Two days later, Amara returned to the office, hoping for a calmer start. Instead, Damian was waiting with a frown.
"You changed the layout," he said, pointing at the blueprints she had revised.
"I adjusted the design for better functionality," she replied, standing her ground. "It will improve traffic flow and client usability."
Damian's eyes narrowed. "It deviates from my original vision."
Amara drew in a steadying breath. "Respectfully, sir, my vision aligns with user experience, which ultimately reflects your brand positively."
He leaned closer, and she felt a flicker of something—anger, or was it something else?
"Confidence," he muttered, almost to himself. "I like that. Dangerous, but intriguing."
Amara wanted to melt away, but she refused. She had worked too hard to let intimidation define her.
"Now," he said, straightening. "I'm giving you one week to present a finalized model. No excuses."
"Yes, sir," she said, hiding the thrill she felt at his attention.
Little did she know, Damian wasn't just testing her design skills—he was testing her resolve, and perhaps something deeper that neither of them expected.