Chapter 5 Who are you

The next few days felt like a whirlwind. Between back-to-back meetings, late nights working on the projections, and trying to keep up with the team's expectations, I was starting to feel the pressure mounting. But something had shifted after that conversation with Elliot. It wasn't just the business as usual anymore. It was like I was now part of a much bigger game, one that I didn't fully understand, but was being forced to play.

I spent the next morning at my desk, reviewing some figures that didn't quite add up, trying to make sense of them when I heard a knock at the door. I glanced up to see Mark standing there with a half-smile on his face.

"You got a second?" he asked, already walking in without waiting for my reply.

"Of course," I said, swiveling my chair toward him. "What's up?"

"I need you to check the figures on the hotel renovation project," Mark said, handing me a folder. "There's something off with the projected returns. Elliot's asking for a meeting at four."

I nodded, flipping open the folder. As I skimmed through the documents, I could see what he was talking about. The numbers didn't align with the previous projections. It was a small discrepancy, but enough to raise red flags. I wasn't surprised Elliot had caught it. He seemed to notice every little detail.

"Got it," I said, already getting to work. "I'll have it fixed by the time we meet."

Mark gave me an approving nod before heading out, and I immediately got to work. It wasn't a difficult fix, but I had to double-check all of the numbers to make sure I hadn't missed anything. By the time four o'clock rolled around, I was ready.

I headed to the conference room, feeling the usual tension creeping in. Every time I had to meet with Elliot, I couldn't help but wonder if I was about to mess up. His standards were high, and I couldn't afford to slip up.

I entered the room and found Elliot already there, waiting by the large oak table. He was standing with his arms crossed, his usual serious expression on his face. He glanced up when I entered, his eyes locking onto mine in that way that always made my heart race a little faster.

"Clara," he said with a nod. "You ready?"

"Of course," I replied, walking to the table and placing my folder down. I could feel his gaze still on me as I set everything up, but I forced myself to stay focused. I couldn't afford to be distracted.

I began going through the figures, explaining the changes I'd made to the projections, detailing the adjustments I'd made to ensure the returns were accurate. I could tell Elliot was paying close attention, his sharp eyes scanning the numbers I was presenting.

When I finished, he was silent for a moment, looking at the screen in front of him. It felt like an eternity before he finally spoke.

"This looks good," he said, his tone still cool but a little less tense. "But don't get too comfortable. I expect nothing less from you."

I nodded, my hands sweating slightly. "I understand."

But just as I thought the meeting was over, Elliot's next words caught me off guard.

"I want you to join me on a site visit tomorrow," he said, his eyes never leaving mine. "We need to see the progress firsthand. I'll expect you to be on your A-game."

A site visit? I had expected the usual back-and-forth meetings, but being there in person was a different level of responsibility. The pressure was only going to increase from here.

"I'll be there," I said, forcing a confident smile. "What time?"

"Eight sharp," he replied, before walking out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sat there for a moment, the weight of his request sinking in. A site visit? Was this some sort of test? It certainly felt like one.

---

Elliot's POV

I watched Clara leave the conference room, my mind running through everything that had happened over the last few days. I had been watching her closely-perhaps more closely than I should have-but I couldn't help it. She had potential. I saw that immediately, even if she didn't realize it yet.

But potential alone wasn't enough. Not in my world. Not in this family. Clara needed to understand that.

I had to admit, I was impressed by how quickly she had adapted. Most people would have crumbled under the pressure, but she hadn't. She was strong, focused, and willing to do whatever it took to succeed. It was a quality I respected. But I also needed to see if she could handle the deeper complexities of the job-the ones that went beyond spreadsheets and presentations.

The site visit tomorrow would be a perfect opportunity to test her. I had no doubt she would be prepared, but it wasn't just about the numbers. I wanted to see how she handled the unexpected. How she reacted under real pressure, where things weren't as easy as they seemed.

She had already shown she could handle the basics. But could she handle the secrets the company was built on? Could she handle what was waiting for her on the other side of that visit?

I didn't know yet. But I was going to find out.

---

The next morning, I arrived at the site early, just as the sun was beginning to rise. The renovation project was one of the most significant we were working on, and it needed to be flawless. I had no room for error.

Clara was already there when I arrived, standing by the entrance and looking over the blueprints with a level of concentration I hadn't expected. I was surprised by her ability to dive right into the details. Most people would have been intimidated by the scale of the project, but Clara seemed to approach it with a calm focus.

"You're early," I said, walking up to her. She glanced up, offering me a quick smile.

"I like to be prepared," she said, her voice steady.

I couldn't help but notice how composed she was, despite the obvious tension in the air. She was here to prove herself, and I was going to make sure she had every opportunity to do that.

"Good," I said, nodding. "Let's get to work."

We spent the next few hours walking through the site, inspecting the progress and addressing issues as they came up. Clara was attentive, asking insightful questions and offering solutions that showed a deeper understanding of the project than I had expected. She was exactly the type of person I needed, but there was something about her that I still couldn't figure out.

Every now and then, I would catch her glancing at me, her eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and something else I couldn't quite place. I wasn't sure if she saw through my carefully constructed facade or if she was just trying to keep up. But either way, she wasn't backing down. She was here to stay.

By the time we finished, the sun was setting, and we were standing at the edge of the property, overlooking the city. I turned to her, noticing the way the fading light illuminated her face.

"You did well today," I said, my voice softer than usual.

She looked at me, her expression unreadable. "Thanks."

But then something changed. For the briefest moment, I saw a flicker of something in her eyes-something that made my stomach tighten.

And just like that, I realized I wasn't the only one who was starting to wonder just how far this connection would go.