Steven finally managed to move Emily’s room to the third floor. It was a lower level, with less natural light and tucked away at the end of a hallway. While it was a bit out of the way, it was at least quiet.After taking a shower, Emily sat down on the bed, placing her laptop on her knees. She hadn’t been with Stardream for long, so there was a lot she still needed to catch up on. Every day, the design department sent her project reports, which she tried to review diligently to keep up with the pace.Amid the usual work emails, one stood out.It was from Adam, her boss, and contained a profile picture of a man."Leslie – his background is mysterious. Some say he’s the eldest son of the Norman family, but there are also rumors he’s only an adopted son, not their biological child. Three years ago, the Great Wall Group merged with the Norman Corporation. Many suspect it was a plan twenty years in the making, where the adopted son stole the inheritance, leaving the biological children po
New York City was especially cold today.Even in the short distance from the car to the company building—barely fifty meters—Emily felt like the chill had seeped deep into her bones.Dylan took off his thick down coat and offered it to her. "Here, put this on.""No need."Dylan insisted. "Please, take it. The weather’s too cold, and you just got back. You probably didn't bring anything warm. I'll have Steven go buy you a coat later. Size L, right?"Emily shook her head. "Size M."Dylan sighed, a hint of sadness in his voice. "So you lost more weight... No wonder the boss was so worried, waiting outside the hotel just to make sure you were okay."Emily followed him into the elevator, watching him press the button for the 42nd floor."He waited for me outside?"Dylan nodded. "Yes. The fire at room 2307 almost destroyed the entire floor. The 2307 suite was left in ruins, and even after the hotel renovated it, trying to restore it, some things can never go back to the way they were."Emil
"Ken."A slim woman approached, her sharp heels clicking against the polished floor. She wore a tight, purple dress with a fur shawl draped across her shoulders. Her makeup was so thick that her natural features were almost impossible to discern, and her perfume was overpowering, filling the air with an overly strong scent.Ken's face immediately changed when he saw her. He stood up, wearing a faint smile that did not reach his eyes, and his gaze was full of disdain. "Oh, it's manager Miller. What brings you here?"The woman, known as manager Cathy Miller, cast a condescending glance at Emily. "So, you must be the designer the boss hired with so much effort and money—Miranda, the winner of the Pritzker Prize?""Yes," Ken nodded, "This is Miranda.""Miranda, nice to meet you." Cathy Miller extended her hand for a handshake. Emily smiled politely and was about to shake her hand, but Cathy pulled her hand away abruptly, leaving Emily in an awkward position with her hand frozen in the air
Before long, Steven arrived, hurrying around the office to help set up Emily's equipment. He was sweating by the time he was finished.Emily handed him a glass of water. "Thank you for your hard work, have some water."Steven waved his hand, smiling sheepishly. "No way, even my boss listens to you. I can't possibly let you pour me water.""Your boss? Mr. Norman?" Emily asked."Well, Dylan is kind of my boss," Steven clarified. "I'm technically Mr. Norman's assistant, but I'm sort of Dylan's apprentice, so to speak."While Steven handled the heavy lifting, Emily focused on organizing lighter items like office supplies and folders. Meanwhile, Ken was off at another meeting, busy as always."Steven, do new employees always have to report to Human Resources?" Emily asked.Steven grimaced and dusted off his hands. "Technically, yeah, but the HR manager is new. Everyone already has company badges, but she insists we all re-register with her and get a new review. It's ridiculous. Heck, the c
Emily instinctively took a few steps back. "Shouldn't I coordinate my work with Ken? Isn't he around?""I asked him to leave," Vincent replied. "Emily, why are you avoiding me?"He spoke with difficulty, his voice rough and full of effort.Emily turned her head away, avoiding eye contact. "Where’s Dylan? Didn’t he go looking for you?" she asked, trying to change the subject."Answer me!" Vincent cut her off.He took a step forward. Emily tried to turn and leave but found the door behind her locked. The blinds were pulled down, and there was no way anyone outside could see what was happening inside."What’s the meaning of this, Mr. Norman?" she demanded."I just want to talk to you," he said, slowly approaching until he stood right in front of her. "Please, don’t avoid me."Emily turned her face away, avoiding his gaze. "There’s nothing left to say between us, Mr. Norman. Besides, you have someone else now. I don’t want to get tangled up in this mess again, only to end up being targete
Emily smiled patiently as she explained, "Please look here. According to the plan, this is a children's playground, with many play structures for kids. It’s clearly labeled on the blueprint."Ken nodded. "Yes, we saw that part."Emily continued, "While the kids are playing, the adults also need a place to rest. Taking care of kids is exhausting, so this area is designed as a resting spot specifically for the parents. From here, they can watch the entire playground, keeping an eye on their children while also getting some rest."After Emily's explanation, everyone finally understood."This design is really considerate," one of the designers said. "My wife always complains about how exhausting it is to take care of our kid, constantly keeping an eye on him to make sure he’s safe.""Yeah, my son is three now, always full of energy and getting into trouble. Taking care of him is seriously a workout," another added.Ken, however, stayed quiet, simply stroking his chin while watching Emily.
This time, he wasn’t quite the gentleman.Vincent grabbed Emily's hand, guiding her through the crowded elevator, across the bustling company lobby, without caring who saw them. He then pushed her into the front passenger seat of his car, ignoring the stares of onlookers.As the car started, Emily could still see through the window a bunch of curious colleagues gossiping about what just happened.“Do you think this is appropriate?” Emily asked, turning her head to look at the line of trees speeding by outside.Vincent replied, “You keep avoiding me. I had no choice.”“But you know how people in the company will talk about me after this, right?”“What will they say?”“They'll say everything I've accomplished, my skills, everything about me—was all because of you. They'll probably even say the award I won was thanks to your influence.”Vincent's voice was calm. “You can’t stop people from talking, Emily. I taught you this lesson three years ago.”Emily felt deflated, brushing her wind-t
Time was too tight; Lucas didn’t have a chance to fully grasp what had just happened before he rushed back on stage.A few minutes later, the venue erupted once more with the audience’s enthusiasm at Lucas's reappearance."Thank you..."The young makeup artist handed Emily a cup of water. "Would you like some water?"The girl’s face was full of admiration and gratitude.Emily smiled gently. "No, I’m good. You don’t need to thank me. Keep working hard."The young girl seemed greatly encouraged, nodding enthusiastically. "I will!"Emily turned and left the backstage area, moving through the staff-only exit to leave the concert venue.Vincent didn’t stop her. He just followed behind her silently."Mr. Norman, I’m off the clock," she said. "This is my personal time now, and I want to go home and rest. I’m not interested in staying for the concert."Vincent nodded. "That’s fine. If you don’t want to stay, we won’t.""Sorry for wasting your two VIP tickets then. I’m going now."He grabbed h