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.”

faint pink. “Really?” I

He

focused work

much he liked my idea. Back

voice cutting through my reverie, “let’s take a closer look at the different levels. Up here, on the top platform, we’ll have a dedicated presentation

to a section of the frame where a platform was taking shape. I could picture it – a clean, minimalist space bathed in natural light, a perfect stage for showcasing

She continued, leading me towards another section

90%1

Chapter 67

beanbag chairs, maybe even a ping pong

my face. A ping pong table? That was unexpected, but I liked the idea. A touch of fun could go a long way in

creativity.

towards the base of the structure, “we have the quiet zone. Soundproofed pods, comfortable ergonomic chairs, perfect for those

ventilation systems. It wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating a functional, comfortable

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

your input. You have a real eye for

to see a young man standing awkwardly a few feet away. He wore a hard hat and

to know where to run the wiring for

screen.

H

blueprints and began studying them with a practiced eye. “The

needs to run…”

the blueprints for a few minutes, discussing wire placement and outlet configurations. I took the opportunity to wander around the rest

cubicle walls had been replaced with sleek glass partitions,

workers was busy constructing a small kitchenette. Modern stainless steel appliances gleamed

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, taking breaks in the

spaces.

back to a time when this was what I wanted to do for him. Alex had always been impersonal when it came to work and I tried but eventually let it go

done. We needed to finalize

cue, Ms. Edwards reappeared beside me, the blueprints now neatly rolled up and tucked under her arm. “So, Amaya,”

Ms. Edwards, I’m impressed. It’s exactly how