The drive to the Kander Group headquarters took two hours, long enough for Nara to gather her thoughts, rehearse her talking points, and convince herself that the flutter in her stomach was just from travel.
By the time she arrived, the building's glass façade gleamed under the morning sun. Sleek, modern, and buzzing with activity, Kander Group always carried that effortless mix of innovation and warmth.
She straightened her blazer and stepped inside.
"Ms. Lyn! You're right on time," said the receptionist with a bright smile. "Mr. Kander is expecting you. He just wrapped up a meeting." Of course he was.
Elias Kander had a reputation that reached beyond his company's achievements. At thirty-two, he'd built a media-tech empire known as much for its creative brilliance as for its bold, unconventional leadership. If Keigh Dynamite was the calm center of a storm, Elias was the storm itself, charismatic, talkative, and always moving.
When he walked into the room, Nara felt the same wave of energy that had filled the building.
"Nara Lyn," he said, his grin lighting up his entire face. "You haven't changed a bit."
She blinked, caught off guard. "You remember me?"
He laughed, an easy, unguarded sound. "Of course I do. You used to sit two rows behind me in Business Management, right? Always with that serious look, like the rest of us were wasting time."
Nara chuckled softly. "I wasn't that bad."
"Oh, you were," Elias teased, hands in his pockets. "But it worked out for you, didn't it? You've built a reputation for being one of the most reliable event leads in the city. I've seen your name on half the projects that matter."
His tone was warm, almost admiring, but not in the careless way most compliments came. It had weight.
What Nara didn't know was that Elias had noticed her long before the world did. Back in college, she was the quiet one who never tried to be seen, yet somehow always stood out. There was something about her steadiness that fascinated him, the calm to his chaos.
But timing had never been on his side. And now, watching her from across his office table, he couldn't help but feel that same quiet pull again.
They went over the contract details, the upcoming campaign launch, and timelines. The meeting was seamless, professional, efficient, filled with her calm and his easy humor.
Still, somewhere between signing documents and discussing logistics, Elias found himself studying her more than he should have.
"You still don't laugh much," he said suddenly, leaning back.
She looked up, amused. "I laugh enough."
"Not nearly enough," he replied, flashing a grin that could've convinced anyone of anything.
Nara rolled her eyes softly. "Some of us are just built differently, Mr. Kander."
"Elias," he corrected, leaning forward. "And yeah, maybe. But I'm determined to make you laugh before this project ends."
She shook her head, smiling despite herself. "Good luck with that."
As she gathered her files and stood to leave, he watched her for a moment longer than necessary, then quickly looked away, masking it with his usual charm.
"Safe trip back, Nara. And, uh… tell your boss I said she's lucky to have you."
"Will do," she said with a polite smile before heading toward the elevator.
When the doors closed, Elias exhaled slowly, his grin fading into something softer.
Some people never really leave your orbit, he thought. You just spend years pretending not to notice.