My Coldhearted Husband'S Regret novel Chapter 22

22 The CEO’s Coffee and a Colleague’s Curiosity

22 The CEO’s Coffee and a Colleague’s Curiosity

Elara Vance sat perfectly still in her chair, fingers moving swiftly across her tablet as she took detailed notes. The morning meeting had been going for nearly an hour, and Mr. Thorne was now addressing the marketing department’s new campaign.

“These projections are unacceptable,” Damien’ Thorne said, his deep voice cutting through the tension-filled conference room. He leaned forward, one hand planted firmly on the polished table. “I want the revised numbers on my desk by tomorrow morning.”

The marketing director nodded nervously. “Yes, Mr. Thorne.”

Elara observed the exchange without expression, recording every detail while maintaining her composed demeanor. To her right, she noticed Olivia Monroe, a recent hire in the communications department, staring at Damien with undisguised

admiration.

“Is there something else you’d like to add, Ms. Monroe?” Damien asked suddenly, catching the young woman’s gaze.

Olivia blushed furiously. “No, Mr. Thorne. I was just… thinking about your approach to the campaign.”

“And?” Damien raised an eyebrow.

“It’s… brilliant. I mean, very insightful,” Olivia stammered, clutching her pen so tightly

her knuckles turned white.

Damien gave a curt nod before moving on to the next item on the agenda. Elara continued taking notes, her face betraying nothing despite noticing Olivia’s flustered

reaction.

When the meeting finally concluded, everyone began gathering their materials. Elara organized her notes efficiently, preparing to return to her desk.

“That was intense,” Marcus Cole, head of the legal department, remarked as he passed by Elara’s seat. “Do you have those contract points we discussed?”

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22 The CEO’s Coffee and a Colleague’s Curiosity

“Yes,” Elara replied, pulling up a separate document on her tablet. “I’ve compiled everything, including the references to the previous agreements.”

Marcus scanned the document and nodded appreciatively. “This is impressively thorough, Elara. How do you manage to catch every detail while still taking notes for the general meeting?”

Elara offered a small smile. “Practice.”

“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” Olivia chimed in, appearing beside them. “I was watching you during the meeting. You didn’t miss a single point Mr. Thorne made.”

“It’s part of my job,” Elara responded simply.

Marcus excused himself, leaving Elara and Olivia alone in the now-emptying conference room. Olivia leaned against the table, her eyes bright with curiosity.

“How long have you worked for Mr. Thorne?” she asked.

“Almost seven years,” Elara answered, continuing to organize her materials.

“That’s a long time,” Olivia remarked. “You must know everything about him.”

Elara looked up, her expression neutral. “I know what’s necessary for my professional responsibilities.”

Olivia lowered her voice. “He’s so intimidating. But in a good way, you know? So powerful and decisive.” Her cheeks flushed again. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone so commanding.”

Elara nodded politely but offered no comment.

“Could I possibly get a copy of your meeting notes?” Olivia asked. “I was so… distracted that I missed some key points.”

“Of course,” Elara replied, sending the file with a few quick taps. “Check your email.”

Olivia’s phone pinged. “Wow, that was fast.” She scrolled through the document, eyes widening. “These are incredibly detailed. You even included references to previous meetings and projects.”

“Context helps with implementation,” Elara explained.

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22 The CEO’s Coffee and a Colleague’s Curiosity

“I heard you studied economics and business administration,” Olivia said. “But these notes reference technology trends, legal precedents, and marketing concepts. Did you study all those fields too?”

Elara gathered her tablet. “I read widely.”

“What do you recommend for someone who wants to understand more about what we do here? Olivia asked eagerly. “I want to impress Mr. Thorne with my knowledge.”

Elara paused, considering the question. “I can send you a reading list if you’d like.”

“That would be amazing!”

Ten minutes later, back at her desk, Elara emailed a carefully curated list of books, journals, and online resources to Olivia. Her phone rang almost immediately.

“This list is… extensive,” Olivia’s voice sounded overwhelmed. “There must be fifty

books here.”

“You asked for comprehensive understanding,” Elara replied evenly. “Knowledge isn’t acquired overnight.”

“How many of these have

you read?”

“All of them,” Elara said. “Plus supplementary materials.”

There was a brief silence on the line. “I see why Mr. Thorne values you so highly. You’re

incredible.”

Elara thanked her politely before ending the call. She turned her attention to the quarterly report she was compiling, pushing thoughts of Damien Thorne to the periphery of her mind.

The afternoon sun was casting long shadows across her desk when Marcus approached again.

“Elara, Mr. Thorne has the Montgomery meeting at four. Could you prepare his coffee beforehand? He specifically asked for you to make it.”

Elara looked up from her work. “Of course.”

She saved her document and headed toward the executive kitchen. The request wasn’t

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22 The CEO’s Coffee and a Colleague’s Curiosity

unusual-Damien had always been particular about his coffee, especially before important meetings. What was unusual was her own reaction. For years, preparing his coffee had felt like a small victory, a tiny connection between them. Now, it was simply another task.

As she measured the precisely ground beans, Elara reflected on this emotional shift. Her decision to divorce Damien had freed her in unexpected ways. The little things that once seemed meaningful-making his coffee exactly as he liked it, anticipating his needs before he voiced them-now felt like the professional courtesies they truly

were.

“Oh, there you are!”.

Elara looked up to see Olivia standing in the doorway, slightly out of breath.

“I overheard Marcus asking you to make Mr. Thorne’s coffee,” Olivia said, stepping into the kitchen. “Could you show me how? I’d love to learn.”

Elara’s hands stilled over the coffee machine. “Why?”

Olivia’s smile turned slightly sheepish. “Well, I’m hoping to make myself indispensable around here. And if Mr. Thorne specially requests you to make his coffee, it must be important to him.”

“It’s just coffee, Olivia.”

“But it’s his coffee,” Olivia persisted. “Details matter to someone like Mr. Thorne, right? I want to understand everything that’s important to him.”

Elara recognized the look in Olivia’s eyes-admiration bordering on infatuation. It was a look she’d once seen in her own reflection, many years ago.

“Please?” Olivia added. “I promise I won’t get in your way. I just want to learn.”

Elara considered her for a moment. A year ago, she might have felt threatened or protective, unwilling to share even this small connection to Damien. Now, she found herself nodding.

“He prefers dark roast beans, freshly ground,” Elara began, gesturing for Olivia to come closer. “The water temperature needs to be precisely ninety-six degrees Celsius.”

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22 The CEO’s Coffee and a Colleague’s Curiosity

Olivia watched eagerly as Elara demonstrated each step, explaining Damien’s preferences in detail-black coffee, no sugar, served in the navy blue cup with the white interior, never the matching white cup with navy interior.

“That’s so specific!” Olivia exclaimed. “How did you learn all this?”

“Observation,” Elara replied simply. “And he told me directly when I got it wrong.” “Does he have a preference for who delivers it?” Olivia asked, her intention obvious.

Elara measured the coffee into the cup with precision. “No. He only cares that it’s made correctly.”

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