Chapter 66
66
~Elara’s POV
I woke early that morning, sunlight spilling through my bedroom window, brushing my face with warmth. The house was quiet, still, with only the faint hum of the city outside. I stretched slowly, feeling the comfort of the bed and the gentle weight of the morning.
I glanced at Darlon, still asleep beside me. His chest rose and fell steadily, and I smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “Good morning,” I whispered, pressing a quick, grateful kiss to his temple before getting out of bed. I wanted to start the day on my own terms, but I also wanted to be ready for work, to take on this new role with confidence.
I dressed carefully, choosing something professional but comfortable, and I had a simple breakfast before going to work.
The city was alive, buzzing quietly beneath the calm of dawn. I felt a mixture of excitement and nerves. Today, I would finally bring Janae into Blueberries Company, not just as a guest, not just a friend, but as someone I trusted fully, someone I wanted beside me in the business.
“Janae,” I called, tapping lightly on the phone. “Can you come to Blueberries company? I have something important for you p>
Within minutes, she arrived, wide-eyed as always, practically glowing. “Elara? What’s going on?” she asked, her voice full of curiosity.
I smiled warmly. “I want you to join me here, officially. You’ll have a position on the creative team. I’ve seen your talent, and I know you’ll bring so much to the company. Are you ready for this p>
Her eyes sparkled. “Are you serious? Me? Working with you? Elara… thank you! I won’t disappoint you, I promise p>
I handed her a small stack of documents outlining her responsibilities. “I know you won’t,” I said softly. “Just remember, teamwork is key. Everyone here has to pull together. But I have faith in you p>
She practically bounced with excitement and hugged me tightly before we even reached the office floor. “I can’t believe this! I feel like I’m dreaming! And congratulations, girl, on your new position p>
I laughed a little, shaking my head. “Thank you. Now let’s go before you make me emotional p>
But the atmosphere shifted. The air felt heavier, like the room itself sensed something coming. The door slammed open so hard it hit the wall.
Lira stormed in, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floor like tiny explosions. Her hair was wild, her eyes burning with fury. She didn’t even give me a chance to breathe.
“You!” she screamed, jabbing her finger at me as if she wanted to stab the air. “You took my position! Do you know what you’ve done? You’re going to pay for this p>
I just sat down slowly, folding my hands on the desk, watching Lira with a calmness I didn’t completely feel. I refused to give her the satisfaction of rattling me.
“Lira,” I said gently, almost too gently, “if you want to act like this, I can promise you it won’t end well for you. Think carefully about where you are. Think about who I am now. And think about what happened last time p>
Her face twisted even more, as if the reminder of her time in police custody stabbed her pride. She took one angry step forward.
“You can’t do this to me! You can’t!” she shouted. “I deserve that position! Not you! I worked for it p>
“You worked for it?” I scoffed, nodding. “That’s nonsense p>
She growled, actually growled, and for a moment I wondered if she was about to shift right here in my office. Then she lunged forward, not to hit me, but as if the rage itself pushed her body ahead.
I didn’t move.
“Lira,” I said evenly, “if you take one more step, or raise your voice again, I will call security and have you escorted out. And this time, I won’t plead with Alpha Darlon to show you mercy p>
Her breath came out in sharp, angry bursts. For a second, she looked like she wanted to argue, scream, or throw something. Her fingers curled at her sides. Her eyes darted around the room as if looking for backup that wasn’t there.
“You’ve tested your limits enough,” I added quietly. “Don’t test them again p>
She screamed, throwing papers and rattling the office chairs, but I remained seated, my hand steady on the desk. I pressed the intercom button. “Security, please remove Ms. Lira from the premises immediately p>
The guards moved in quickly but professionally. Lira struggled, kicking and yelling, but they guided her firmly toward the door. “This isn’t over!” she shouted over her shoulder. “You’ll regret this, Elara p>
I exhaled slowly, turning back to Janae. “Ignore her. She’s just making noise. We have work to do p>
Janae nodded, still wide-eyed but impressed. “Wow… that was intense. Are you okay p>
I smiled faintly. “I’ve handled worse. Come on, we have people to meet p>
No sooner had Lira disappeared than the office door opened again. Ronan stepped in, holding a thick file in his hands. He froze when he saw the aftermath, his brows furrowed in confusion. “Elara… I p>
“Ronan,” I said, raising my hand. “We’re busy here. Please leave the file and come back later. And make sure security checks that Lira doesn’t try to come back today p>
Ronan hesitated, looking between the security team and me, but nodded, leaving the file neatly on my desk.
Janae leaned closer, whispering, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you handle anyone like that before. You were… amazing p>
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “Sometimes, you have to show people there are boundaries. And in business, respect is everything. Let’s not waste any more time. We have meetings with the team leaders today p>
“Alright, now that you’re officially part of the company, I want you to meet the creative and design team. They’ll guide you through everything you need to know and show you the flow of work here p>
Janae’s eyes sparkled. “Really? You’re introducing me already?” she asked, bouncing slightly on her heels.
“Of course,” I said, laughing. “I want you to feel confident. You’ll need to know the processes, the timelines, and the expectations. Come on p>
I led her down the long, glass-walled corridor, my heels clicking lightly on the polished floor. The office was buzzing with energy, phones ringing, keyboards clicking, printers whirring. Employees glanced up curiously as we passed, whispering and nodding. I ignored the stares; this was about helping Janae settle in.
We arrived at the creative department. It was spacious, bright, and colorful, filled with design boards, sketches, fabric samples, and mannequins in various stages of outfitting. The scent of fresh paper and a hint of perfume from the employees lingered in the air.
“Everyone,” I called, raising my voice just enough to get their attention. “This is Janae. She’s joining the team today. I want you to show her how things work, the flow of projects, and what’s expected. Make sure she knows how to contribute effectively p>
The room quieted for a moment, then a few heads nodded. Some of the senior designers approached her with smiles, extending their hands.
“Hi, I’m Marcy,” one said, a tall woman with glasses perched on her nose. “We’ll get you started on understanding the seasonal collection flow. Don’t worry, it’s simpler than it looks p>
“I’m Janae,” she said shyly but with excitement, shaking Marcy’s hand firmly. “I’m ready to learn p>
Another designer, a younger guy named Theo, pointed to a design board. “Here’s where we track ideas, sketches, client feedback, and approvals. We’ll walk you through every step so you can contribute properly p>
I smiled, watching Janae’s eyes widen as she took it all in. “See?” I said softly. “They’ll guide you. Ask questions, take notes, and don’t be afraid to speak up. You’re part of the team now p>
Janae nodded eagerly, glancing around at the mannequins and sketches. “Wow… this is amazing. I can’t wait to start p>
I ruffled her hair affectionately. “I know you won’t disappoint. Now, they’ll give you a full walkthrough. I have some meetings to attend, but I’ll check in later. Just focus on learning and observing p>
She grinned at me, eyes shining. “Thank you, Elara. I’ll do my best p>