Collision: The CEO'S Unexpected Reunion

Chapter Three

Selene

A door slams shut down the hall, followed by another, then another. The noise pulls me away from the file I've been working on all morning. I close it and walk to the door to see what's going on.

Elliott's office door is slightly ajar, his assistant standing beside it with his tablet in hand, his expression tense like he's waiting for something unpleasant to happen.

I gesture him toward a quieter corner. He throws one last glance toward his boss before walking over to me.

"What's going on?" I ask, unable to hide my curiosity.

His eyes flick toward the conference room. "The board chairman is here. He asked to see Mr. Elliott, but Mr. Elliott refused."

That catches my attention. "Really? He's not exactly known for disobeying his father. Something must be—"

"Hey!"

I turn at the sound of the voice. Chloe appears from the end of the hallway, wiping at her sweaty brow. She looks like she's been running.

"I had to use the stairs," she explains. "The elevator's out, and maintenance is nowhere in sight."

I nod and reach out to fix the loose strand of hair that's escaped her ponytail. "I'm sure they'll be here soon."

She exchanges a look with the assistant before her gaze shifts toward the conference room. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, Selene."

I shrug. "Everything's been very hush-hush, and I'm not one to pry."

That's not entirely true. I've noticed the whispers, the tension, the way people go quiet whenever Elliott's name comes up. But whatever's happening behind those closed doors is clearly something they don't want the rest of us in on.

Chloe's eyes crinkle with concern. "You're the youngest employee here and one of the best designers this firm has. I really hope things end well for you."

My brows pull together. "Chloe, what's going on?"

She glances toward the conference room before looking back at me. "In that room are people deciding this firm's fate. Things haven't been going well, and no matter how hard everyone works, nothing changes unless something happens at the top."

My stomach tightens. "Are we going bankrupt?"

She nods slowly, then reaches into her handbag, pulls out her phone, and opens a chart. Chloe's in accounting. She sees the numbers before the rest of us do.

I look at the screen, but my mind's already trying to catch up. My relationship with this company has always been simple. I come in, I work, I collect my paycheck. I've never had to worry about what happens beyond my desk.

But now, for the first time, I'm realizing the place I've spent years building my career in could disappear without warning.

Chloe's right. By noon, the news about the bankruptcy is flying around the office. The board is still locked inside the conference room. Mr. Elliott's with them now, but the doors stay closed, leaving everyone outside guessing.

Jane raps on my door before walking in, laptop under one arm, drawing board in the other hand.

I eye her carefully, keeping my expression neutral.

"Is this a good time?" she asks, coming to a stop in front of my desk.

I pretend to be busy, even though I finished the design ten minutes ago. The cat's out of the bag now, and I have nothing to give her to ease her fears. This isn't how anyone wants to start their career.

You work hard, you show up, give everything you have and somehow, everything can still fall apart.

"Hey…" I gesture toward my laptop and the pile of files on my desk. "I'm just trying to finish up this design for the presentation. It's due tomorrow."

She lets out a dry chuckle. "Due tomorrow, you say? That's if the building's still standing by then."

My skin prickles. "Jane, don't say that. It's just rumors. You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

Her eyes turn glassy, and she lowers her head. "I told my dad." I stay quiet. "He told me the firm hasn't been doing well for the past three months, and there's been no improvement. We're dropping down the charts." Her voice drops. "And if nothing changes, what happens to everyone else?" For a moment she looks like she wants to say something else, but she stops herself and sets her laptop on my desk instead.

I wish there were something I could do to make her feel better, but whatever I say right now would be empty words. They wouldn't change what's happening. We're all in the same boat. Even the employees who've spent years here and enjoy some measure of job security are on edge. No one knows what happens if this company goes under.

Pushing the thought aside, I shift my attention to the drawing board in her hands. "Is that the boutique hotel design?"

Her face lights up, and she steps closer, angling the board so I can get a better look. "I worked on it last night because I could barely sleep." A small smile tugs at her lips, then fades. "I was looking forward to showing Mr. Elliott this morning, but now…" She lets out a long breath. "I don't know what to do with it."

I motion her closer and study the design. It's beautiful. Every line is precise, every space thoughtfully planned. The proportions are balanced, the façade elegant without trying too hard, the natural lighting worked in so seamlessly the building almost feels alive on paper.I point to the cantilevered terrace overlooking the courtyard. "This is impressive, Jane. You've got magic fingers."

Her smile widens. "Not as good as yours. You're phenomenal, Ms. Carter."

I carefully place the drawing board against the wall in the corner of my office, then shut down my laptop. Grabbing my handbag and car keys, I look back at her. "Are you hungry?"

Relief flickers across her eyes before her smile falters. "If this place folds and we all go our separate ways, I'll miss you terribly, Ms. Carter."

Before I can respond, a figure walks past my office door. I probably wouldn't have looked twice if my body hadn't reacted before my mind could.

A knot twists in my stomach, and a chill races down my spine.

Jane is still talking, but her voice fades into the background as my mind drags me back to the night I've spent most of my twenty-four years trying to forget. The night I regret more than any other.

"Ms. Carter?" Jane waves a hand in front of my face, snapping me back.

I blink, forcing myself to focus on her. "Sorry," I murmur.

She laughs softly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you'd just seen a ghost."

I manage a laugh, though it feels strained, and fall into step beside her as we leave my office.

I hope what I saw was nothing. I hope the panic clawing at my chest is just a cruel trick of my mind, because I can't bear to become that woman again.

The woman who pined after a man who made her feel cheap enough to forget.