CHAPTER 3: THE PRICE OF WORKING WITH HIM

Avah had one rule for working with Calder Ives.

He was not allowed to make her regret winning.

Unfortunately, the first email from his office arrived before she had finished her morning coffee.

FROM: MIRA VALE — OFFICE OF CALDER IVES

SUBJECT: MERIDIAN HOUSE — MANDATORY PROJECT BRIEFING

Ms. Morne,

Mr. Ives requests your attendance at a private briefing to discuss the shortlisted studios' expectations, project requirements, and presentation schedule.

The meeting will take place in the executive conference room at Ives Holdings. Please confirm your attendance.

Avah read the message twice.

Then she turned her laptop toward Clove.

“Tell me what you see.”

Clove leaned over the desk. “An invitation.”

“Try again.”

“An invitation from your ex-husband's office.”

“Better.”

“To a private meeting.”

“Excellent. And what do we call that?”

Clove considered it. “A professionally inconvenient coincidence?”

Avah stared at her.

“Fine,” Clove said. “A potential disaster wearing a business suit.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome. Are you going?”

Avah turned back to the email.

Meridian House was too important to abandon. The shortlist had already attracted attention from several prominent developers, architects, and design publications. A successful presentation could bring Morne Studio the kind of recognition that money alone couldn't buy.

She wasn't going to surrender that opportunity because the man in charge happened to be the man who had once signed away their marriage.

“Yes,” she said. “I'm going.”

Clove nodded approvingly. “Good. Wear something expensive.”

“Why?”

“So he knows you've been doing well without his money.”

Avah laughed. “I'm not dressing for Calder.”

“Then dress for the woman who survived him.”

The laughter faded, leaving a quiet understanding between them.

Avah closed the email and opened the Meridian House project folder.

“Let's get to work.”

The Ives Holdings building rose above Aurelia City's financial district like a monument to ambition.

Avah had visited it countless times during her marriage, usually arriving beside Calder for events where she was introduced as his wife before anyone bothered to ask what she did.

Today, she entered through the revolving doors carrying her own portfolio.

The difference mattered.

She wore a tailored cream jacket over a dark blouse, matching trousers, and simple black heels. Her hair was pulled into a neat low bun, and her portfolio contained the latest Meridian House concept drawings.

She had chosen the outfit because it made her feel capable.

Not because she hoped Calder would notice.

At reception, a woman with a sleek brown bob looked up from her computer.

“Ms. Morne?”

“Yes.”

“I'm Mira Vale, Mr. Ives's executive assistant. Welcome back.”

The last two words were polite, but Avah heard the hesitation behind them.

“Thank you.”

Mira rose and extended her hand.

“I've reviewed your studio's submission. The material choices are particularly interesting.”

Avah shook her hand. “I'm glad you think so.”

“The committee seems impressed as well.”

“Then I hope they remain impressed after the presentation.”

Mira smiled. “Mr. Ives is waiting upstairs.”

Of course he was.

Avah followed her toward the private elevators.

As the doors closed, Mira glanced at the portfolio beneath Avah's arm.

“May I ask you something?”

“Certainly.”

“Would you prefer that I address you as Ms. Morne or Mrs. Ives in the project records?”

Avah's expression remained calm.

“Ms. Morne.”

Mira nodded immediately. “Of course. I'll update the records.”

It was a small thing. A simple correction.

Yet Avah felt a quiet satisfaction as the elevator climbed.

Her name belonged to her again.

Calder was standing beside the conference table when Avah entered.

He wore a charcoal suit, a white shirt, and the expression of a man who had already anticipated every possible objection to the meeting.

His gaze settled on her.

“Avah.”

“Mr. Ives.”

A muscle moved in his jaw.

Mira placed a folder on the table.

“The other shortlisted representatives will join the general briefing later. As requested, this meeting is limited to project-specific questions concerning Morne Studio's proposal.”

“Thank you, Mira,” Calder said.

She left, closing the door behind her.

Avah chose a chair opposite him and placed her portfolio on the table.

Calder remained standing for another moment.

“Would you like coffee?”

“No, thank you.”

“Water?”

“I brought some.”

He looked at the bottle beside her portfolio.

“Right.”

Silence settled between them.

Avah opened her folder.

