The Secret Heart|Jisoo|Haein|Taehyung

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ 1: ᑎO TIᗰE TO ᔕᑭᗩᖇE

Life has been incredibly kind to me, and I relish every moment of it. I am always prepared for whatever obstacles or blessings come my way. There is no room for mistakes or pointless games that offer no rewards.

From a young age, I have been taught to strive for excellence in everything I do. Even if I stumble or face challenges, I am determined to be the best. As fate would have it, I am the eldest of the McLain siblings, born just five and a half minutes before my twin brother, Axel.

Growing up in Arnovia has been nothing short of extraordinary. My parents, pioneers in technology, have propelled our country to become the second most advanced in the world, both technologically and economically. Arnovia has become a global hub for progress and development.

As you can imagine, I have quite the reputation. I am akin to a celebrity, and I must admit, I quite enjoy it. I have always believed that I was destined for greatness, just like my parents, if not even greater. The attention suits me perfectly.

Despite the constant scrutiny and high expectations placed upon my twin brother and me as the future of the McLain legacy, I embrace the pressure. It can be overwhelming at times, haunting even, but I welcome it as a challenge to surpass my parents' achievements.

Therefore, I must remain strong and confident. I am ready and capable of surpassing anyone who stands in my way. Believe me when I say these words. There is no time for complacency. I must keep my head held high, or else the crown atop my head may slip away.

"Good morning, Miss Elena! I hope you had a fantastic weekend," Sofia greeted, struggling to keep up with her boss. However, as usual, there was no response. Sofia was accustomed to this lack of acknowledgment, and it made her question her efforts to make a lasting impression.

Elena continued to strut through the corridors of her building, disregarding anyone who attempted to engage with her. Her reputation in the fast-growing company, Active Balance, was well-known, and it was clear that she was a conceited woman.

Just as Sofia was about to speak again, her boss was interrupted by the sudden arrival of two other superiors, Miss Payton and Miss Smith, the second and third largest shareholders in Miss McLain's business.

"Erica! Clover! It's wonderful to see you both here already!" Sofia observed as her boss ignored her and engaged in conversation with her friends.

"El! You look stunning today, hun!" Clover exclaimed, her eyes lighting up upon seeing her best friend. Erica smiled and nodded in agreement, their gestures conveying a deep connection.

"I could say the same about you two. Your fashion sense is always impeccable. Seeing you both instantly boosts my mood!" Elena muttered, motioning for them to follow her into her office. Clover and Erica complied, with Erica closing the door behind her.

"What's the matter?" Clover asked, taking a seat in front of Elena's desk. Elena pushed back her silky black locks, her tightly curled eyelashes fluttering in annoyance.

"It's Essence Corp!" Elena exclaimed, her voice filled with wariness due to the ongoing rivalry with their biggest competitor. Clover sighed softly, placing her hand on her forehead, a clear indication that she was already developing a headache.

"What is it this time, Elena? Have they made another announcement? I haven't seen anything!" Erica quickly glanced at her tablet as she walked over to the desk. Checking the news in the early mornings seemed like the right thing to do to stay ahead of the competition.

Elena leaned forward, giving Erica a questioning look. "I can't say for sure. These are just my assumptions based on some rumors I've heard recently. But I've heard from reliable sources that Essence Corp is preparing to launch a similar product to ours!"

"Damn it! Here we go again!" Clover exclaimed, shoving her hands into her cardigan's pockets. "It's like they always know what we're planning!"

Elena sighed in agreement and leaned back in her chair, her mind already racing with thoughts. She looked at her two worried friends and knew they had to come up with a plan.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing. We need to make sure our product is ready by the end of this month! The marketing department needs to be ready to kick things into high gear!" Elena said, tilting her head to the side, trying to convince her friends.

Elena sighed once more, feeling the frustration of falling behind. Essence Corp taking the lead again was not a good look for them. She quickly stood up and walked to the other side of the room.

"We just need to be bold and take risks!" Elena emphasized, her eyes filled with determination. Erica and Clover exchanged glances, intrigued by Elena's confidence.

"What do you mean?" Clover asked, standing up as well, her gaze fixed on Elena.

Elena's smirk grew, capturing their attention even more. "We introduce our product before they even announce it to the media!"

Erica's mouth fell open, thinking it was a foolish idea. "No! That's not how we should handle this!"

Erica walked over to Elena and grabbed her shoulder. "It would be a huge mistake. We're still in the testing phase! The product hasn't been validated by the development team."

Elena raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Erica's concerns. "Erica, we need people to start talking about our product before its official release!"

"We need to create curiosity and interest without giving away too much. We already know that 80% of the test requirements have passed. It's safe to say there won't be any major changes or issues when we launch it!" Elena's eyes convinced Clover that it was indeed a great idea.

"Elena! We really don't have to do this! You're jumping the gun here!" Erica outed once again since she had a bad feeling about it for some reason. Elena rolled her eyes at her and soon after walked back towards her desk.

"Clover, help me out here! You can't possibly be on Elena's side on this one! We both know that it will only bring us closer to failure!" She gave Clover a desperate look, as she reached her chair. Clover sighed, this was something that she needed more time to think about.

"I don't know! To be honest I believe we should confirm these rumors first and then act!"

"I mean, who is this source anyways?"

"How do we know it's not just fake news?" Clover muttered while giving them a doubtful look.

"Time isn't something we have right now, Clover! You should know that by now!"

"Besides, you can all trust me on this one!"

"This source is accurate with the information they are giving me!" Their eyes adjusted on a stern looking woman who had nothing but a temper now. Erica shut her eyes for a brief second before she spoke back.

"And what exactly are you expecting me to do?" She asked, her voice filled with defeat. Her narrowed eyes took in the situation, processing it all. Elena took a deep breath, crossing her arms over her chest in a deliberate manner.

"Let's spread the word!"

"We need to make the public feel like they're getting something exclusive, like they're the first to know about our releases!" She said, a hint of excitement in her voice as she retreated into her own thoughts. Her friends watched her, curious about what was going on in her mind.

"Do you really think this will work for us?" Clover asked, breaking Elena out of her reverie.

"Absolutely! That's why I have Erica managing the marketing team! And I have complete faith in her abilities!" Elena's eyes sparkled with confidence as she shared her idea with her friends. Erica smiled and nodded in response, but deep down, she couldn't shake off the feeling that things might not turn out as planned.

"I know how much you want to impress your father, Elena. Sometimes I worry if you'll ever be content with all the lengths you go to reach the top," Erica thought, concern etched on her face as she looked at her smiling friend.

I hope you enjoy this first chapter! ❤️
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