Chapter 273: First time in her office
The Maeridian Tower rose several stories above the commercial district, its dark glass facade reflecting the morning sun in shifting patterns that made the building look like it was moving.
Kate parked in the executive garage and led Jaenor through security with the ease of someone who made this journey every working day.
The security staff—all women—greeted her by name and barely glanced at Jaenor beyond the cursory visual check that confirmed he wasn’t carrying anything obviously dangerous.
The lobby was impressive. All polished stone and indirect lighting, with the Ardan Motors logo displayed prominently across the far wall in brushed steel. People moved through the space with purpose—women in business attire, men in support roles carrying equipment or documents, everyone contributing to the organized flow of a functioning corporation.
Eyes followed them to the elevator.
Jaenor was used to being noticed. His appearance was unusual enough that it drew attention in most contexts. But this was different. The looks weren’t just assessing his appearance. They were trying to categorize his relationship to Kate.
Young, attractive and more than that, he was walking beside a woman who was clearly senior and established. The math was inevitable, and Jaenor could see it happening in real-time across multiple faces.
Kate seemed completely unaware of the attention. Or perhaps so accustomed to it that it barely registered anymore.
The elevator took them to her office floor. The doors opened onto a reception area that was all clean lines and corporate professionalism. Ardan Motors’ operational headquarters occupied several floors in the building, Kate explained as they walked, each one dedicated to different divisions, design, and executive management.
"That’s my office," she said, pointing to a glass-walled space in the corner of the floor with sweeping views of the city.
"You can wait in the visitor lounge. It’s down that corridor, the second door on the left. The coffee is decent there and there are magazines if you’re interested in automotive industry news, which I’m guessing you’re not."
She gestured toward another corridor. "Cafeteria is on the thirtieth floor. You’re welcome to go up there if you get hungry or bored. Just show them this."
She handed him a temporary visitor badge that she’d obtained from reception.
"Tells them you’re authorized by me."
"Alright."
Kate looked at him for a moment. "I’ll probably be in meetings for a few hours. If you need anything, the reception desk can reach me."
"I’ll be fine."
She nodded and headed toward her office, her stride confident and purposeful. Jaenor watched her go, noting how people deferred to her automatically—moving out of her path, adjusting their posture when she passed, giving her the particular space that authority commanded.
She’d built something here. Not just a position, but respect. The kind that came from competence rather than fear.
He found the visitor lounge and settled into one of the chairs. The space was designed for comfort and appropriate boredom—nice enough to make waiting tolerable, dull enough to make leaving seem appealing by comparison.
He was examining the magazines—something called "Automotive Futures Quarterly"—when a woman entered the lounge.
She was perhaps thirty, dressed in a fashionable suit that was slightly less formal than Kate’s, with blonde hair styled in waves and the kind of makeup that suggested careful attention to professional appearance. She stopped when she saw Jaenor, her eyes widening slightly.
Then she smiled.
"Hello," she said, her voice carrying warmth that was performative rather than genuine.
"I don’t think I’ve seen you here before."
"First time," Jaenor said.
"Visiting someone?" She crossed the lounge and sat in the chair across from him, crossing her legs in a way that was clearly deliberate.
"Or here for an interview?"
"Visiting."
"Anyone I might know?"
"Kate Buchanan."
The woman’s expression flickered—surprise mixed with calculation.
"Kate? Really?" Her eyes moved over him again, reassessing.
"Are you family?"
"No."
"Friend then?" Her smile widened slightly.
"Close friend?"
Jaenor looked at her with his dark eyes, reading the performance, the fishing for information, and the particular quality of someone who’d decided he was interesting and was trying to determine exactly how interesting.
"I’m staying at her house for the time being. She is helping me out," he said. Which was true and also not remotely an answer to what she was actually asking.
"Oh." The woman leaned forward slightly.
"That’s... very generous of her. Kate’s usually so professional and private." She extended her hand.
"I’m Vivian, by the way. I work in design coordination. Third floor."
Jaenor shook her hand briefly.
"Jaenor."
"Unusual name," Vivian’s smile held now, settling into something practiced.
"Are you from the city?"
"No."
"Where are you from?"
"Somewhere that doesn’t exist anymore."
Vivian blinked.
Then he laughed, taking it as deliberately mysterious humor rather than literal truth.
"Alright, mysterious stranger, it is."
She pulled out her phone.
"Are you free for lunch? There’s a great place two blocks from here—the best roasted meat in the district."
Before Jaenor could respond, Vivian’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, and her expression shifted—the professional mask reasserting itself. "I need to take this."
"But think about lunch."
She stood, gave him one more appreciative look, and left the lounge with her phone pressed to her ear.
Jaenor returned his attention to the magazine he’d been pretending to read.
*
Kate’s phone rang five minutes after she’d settled at her desk with the quarterly projection reports Aubrey had sent over.
The display showed her private line.
"Good morning," Kate said, putting the call on speaker while she continued reviewing numbers.
"Bring him up," Aubrey said without preamble.
Kate paused. "Bring who up?"
"Your boytoy. The very attractive young man you walked through the lobby with this morning. My assistant saw you and immediately called me, which I appreciate because apparently the entire floor is talking about it, and I’d rather hear these things directly."
Kate closed her eyes briefly. "Aubrey—"
"I’m not judging. I’m impressed, actually. That’s remarkably bold, bringing him to the office. Though I’m curious about the logistics. Does Martha know? Is this an arrangement you’ve worked out? I wouldn’t have guessed you for that kind of relationship structure, but people surprise me constantly."
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