“Shall we begin?”

Calder finally took his seat.

“Yes.”

He studied the first page of her proposal.

“Your design emphasizes natural light, open circulation, and shared spaces. It's an interesting direction for a development of this scale.”

“It's a practical direction. Meridian House isn't just a collection of expensive apartments. The public areas need to feel inviting, and the residential spaces need to function as homes rather than showrooms.”

“What about security?”

“Integrated discreetly into the architecture. Residents should feel safe without feeling as though they're living inside a fortress.”

“And maintenance?”

“Materials selected for durability, not merely appearance. The initial cost may be slightly higher in certain areas, but the long-term maintenance requirements will be lower.”

Calder looked up.

“You've considered the operating costs?”

“Of course.”

“I only ask because some designers focus on aesthetics and leave the financial consequences to the developer.”

“And some developers focus on financial consequences and forget that people will actually live in the buildings they construct.”

The words came out before Avah could soften them.

Calder leaned back.

For a moment, she wondered whether she had gone too far.

Then he gave a short, unexpected laugh.

“You haven't lost your temper.”

“I wasn't aware I'd lost it.”

“During our marriage, you often stopped yourself from saying what you thought.”

Avah's fingers rested against the edge of the portfolio.

“Perhaps I finally got tired of stopping myself.”

His expression changed.

The silence that followed was no longer entirely professional.

Calder looked down at the drawings.

“Your proposal is strong.”

“Thank you.”

“I mean it.”

“Then I appreciate the feedback.”

He studied her as if he were searching for something familiar.

“Do you always speak to clients this way?”

“Only when they ask reasonable questions.”

“And when they don't?”

“I charge extra.”

The answer surprised a laugh out of him.

Avah almost smiled.

Almost.

For a brief instant, they seemed like two people who might have found each other amusing under different circumstances.

Then Calder's gaze dropped to her left hand.

Her wedding ring was gone.

He looked away so quickly that Avah might have missed it if she hadn't spent years learning the smallest changes in his expression.

She hated that she still noticed.

She hated even more that a part of her wanted to ask what he had been thinking.

Instead, she turned the page.

“There's one issue I'd like clarified before the final presentation.”

Calder's attention returned to the documents.

“Go ahead.”

“Your project brief mentions a flexible gallery space near the central courtyard. My proposal includes movable partitions and an adjustable lighting system. I need confirmation that the development team will allow the necessary electrical and ceiling modifications.”

“I'll have engineering review the specifications.”

“Before the presentation?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

She made a note on her copy.

Calder watched her write.

“You seem very comfortable here.”

Avah stopped.

“Should I be uncomfortable?”

“No. That's not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

He hesitated.

“I remember when you used to come here with me.”

“I remember.”

“You always carried a sketchbook.”

“I still do.”

“You rarely showed anyone what you were working on.”

Avah looked at him.

“You were usually busy.”

The statement was simple, without accusation.

That made it worse.

Calder's expression hardened, not with anger but with the effort of holding something back.

“I could have made more time.”

“Yes,” she replied. “You could have.”

He looked as though he wanted to say something else.

But Avah had learned that unfinished apologies could become another form of waiting.

She wasn't going to wait.

“Is there anything else concerning the project?”

Calder's eyes returned to hers.

“No.”

“Then I'll let you get back to work.”

She gathered her documents.

“Avah.”

She paused beside the chair.

“I want you to know that your place on the shortlist wasn't influenced by me.”

For a moment, she simply stared at him.

Then she understood.

He had noticed her concern about being treated as his former wife rather than as a designer.

“I appreciate you clarifying that,” she said. “But I didn't come here expecting special treatment.”

“I know.”

“Good.”

She adjusted the strap of her bag.

“And I don't need you to make this easier for me. I need the same professional consideration you would give any qualified studio.”

“You have it.”

“Then we should work well together.”

She extended her hand across the table.

Calder stared at it for a moment before accepting the handshake.

Her grip was firm. His was warm.

Neither held on longer than necessary.

“Ms. Morne,” he said.

“Mr. Ives.”

She left the conference room without looking back.

Calder remained seated long after the door closed.

He had imagined the meeting would be difficult.

He hadn't expected it to reveal how little he understood the woman he had married.

