Chapter 1 --- Brielle clutched her sketchbook tightly as she stood in the grand lobby of Nathaniel Grey's headquarters. The building was a towering masterpiece of glass and steel, a testament to its owner's sharp precision and unyielding ambition. She felt small and out of place, her floral dress and messy bun starkly contrasting the sleek suits and polished shoes of everyone around her. She had dreamed of this moment for years-walking into Grey Enterprises with a shot at turning her designs into reality. But now, standing under the cold gaze of Nathaniel Grey himself, she wasn't so sure. His reputation preceded him: a man who had clawed his way out of the ashes of his past to build an empire, known for his ruthlessness as much as his brilliance. "Miss Bennett," he said, his voice as icy as his eyes. He gestured to the chair opposite his massive desk. "Have a seat." Brielle's heart pounded as she shuffled forward. She accidentally bumped into the edge of the chair and muttered an apology under her breath. Nathaniel's expression didn't change, but a flicker of something-amusement?-crossed his face. "You've applied for the junior designer position," he began, flipping through her portfolio. "Your designs are... unconventional." Brielle swallowed hard. "Unconventional in a good way, I hope." Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "That remains to be seen." Her palms were damp, but she found her voice. "I believe jewelry should tell a story. It should evoke emotion, not just look pretty. That's what I aim to create." Nathaniel closed the portfolio and leaned back, studying her. For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint hum of the city outside. Then he said, "We don't hire dreamers here, Miss Bennett. We hire doers." Brielle straightened her back. "I am a doer. Give me a chance, and I'll prove it." Nathaniel's lips curved into a smirk, though his eyes remained cold. "You'll start tomorrow. Report to the design department at 9 a.m." Brielle's breath caught in her throat. "Thank you, Mr. Grey. I won't let you down." As she left his office, Nathaniel watched her go. There was something about her-her clumsy determination, her ability to meet his gaze without fear-that stirred an old memory. Shaking his head, he returned to his work, determined to forget the look of fire in her eyes. ---
Chapter 1 Unconventional beginning
Chapter 1
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Brielle clutched her sketchbook tightly as she stood in the grand lobby of Nathaniel Grey's headquarters. The building was a towering masterpiece of glass and steel, a testament to its owner's sharp precision and unyielding ambition. She felt small and out of place, her floral dress and messy bun starkly contrasting the sleek suits and polished shoes of everyone around her.
She had dreamed of this moment for years-walking into Grey Enterprises with a shot at turning her designs into reality. But now, standing under the cold gaze of Nathaniel Grey himself, she wasn't so sure. His reputation preceded him: a man who had clawed his way out of the ashes of his past to build an empire, known for his ruthlessness as much as his brilliance.
"Miss Bennett," he said, his voice as icy as his eyes. He gestured to the chair opposite his massive desk. "Have a seat."
Brielle's heart pounded as she shuffled forward. She accidentally bumped into the edge of the chair and muttered an apology under her breath. Nathaniel's expression didn't change, but a flicker of something-amusement?-crossed his face.
"You've applied for the junior designer position," he began, flipping through her portfolio. "Your designs are... unconventional."
Brielle swallowed hard. "Unconventional in a good way, I hope."
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "That remains to be seen."
Her palms were damp, but she found her voice. "I believe jewelry should tell a story. It should evoke emotion, not just look pretty. That's what I aim to create."
Nathaniel closed the portfolio and leaned back, studying her. For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint hum of the city outside. Then he said, "We don't hire dreamers here, Miss Bennett. We hire doers."
Brielle straightened her back. "I am a doer. Give me a chance, and I'll prove it."
Nathaniel's lips curved into a smirk, though his eyes remained cold. "You'll start tomorrow. Report to the design department at 9 a.m."
Brielle's breath caught in her throat. "Thank you, Mr. Grey. I won't let you down."
As she left his office, Nathaniel watched her go. There was something about her-her clumsy determination, her ability to meet his gaze without fear-that stirred an old memory. Shaking his head, he returned to his work, determined to forget the look of fire in her eyes.
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