Chapter 104: Reunion
Chapter 104: Reunion
Celia hesitated for several seconds, her eyes lingering on the man’s outstretched hand before lifting to meet his gaze once more.
Every sensible thought in her head told her this was a terrible idea.
She had an interview scheduled in less than twenty minutes. She had spent the past month preparing for it, revising her portfolio over and over until she could no longer find a single flaw worth correcting. Walking away now, even for a few minutes, felt incredibly irresponsible.
And yet...
There was something strangely reassuring about the man standing before her.
He had approached her without arrogance despite the obvious attention he attracted. He hadn’t pressured her. He hadn’t demanded anything. Even his invitation sounded more like a polite request than an order.
Most importantly...
She was curious.
How did he know her name?
She was certain they had never met before.
Unless...
Perhaps he had looked at the applicant list.
Or maybe he was someone involved in the recruitment process.
The thought eased her worries just enough.
"...Alright," she finally said, adjusting the strap of her portfolio on her shoulder. "I’ll come with you."
A faint warmth settled in his eyes.
"You have my gratitude."
He lowered his hand naturally before turning around.
"This way, if you please."
She quietly followed behind him.
The farther they walked into the building, the more her surroundings began to change.
The waiting area they had left behind was lively, filled with applicants nervously rehearsing interview answers or reviewing their portfolios one last time.
This corridor, however, was noticeably quieter.
Employees walked with purpose, carrying folders and tablets as they moved between departments. Yet almost everyone they passed reacted the same way upon seeing the masked man.
"Good morning, sir."
"It is good to see you today."
"Welcome back."
Some bowed their heads slightly.
Others stepped aside immediately to give him room to pass.
The man acknowledged each greeting with nothing more than a courteous nod.
He neither slowed his pace nor encouraged conversation.
Celia found herself becoming increasingly puzzled.
...He’s definitely someone important.
She had initially assumed he might be one of the interview panelists.
Now she wasn’t so sure.
No ordinary manager received this kind of respect.
Her curiosity only deepened when the elevator doors opened the moment they approached.
Neither of them had pressed the button.
An employee waiting inside immediately stepped aside.
"After you, sir."
The man inclined his head politely before entering.
Celia followed awkwardly.
The elevator began moving upward almost immediately.
Neither of them spoke.
She stole a glance toward him.
He stood perfectly still with one hand resting lightly behind his back while the other remained at his side.
Even standing inside an elevator...
He somehow looked as though he belonged in an entirely different era.
His posture was flawless.
Relaxed without appearing careless.
Composed without seeming cold.
She smiled to herself.
He really does talk and act like a nobleman.
The thought reminded her of someone she had spent the past month trying not to think about.
The similarity wasn’t physical.
It was simply...
The atmosphere.
The quiet dignity.
The effortless refinement.
Her smile faded almost as quickly as it appeared.
’Stop it. He’s not real. None of them were.’
The elevator chimed softly before the doors slid open.
Celia stepped out behind him and immediately slowed.
This floor was nothing like the others.
The atmosphere felt quieter and more exclusive.
Elegant marble flooring reflected the afternoon sunlight streaming through enormous windows lining the corridor. Modern artwork decorated the walls, while carefully arranged greenery softened what might otherwise have felt like an intimidating executive space.
Even the air somehow felt calmer here.
"This floor is beautiful," she admitted without thinking.
"It was designed to encourage clarity of thought," the man replied.
She blinked.
"...That’s a very specific design philosophy."
"It has proven effective."
She laughed quietly.
"I’ll take your word for it."
He continued walking until they stopped before a pair of large walnut doors positioned at the very end of the corridor.
Unlike every office they had passed, this one bore no department name.
There was no title.
Nothing.
Just two beautifully crafted doors.
The man rested his hand upon the polished brass handle before looking back at her.
"If you would."
He turned the knob and gently pushed the doors inward.
Celia stepped inside...
...and forgot how to speak.
The office was enormous.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked nearly the entire city, flooding the room with warm natural light. Bookshelves stretched across one wall, filled with volumes on fashion, architecture, textiles, history, and design. Framed sketches decorated another, each one appearing to be original concept work rather than decorative prints.
The furniture was elegant without feeling excessive.
Nothing seemed placed merely to impress.
Everything had purpose and everything belonged.
