Eleanor's POV
My knees hit the hard tile of the balcony, the impact jarring through my bones. For a moment, I just stayed there, head bowed, hair curtaining my face. The humiliation was a hot, thick wave, washing over me. Stupid. Clumsy
I pushed myself up slowly, my hands trembling. I couldn't look at either of them.
Dickson's voice was smooth, dripping with false concern. "Sir, I apologize for my coworker's behavior. She became disrespectful and… well, you saw. She acted out."
That's not true, I wanted to scream. But the words were trapped in my throat, a tangled knot of fear and shame. It came out as a whisper. "That's not what happened."
The man's voice was ice. "Look at me when you speak."
I forced my head up.
Deep blue eyes, a short, neatly boxed beard. I recognized him instantly—one of the men from the company's ceremony.
Dickson was still talking, his tone obsequious. "Really, sir, this is nothing. I can handle her attitude. She's just emotional. Its not something that the CEO should worry about, sir"
CEO. Dickson had called him CEO. This was one of the elusive leaders of Vexxon. And I had just crumbled to the ground in front of him.
My heart plummeted. A bad impression. The worst impression.
"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, my voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to… I lost my balance. It won't happen again."
His cold gaze swept over me, devoid of any warmth or sympathy. "I don't employ people who cannot control their emotions."
Dickson nodded vigorously. "She will be disciplined, I assure you."
The CEO's eyes lingered on me for a moment longer. It was a look I couldn't decipher. Then, without another word, he turned and left, leaving me alone with Dickson.
His respectful mask vanished the moment the CEO was gone.
"Your career is in my hands, Eleanor," he said, his voice low and venomous. "If you want to keep your job—if you don't want that man to fire you—you will do what I say. Starting with signing that document."
I didn't answer. My throat was too tight and my mind raced. He's right. He's always right. He has the power.
But something brittle inside me had finally snapped.
I turned and walked away.
"Eleanor!" Dickson's voice chased after me, sharp with anger. "Don't you walk away from me!"
I kept walking and reached the office. The coworkers were all on their feet, clustered together, whispering. The CEO's presence had electrified the entire floor.
Mira appeared at my side, her brow furrowed with concern. "Where did you go? I was looking for you."
"Just had something to take care of," I lied, my voice thin.
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't push. Instead, she nodded toward the front of the room. "One of the CEOs is here. Can you believe it?"
"I know," I whispered, my gaze dropping to the floor.
"I wonder what he wants to tell us," Mira mused, her excitement palpable.
The room fell silent as the CEO pressed in the office.
"By now, you should all know who I am," he began. It wasn't loud, but it didn't need to be. Everyone was listening.
A sudden, embarrassing realization hit me. I don't even know his name.
I leaned closer to Mira, keeping my voice a hushed whisper. "What's his name again?"
"What do you mean you don't know-" then her expression shifted to one of gentle pity. "Oh, Ellie. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine," I cut her off softly. It's not your fault I'm out of the loop.
"That's Mr. Keith," she whispered back. "I heard he is the coldest of the three brothers."
Keith. The name suited him.
I turned my attention back to him, my stomach still knotted with dread from our balcony encounter.
"I am… mildly impressed," Keith continued, his tone making it clear that 'mildly' was a significant concession. "This team is responsible for the Racing track design."
A few proud glances were exchanged among my colleagues. I kept my eyes fixed on the floor.
"The track is still undergoing final maintenance checks. Once complete, we will begin recruiting volunteer racers for trial runs."
A ripple of excitement passed through the room. Keith's icy demeanor didn't thaw.
"Rest assured," he added, his gaze sweeping over us, "those selected and those who referred will be compensated handsomely."
The excitement grew louder. Next to me, Mira was practically vibrating. "This is huge!"
But I couldn't share her enthusiasm.
Mira nudged me in an urgent whisper. "He's talking about your track. The one you designed. When are you going to claim what's yours?"
I shook my head, eyes still downcast. "You know it's not that simple."
"How is it not—"
"Do you have something more important to share with the rest of us?"
Mr. Keith's voice cut through our hushed exchange like a whip crack. The room went utterly silent. All eyes turned to us. I could feel the weight of their stares—curious, annoyed, utterly without pity.
My cheeks burned. Mira opened her mouth to defend us, but I spoke first.
"I apologize, sir. It was my fault. I distracted my coworker."
I kept my gaze lowered, but I could feel his cold attention fixed on me. A strange, involuntary tingling sensation traveled up my spine. Where is that coming from?
The crowd parted silently as Mr. Keith walked toward me.
"Your face is familiar," he stated, his tone devoid of warmth.
A voice from the crowd spoke up. "She's the one who caused a scene at the grand opening, sir. Made a huge disturbance."
Mr. Keith's icy blue eyes narrowed slightly. "So. You're a renowned trouble maker."
The words shouldn't have stung as much as they did. But they did. And yet, beneath the shame, that strange tingling sensation persisted, a confusing current under my skin.
I'm not a trouble maker, I wanted to say, the words screaming silently in my mind. I just keep ending up in trouble. But my lips remained sealed, my gaze locked on the floor.
"Look at me when I am speaking to you." Mr. Keith's voice commanded absolute obedience.
I forced my head up, my eyes meeting his. Deep, glacial blue eyes held mine, and for a moment, the world narrowed to that single point of contact. A dizzying sense of familiarity washed over me, so strong it stole my breath. Why does this feel like more than just recognition? I'd only seen him once before at the ceremony, a distant figure of power. This felt different. Deeper.
His voice pulled me back to the present. "My office. Now." He turned and walked away without another glance.
The spell broke, and the room's noise rushed back in. Hushed, spiteful whispers coiled around me like vipers.
"She's definitely getting fired."
"How will she pay for the damages from the party now?"
"Serves her right for chasing after a taken man."
My heart hammered against my ribs. Oh no. Am I going to get fired?
Mira gripped my arm, her voice a low, steady anchor in the swirling panic. "Breathe, Ellie. It won't go that far. Just be calm, explain yourself."
Numbly, I nodded and began the long walk out of the bullpen. Every step felt heavy under the weight of everyone's judgment. And then I saw Dickson. Leaning against a wall, he watched me pass, a look of profound satisfaction etched on his face.
The walk to the CEO's office felt like a march to my own execution.