OBSESSION

FIVE.

Bethany's heels echoed softly as she walked into the office on Monday morning, her thoughts still lingering on Friday night. She'd spent the weekend replaying the evening with Logan, how he'd seemed to read her every thought, anticipate her every move. But now, with the conference room door looming in front of her, she took a steadying breath, forcing herself to focus.

When she entered, the team was already seated. Ryan and Marcus sat at the head of the table, absorbed in their notes.

Across from them, Sierra and David exchanged a few quiet words, but their conversation halted the moment Bethany appeared.

She offered a polite nod to everyone and settled into her chair, placing her binder neatly in front of her. She could feel Sierra's eyes on her, sharp and assessing.

Logan entered moments later, his presence immediately commanding the room. He wore a faintly amused expression as his gaze swept over the team, lingering on Bethany just a second longer than necessary. She felt her pulse quicken, but she forced herself to focus on Ryan, who cleared his throat and opened the meeting.

"Good morning, everyone," Ryan began, glancing at each team member. "Let's dive right in. Bethany, you met with Logan on Friday at the site. Why don't you start us off with any new insights or ideas that came from your walkthrough?"

Bethany straightened, flipping open her binder. "Yes, of course. Logan and I reviewed some potential design directions for the courtyard and foyer. He's keen on a balance between the historical and the modern. For the courtyard, we're considering a central fountain surrounded by low-maintenance landscaping—something that would blend into the neighborhood but still give the building a unique focal point."

"Excellent," Ryan said, scribbling down notes. "And the foyer?"

"We're looking at keeping the original marble floors and matching the wood detailing to maintain the building's character," Bethany continued. "It's about elevating what's already there rather than imposing something new."

She could feel Logan's eyes on her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, but she kept her gaze trained on the table, focusing on her points.

Ryan nodded approvingly. "Good, good. That sounds solid."

Across the table, Sierra shifted in her seat, her arms crossing as she looked at Bethany with a skeptical smile. "So...no samples? No physical materials? Nothing tangible from your meeting?"

The question was laced with a challenge, and Bethany felt her cheeks heat, though she maintained her composure. "It was an initial walkthrough, Sierra. We discussed broad concepts to guide our design direction. The specifics will come once we finalize the foundation."

Sierra let out a light chuckle, the sound tinged with barely concealed smugness. "Right. It's just, well, I thought we were prioritizing a high-profile client. It's a little odd, don't you think? To come back from a 'meeting' with only...ideas?"

Logan's eyes flashed briefly, and he sat forward, his tone calm but with a subtle edge. "What Bethany and I discussed on-site was essential to clarifying the overall vision. As she said, this was just a starting point."

Sierra raised her eyebrows, feigning innocence. "Of course, Mr. Chase. I just assumed the initial meeting would yield something more concrete, considering the importance of this project. Don't you think we're getting a bit...ahead of ourselves with all the 'concepts'?"

Bethany held her gaze, her voice measured. "Sierra, concept development is standard for any project of this scope. We can't jump to specifics without a unified vision. That's exactly what Logan and I established on Friday."