Finn walked back into the conference room, his expression calm and collected. "Alright, let's get back to business. Andra, can you walk us through the new design concepts?"
Andra, Finn's sister, nodded and began to click through a presentation on her laptop. Ava watched, impressed, as Andra outlined a bold new direction for the company's product line.
Just then, the door opened and a tall, dark-haired man walked in. "Sorry I'm late," he said, flashing a charming smile. "I'm Ethan Thompson, the new head of sales."
Andra's eyes lit up as she turned to face Ethan. "Well, well, well. Look what we've got here. The new sales guy, and he's already late."
Ethan chuckled. "Hey, I'm fashionably late. There's a difference."
Andra raised an eyebrow. "Fashionably late? Is that what they're calling it these days?"
Ethan grinned. "Hey, I'm just trying to make a good impression."
Finn cleared his throat. "Ethan, this is Andra, our lead designer."
Andra smiled sweetly. "Nice to meet you, Ethan. Try not to be too late tomorrow."
Ethan laughed. "I'll try my best."
As the meeting drew to a close, Finn stood up. "Alright, let's get to work. We have a lot to do if we're going to launch this new product on time."
The team nodded, gathering their things as they filed out of the conference room. Ava hung back, waiting for Finn to finish up.
As they walked out of the conference room together, Finn turned to her. "What do you think of our new team member?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Ava raised an eyebrow. "I think he's definitely going to shake things up around here."
Finn chuckled. "I think you might be right."
As they walked down the hallway, Finn's phone suddenly slipped out of his pocket and clattered to the floor. Ava bent down to pick it up, but as she did, her heel caught on the carpet and she felt herself falling.
Finn's reflexes were quick, and he caught her by the waist, pulling her close to prevent her from hitting the floor. For a moment, they were pressed together, their faces inches apart.
Ava's heart was racing as she looked up at Finn. She could feel the warmth of his body, the strength of his arms around her.
Finn's eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Finn's face broke into a slow smile.
"Whoa, careful there," he said, his voice low and husky. "I don't want you getting hurt."
Ava felt a flutter in her chest as she looked up at Finn.
"I'm fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Finn's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "Good," he said. "I'd hate to have to explain to HR why I'm holding you in my arms."
---
Catherine Ryder sipped her coffee, gazing out the window of their luxurious penthouse apartment. Her husband, James, sat across from her, scanning the morning's financial news.
"I'm telling you, Catherine, Finn is making a mistake with this new product launch," James said, his brow furrowed with concern.
Catherine set her cup down, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, come on, James. You're not going to start with the 'I told you so's' already, are you?"
James looked up, his expression mock-offended. "I am merely offering my expert advice, my dear."
Catherine chuckled. "Expert advice? You mean like the time you tried to 'help' Finn with his homework and ended up getting him a C-minus?"
James's face reddened. "That was one small mistake! I'm a brilliant businessman, I'll have you know."
Catherine smiled, shaking her head. "You're a brilliant father, James. But sometimes you just have to let Finn make his own mistakes."
James sighed, rubbing his temples. "I just want what's best for him, Catherine."
Catherine reached out, taking his hand. "I know, James. And I'm sure Finn appreciates your concern."
---
Anonymous Enemy's POV:
My phone buzzed, shrill in the silence. I answered, my voice low. "Yes?"
"Finn Ryder just arrived at the office," a low, gravelly voice said on the other end of the line.
I smiled, a cold, calculated smile. "Thank you. I'll take care of it from here".I hung up the phone, my eyes narrowing as I thought about Finn. He was so predictable, so confident in his own abilities.
But I knew the truth about Finn. I knew about the secrets he kept hidden, the lies he told to get what he wanted.
And I was going to use that knowledge to destroy him.
I pulled out my phone and sent a text message to an unknown number. "The time is coming. Be ready."