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

mentioned it during our last call. He even said something about appreciating the balance

focused work

how much he liked my idea. Back then we each did our own thing so we didn’t get in each

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 area.

could picture it – a clean, minimalist space bathed in natural light,

continued, leading me towards another section of

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Chapter 67

ping pong table for

That was unexpected, but I liked the idea. A touch of fun

creativity.

structure, “we have the quiet zone. Soundproofed pods,

finer detalls – lighting options, soundproofing materials, ventilation systems. It wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating a functional, comfortable space that

level of detail and thought that had gone into the design. “The mix of open space and dedicated areas really

a real eye for design and a great understanding of how

turned to see a young

Edwards?” he asked hesitantly. “The electricians need to know where to run the wiring for the

screen.

H

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 practiced eye. “The projector

needs to run…”

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

interior in natural light. Demolished cubicle walls had been replaced with

Modern stainless steel appliances gleamed under the

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, collaborating in the open areas, taking breaks

spaces.

what I wanted to do for him. Alex had always been impersonal

I forced myself to refocus. There was still a lot to be done. We needed to finalize furniture selections, choose color palettes for the different zones,

up and tucked under her arm. “So, Amaya,” she began, her voice brimming with enthusiasm, “what do you think about the progress so

smile gracing my lips. “Honestly, Ms. Edwards, I’m impressed.