was all I gave, and that was all she

pushing for this redesign, but ultimately, this is your company, your vision. What do you envision for this space? How do you want

to the redesign before. But as

a tech company, at the forefront of innovation, but we’re also a team. Collaboration is key. So, I guess I want the space to reflect that. Open floor plan, something that encourages interaction and communication.

down notes on her tablet. “Functionality and collaboration,” she echoed, her voice thoughtful. “Those are excellent starting points. Is there a specific color palette you have in mind? Perhaps some materials

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 blacks, accented with pops of color here and there. And for materials,

of color to add personality. And a blend of materials for both functionality and warmth. This

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 articulate my vision more clearly.

expected to enjoy this process

a voice broke through our conversation. “Excuse me,” Amaya said hesitantly, “but wouldn’t a completely open floor

furrowed in concentration, a hint of her passion for design

your