Chapter 2 – The Stranger in the Suit

Camilla’s heart drummed as she hurries through the lobby of the tall Harrington Global building. There were glass doors everywhere, the marble floors shone like water, and her shoe echoed in her ears and her legs were shaky.

She was holding her laptop bag tightly, trying to catch her breathe and calm her nerves. This was her moment. Weeks of preparation, nights of no sleep, all for this. If she impressed the board today, her life could change. If she failed… she didn’t even want to think about it. This is the only way to gather more money for Aunt Roseline's surgery bill.

The receptionist looked at Camilla with a professional smile. “Miss Hart?”

“Yes,” Camilla answered, her voice small and shaky .

“Conference room on the twenty-first floor. The executives are waiting.”

Her palms went sweaty. Waiting Executives?. Big men and women in suits who could decide her fate with a nod or a shake of the head.

Camilla tries to calm her nerves as she walked towards the elevator, “You’ve got this. Think of Aunt Roseline. Think of Anya. Just do this Aunt Roseline's surgery bill.”

The elevator doors opened. She stepped inside, pressed the button, and the machine lifted her higher and higher. Her reflection stared back at her on the elevator mirror wall. Her blouse a little wrinkled. But her eyes were determined.

The door of the elevator opened, and she stepped out into a wide hallway. A man in a sleek gray suit guided her toward a pair of glass doors.

“in here,” he said.

Camilla’s throat went dry as she pushed the doors open.

The conference room was massive. A long table stretched across the space, surrounded by high quality chairs. Men and women sat in them, whispering, adjusting their ties, shuffling papers. At the head of the table was an empty chair.

Camilla walked to the front, set her laptop on the podium, and began connecting it to the projector. Her hands shook slightly, but she forced herself to stay calm.

A middle-aged man cleared his throat. “Miss Hart, you may begin.”

Camilla nodded. She turned on the slides. The first image appeared on the screen: “Innovative Business Management Strategies for Long-Term Growth.”

She swallowed hard, stood tall, and began.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Camilla Hart. Thank you for the opportunity to present today. My goal is to show you how strong management strategies can not only improve your company’s productivity but also create sustainable growth for years to come.”

Her voice shook only slightly. As she moved to the second slide, confidence started to flow into her words. She explained ideas she had rehearsed a hundred times:teamwork, accountability, new structures for leadership. She gave examples, numbers, stories of companies that failed because they ignored these strategies.

The executives listened, some taking notes and nodding.

Camilla’s nervousness began to ease. She was doing great ,so far. She was winning them over.

And then.

The door opened,Camilla froze.

The man who walked in was tall, with a commanding aura, and looked very familiar.

Her stomach dropped. Her chest tightened.

It was him.

The stranger from the coffeeshop. The arrogant man that she ruined his suit in the coffeeshop.

The room atmosphere shifted. Executives straightened and their whispers died. The air itself seemed to grow heavier. Camilla’s throat dried.

The man walked with calm, powerful steps to the head of the table. His grey eyes were cold, scanning the room before his eyes landed on her. Recognition flickered. His lips curved,not into a smile, but into something sharper.

Camilla’s mind screamed, No. No. No. Not him. He can't be the CEO.

He sat down, resting his hands on the table. “Continue,” he said, his voice smooth but sharp.

Her heart raced. This wasn’t just some arrogant stranger. This was the CEO. The man who owned the building she stood in. The man who could destroy her chance in one second.

Camilla’s fingers tightened on the remote for the slides. For a moment, she thought she couldn’t breathe anymore.

One of the executives said softly, “Mr. Harrington, we were just starting.”

Harrington. The name hit her like a slap. Adrian Harrington. Billionaire. Powerful. Ruthless. She had read about him in news articles. Business magazines. But standing in front of him was nothing like reading words on a page. He was real. He was here. And he was watching her like a hunter watching his prey.

Camilla forced her voice to work. “As I was saying…”

She clicked to the next slide, words falling out of her mouth almost too fast. Her throat was dry, her chest tight. Every time she looked up, his grey eyes were locked on her. Cold. Assessing. Remembering the coffee.

She tried to focus on the others, the executives scribbling notes, nodding along. But her gaze kept slipping back to him.

Was he angry? Amused? She couldn’t tell.

Her voice grew stronger again. “and by using these strategies, Harrington Corporation can not only increase profit margins but also maintain long-term stability, even in unpredictable markets.”

Silence followed.

Camilla’s heart drummed so hard she thought the whole room could hear it.

Then, one of the executives nodded. “Well done.”

Another added, “Clear. Confident. Very refreshing.”

Camilla’s chest lifted with relief. She had done it. She had actually done it.

And then Adrian Harrington spoke.

His voice was calm, almost bored. “Interesting.”

Just one word, but it sliced her relief in half.

“Miss Hart,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “You speak of stability. Discipline. Accountability. Do you think you can practice what you preach?”

Camilla froze. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

He tilted his head. “Or are you like most,full of theories, but no strength to stand when challenged?”

The executives looked between them, curious, surprised.

Camilla’s spine straightened. Fire rose in her chest. She met his grey eyes and held them.

“I don’t just speak theories, Mr. Harrington,” she said, her voice steady now. “I live them. Every day. Stability is why I’m here, discipline is why I stand in front of you now. And strength...” She took a breath. “Strength is all I have left.”

For a second, there was silence in the room.

Adrian’s eyes flickered something sharp, but hidden. His lips pressed together, unreadable.

Then he said, “We will see.”

He stood, picking up his papers. “Meeting adjourned.”

Just like that, the room erupted in motion. Chairs screeching against the marble floors, people gathering their things, whispers flowing.

Camilla stood frozen at the podium.

She had faced him. She had stood her ground. But his words still echoed in her head. We will see.

As the executives let the conference room, Adrian remained by the door, watching her. His eyes caught hers one last time. For a second, the world shrank to just them. Rain fell against the glass windows. Her throat was tight and thirsty, her hands shaking.

She was breathless, furious, and trembling with something she couldn't put a name on.