Miss Fiesty

Twelve more presentations followed after Nimbs Technology, most of them impressive in their own way. Giselle took the opportunity to learn and gather inspiration from them. Her gaze occasionally flickered to Victor, noting how composed and observant he was as he evaluated each solution. Their eyes met once or twice, leaving Giselle flustered, while Victor simply smirked in return. 

Once all the presentations were done, the host addressed the room, "Thank you, everyone. The results will be announced by the end of the week."

"I hope our efforts pay off," Giselle said with a hopeful tone. "Yep!" her teammates agreed. But they didn't stop there. "So, how do you know Mr. Victor Caldwell?" they all eagerly asked, their curiosity piqued.

Giselle knew this question was coming, but she wasn't keen on revealing the full story. Instead, she casually answered, "We just happened to fight over renting the same book at a nearby library called 'Miss Fiesty,' and I ended up getting it. We never met after that. This all happened recently, so I believe he remembers me. I had no idea he was the director here."

Her explanation seemed to put their minds at ease. The second part made sense, though the first part felt a bit far-fetched. But they let it slide, satisfied with her answer.

While Giselle chatted with her colleagues, a pair of observant eyes followed her every move. Victor Caldwell, sitting with his secretary to discuss the next agenda, couldn't help but notice the way she exchanged smiles and the occasional way she tucked a strand of wavy hair behind her ear. He watched, amused, as she struggled slightly in her pointed heels, yet somehow managed to walk with a grace that was impossible to ignore. His gaze lingered on the small bracelet with a panda pendant dangling from her wrist, a detail he remembered from their previous encounter.

He admired the gentle curve of her smile and the effortless beauty she carried with her, captivated by the woman she was. As the discussion with his secretary came to a close, he was tempted to approach her, to tease her and watch her get flustered like before. But then, a thought held him back. After their interaction during the auction, any conversation now could easily be misinterpreted and work against her, which he definitely didn't want.

So, he resisted the urge, simply watching her walk away, her elegance undeniable as she moved through the crowd, amused by the surprising depth to her personality—the fierce and the graceful coexisting in perfect harmony.