Chapter 197

Ding.

The elevator doors opened to reveal a bright hallway. Standing there, one could look down through the glass walls on both sides and see the building's interior.

At the end of the hallway stood a pair of imposing double doors made of solid wood. Though simple in design, they exuded authority.

The assistant carefully pushed open the doors, revealing to Renee a spacious two-story office of about 2,000 square feet.

A wall of windows offered a panoramic view of the surrounding buildings.

A spiral staircase led upwards, presumably to Carl's private area.

Renee was momentarily stunned by the sunlight flooding the tiled floor. This was her first glimpse into Carl's professional world.

Nearby, Patrick rose from a small conference table when he heard them enter.

"Renee, what brings you up here?"

Renee snapped back to attention, holding up the insulated bag. "I brought you lunch. Mom said you've been working hard lately, so I ordered something special."

"You didn't have to go to a