A soft chime signaled the start of the meeting.
Celeste stepped into the boardroom with quiet precision—her hair neatly tied back, her matte gray tailored suit sharp as ever. The long table, the ever-present Howard by the door—this space was hers.
"The CEO has arrived," Howard announced.
Everyone rose to greet her.
She offered a subtle nod before taking her seat at the head of the table.
Just as she settled in—the door opened again.
Noah and Daniel entered almost simultaneously.
"This way" Howard gestured, leading Noah to the seat on Celeste's right.
As always, Daniel sat to her left.
The moment the two men took their places beside her, an unspoken tension filled the air.
No words were exchanged, but the energy around the table subtly shifted—
heavy and tightly wound.
Celeste pulled a tumbler from her bag.
Noah, with practiced ease, took it and set it gently in front of her.
His touch was natural, deliberate—like someone who had done this many times before.
Just as she reached under the table to slip off her heels and find her slippers—Daniel, on her left, extended a hand with the pair he had quietly prepared for her.
But Noah moved faster.
He slid out a separate pair he had brought himself, placing them neatly by her feet.
Then, without a word, moved her heels beside his chair.
Daniel's hand paused midair.
He inhaled—shallow and sharp—before speaking into the mic, voice calm but carefully measured.
"I shared the full deck last night on the intranet," he said.
"The financials are included as well."
Celeste glanced at the clock and nodded.
The lights shifted into meeting mode, and the screen came to life—displaying the first slide.
1. Langley Perfumes Concept Store – Initial Launch Results
"The perfume concept store opened early June, and the response came faster than expected,"
the manager began, flipping the slide.
"Brand mentions on social media rose 240% in a month, with Gen Z making up 61% of total foot traffic. Of those, 36% made a purchase—an impressive conversion rate."
Celeste nodded as she turned the page.
"The French collection 'L'Arôme' and our collab with the Japanese artist—those saw particularly strong engagement," the manager added.
2. Finance Division – Q2 Performance
Daniel picked up the presentation smoothly.
"Consolidated Q2 revenue rose 17.8% year-over-year," he said.
"The launch of 'V-Clear Serum' under Langley Skincare helped push repurchase rates to 42%, and the online fashion boutique saw a 28% revenue increase from last year."
"Our premium line, 'Celine+ by Langley,' saw double-digit growth in Southeast Asia."
Celeste asked, "And logistics?"
"Shipping costs were cut by 4% from last quarter," Daniel replied. "The new warehouse automation system is now fully tested."
3. Entertainment Division – 'Steel and Petals' Performance
The entertainment lead grinned as he took over.
"Thanks to Mr. Joo's lead role, Steel and Petals blew past expectations."
"Top 5 rankings on major platforms across Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Japan alone, we saw 400,000 new subscribers in just two weeks."
Celeste asked,
"And the projected revenue including fan events?"
"Concerts, merchandise, fan meetings—estimated at 6.3 billion won. Additional ad deals are in the pipeline."
She nodded, then continued.
"Let's focus on stabilizing and expanding the entertainment division through Q4. Langley Press—have the media campaign finalized before auditions begin."
"It's already underway," Noah answered with a smile.
He passed her tumbler again, smooth and unhurried—as if this moment belonged to them.
As if every morning began like this.
Daniel glanced sideways at Noah.
Noah met his eyes and, without breaking contact, let his lips curve into a slow, unmistakable smirk.
A message.
A challenge.
"I belong here now, too."
Daniel said nothing.
He turned back to the papers before him and quietly tapped his pen.