BEYOND THE AROMA

CHAPTER 1 – MY FIRST DAY

NARIN

"You're late."

I looked at the security guard.

"I still have three minutes."

He checked the clock above the reception desk.

"...You're right."

I smiled.

"My first day. I didn't want to make a bad impression."

The guard laughed and handed me a visitor's pass.

"Twenty-seventh floor."

"Thank you."

The elevator doors opened.

My heart was beating faster than usual.

Today was the beginning of a new life.

After months of freelancing, I had finally been hired by Thanakorn Group, one of the biggest companies in Thailand.

Everyone said the company paid well.

Everyone also said the CEO was terrifying.

I didn't care.

I wasn't here to meet the CEO.

I was here to work.

The elevator stopped.

27TH FLOOR

The doors slid open.

People hurried through the hallway carrying files and laptops.

A woman wearing a navy-blue suit smiled at me.

"You must be Narin."

"Yes."

"I'm Mali from Human Resources."

She held out her hand.

"Welcome to Thanakorn Group."

"Thank you."

She led me through the creative department.

"This is where you'll be working."

The office was beautiful.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked Bangkok.

Large design screens lined the walls.

It looked nothing like my tiny apartment.

"I'll introduce you to everyone after the morning meeting," Mali said.

Before I could answer—

Crash!

Someone walked around the corner.

Our shoulders slammed into each other.

The folder in my hands exploded across the floor.

Sheets of paper scattered everywhere.

"Oh!"

I quickly knelt down.

"I'm sorry."

A pair of polished black shoes stopped in front of me.

I looked up.

The man wore a perfectly tailored black suit.

His expression didn't change.

Not even a little.

"You should watch where you're going," he said calmly.

I frowned.

"...I was standing still."

"So you expect everyone else to stop for you?"

I stood up.

"No."

"Then move faster."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"You walked into me."

"And yet you're the one on the floor."

I folded my arms.

"So you're admitting it was your fault?"

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"You like arguing."

"I like people admitting when they're wrong."

For a second...

Neither of us spoke.

Employees walking past suddenly became quiet.

One by one...

They lowered their heads.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, sir."

I looked around.

Who were they greeting?

The man beside me didn't answer anyone.

He simply continued looking at me.

"You're new," he said.

"Yes."

"It shows."

I laughed once.

"And you're rude."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"The confidence."

"I've been told it's one of my best qualities."

He stepped closer.

Close enough that I could smell the faint scent of cedarwood on his suit.

"Be careful."

"Why?"

"Confidence can become arrogance."

I smiled back.

"So can power."

His phone vibrated.

A man in another suit hurried toward us.

"Sir, the board meeting is ready."

Sir?

The man gave me one last look before walking away.

He didn't even say goodbye.

I watched him disappear into the private executive corridor.

"...Who was that?"

The entire office fell silent.

Mali slowly turned to me.

"Narin..."

"Yes?"

"...That was Mr. Kiet Thanakorn."

"...Okay?"

"Our CEO."

My smile disappeared.

"...You're joking."

She shook her head.

"No."

I looked toward the closed executive doors.

The first person I'd argued with...

...was the billionaire Alpha who owned the entire company.

And somehow...

I had the feeling this wasn't the last time we'd clash.

"...Our CEO?"

I stared at Mali.

"No..."

She nodded.

"Yes."

"The CEO?"

"Yes."

"The billionaire?"

She sighed.

"Yes."

I slowly turned my head toward the executive corridor.

The automatic doors had already closed.

"...I just argued with the owner of the company."

"You did."

"...On my first day."

"You did."

"...Great."

Mali pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You really don't know when to keep quiet, do you?"

I shrugged.

"He bumped into me."

"He did."

"And he blamed me."

"He always blames people."

"So why is everyone acting like I committed a crime?"

She looked around before lowering her voice.

"Because no one talks to Mr. Kiet that way."

"Why?"

"They're afraid of him."

I frowned.

"He doesn't scare me."

Mali looked at me for a long moment.

"You'll be the first employee to say that."

A loud voice interrupted us.

"Everyone, conference room in five minutes!"

Employees hurried in every direction.

Mali handed me a company ID card.

"Come on."

We entered a large meeting room with glass walls.

Nearly forty employees were already seated.

I quietly took the last empty chair.

A man sitting beside me smiled.

"You must be the new designer."

"Yeah."

"I'm Ton."

"Narin."

He leaned closer.

"So..."

"So?"

"I heard."

"Heard what?"

"You argued with the CEO."

News traveled fast.

"...It wasn't really an argument."

Ton laughed.

"The whole floor is talking about it."

I buried my face in my hands.

"Wonderful."

The room suddenly became silent.

Every employee stood up at once.

I looked around.

"What now?"

Ton whispered,

"Stand."

"Why?"

"Just stand."

Before I could ask another question—

The conference room doors opened.

Mr. Kiet Thanakorn walked in.

Everyone bowed slightly.

