14 RIVERTING IDEAS ARIEL’S POV 1 stepped out of my car, dressed in a simple yet elegant black dress that flaunted my curves. Shielding my eyes with sunglasses, I couldn’t help but gaze at the building in front of me. It was The Reynold Company, and in just a few moments, our meeting would commence. Memories of the past flooded my mind as I stared at the building. I couldn’t help but think about the times when I used to visit Luke here. But he had ignored me back then, causing me immense pain. Turning to my driver, who was still seated in the car, I instructed him, “You can leave now.” “Are you sure, ma’am?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. I nodded, offering a reassuring smile. “Yes, Andre will drive me home once the meeting is over, so you don’t have to worry.” “Alright then,” he replied before driving away. Standing alone, my gaze returned to the building, and I let out a deep sigh. This meeting was going to be challenging, but I knew I had to be strong. I couldn’t be the same vulnerable Ariel that everyone knew five years ago. Things had changed drastically, and the past few years had taught me the importance of resilience in the face of adversity. Finally, Andre arrived, looking dapper in his navy suit. Michael and Seth also emerged from their car, and we were ready to enter the building. As we stepped foot inside, Jack approached us, his glasses adding a touch of sophistication to appearance. I never thought I’d be so happy to see him again. his “Andre Jones, it’s an honor to have you here. You are most welcome.” Jack greeted Andre with a wide smile, shaking his hand. Jack then turned to me and extended his hand. “And you, Mrs. Reynold.” He quickly corrected himself: “Oh, I apologize, Ariel Walker.” I shook his hand, returning his smile. “Just so you know, the name’s Ariel Clinton.” “Ariel Clinton?” Jack raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by my words. “Yes, any problem with that?” I replied with a friendly smile. “No, no, not at all,” he quickly responded, turning his attention to Seth and Michael and welcoming them as well. Jack led the four of us to the meeting room. As I entered, I noticed several faces already seated. And then, there was Luke, looking impeccable. His striking appearance, adorned in a ravishing red suit with his hair perfectly styled, captivated my attention. We exchanged glances multiple times before I finally took my seat. Luke’s gaze remained fixated on me, making me feel uneasy. I tried to avert my eyes, but I couldn’t resist stealing a quick glance, only to find him still looking at me. Once more, I turned my face away, feeling a wave of discomfort knowing that his captivating eyes were still on me. After a brief moment, Luke stood up. “Alright, isn’t it a fantastic day?” A smile graced his face, and some individuals in the room nodded in agreement. “First of all, I want to express my gratitude to the Vitality Group for being here today. We truly appreciate it,” Luke said, directing his words towards Andre, who smiled in response, giving Luke his undivided attention. Luke continued, “As you all know, we have joined forces with the Vitality Group to embark on an extraordinary project. It involves the launch of a new mobile app for both our companies.” He turned his gaze back to Andre. “So, sir, please tell us how you envision this.” Luke took a seat, and Andre rose to his feet. “Alright,” he muttered softly before speaking the louder. “Well, Luke Reynold, I want to thank you for partnering with us. As you can see, Vitality Group aims to create a user–friendly interface that allows customers to access our services all in one place. We have already assembled a team to work on the app’s design and development. However, we need to formulate a robust marketing strategy to ensure its success.” Andre glanced around the room. “Does anyone have any ideas?” “I propose that we commence with conducting market research,” I stated confidently, capturing everyone’s attention, including Luke. “Our primary objective is to identify our target audience and understand their preferences so that we can tailor our campaign accordingly.” Luke nodded slowly at my words, and bur eyes were still fixed on each other. But there was no smiling face, and there was no serious face either. s a great idea,” a lady in glasses agreed. “We also need to keep in mind the competition and what sets this app apart from others in the market.” “I agree,” Seth chimed in. “We should also focus on the user experience and make sure the app is not only user–friendly but also visually appealing and efficient.” “Nice,” I said to myself, nodding in agreement. “We can also leverage social media and influencer marketing to create buzz and reach a wider audience.” Hearing all this, Andre smiled. “Excellent suggestions, everyone. Let’s also consider offering special promotions and incentives to attract more users and retain them in the long run.” “Yeah, that’s a nice one,” I said lowly, with several nods. “I think we should have a strong customer support system in place,” Luke said, and everyone looked at him. “This will ensure customer satisfaction as well as positive reviews, which are crucial for the success of any app.” “Yeah, because I’ve seen a lot of apps with poor customer support.” Michael chuckled, and in a playful tone, he said, “Piece of shit.” Everyone turned to him immediately, and we didn’t give him a great look. “What?” He asked with a confused face. “We can’t forget about app store optimization as well,” the lady in glasses brought out another idea. “We need to make sure our app is easily discoverable and ranks high in the app store search results.” “That is absolutely correct.” Andre agreed, “With all these suggestions, going to be a huge success. Or are there any more ideas?” “Yes,” Seth answered, and he brought out another idea. That was how the meeting lasted for hours. Throughout the meeting, I couldn’t help but notice Luke constantly gazing at me. It was intriguing, and I couldn’t understand why he found me so captivating. No matter how much I tried to avoid meeting his gaze, I just couldn’t resist, Once the meeting concluded, everyone rose from their seats and began to exit the room. Andre shook hands with Luke, engaging in a brief conversation. I couldn’t catch their words. “Hi,” the lady in glasses approached me with a smile, “Ariel Clinton, right?” “Yes,” I replied, mirroring her smile. “I’m Rose. I’ve heard a lot about you.” “Oh, is that so?” I asked, feeling like a celebrity. “Yes,” she continued, smiling. “I’m truly delighted to finally meet you in person.” I couldn’t help but smile broadly. “You work here, don’t you?” “Yes,” she confirmed. “Yes, I do. Would you mind sharing your contact information with me?” “Oh no, not at all.” I assured her, taking her phone and dialing my number. “Here you go.” I handed her phone back to her. “Thank you,” she grinned, and she left the room. I turned around, only to find Luke staring at me, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. Yet he quickly averted his gaze. Andre approached me. “Shall we go?” he inquired. “Yes, of course.” I nodded, and we left the room together. As we approached his car, I suddenly realized that I had left my purse behind in the meeting room “Is something wrong?” Andre asked, raising an eyebrow, noticing the expression on my face. “I left my purse in there.” I pointed towards the building. “I need to go and get it. Can you please wait for me?” “Of course, no problem,” he agreed, and I swiftly made my way back inside the building. Entering the room, I searched for my purse but couldn’t find it anywhere. Now I was perplexed because I distinctly remembered leaving it there. “Looking for this?”
