Stella swallowed hard, and she could feel her heart racing. “Um, sorry, I just thought we could grab some food at a restaurant along this path.” She said nervously, as her voice was almost a whisper.Marvin didn’t seem to appreciate the suggestion. “Did I tell you that I was hungry?” he grunted, and his tone was filled with irritation.“Come on, Marvin.” She pressed on, trying to sound lighthearted. “It would be nice if we just grabbed a bite. You look hungry.”Marvin’s patience was wearing thin. He turned to her, and his eyes were now flashing with anger. “Pull over!” He demanded. “I’ll find my way. You’re acting weird, and I’m not having it.”Stella felt a wave of hurt wash over her. She had been trying to be nice, to find a way to connect with him, but he had no regard for her kindness. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, and her mind was racing with what to do next. She had two choices: either pull over and let him go or continue driving and insist they get food.Taking a de
A few days later, Stella sat nervously in the reception area of Orion Dynamics, checking her watch every few minutes. She glanced at the clock on the wall—Marvin was late. Her fingers tapped on her phone screen, and she quickly dialed his number. The phone rang, but Marvin didn’t pick up. She sighed, as her hands started sweating. This was a huge day for her, and the conglomerate groups from Navauria were already inside the building. Stella wiped her palms on her skirt and tried to take a deep breath. The waiting room felt too hot, and her heart was pounding in her chest.Finally, the glass doors slid open, and Marvin walked in. He was casually dressed in a plain white t-shirt, a clean pair of jeans, and some black Vans shoes. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his face carried that calm, confident expression she’d always admired.Stella’s heart nearly skipped a beat. She felt lightheaded for a moment as she watched him stride toward her, each step confident and sure. For
Stella clenched her jaw, struggling to keep her frustration in check. She turned sharply on her heel, motioning for Marvin to follow her. Her hands were trembling slightly as she pushed open the large, frosted glass doors that led to the boardroom. Marvin strolled behind her, seemingly unconcerned.As Stella and Marvin entered the boardroom, there was a brief, nervous exchange between them. Stella glanced at Marvin and whispered, "You’ve got everything, right?" Marvin nodded calmly. "Of course, don’t worry." Stella, who was trying to keep her cool, felt a slight twinge of doubt. I hope nothing goes wrong, she thought, swallowing the lump in her throat as they approached the table of the Navaurian CEOs.The CEOs of the most powerful conglomerates in Navauria sat around a long, polished wooden table. The CEO of Teocipar Consortium, a stern-looking woman in a sleek gray suit, was tapping away on her tablet. The representatives from Tonanzilovic Holdings and Ixchelović Group were bu
Marvin felt his heart skip a beat as he realized that the flash drive wasn't in his pocket. His fingers moved over the empty fabric again, hoping to find it, but it was nowhere to be found. He didn't let his expression change—his years of experience had taught him to stay calm in front of an audience, no matter the situation."Okay." Marvin said smoothly, "it seems I’ll have to make this presentation without any projection."Stella's eyes widened in alarm, but Marvin gave her a quick, reassuring look. He straightened up and faced the CEOs. "No problem. Let me walk you through the core ideas of the advanced cosmic energy proposal."He began speaking, laying out the basics of the project with a calm, confident tone. Marvin began, his voice steady and clear. “The advanced cosmic energy proposal revolves around using cosmic rays—high-energy particles that hit Earth all the time. Unlike solar or wind power, cosmic energy is available 24/7—”Before he could continue, the CEO of Ixchelov
Marvin slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, as his calm expression was unchanged. As the CEOs gathered their things, murmuring quietly among themselves, Stella caught the glint in his eye—something was about to happen. He turned away from the room slightly and made a call, his voice was smooth and steady."Hello, Mr. Marvin," came the voice from the other end, crackling faintly through the phone’s speaker."Hello, Mr. CJ," Marvin replied, with an even tone. "I hope they’re here?""Yes, sir. I’m at the Orion Dynamics building now.""Good," Marvin nodded, glancing briefly toward the CEOs who were still exchanging pleasantries as they prepared to leave. "Get in quick, we’re in the boardroom.""On my way," CJ confirmed before the line went dead.Stella furrowed her brow. Mr. CJ? Who was he? And why was he at the Orion Dynamics building—her company’s headquarters? The CEOs, too, seemed perplexed. Marvin's sudden shift in tone, the air of secrecy, all left a strange te
Marvin finished the last bite of his salad, savoring the crisp greens as he sat at the kitchen counter. His eyes glanced over at the clock. It was almost time. He wiped his hands on a napkin and stood up, heading to his room to get dressed. The phone in his pocket buzzed just as he started buttoning his shirt. He pulled it out, noticing Stella’s name on the screen. "Hello, Marvin," came Stella's voice."Hello, Stella," he replied smoothly. "What’s up?""I’m fine." she said, her tone was light but it was with a hint of excitement. "Are you already at the cinema?""No, not yet," Marvin responded, slipping his other arm into the sleeve of his shirt. "But I’ll be there soon.""How about your preparations? Are you done already?" Stella asked."Almost, almost done," Marvin said, glancing at himself in the mirror as he adjusted the collar of his shirt."Okay, good," Stella replied. "See you at the cinema, then.""Yeah, see you soon," Marvin said, hanging up.From the doorway, his mother,
Marvin took a deep breath as the hefty man in the suit finished purchasing his VIP tickets and strutted away with his loosely dressed entourage. His stomach churned, and anger simmered just beneath the surface, but Marvin clenched his fists and stepped forward to the counter, determined to keep his cool."Please, can I get two VIP tickets?" Marvin asked, his voice was calm but firm.The ticket seller glanced up at him, his expression was flat. Without a word, the young man grabbed the stack of VIP tickets he'd just given to the man in the suit and shoved them back into a locker behind the counter. He returned to Marvin with two regular tickets instead, sliding them across the counter."Give me your money," the salesman said, with a tone that was cold and dismissive.Marvin's jaw tightened. "Young man, don't start. You had VIP tickets a second ago. What’s going on? The ones you just gave me are regular membership tickets, not VIP."The ticket seller sighed, barely looking up. "Those
The security guard, a tall man with a shaved head, stepped forward and broke the tense silence. "If this man intends to buy all the tickets, I think we should give him a chance." His voice was calm but firm, carrying an authority that made everyone, including the ticket seller, pay attention."Bring out all the tickets." He ordered, as his eyes were locked onto the salesman.The ticket seller hesitated, as his face was scrunched up in disbelief. "Are you serious?"The guard nodded, as his expression turned stern. "Do as I say."Reluctantly, the ticket seller opened the locker behind the counter again, pulling out the entire stack of VIP tickets and the other varieties of tickets. The security guard slapped them down on the counter with a smirk. "However many this is." He said, eyeing Marvin, "I must warn you—if you can’t pay for all of them, I’ll will ensure that you are thrown out of here. Even though you’ve already bought a ticket for yourself."Marvin didn’t flinch. His voice was