"Good morning, Mr. Kiet."

He gave a small nod.

"Good morning."

His eyes swept across the room.

For one brief second...

They stopped on me.

No expression.

Nothing.

Then he continued walking until he reached the front.

"So..."

His deep voice filled the room.

"Let's begin."

A large screen lit up behind him.

"Last quarter's campaign underperformed."

The room became tense.

"Our competitors are improving."

Click.

Another slide appeared.

"Our branding has become predictable."

Click.

"We need new ideas."

He folded his arms.

"I don't pay people to repeat last year's work."

No one spoke.

He looked around the room.

"I'll ask again."

Silence.

My eyebrows pulled together.

Seriously?

No one had an opinion?

Kiet noticed.

"You."

I looked behind me.

"No."

"You."

He was looking directly at me.

"The new employee."

The room held its breath.

"What do you think?"

Ton grabbed my sleeve under the table.

"Don't."

Too late.

I stood.

"I think..."

Every eye in the room was on me.

"...your campaign isn't bad."

A few employees relaxed.

Then I continued.

"It's boring."

The room froze.

"You rely too much on luxury."

Kiet didn't interrupt.

I kept going.

"Luxury sells."

"But people don't remember luxury."

"They remember stories."

No one moved.

I pointed toward the presentation.

"If I saw this online..."

"I'd scroll past it."

Someone at the back gasped.

Ton looked ready to faint.

Kiet remained perfectly still.

"You've been here less than an hour."

"I know."

"And you're criticizing my company."

"I'm criticizing the campaign."

"They're different."

For the first time...

The corner of his mouth lifted.

"A bold answer."

"I prefer honest answers."

The silence stretched for several seconds.

Finally, Kiet spoke.

"Good."

Everyone blinked.

"I've spent months asking for honesty."

"No one gave it."

He looked at me again.

"Looks like hiring you wasn't a mistake."

I wasn't sure if that was a compliment.

Or a warning.

Then he said something that made the entire room stare at me.

"Narin."

"Yes?"

"After this meeting..."

"My office."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Alone."

He closed his tablet.

"The meeting is over."

And just like that...

My first day at Thanakorn Group became a day I'd never forget.

The receptionist smiled politely.

"Mr. Kiet is waiting for you."

I looked at the tall black doors at the end of the hallway.

They were twice the size of every other office door.

"...Of course they are," I whispered.

I took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in."

His voice was calm.

Almost too calm.

I pushed the door open.

The office overlooked the entire Bangkok skyline.

Bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling.

Awards lined one wall.

A massive desk sat in front of the windows.

Kiet didn't look up immediately.

He signed the last page of a document before placing his pen down.

"Close the door."

I did.

He finally met my eyes.

"You criticized my presentation."

"I answered your question."

"I asked for an opinion."

"And I gave you one."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"You really don't know who you're talking to."

"I know exactly who I'm talking to."

"Oh?"

"You're my boss."

"And?"

"That doesn't mean I'll lie to you."

Silence.

He stood and walked around the desk.

Each step echoed across the office.

When he stopped in front of me, he folded his arms.

"Most people spend years trying to impress me."

"I'm not most people."

"So I've noticed."

He walked past me toward the coffee machine.

"Coffee?"

"No, thank you."

"I wasn't asking."

He poured two cups anyway.

Without turning around, he said,

"Tell me."

"What?"

"If you were the creative director..."

"How would you fix the campaign?"

I blinked.

"You're serious?"

"Completely."

I hesitated for a moment before taking the tablet he handed me.

"The problem isn't the design."

"Go on."

"The problem is the message."

I flipped through several slides.

"You're selling luxury."

"People expect luxury from Thanakorn Group."

"So?"

"They already know you're rich."

He raised an eyebrow.

"What they don't know..."

I looked up.

"...is why they should care."

For the first time since we'd met, Kiet was completely silent.

I continued.

"Show the people."

"The employees."

"The guests."

"The stories."

"Don't sell a five-star hotel."

"Sell the memory someone takes home after staying there."

His eyes never left mine.

When I finally stopped talking, the office was quiet.

He took the tablet from my hands.

"You've thought about this before."

"I've admired your company for years."

"But not your marketing."

A short laugh escaped him.

The sound surprised both of us.

"You just insulted my entire executive team."

"I wasn't trying to."

"But you did."

He placed the tablet on the desk.

"Narin."

"Yes?"

"Starting tomorrow..."

He paused.

"You're no longer working under the creative department."

I frowned.

"...Am I fired already?"

"No."

His expression remained unreadable.

"You're working directly with me."

My eyes widened.

"What?"

"I need someone who isn't afraid to tell me the truth."

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

"It isn't."

"Then why do it?"

A slow smile appeared on his face.

"Because I enjoy a challenge."

I smiled back despite myself.

"So do I."

Neither of us realized it then.

That conversation—

The one that began as a disagreement—

Would change both of our lives forever.