Chapter 474: Complete Overhaul

Chapter 474: Complete Overhaul

Nerea's Eldoria headquarters still stood in the heart of the city's most prestigious CBD district. Its glass facade reflected the harsh midday sun with the same blinding brilliance Emily remembered, still projecting that polished corporate veneer. But the security at the entrance had multiplied several times over since three years ago. Well-dressed employees rushed past in a constant stream—not a single familiar face among them.

Emily wore a tailored cream suit, her hair pulled back in a sleek chignon. Subtle makeup concealed the exhaustion and sharpness beneath her eyes, making her look like just another corporate visitor here for a business meeting.

She hadn't made an appointment. Instead, she lingered casually in the lobby's waiting area, fingertips absently tracing the obsidian serpent ring at her throat, her gaze seemingly aimless as it swept across the reception desk and elevator banks. In reality, she missed nothing.

The reception signage had been redesigned. The employee badges bore a new logo with subtle additional flourishes. Even the lobby's floral arrangements had changed—replaced by stark white tulips that projected an unfamiliar coldness. Everything screamed calculated distance from the company she'd once known.

Emily knew Samuel's habits. Every day at precisely twelve-thirty, he'd leave his office and head to a nearby restaurant for lunch. Had that changed too?

She waited patiently, fingers tapping an unconscious rhythm against the sofa's armrest, her mind constantly sorting through threads of information.

At twelve twenty-five, the elevator chimed. A man in a charcoal bespoke suit stepped out—tall, impeccably groomed, still carrying that meticulous air she remembered. But there was something new in the set of his features: the weight of authority, the careful distance of someone who'd climbed higher. Samuel.

He walked briskly, eyes fixed on his phone, fingers flying across the screen. Completely absorbed. He didn't so much as glance toward the waiting area where Emily sat.

Emily rose slowly, deliberately stumbling as if by accident. The portfolio in her hands "slipped," papers scattering across the floor directly in Samuel's path.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry." She immediately crouched to gather them, her peripheral vision locked on Samuel's reaction.

Samuel stopped. Instinctively looked down. When his eyes landed on Emily's face, his pupils contracted sharply. Disbelief flashed across his features, quickly masked by a surprised smile. "Jane? Is that really you?"

Emily looked up, her expression the perfect picture of delighted surprise, as though this truly were a chance encounter. "Samuel? What are the odds?"

She straightened, smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from her skirt. "I had business nearby and thought I'd pop in for a bit. Never expected to run into you."

Samuel pocketed his phone, his gaze traveling over her with that familiar warmth—now tempered by deliberate distance. "It's been ages. You haven't changed much. Still look exactly the same. So—back in Eldoria?"

"Just got back recently. Handling some personal matters."

Emily kept her tone light, conversational. "I haven't kept up with the company since I left. Walking in today, though—it feels completely different. The security alone is way more intense than before."

At the mention of the company, Samuel's eyes flickered. His response came measured, neutral. "Well, three years is a long time. Change was inevitable. After you left, we had massive personnel turnover. Most of the old team, the leadership we knew—they're all gone. Some resigned. Some got transferred to other divisions. The few who are left... we don't really keep in touch."

Emily's eyes sharpened with understanding, though her face registered only surprise. "That drastic? I remember our director, and Lisa from marketing—they were both doing so well. They left too?"

"About six months ago. The company was acquired by Vesperia's Mr. Baker. New ownership meant a complete restructuring. Anyone who didn't fall in line got let go or reassigned. Now nearly the entire senior management team consists of Baker's people."

Emily feigned confusion. "Which Mr. Baker?"

"The Vesperia one."

"Oh, right. The Vesperia conglomerate head. The one with close ties to Prince Miguel?" She deliberately slowed her words, watching Samuel's face intently for any tell.

Samuel's body went fractionally rigid. His eyes darted away. He quickly changed the subject. "That's mostly just rumors. I don't really know the specifics. I'm just an operations director. Those kinds of decisions happen way above my pay grade. We just follow orders."

His evasion confirmed exactly what Emily had suspected. Nerea had fallen into Miguel's hands. This "Mr. Baker" was nothing more than Miguel's front man. And Samuel? Either he'd been coerced, or he'd already pledged his loyalty to Miguel's camp.

Emily didn't press. No point tipping her hand. Instead, she pivoted to what really mattered, her tone deliberately casual.

"Oh, speaking of which—I ran into Anouk recently. Remember her? That intern from our department? She looks completely different now. I almost didn't recognize her. After her internship ended, she just vanished. Do you know what happened to her?"

The moment "Anouk" left Emily's lips, Samuel's expression went flat. His tone turned ice-cold, clearly unwilling to engage. "I have no idea. She went back to her home country after the internship. We never stayed in touch."

Emily could tell he was lying. She didn't call him out. Instead, she sighed with practiced disappointment. "Really? I thought you two might have kept up. I remember she worked so hard, and you were always so supportive of her. I just assumed you'd stayed friends."

Maybe Emily's sincerity felt too genuine. Maybe Samuel realized he couldn't keep deflecting. He shook his head sharply. "Sorry, Jane. I really need to go. Let's catch up another time, yeah?" Without waiting for her response, he turned and strode quickly toward the exit, his pace just short of a sprint. Like he was fleeing something.

Emily stood motionless, watching his retreating figure. The warmth drained from her eyes, replaced by cold, surgical focus.

 

Emily exited the Nerea building into the glare of midday sun. She raised a hand to shield her eyes and pulled out her phone, dialing Charles. He picked up on the first ring, his voice low and laced with concern. "Emily. How did it go? Anything useful?"

Emily leaned against a nearby railing. "Useful enough. Nerea's completely under Miguel's control. This Mr. Baker character is definitely tied to him. But Samuel clammed up the second I mentioned Anouk. He knows something. I'm not going to get anything else out of him here. The rest is on you."