Chapter 29\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ridley\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped out of the elevator to the Nest Design\u2019s executive floor with Aiden trailing silently behind me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Given how impressed I was with Aiden\u2019s proposal to advance Nest Design\u2019s development, I\u2019d decided to put him in charge of managing this subsidiary, which would also facilitate coordination with headquarters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This required a personal visit with Thomas to arrange the details. Since this was merely a simple communication process, I hadn\u2019t notified him of my arrival\u00a0<\/p>\n
-this would also serve as an impromptu inspection of the branch\u2019s operational status.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aiden\u2019s posture was rigid, his eyes fixed straight ahead, deliberately avoiding meeting mine. The silent treatment continued, exactly as I\u2019d expected. His\u00a0<\/p>\n
punishment\u2013two hours of silent reflection\u2013had clearly struck a nerve, but discipline was necessary. Searching through my office files for that woman was\u00a0<\/p>\n
unacceptable, regardless of his motives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As we approached the reception area, I noticed unusual activity\u2013a cluster of professionally dressed individuals waiting, portfolios clutched in anxious hands.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s happening here?\u201d I asked as the receptionist led us toward Thomas\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cInterviews, sir,\u201d she replied, stepping aside to let us enter. \u201cWe\u2019re hiring two junior designers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I raised an eyebrow. \u201cWell, always good to see the talent pool firsthand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aiden and I arrived at the executive floor, acknowledging greetings from employees who seemed surprised by our unexpected visit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside Thomas\u2019s office, I scanned the space with practiced efficiency. Nothing seemed out of place, yet something felt off. My gaze fell on a file folder open\u00a0<\/p>\n
on Thomas\u2019s desk, and I reached for it as Thomas busied himself offering Aiden a drink that my son predictably declined.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you hiring a new director?\u201d I asked, noticing the position on the first page.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an urgent personnel need, sir,\u201d Thomas explained, his voice carrying a slight tremor that always emerged when he felt scrutinized. \u201cOur current\u00a0<\/p>\n
director took an extended leave, and the Sunshine Development project requires immediate leadership. We found a promising candidate today and made an\u00a0<\/p>\n
offer on the spot. I was planning to submit the formal approval paperwork by end of day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The portfolio in my hands was impressive\u2013clean lines with unexpected warmth, innovative solutions that didn\u2019t sacrifice practicality. But it was the name\u00a0<\/p>\n
on the resume that made my fingers pause: Cedar Wright.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something shifted in my chest\u2013recognition, perhaps, or something more unsettling. The woman from the hotel incident.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve already made a selection,\u201d I observed, keeping my voice neutral as I studied her credentials. Wright Creatives. Award\u2013winning designs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thomas nodded, adjusting his tie. \u201cYes, sir. Ms. Wright demonstrated exceptional vision and practical experience. She starts immediately as our new Senior Design Director.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt my mouth curve slightly upward, an involuntary reaction I quickly controlled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAiden,\u201d I said, turning to my son who stood by the window, \u201cThomas will show you the operational aspects of managing the Nest Design subsidiary. Pay attention to everything.\u201d My tone left no room for negotiation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aiden remained silent, his gaze fixed on the Chicago skyline. His shoulders tensed visibly, and his small fingers curled into fists at his sides\u2013a subtle\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
3:57 pm D M\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 29\u00a0<\/p>\n
gesture of resistance he thought I wouldn\u2019t notice. The slight twitch at the corner of his eye betrayed the emotional control he was exerting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Are you still sulking?\u201d I asked sharply. \u201cAnswer me when I speak to you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before Aiden could respond, the door swung open without warning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedar Wright stood in the doorway, her eyes immediately locking on Aiden\u2019s small form by the window. Something fierce crossed her expression as she assessed the tension in the room, and without hesitation, she stepped inside and positioned herself protectively in front of my son.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Sterling,\u2018 she said, her voice steady despite the audacity of her interruption. \u201cI don\u2019t think speaking to your son that way is productive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Sky Remembered the Touch of Our Uninished Goodbyes by Lysa Orion Rehn 29 Chapter 29\u00a0 Ridley\u2019s POV\u00a0 I stepped […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zero-stars-for-daddy-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30428"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30428\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}