Date The CEO.com

Chapter 125: I Will Support You

Luna's shoulders sagged.

She had no one on her side. She would have to think of another way. There should be more chances in the future. She just needed the right products and campaign. Something that would draw out Ambryan.

At that thought, her mood turned around.

She bit into a deviled egg while her ebony eyes landed on the CEO's chest. 

"What a nice tie you have there, Yan," Luna said in between bites. The morning sun glinted against the silver fabric. It looked soft and velvet to the touch. It showcased elegancewhich made it commonly used for special occasions such as weddings. 

Against his all-black suit, it reminded her of refined gothic and steampunk styles that suited a noble from Victorian times. 

Maybe she should use it as a theme for her next collection.

Ambryan grimaced. "If you're still trying to compliment me to get your way, it won't work."

"I'm not!" Luna protested. She waved her hand, brushing off his claims further. "It's the first time I saw you wear silver. It just took me by surprise."

The CEO reached for the folder and handed it over for Mikael to read. "Please focus on the discussion."

"How could I when you normally don't wear anything outside of white, blue and black? What changed?" She continued, not letting the topic go. The only other time she had seen him do such a thing was at the launch party.

Clouds parted. The sun shone down. Plants came to life and birds sang their morning song. Flowers bloomed, revealing their hidden beauty. It was a scenery that depicted an epiphany perfectly.

Luna realized what was going on. She exerted her best effort not to look at Eve and focused only on Ambryan. A smirk played on her lips. "Is this Evangeline's doing?"

"She gave it as a present," Ambryan answered with nonchalance. Now that she mentioned Evangeline, there was no point to beating around the bush. He hoped that they could get back on track with this.

While Luna delighted at this revelation, Mikael sneaked a glance from his folder. He looked up just in time to see Eve's side-smile before she turned her head away. It seemed that someone was having fun. 

And no one saw it but him.

"Aw, young love. So sweet. I think it suits you quite well. " Luna cooed. Then, her gaze flickered to her left. "Don't you think so, Ms. Hart?"

Eve snapped her head back. She blinked at the sudden question. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Ambryan also looked her way. She cleared her throat before giving a response. 

"I think Sir Hathaway looks good in whatever he decides to wear."

Mikael hid a snort. 

He raised a fist to his lips and coughed. That was the safest answer he ever heard. "I think these scenes are fine. More ideas can be established after we receive the audience's feedback. We can incorporate them when the series is renewed for a second season."

"Don't you agree, Ms. Hart?" He added towards the end. Both Luna and Ambryan shifted their attention back to her. She was under their perception once again.

Eve stopped writing. Her gaze jerked towards the table. She looked at the toasts then, the devilled eggs, the pitcher of water and the cup of black tea. They all seemed normal to her. 

But why...

Did she put something in the food by accident? Why were the people in the meeting addressing her? She shouldn't be a part of the conversation. It wasn't a part of her role. Why couldn't they let her take the minutes of the meeting in peace?

"Eve?"

Her focus drifted to her left. 

Ambryan stared in return. His expression remained impassive. "Well? I believe Mr. Davis asked you a question. Do you have an answer?"

"Oh," Eve breathed out. The intensity in his violet eyes shook her awake. His words from before echoed in her head, repeating themselves like a broken record. It seemed like he's persistent to have her promoted to management.

Should she grab it?

As she thought about it, her mind composed an idea. "Mr. Davis has a valid point. Until we receive the audience's response on the matter, we won't know how far we can push the limits. It's true that a focus on the brand might cause backlash but branding can be done in a variety of ways."

The words left her mouth as soon as they appeared in her head. "Instead of pushing for a more eye-catching scene, why not have a character or two actually use Athon Luxury products? It won't be scenes that isolate the brand logo but the more they are used by these characters, the more it could catch interest. It's not as explicit but I think having plenty of subtle impacts will have a long-term effect."

Mikael caught Ambryan's smirk. 

It was barely perceptible but admiration shone in the latter's eyes. It was a curious sight. The CEO respected his secretary as well as her opinion. It made him further question how they came into an arrangement about her dual identity. 

Was the romantic relationship actually genuine?

"If it's a character that Athon customers can relate to, they'd eventually want it. It's almost as impactful as having a famous celebrity for an endorser," Eve concluded. "Especially if it's made solely for the series."

"A limited edition Athon product in a tv series?" Luna repeated, already thinking of several ideas. Her choice would depend on the character. It had to be something the person used often like a habit.

"It's not entirely necessary," Eve quickly retracted. Something of that value would mean raising the compensation price. "Not when it's still new. Maybe we can contemplate it more after the first season and negotiate further."

"Sounds like a plan." Luna nodded in understanding. Her proposal for a subtle promotion wouldn't cost a significant amount while giving them more screen time without disrupting the story. "I'll need to contact the costume designer then if we'll proceed with this idea."

Ambryan picked up the folder from the coffee table. He took a pen from his breast pocket and marked the areas that needed edits. "I'll endorse you to the team right away."

"Alright. That settles it. Anything to add, Mikael?" Luna asked. 

The male model shook his head. "Nothing at the moment. We can improvise on set if needed."

Rising to his feet, Ambryan lifted up the folder. "I'll send the revised document within the day."

Both Luna and Mikael followed his lead. They ended the meeting with last minute details and casual small talk. Eve continued to take notes, reminding herself to clean up the table after the meeting concluded. There should be another one later in the afternoon. 

Maybe she can switch the food for something that could last for days.

That way she wouldn't take time to prepare for each one.

"See you around, Ms. Hart," Luna said. She stood inside the elevator, waving her hand at the secretary. "I'm looking forward to the next meeting. Maybe I can even recruit you for my next campaign. Your ideas would fit right in."

Mikael rolled his eyes. He placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back. "Let her be. I'm sure her hands are already full. Don't add more weight to them or she'd crumble."

"Please take care on your way." Eve smiled, wishing for the lift to descend.

She disappeared from their sight when the doors closed. 

Luna picked up the hand on her shoulder and dropped it. Her ebony eyes hooded as they sneaked a peek to the side. "You know that Eve is Evangeline, right? I heard you had such a strong reaction when you found out. What made you change your mind about her?"

Mikael merely shrugged, not meeting her gaze. "She does both jobs with due diligence. Regardless of what the real situation is, that is a fact that rings true for both her personas."

"So you're taking back your words from when you first met her?"

"... I'm only acknowledging her efforts, not praising her."

"Whatever you say." Luna chuckled.

.

.

.

Back in the CEO's office, Eve picked up the tray of food and wiped the table. The meeting replayed in her head. She promised herself to do better at not breaking the five rules. An hour later, not only did she break both but she had spoken more than necessary.

It was a simple yes or no question too.

Ambryan watched her from the middle of the room. The crease lines on her forehead were evident. "You're not worried about what you said, are you?" 

Eve's back stiffened as she stood up. "Um" 

"I already told you before," Ambryan said. He stood with his back facing the sun. It shadowed his front profile while the light radiated around his figure. "If you take the initiative to voice out more ideas, you'd develop the leadership for a promotion. Please stop hesitating. I will back you up if anyone shots you down before you could speak."

Eve pressed her lips together, feeling slightly better. He really was serious about training her. She let out a sigh and nodded her head. "Thank you for the support, Sir Hathaway."

"In exchange"

Her eyebrows shot up. "Exchange?"

Ambryan took several steps forward. His gaze never left her face. "Answer me one question."

"Yes?" She asked, unsure of where this was going.

"Is Mikael Davis the boyfriend Darryl spoke about?"