Chapter 13: The Gentleman

Since Alexander had greatly supported Eleanor's exhibition, Eleanor had gathered the courage to talk with him more.

After they became slightly more familiar, Eleanor found Alexander extremely gentlemanly, but he rarely smiled. His expression was always serious and authoritative.

Even Daphne, his cousin, spoke to him cautiously.

So, when Alexander's assistant called to set up a meeting to discuss hotel interior design, Eleanor felt nervous.

She told Daphne about it, who gasped on the phone.

"Eleanor, I pity you. Alexander is notoriously tough in business. You know why I came out to manage my mom's gallery? When I first started working at Prescott Group, he made me cry ten times in five days. I can't even think about those days."

Eleanor was shocked. "Mr. Prescott yells at people?"

She found that hard to imagine.

"He doesn't yell. It's just a few soft words that are enough to make you feel ashamed. Anyway, I wish you luck!"

In the evening, Eleanor nervously went to the Prescott Group headquarters.

After a brief chat with the receptionist, she was immediately guided toward the elevators.

Prescott Group was huge, with thirty floors and eight elevators.

The top floor was Alexander's office.

The receptionist led Eleanor to the innermost elevator, swiped her card, pushed the button for the top floor, and stepped out.

"Miss Eleanor, when you get to the floor, go straight, turn left, and the first large door is the Boss's office. I won't go up with you."

"Thank you."

The elevator doors closed. Eleanor clutched her sketchpad tightly, taking several deep breaths, but she couldn't ease her nerves.

When she reached the top floor, Eleanor followed the receptionist's directions to the office and knocked lightly.

The door instantly opened automatically. Eleanor looked up and saw Alexander sitting on a sofa, looking through documents.

He was in a black suit. The way he leaned slightly forward made the suit stretch perfectly over his muscles.

He looked like God's favorite creation.

There were several other men in the office, all standing with their heads bowed beside Alexander.

The suffocating tension in the room made Eleanor hesitate to step inside.

Alexander looked up, glanced at Eleanor in the doorway, and tossed the document to the man next to him.

"Out."

The men let out a huge sigh of relief, as if granted a pardon, and quickly left the office.

"Mr. Prescott," Eleanor said, finally stepping in.

Alexander gestured for Eleanor to sit down.

"Regarding the art hotel I mentioned, Miss Eleanor, what are your thoughts?"

"Actually, while I was finishing my latest painting, I got some inspiration for your hotel's design. I quickly sketched out a draft. Even if you hadn't called me, I would have asked to meet you."

"Don't be formal. Just call me Alexander."

Eleanor took out her sketchpad from her canvas bag. Her hands were shaking with nerves, and she dropped it on the floor.

"I'm sorry," Eleanor quickly bent down to pick it up, but another hand reached the sketchpad first.

"Miss Eleanor seems nervous. Did Daphne say something to you?"

Alexander handed the sketchpad back to Eleanor.

"Not at all. It's just my first time collaborating with you, so I'm a little anxious." Eleanor took a deep breath and calmed herself.

She flipped to a page and pushed it toward him. "This was a sudden idea, so it's not perfect. It's not really a design plan, more of a 'feeling.'"

Alexander looked down at the contents of the sketchpad.

The paper showed abstract compositions drawn with charcoal and watercolor. The building seemed to grow from the earth. The walls were soft curves, not straight lines. The windows looked like water rippling in the wind.

Alexander stared for a long time. "This doesn't look like architecture. It looks more like... something alive."

"Exactly!" Eleanor's eyes lit up. Finding a resonance with Alexander made her initial nervousness fade considerably.

"What if we don't view the hotel as a building, but as a giant piece of earth art?"

Eleanor spoke excitedly. "The lobby shouldn't be called a lobby. We'll call it 'Overture.' The floor in the entrance area will use resin mixed with natural soil, embedding local plant seeds. Every guest who steps in will look down and see life sprouting beneath their feet."

Alexander said, "Keep going."

"The hallways won't just be passages." Her pencil quickly drew flowing lines on the paper.

"They're 'Rivers of Color.' One hallway uses the pink-orange tones of dawn, with subtly shifting light and shadow on the walls. The next is the fierce white of noon. The one after is the blue-purple of twilight. Guests don't just walk through the hallway; they travel through time."

She turned to a new page, drawing a spiral shape. "Each room will be themed after a different art movement. It won't just be a few replica paintings. It'll be a complete immersion. For the Expressionist room, the furniture will be twisted, full of tension. The Minimalist room will only have the bare necessities, but every item will be a work of art."

Alexander nodded. "That's an excellent idea."

He looked up at Eleanor, his usually calm eyes showing a flicker of admiration.

"I've heard dozens of renovation proposals before you. They were all about buying famous artists' works as decoration, completely indistinguishable from any ordinary hotel. Only your concept shows me a true art hotel."

Eleanor was flattered. "Just a few rough ideas. Alexander... I'm glad you don't mind my wild imagination."

Alexander took out the hotel's floor plan and began discussing the specific design details with Eleanor.

From the color scheme of the hallways to the stylistic decoration of each room.

Alexander listened intently to Eleanor's bold and novel designs, occasionally offering his own perspectives.

Eleanor discussed and took notes in her sketchpad at the same time.

The sky grew dark. The lights came on in the skyscrapers outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, creating the luxurious cityscape.

By the time they realized the time, it was already nine in the evening.

"The Prescott Group will officially announce the art hotel project and all its staff to the public the day after tomorrow. I hope you can attend."

Alexander placed an invitation card in front of Eleanor.

"Yes, I will definitely be there."

Alexander said, "If you're running into any trouble, I can help you sort it out."

"Trouble?"

"Daphne mentioned your husband."

Eleanor understood. Alexander was worried Sebastian might affect her work schedule.

She collected her things. "It's no big deal. Don't worry, he won't affect my work. I'll finish the detailed designs tonight. I want the announcement to impress everyone."

"Get some rest tonight."

Alexander pointed to his own eyes, signaling that Eleanor had dark circles under hers.

Eleanor touched her face sheepishly. "I can't help it. This is my first exhibition since I stopped painting. It's crucial for my future career. But once the exhibition is over, I'll have plenty of time to rest."

Eleanor stood up. "Then I'll head back now. I'll be on time tomorrow."

Alexander watched Eleanor walk away, his gaze deep.

Eleanor drove back to the suburban villa. Before she even got close, she saw a figure standing by the door.

When she saw clearly, Eleanor frowned.

It was Sebastian.

He was smoking with a troubled expression, and there were several cigarette butts on the ground.

It looked like he had been waiting for a long time.