✨ Forever Bound ✨

🌸 Chapter One - Collision of Ambitions

Elena's POV
The glass table gleamed like it had never been touched. My reflection stared back at me — wide eyes, blazer too big, hair tied into a bun that I kept fixing nervously.
I wasn't supposed to be here. Not in this room, not in this company, not sitting across from men and women who had empires in their portfolios while my "startup" was barely two months old.
But I was here.
When Adrian Knight finally walked in, the air shifted. The way people sat straighter, the way whispers died, told me everything I needed to know. He didn't need to speak to own the room.
"Good afternoon," he said smoothly, sliding into the head chair. "Shall we begin?"
His smile was easy. Practiced. Irritatingly perfect.
The representatives from the international organization welcomed him, exchanging polite greetings before motioning to me. "Miss Carter has a proposal for collaboration. Please, Elena."
I stood, palms clammy against my notes. Breathe. Just breathe.
"My startup, GreenNest," I began, "specializes in eco-friendly packaging made from agricultural waste. It's affordable, biodegradable, and scalable for industries at every level. If integrated into Knight Empire's distribution line, it could reduce costs in the long run while making your company a pioneer in sustainable solutions."
I glanced up, expecting curiosity. Instead, Adrian was watching me with a faint smirk, like he was waiting for me to slip.
"Go on," he said.
I swallowed. "For example, replacing single-use plastics in Knight's retail chain with GreenNest packaging could reduce waste output by 30% in the first year alone. And with your resources, we could expand into international markets—"
Adrian leaned back in his chair, cutting me off. "Creative. But impractical."
My words froze mid-air. "Impractical?"
"Yes." His tone was calm, almost lazy, but his eyes were sharp. "Scaling your idea would require millions upfront, complicated supply chain shifts, and customer resistance. Idealistic, but not realistic."
I bristled. "With respect, that's exactly what they said about e-commerce when it first started. 'Idealistic, not realistic.' If everyone thought like that, Mr. Knight, we'd still be shopping only in corner stores."
A few heads turned sharply in my direction. One man coughed to cover a laugh.
Adrian's brows lifted slightly. "Are you comparing your two-month-old startup to Amazon?"
"No," I shot back, heat creeping into my voice. "I'm comparing my determination to the same determination every giant company had when they started small."
The room went silent.
Someone from the organization cleared their throat. "Mr. Knight does raise a valid point about cost—"
"Cost is temporary," I interrupted before I could stop myself. "Waste is permanent. If Knight Empire can afford to throw millions into brand endorsements, surely it can afford a future where the planet still exists to consume your products."
A ripple went through the table. A few people exchanged shocked looks. My heart pounded, but I refused to look away from Adrian.
He didn't look angry.
He looked... intrigued.
"You're bold," he said finally, his voice low. "Dangerously so."
"Or maybe I just care about more than quarterly profits," I countered, chin lifting.
His smirk deepened. "And maybe you don't understand the weight of running an empire. Caring isn't enough. Numbers are."
I leaned forward slightly, the words spilling before I could stop them. "And maybe you don't understand what it's like to fight for something when no one hands it to you."
For a second — just a flicker — his expression shifted. Like I'd hit somewhere he didn't expect.
The representative quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over. "Let's consider a pilot project on a smaller scale—"
But Adrian's eyes never left mine.
Amusement. Challenge. Something more I couldn't name.
"Fine," he said finally, his voice silk over steel. "A pilot project. Let's see if your idea survives the real world."
I should have felt relieved. Instead, I felt... scorched.
Because the way he said it wasn't just business.
It was personal.
And I had no idea why.