The next morning, Matthew woke up to the soft light coming through the windows of his room. He stretched slowly, feeling his body relaxed after the previous day, and soon got up, heading to the bathroom.
In front of the mirror, he observed his face, and a slight smile appeared as he thought of Elise. He picked up the razor, carefully running the blade over his face, leaving his skin smooth and flawless. The morning ritual gave him a moment of clarity; he always liked to keep his routine organized.
After shaving, he stepped into the shower and let the hot water run over him, invigorating his body and his thoughts. The steady sound of the water and the fresh scent of the soap helped to wake him up completely, preparing him for the day ahead.
When he was finished, he dried himself, got dressed and went to the TV room. The modern and comfortable decor of the space was a reflection of his personality: white leather sofas, a state-of-the-art sound system and the large screen that took up a good part of the wall in front of him.
He sat down on the sofa, picked up the remote control and turned on the TV. He flicked through the channels, looking for something interesting to watch. When he found a program about business development and innovation, he settled in, letting himself be immersed in the content. Even in his moments of rest, his analytical eye never stopped searching for inspiration and new ideas for NeuroSys and for his future collaborations with Montavon Corp.
As he watched, his cell phone vibrated discreetly with messages and notifications, but he decided to ignore them for a moment, enjoying the rare moment of peace and quiet before diving into another day full of important commitments and decisions.
The sound of the door opening pulled Matthew out of his moment of tranquility in the TV room. He looked back and smiled when he saw Elise coming in, carrying a bag with breakfast. She was wearing a smart casual outfit, her hair down, and there was a special sparkle in her eyes when she saw him.
"Good morning, Matt," she said, approaching with a soft smile.
"Good morning, sweetheart." He stood up, walking towards her, and before she could say anything else, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly. But the kiss, which started out gentle, soon deepened, and Matthew let himself go, intensifying the moment.
Elise tried to keep up with the pace, but soon she felt breathless, her heart beating faster. With a gentle push, she broke the kiss, panting and her face flushed.
"You really...caught me off guard," she said, trying to compose herself, a nervous laugh escaping as she looked at him with a deep blush on her cheeks.
Matthew chuckled softly, watching her flushed face. "Sorry, I guess I couldn't resist."
"Well, you definitely managed to take my breath away," she replied, still with a slight smile and a gleam of happiness in her eyes. "Shall we get some coffee before it gets cold?"
"Sure," he nodded, taking the bag she brought and leading her to the kitchen, where they could enjoy the moment together.
As they settled into the kitchen for breakfast, Matthew didn't take his eyes off Elise, admiring every detail of her expression. After a few minutes of relaxed conversation, he took a sip of coffee and, with an amused smile, commented:
"By the way, I think it's time we set the date for our engagement, don't you think?"
Elise, who was picking up a croissant, stopped in mid-motion and looked at him with a surprised expression. Her eyes widened for a moment, but she soon noticed the playful tone in his voice. Matthew laughed out loud, finding her reaction amusing.
"You're kidding, aren't you?" she asked, pretending to be irritated, while lightly patting his shoulder.
Matthew just kept laughing, holding her hand affectionately. "Okay, okay, I deserved that! But one day we'll have to talk about this, you know?"
Elise rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile at the corner of her lips. "We'll see... maybe I need a few more breakfasts like this before I think about something so serious."
Matthew shrugged, still laughing, and sighed. "Well, changing the subject to something less alarming... the collaboration project between NeuroSys and Montavon is complete on our side. Now all that's left is for you to finalize the details at Montavon Corp."
Elise nodded, taking on a more serious tone. "Yes, I'll finalize everything this week. I'll present the projections to the directors again and, hopefully, they'll understand the potential."
"I have no doubt that you'll be able to convince them," he replied confidently. "If you need any support, I'll be here."
She smiled, lightly touching his hand on the table. "Thanks, Matt. It's good to know that we're in this together."
They continued to talk, enjoying their breakfast and that rare moment of calm, without rushing, just enjoying each other's company.
---
"Is 'Almighty: Battle of Gods' online yet?" Matthew commented in his office, as he looked at some reports on the screen.
"Yes, sir. Since NeuroPlay made the game available for download, we've had 5 million downloads," Aether replied, analyzing the real-time data.
"Any signs of a drop in engagement?" Matthew asked, attentive.
"The active user rate is dropping by about 9% every three hours," Aether informed him accurately.
"Hm... then send an update to the team," Matthew said thoughtfully. "Release the special pack we prepared for day one players and add an XP bonus for the rest of the day."
"Order sent, sir. The NeuroPlay team is already aware of it," Aether replied efficiently.
Matthew smiled, satisfied. "Let's see if this keeps the players excited."
A few hours passed as Matthew monitored the updated data Aether provided him. The effects of the new update were visible: player engagement was up, and positive reviews were growing on the download platforms.
"Sir, the number of active players has increased by 15%, and the response to the XP bonus is extremely positive," Aether reported, displaying graphs that showed the impact of the strategy.
Matthew nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent. This game could be NeuroPlay's most successful project if we continue to respond quickly to what the public wants."
He leaned back in his chair, considering. "Aether, ask the marketing team to prepare a campaign focused on new players. We want to keep the downloads going."
"Understood, sir. The team will be notified immediately."
As Aether sent out the instructions, Matthew reflected on the importance of this game to NeuroPlay's expansion. "Also, please review player feedback on any issues or bugs they encounter and prioritize fixes," he added.
Aether responded promptly: "I'm already gathering the most relevant feedback for the development team."
Matthew looked out his office window, feeling inspired. The game's success was just the beginning; he saw immense possibilities ahead.