Avah had challenged his assumptions without raising her voice. She had defended her design without seeking his approval. She had spoken about the project with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what she was doing.

He had spent years thinking of her as gentle, patient, and undemanding.

He had mistaken her restraint for an absence of ambition.

His phone vibrated.

Mira's name appeared on the screen.

MIRA: The engineering team can review Morne Studio's specifications this afternoon. Shall I arrange it?

Calder typed his response.

CALDER: Yes. Ensure the same review process is followed for every shortlisted studio.

He sent the message and set the phone down.

Then his gaze fell on the empty chair across from him.

He remembered Avah sitting at their dining table, explaining a design idea while he answered emails. He remembered promising to review her sketches and forgetting. He remembered how she had eventually stopped bringing them to him.

At the time, he had considered the silence a relief.

Now he wondered what it had cost her.

His office door opened.

Penn Ashford stepped inside without waiting for an invitation.

“How did the meeting go?”

“Professionally.”

Penn glanced at the chair opposite Calder.

“And personally?”

“There was no personal discussion.”

“Remarkable. Yet you look as though someone has informed you that your company is insolvent.”

Calder ignored him.

Penn placed a folder on the desk.

“The committee wants confirmation that all shortlisted firms will receive equal access to the project team. Given your history with Ms. Morne, I recommend you keep a clear record of every decision.”

“I've already instructed Mira to do that.”

“Good.”

Penn studied him.

“Calder, you can give a person a fair opportunity without trying to repair your past.”

“I am not trying to repair anything.”

“Then why do you look disappointed that she didn't ask you to?”

Calder's expression went cold.

Penn raised both hands.

“I'll leave you to your work.”

He turned toward the door, then stopped.

“One more thing. Professional respect is easy when you have nothing to lose. Let's see how you behave when she disagrees with you.”

The door closed behind him.

Calder stared at the Meridian House folder.

For the first time, he wondered whether Avah's success would demand more from him than a fair contract.

It might demand that he finally learn to see her clearly.

Avah was reviewing the meeting notes in the elevator when her phone rang.

“Please tell me he behaved,” Clove said without greeting.

“He was professional.”

“That's not the same as behaving.”

“He asked intelligent questions. I answered them. We survived.”

“Did he apologize?”

“No.”

“Did he look miserable?”

Avah hesitated.

“Maybe.”

“Excellent. I'll accept that as partial payment for emotional damages.”

Avah laughed softly.

The elevator doors opened, and she stepped into the lobby.

“I'm serious,” Clove added. “How do you feel?”

Avah considered the question.

She had expected the meeting to hurt. She had expected old memories to rise, her composure to weaken, and the sight of Calder to leave her struggling to breathe.

Instead, she had walked into his office and done her job.

She had disagreed with him.

She had left when the meeting was over.

And the world had continued turning.

“I feel all right,” she said.

“Just all right?”

Avah looked through the glass entrance toward the city.

“No,” she admitted. “I feel proud of myself.”

Clove's voice softened.

“You should.”

Avah ended the call and stepped outside.

Her phone vibrated again.

An email from Mira had arrived.

SUBJECT: MERIDIAN HOUSE — ADDITIONAL PROJECT REVIEW

Avah opened it, expecting confirmation of the engineering review.

Instead, she found a message explaining that the committee required each shortlisted studio to attend a joint technical workshop with the development team.

The workshop would involve the design leads, engineering representatives, and executive sponsor.

At the bottom of the message was the attendance list.

Executive Sponsor: Calder Ives.

Design Lead — Morne Studio: Avah Morne.

A second attachment contained the workshop agenda.

The final item read:

Collaborative design exercise: competing priorities and live concept revisions.

Avah stared at the screen.

A collaborative exercise meant more than presenting polished drawings from opposite sides of a conference table. It meant responding to challenges in real time, negotiating compromises, and working directly with the people responsible for approving the final design.

Including Calder.

Clove's warning returned to her.

What if working with him hurts?

Avah locked her phone and lifted her chin.

She had earned her place.

She would not surrender it.

But as she headed toward the street, one uncomfortable truth followed her.

It was easy to set boundaries with a man she could walk away from.

The real test would come when the success of her business depended on finding a way to work beside him.

And Calder Ives had just become the one person she could not afford to ignore.