Near the windows stood a spacious seating area, while a massive walnut desk overlooked the room with quiet authority.
Fresh white lilies rested inside a crystal vase, filling the office with a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Celia slowly turned in place, taking everything in.
"...This is incredible."
Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
She had visited design studios before.
She had interned at respectable companies.
But nothing compared to this.
"If I’m being completely honest..." she said with an awkward laugh, "...this looks less like an executive’s office and more like somewhere the CEO would work."
The man quietly closed the doors behind them.
"It is."
She nodded absentmindedly.
"I thought so."
Then...
Her smile slowly disappeared.
Her eyes widened.
She looked back at him.
"...Wait."
Silence answered her.
"...You mean..."
He simply met her gaze.
"...This actually is the CEO’s office?"
"Yes."
Her mouth opened.
Then closed again.
"...Then..."
A hundred questions collided inside her mind at once.
Who exactly was this man?
Why had he brought her here?
And...
Why her?
As though sensing every question she was too overwhelmed to ask, the man slowly reached for his glasses.
He removed them carefully before placing them upon the desk.
Only then did his fingers rise toward the black mask concealing the lower half of his face.
He paused for the briefest moment.
Not from hesitation...
But almost as though he understood that removing it would change something neither of them could yet define.
With calm, he reached behind his head and loosened the straps securing the black mask. The fabric slipped away slowly, revealing a face that instantly stole the breath from Celia’s lungs.
Her entire body froze.
For several long seconds, she simply stared, her mind refusing to process what her eyes were seeing. The sharp jawline, the composed expression, the gentle warmth hidden beneath those familiar eyes... every feature was painfully recognizable.
"...Ren?"
The name escaped her lips before she could stop it.
The office fell silent.
She blinked rapidly, her breathing growing uneven as she continued staring at him. It was impossible. Completely impossible. His hair was different. His eyes were no longer dark but hazel. The uniform had been replaced by a perfectly tailored black suit, and there was no imperial crest resting proudly over his chest.
Yet...
The resemblance was exact.
It wasn’t simply that he looked similar.
He looked like Ren.
Exactly like Ren, or Damien.
Like the man she had loved enough to let go.
A painful ache spread across her chest.
She quickly lowered her head and laughed awkwardly, embarrassed by her own reaction.
"...I’m sorry." She rubbed the corner of her eye before forcing a smile. "For a second... you reminded me of someone."
The man remained silent.
He neither corrected her nor questioned the name that had escaped her lips. He simply continued looking at her with an expression so gentle that it only made her heart hurt even more.
’No...Stop.’
She inhaled slowly, forcing herself to steady her breathing.
’This isn’t real.’
’You’ve already accepted it.’
’They’re dreams.’
’Nothing more.’
She had repeated those words to herself every night for the past month. Every time memories threatened to return, every time she caught herself wondering how Sebastian would have reacted to something or imagining Matthias complaining about another reckless decision she would have made, she reminded herself of the same truth.
It had all happened inside a sleeping mind.
A beautiful dream.
A cruel dream.
But still...
Only a dream.
She lifted her head again and offered him an apologetic smile.
"I’m sorry if that sounded strange."
"There is no need to apologize, you are right after all." He smiled genuinely.
Celia flinched and looked at him again.
Before she could answer, another voice suddenly echoed from behind her.
"Don’t forget us."
Celia’s entire body went rigid.
Her heartbeat thundered painfully inside her ears as she slowly turned around.
The office doors stood open.
Four men quietly stepped inside.
The first wore an immaculate charcoal suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and commanding presence. His eyes remained fixed on her with their usual unreadable calm.
Sebastian.
Beside him stood a man dressed in dark navy, his long hair neatly tied behind him while his golden eyes studied her with unsettling intensity.
Ezekiel.
Just behind them walked a tall man whose disciplined posture seemed capable of making even an ordinary business suit resemble ceremonial armor.
Matthias.
And finally...
Standing nearest the doorway was a man whose emerald-green eyes and immediately stole every remaining breath she had.
Aelith.
The color drained from her face.
Her gaze darted frantically from one man to the next.
Then back toward the man standing before her.
The portfolio slipped from her trembling fingers and landed softly on the polished floor.
"...what..."
She instinctively stepped backward.
Her breathing became increasingly uneven.
And before she could say anything, her vision blurred and Celia went unconscious once more.