Chapter 1: Work At Stake

The glass doors of Croft Holdings Architecture Group reflected an elegance of multimillions. Raphina Vance pushed through them, walking in tensed and a coffee on the other hand, she is a 24 years old junior architect, who is surrounded my responsibilities and cannot afford to lose her only means of survival.

“ Design team meeting, 8:00am, 19th floor” the receptionist said without looking up.

Raphina dashed in the elevator immediately and went up the 19th floor. Phew!! Thank goodness I made it on time, glancing at her watch, it’s 7:54am.

The boardroom smelled like new leather and mysterious old power. Twelve people sat round the table, at the head sat Silas Croft. He didn’t look pleased to see her at all, it was written all over his face.

Silas Croft, a 30 years old CEO of Croft Holdings, governing the company with an iron fist. Sharp jawline, intense eyes and a strong eyebrow that often furrows in concentration. His mouth can shift from a stern line to a rare, disarming smile. He has high cheekbones that give his face a sculpted dark look, often windswept dark hair that adds to his dramatic presence.

He eyed with disgust. Proceed.

“Am I late? She thought to herself .” His looks made her look pathetic. She was so thankful that he wasn’t standing right now, hovering around her with his tall height. If there is anything she is aware of, that will be his rules; carrying out building projects on time, and firing people who didn’t. There’s no two ways around it.

“Punctuality is a habit, Miss Vance. Not a coincidence”

She didn’t answer, she pulled out a chair, sat opposite him, more like a challenge.

He turned to the screen. “Project Cycrox is the ultimate deal, it’s bleeding money. Our biggest client is threatening to pull out in ninety days. If we lose them, we lose the quarter”

“This project is going to be carried out by two people, with exceptional abilities.” Silas continued

Myself and …. his eyes scanned the room and landed on her.

“Got you” Miss Raphina Vance, take it upon yourself to execute this project with diligence.

The room went silent.

“Sir, the HR manager spoke up. “Cycrox is a senior-level project. Miss Vance is_”

“Three months behind on the project,” Silas cut in. She either fixes it or she’s out with the rest of the sinking team.

Raphina's jaw tightened. She had been hired for her thesis work on sustainable coastal designs. She had spent months completing the

drawing while the seniors took credit.

“Ninety days,” Silas said, standing without baiting an eye. You report to me daily. No excuses,no negligence. If you succeed, you’ll get a promotion and a contract upgrade, but… if you fail, you'll be fired without any compensation.

Do you accept the terms, Miss Vance?

It wasn’t really a question, it was a door to escape from all her financial problems.

“I accept, on one condition”

You’ll give me the access, the data, and the decisions that I need to do the job. You don’t hide information to test me.

For a second something shifted in his expression, not approval.

“Fine,” he uttered as he walked out majestically, to my office Miss Vance, now.

She followed him, not looking at the angry loggerheads seated.

A whole day with him was toxic, by noon, Raphina understood why people quit working with him. The archive room is on the twentieth floor. No windows open, two screens, one detailed with a set of Cycrox plans and a whiteboard full of numbers that didn’t add up.

“ You missed the soil report”, he said, sliding a folder across the desk. The client changed the contractors three months ago, the new one cut corners on piling.

Raphina opened it, he was right. Why isn’t this on the shared drive?

“Because the last idiot on this project kept it hidden, he was hoping no one would notice until after handover” he scoffed.

Such incompetent moron.

So we are fixing his mess? … We?

Silas turned to look at her, there’s no we, only you Miss Vance.

You said we’re together in this project, you said that in the boardroom. Oh!! So it was all a lie?

I’m not paying you to amuse me, this is no comedy. I’m paying you to do your fuckinggg!!! Job. Am I understood?

Raphina could not respond, mentally he got to her but she could not let it show.” I really need this job, else how am I going to sort out Bruno’s medical fees?” She whispered.

Silas was irritated seeing her lost in thought. He acted rashly by grabbing both her arms, are you fucking deaf? ….. don’t you ever go silent when I ask you a question or else I’ll make sure you remain mute forever.

Raphina stared at him as she nodded rapidly. I….I’m sorry…I just_

“Quiet,” no excuse, my terms. We are fixing this building, I don’t care who caused it.

She worked through lunch , putting her list in order: drainage re-design, structural re-calc and a value engineering proposal that wouldn’t gut the aesthetic. Silas read it without comment. Then he pointed at the drainage re-design, this will cost 12% more.

“It will save 22% in maintenance over ten years” she sketched out. And certainly keep us from a lawsuit when the rain comes.

He looked at her differently, like she spoke a different language. You think long-term for a short term crisis? You’re incredibly stupid.

“Redo these," he circled two items on the list. It must be submitted on my desk by 7:00 a.m tomorrow.

“That’s sixteen hours from now”

“Then start now, quit talking, time is of the essence”

At 9:14pm, Raphina was still on the 20th floor. The floor was empty, except from the security and the hum of the air conditioner.

“Water” he uttered.

“Huh” she was confused

“I said go drink some water before you pass out,” he said.