Vera tugged at her hand, drawing her out of her thoughts. "Oh, my God, Elowen. The CEO is so handsome." Her excitement was impossible to hide.
"I can’t believe he is so young. I thought he might be over forty. And he is single." She leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "What will happen if he falls for one of the young employees here?"
"Shh... Keep your voice down," Elowen cautioned her. "You could be fired just for saying something like that."
Vera quieted down.
"Already setting your eyes on the CEO?" A voice came from beside them.
It was Daphne.
She stepped closer with a smug smile. "If anyone can get his attention, it’s me." She brushed her hair over her shoulder, confidence radiating from every movement.
"I am talented, beautiful, and attractive. If anyone can stand beside him, it’s me."
Vera rolled her eyes. Leaning closer to Elowen, she murmured, "She thinks she is the beauty queen in the entire office. She really believes the CEO will fall for her."
She snorted with disdain. "A man like him probably won’t even take a second glance at her."
"Enough," Elowen whispered. "Don’t talk. The CEO is coming this way."
"Everyone, pay attention." Margaret’s voice drew everyone’s attention. "This is Mr. Theron Knox, the new CEO of the company. Please welcome him."
A loud round of applause exploded.
Excitement swept through the office.
"Wow, he is really handsome," Vera murmured, her eyes fixated on Theron. "Look at his tight torso and muscular arms. I’m sure he has six-pack abs underneath that shirt."
Before Elowen could say something, Daphne stepped forward.
"Mr. Knox. I am Daphne, the chief designer from the design department."
She stretched her hand toward him.
The man in the black suit came forward and blocked her hand. "Miss, please step back."
The smile on Daphne’s lips disappeared. Embarrassment drained the color from her face.
"Daphne," Margaret hissed, her eyes burning with warning. "Go back to your desk."
Daphne swallowed and hurried away. She was so humiliated that she couldn’t even lift her head.
The entire office fell silent. No one dared to move.
Theron stood calmly in the middle of the room, his gaze roaming over the employees. But he wasn’t looking at any of them.
For ten years, he had carried the memory of one person. He had been wanting to see her again. Then his gaze stopped on her.
His heart gave a hard thud.
’Elowen.’ He recognized her instantly.
Every carefully controlled emotion threatened to break through. He wished he could rush over, hug her, and tell her that he had been waiting for her for ages. But he remained where he was.
’She doesn’t know me yet,’ he reminded himself. ’I can’t be restless.’
He took a slow breath and looked away. Then he turned to the woman standing beside him. "I want to meet everyone from the design department. Arrange the meeting."
"Understood." The woman nodded.
Theron walked away, followed by the man in the black suit.
The woman turned to Margaret. "Mr. Knox wants to meet with everyone from the design department. In fifteen minutes."
Margaret’s mouth opened. Then she nodded and forced a smile. "Yes, Miss Mara."
Mara gave one last glance at the people around and walked away.
When Margaret turned back to them, her expression was serious.
"Everyone... You heard what Miss Mara said. Go to the conference room. The CEO will be there in fifteen minutes."
She turned and hurried down the corridor.
Vera clutched Elowen’s fingers tightly. "Why does he want to meet us? Is he going to fire us?"
Her excitement vanished. Fear clouded her face.
Elowen was nervous too. But she managed to keep herself composed. "Don’t assume things. We don’t know why he called this meeting. Let’s wait and see what he has to say."
Together, they went to the conference room.
One by one, employees arrived and took their seats.
Fifteen minutes later, Theron entered with Mara. His presence silenced the whole room.
Vera squeezed Elowen’s hand under the table. "Oh, my God, Elowen," she whispered. "Brace me. My heart is beating so fast."
Elowen only shot her a look but said nothing.
Theron sat at the head of the table. "I know you all have worked hard for this company. And I expect you to continue working hard."
Everyone exchanged surprised glances.
After hearing the manager’s warning, they had expected the new CEO to fire them and bring in an entirely new workforce. Instead, he told them to keep working.
A wave of relief and joy spread through the room.
"Yes, we will work hard. You will never have a reason to complain." Daphne was the first to speak. She flashed Theron a bright smile. "You can count on me, Mr. Knox. I am the chief designer."
Theron didn’t even glance at her. His gaze moved around the room, settling on Elowen.
Their eyes met.
His expression softened. But he looked away.
"The new chief designer will be appointed soon," he announced.
Gasps rippled through the room.
"What?" Daphne exclaimed. The smile on her face disappeared. She sprang to her feet. "I am the chief designer. I have more experience than anyone else here. And I graduated from the Kingsley School of Art and Design. I am the most qualified one for this position."
Theron turned his head and shot her a cold glare. "Are you questioning me?"
The chill in his voice made the entire room tense.
Daphne’s legs suddenly went weak. She stumbled backward into her chair. She parted her lips, but she couldn’t form a word.
"I don’t care how experienced you are or which college you have graduated from. What matters to me is quality. If you have it, you will get the position."
"I-I didn’t mean that..."
Theron raised a hand and silenced her.
Daphne had no choice but to bite back her words.
Theron turned his attention back to the room.
"I am about to undertake the largest development project in the city," he started. "The Eden district. I want it to become a city within the city. And I need someone capable of designing something that no one has seen before."
He swept his gaze around the table. His eyes found Elowen’s. At that moment, he couldn’t take his gaze away from her.
Her big eyes—those were the same as before—were clear and expressive. When he saw them for the first time, he had lost himself there. He had fallen for her.
"Sir..." Mara tapped on his shoulder, pulling him back to the present.
Theron blinked and pressed a remote.
The big screen glowed behind him. "This is the land we are going to develop into a self-contained luxury district. It will include high-end residents, luxury hotels, medical facilities, and entertainment spaces."
He turned to the designers. "But this won’t be another crowded commercial development. I want people to feel they have entered into a different world the moment they step inside."
He lifted his chin slightly. "I want Eden District to become a landmark. To accomplish that, I need a chief architect and designer who can create the entire architectural vision."
His expression turned serious. "I don’t want someone who follows trends. I want something unique, something special."
The room remained silent.
"I am giving you all a fair chance. Prepare a presentation. The best one will become the chief designer of this project."
He stood up. "We’ll meet in two days."
He walked out.