Chapter 10
Richard Sterling raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised that the young newcomer had answered back with such poised intelligence rather than folding under pressure. He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze narrowing slightly.
“Spoken like someone who has spent a lot of time reading textbooks, young lady,” Richard retorted, his voice sharp. “Real estate development isn’t about community sentiment or poetic design ideals. It’s about return on investment, square-footage optimization, and keeping our major stakeholders happy. Speaking of which, Julianne Parker happens to be a very close family friend of mine. She mentioned a rather… unorthodox encounter you two had in a hotel lobby last week.”
The puzzle pieces clicked together instantly in Elena’s mind. Julianne hadn’t just vented her frustrations to a stranger; she had weaponized her social connections to undermine Elena’s credibility before her first week had even begun.
Arthur Vance stepped forward, closing the physical distance between his desk and Richard Sterling. The calm, decisive authority that had silenced the hotel lobby returned to his voice, radiating an unmistakable chill that commanded absolute silence in the room.
“Let’s be entirely clear, Richard,” Arthur said, his tone dangerously quiet. “Elena’s hiring was approved by me because of her exceptional technical portfolio and her proven courage under pressure. If Julianne Parker has chosen to spin self-serving fairy tales about how that professional relationship began, that is her prerogative. But let it be known inside these walls: questioning my team’s competence based on personal gossip from high-society socialites is unacceptable.”
Richard blinked, momentarily taken aback by Arthur’s fierce defense of a junior employee. Major stakeholders were usually coddled, not reprimanded. Richard forced an uncomfortable, tight-lipped smile, trying to recover his footing.
“I only have the project’s best financial interests at heart, Arthur,” Richard muttered, adjusting his silk tie. “If her designs prove viable during tomorrow’s preliminary stakeholder presentation, then there’s nothing more to discuss.”
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“Her designs will speak for themselves,” Arthur replied firmly. He turned his attention to Elena, his expression softening into one of quiet encouragement. “Elena, the preliminary presentation is tomorrow morning at nine. I want you to lead the architectural walkthrough for the board.”
“Yes, Mr. Vance. I’ll be ready,” Elena said, offering a confident nod. She met Richard’s skeptical stare one last time before turning and walking out of the office, her mind hyper-focused on the challenge ahead.
