Chapter 30 Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Monday
(Company’s Presentation Day)
“Oh my God, Ariana, I’m late for the office. Today’s my first presentation in the company!” Celine said, trying to grab her bag, laptop, and files all at once.
“You woke up late, young woman. Now you just have to hurry in time,” Ariana said, standing by the kitchen counter, arms folded, trying not to laugh.
Celine struggled to tie her shoelace properly. “I practiced all weekend for this. I can’t believe I overslept!”
“That’s what happens when you keep watching series at midnight,” Ariana said.
“I needed to relax my brain!”
“Yeah, right. Relax your brain and now you’ll relax it even more when you faint from running late,” Ariana teased.
“Not funny!” Celine said, slipping on her shoes and heading for the door. “Wish me luck!”
“Good luck, Miss First Presentation,” Ariana said, waving. “And breathe, okay? Don’t choke when you see those big people.”
Celine shot her a look before slamming the door.
\---
She hurried down the busy street, waving for a cab. One finally stopped, and she hopped in.
“To Castellan Enterprise, please. And fast,” she said, trying to calm her racing heart.
The cab weaved through traffic. Celine looked out the window, clutching her file tightly. She had spent the weekends preparing, revising every number, every word.
This was her first big chance to show she was more than just another file clerk.
She paid the driver and rushed into the tall glass building. The security guards already knew her by face; one nodded at her.
“They’re all at the grand hall already, Miss Celine,” one of them said.
“Oh no,” she muttered under her breath and started running through the quiet hallways. Her footsteps echoed. Everyone else was already seated.
\---
Inside the grand hall, the meeting had started. The large screen displayed Castellan Enterprise’s logo beside that of the foreign partner company. Rows of important staff sat neatly, their eyes forward.
Ethan sat at the front row, next to the HR and a few foreign guests — three Indian representatives from a well-known firm. He looked calm, his usual serious expression glued to his face, but his eyes slowly scanned the room.
Where is she?
He had seen the list. Celine was the one scheduled to present the company’s yearly statistics and progress files. It was a big task, and she was just a file clerk — but she had volunteered.
“Sir, seems like your file clerk isn’t here yet,” the HR whispered with a small smirk.
Ethan didn’t respond. He kept staring at the empty entrance.
An email had gone out to everyone over the weekend, giving each staff a segment to prepare. He wondered if she’d even show up.
\---
Suddenly, the doors opened loudly.
Every head turned.
Celine stood there, panting slightly, her cheeks flushed from running.
“Boom. She’s late,” the HR muttered under her breath. “She’ll definitely mess this up.”
Ethan didn’t say a word. He just watched her quietly.
“Good morning, everyone,” Celine said, walking toward the front, trying not to show her nervousness.
Some of the senior staff exchanged looks. Others were busy checking their phones. The three Indian representatives from the foreign company sat straight, their faces unreadable.
Celine’s heart was pounding so loud she could almost hear it. She swallowed hard, adjusted the ID card hanging from her neck, and set up her laptop.
She was dressed simply — a neat shirt tucked into jeans, her hair tied back. She didn’t look like someone who was used to big meetings, but she carried herself with quiet confidence.
“Sorry for being late,” she said quickly. “I had a little delay on the road.”
Ethan’s eyes stayed on her as she connected her laptop to the projector.
\---
The first few seconds felt like an hour. Everyone’s eyes were on her. She pressed the remote, and the first slide appeared — the company’s yearly performance chart.
She took a deep breath. “Good morning once again. My name is Celine, from the records and file department. I’ll be presenting Castellan Enterprise’s yearly performance review, with focus on growth statistics, client satisfaction, and upcoming projections.”
Her voice was clear and steady now. She pointed to the chart.
“As of the last quarter, our growth increased by 18%. That’s the highest we’ve recorded in three years. Our client retention rate stands at 82%, compared to last year’s 69%. The new digital system we introduced has helped us cut paperwork by almost half.”
Her tone was confident. She clicked to the next slide, explaining every number, every reason behind the changes.
Soon, murmurs around the room turned into quiet focus.
She spoke with a balance of simplicity and strength — no unnecessary words, just facts, backed up with proof.
When she was done explaining the first part, one of the Indian representatives leaned forward.
“That’s impressive,” he said, smiling.
Celine smiled back, grateful but still composed. “Thank you, sir. We’ve been working very hard as a team.”
She continued to the next section — client feedback reports, upcoming partnerships, and financial projections for the next six months.
As she spoke, her nervousness disappeared. She became more natural, more expressive. Her hand gestures matched her tone, her eyes met the audience’s confidently.
\---
At the front row, Ethan still hadn’t said a word. He didn’t blink much either.
He watched her closely — not as a boss admiring a worker, but like someone quietly trying to understand how this simple, ordinary woman managed to handle such pressure without breaking.
“She’s actually really good,” the HR said, slightly surprised.
Ethan didn’t respond. He just nodded slightly.
When she finished, she bowed her head a little. “That would be all from me. Thank you for listening.”
For a second, there was silence. Then one of the foreigners started clapping. Another joined.
Soon, the whole room joined in.
Celine’s face lit up with relief. She hadn’t expected that kind of reaction. She smiled slightly, trying not to show how much it meant to her.
Ethan still didn’t clap. He just sat there, staring at her quietly.
Something in him felt strange not emotion, not affection, just something unexplainable.
\---
After the presentation, people began standing up. Conversations filled the air. The HR walked toward Celine, giving her a small nod.
“Good work. Didn’t expect that from you.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
The three foreign guests approached her next, one of them shaking her hand.
“You were clear and very well-organized. Good job, Miss Celine.”
She thanked them politely.
Ethan was still seated. When everyone began to leave, he stood and walked past her without a word. But as he reached the door, he turned slightly.
“Send the soft copy of your presentation to my office before the end of the day,” he said coldly.
“Yes, sir,” she said.
He nodded once and left.
\---
By noon, everyone at the office was talking about how she handled the presentation — how confident she was, how even the foreign partners were impressed.
Celine sat at her desk quietly, replying to emails, pretending not to hear.
A small smile played on her lips though. For once, she felt like she did something right.
From the office , Ethan could see her through the glass wall. She was focused on her screen, unaware that anyone was watching.
He didn’t know why his mind kept going back to the moment she stood on that stage — nervous but determined.
He pushed the thought aside and returned to his work.
There was no reason to think about her. None at all.