Bonds

Chapter 67

-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 island 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 on, earth to Amaya. Let’s see what you think of this.”

I blinked, forcing myself back to reality. This was it. The moment of truth. After weeks of planning, mood boards, late 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 details were still shrouded in scaffolding and tarpaulin.

“That.” She announced with a flourish, “is the centerpiece of our open floor plan – the collaboration hub.”

“Collaboration hub?” I repeated, peering at the skeletal structure. “Explain?”

Her smile widened. “Ah, yes! The heart of this new design. It’s a multi–level platform, essentially. We’ll have different sections dedicated to different types of collaboration – 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.”

flushed a faint pink.

He even said something about appreciating

and focused

think he would specifically comment on how much he liked my idea. Back then we each did our own thing so we didn’t get

take a closer look at the different levels. Up here, on

was taking shape. I could picture it – a clean, minimalist space bathed in natural light,

She continued, leading me towards another section of the frame, “we

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Chapter 67

chairs, maybe even a ping pong table

grin spread across my face. A ping pong table? That was unexpected, but I liked

creativity.

zone. Soundproofed pods, comfortable ergonomic chairs, perfect for those times when someone needs to concentrate on a deep–dive

systems. It wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating a

gone

this well without your input. You have a

faint cough cut through our conversation, and I turned to see a young man standing awkwardly a few feet away. He wore a hard hat and

need to

screen.

H

She pulled out a roll of blueprints and began studying them with a practiced eye. “The projector will be

needs to run…”

configurations. I took the opportunity to wander around the rest of the space, my gaze flitting across the various sections taking

open floor plan felt surprisingly spacious, with floor–to–ceiling windows bathing the interior in natural light. Demolished cubicle walls had been replaced with sleek glass partitions, allowing for visual connection while maintaining a sense

of workers was busy constructing a small kitchenette. Modern stainless steel appliances gleamed under the harsh lights, and a row of sleek bar stools

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, collaborating in the open areas,

spaces.

him. Alex had always been impersonal when it came to work

to be done. We needed to finalize furniture selections, choose color palettes for

“So, Amaya,” she began, her voice brimming with enthusiasm, “what do you

my lips. “Honestly, Ms. Edwards,