During the entire ti she stayed there, she had mostly kept quiet, simply sitting on the sofa while scrolling through her phone as Apollo handled stacks of urgent contracts and docunts.
She deliberately avoided disturbing him, partly because she didn’t actually know what to say without risking exposing the fact that she had secretly entered his company as an intern.
Besides, she had already ssaged the head of the HR departnt earlier, informing him that she had arrived at the company safely. However, since he still hadn’t replied, she assud he was simply too busy to check his ssages amid the end-of-quarter chaos.
Because of that, Ophelia remained completely unaware that, sowhere below on another floor, Ashley had unknowingly taken her place inside the office.
"No," Apollo replied calmly as he finally looked up from the mountain of docunts spread across his desk. "My assistant can accompany you to eat. Just choose whichever restaurant you like. Soone is already bringing lunch anyway, and I still have a lot of work left to finish."
He wasn’t lying.
Even now, thick stacks of contracts remained piled high on the right side of his desk — partnership agreents, budget allocations, machinery upgrade proposals, expansion plans, and countless other important docunts waiting for his approval.
Every single one required careful review before he could sign anything. He needed to verify the numbers personally, check for problematic clauses, and ensure there were no hidden risks buried within the fine print.
At Apollo’s level, one careless signature could cost the company millions.
So despite it being lunchti, he truly couldn’t afford to leave his office just yet.
And it was true that soone was already on the way to bring Apollo lunch.
What he simply failed to ntion was that the person bringing it was Ashley herself.
Truthfully, ever since receiving her earlier ssage ntioning an "issue," Apollo had been increasingly curious about what exactly had delayed her from coming to his office. Combined with the fact that she was still unfamiliar with the company and currently suffering from amnesia, a faint worry lingered in the back of his mind.
Which was why, deep down, he was also eager to send Ophelia away as quickly and smoothly as possible.
So after speaking, Apollo shot another aningful glance toward his assistant. The assistant imdiately understood and tactfully urged Ophelia to co along so they could head out for lunch first. Seeing the piles of paperwork surrounding Apollo and how genuinely busy he appeared, Ophelia could only suppress her disappointnt before obediently turning to leave.
The assistant respectfully closed the office door behind them.
Not long afterward, the two entered the elevator and descended toward the underground parking garage. At almost the exact sa ti, Ashley stepped into the executive elevator below and began heading upward.
By the ti the elevator doors opened for Ashley on the top floor, the area was nearly deserted. Most employees had already gone to the pantry, nearby restaurants, cafés, or cheaper eateries farther outside the business district for lunch.
So when Ashley stepped out carrying her bag and the large bento box, the hallway was completely quiet.
Calmly, she began walking deeper into the executive floor.
Thanks to her previous experience entering and leaving countless corporate buildings while eting with CEOs and executives in the past, Ashley already knew the usual layout of high-level offices.
Executive assistants and secretaries were often stationed near elevators and outer offices, while the CEO’s personal office was typically placed farther inward to provide privacy, silence, and more control over the surrounding environnt.
And just as she expected, after walking farther down the hallway, she finally saw it.
A polished golden plaque mounted beside a pair of imposing mahogany double doors.
"CEO’s Office — Apollo Gildenvale."
The doors themselves were elegant rather than overly extravagant, carrying the understated luxury expected of old money.
Ashley paused briefly before the entrance, then gently lifted her hand and knocked.
Knock... Knock... Knock...
"Co in." Apollo’s deep voice sounded faintly from inside the office.
The mont Ashley heard him, she imdiately pushed the door open and stepped inside with a bright smile on her face.
"Brother! I’ve arrived!" she greeted sweetly, her tone carrying an almost intentionally innocent cheerfulness.
Truthfully, Ashley was trying to soften any possible annoyance Apollo might feel after being kept waiting for so long. Although she had already spent so ti with her newly found brothers, she still didn’t know them deeply enough yet, especially not in a professional setting.
And Apollo, as the CEO of such an enormous corporation, naturally gave off the impression of soone strict, disciplined, and highly protective of his ti. From Ashley’s perspective, showing up at the company without much notice was already sowhat disruptive, and making him wait even longer because of the earlier misunderstanding only made her feel more guilty.
Still...
As the saying went, no one could easily stay angry at a smiling face.
So Ashley shalessly decided to act cute first and rely on her sweet smile to lessen any irritation her brother might have toward her.
As soon as Ashley entered the office, she naturally made her way toward the leather sofa while quietly taking in her surroundings with careful eyes.
The entire office reflected Apollo’s personality perfectly — minimalist, restrained, yet undeniably elegant.
The dominant colors of the room were black, white, and gold, creating an atmosphere that felt both luxurious and imposing without appearing overly extravagant.
The leather sofa area was positioned on the left side of the office, facing a sleek coffee table where a Yixing purple clay tea set rested neatly beside a reed diffuser releasing the faint scent of sandalwood softened by subtle hints of vanilla.
The combination created a calming fragrance that quietly lingered in the air, soothing without becoming overwhelming.
On the right side stood a tall bookshelf filled with organized files and books, with another door located beside it, likely leading to a private lounge or resting area. Beside the shelf and near the sofa were carefully placed indoor plants that softened the sharpness of the office’s darker tones.
Above, an abstract ring-shaped ceiling design concealed the lighting, casting a muted ambient glow throughout the room instead of harsh direct brightness.
anwhile, a massive soft gray rug covered most of the floor, stretching elegantly from Apollo’s long rosewood office desk all the way toward the sofa area.
Atop the desk sat a sleek Mac computer, neatly arranged docunts, and a small gold-toned figurine that appeared to function as a paperweight to keep loose files in place.
Behind Apollo was a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the vast cityscape below. The blinds had been partially drawn down, allowing soft daylight to spill into the office without becoming blinding.
And finally, there was the chair Apollo sat on.
The large leather executive chair looked ridiculously comfortable, the kind soone could sink into for hours without strain. Even Ashley felt that if she sat there herself, she would probably disappear into the softness of it.
Judging from its structure and design, it was clearly custom-made to support long working hours without causing back pain or discomfort, sothing only fitting for soone who practically lived inside this office.
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