Ruins Of The Glory

2

The next day, Verena stood in front of H&B Corporation. Verena stepped into the building, her eyes widening in awe at the luxurious and beautiful interior. The marble floors gleamed under the soft glow of chandeliers, and exquisite artwork adorned the walls. Mesmerised, she took a moment to appreciate the opulence around her.

However, her reverie was interrupted by the sound of raised voices near the receptionist's desk. A young woman stood there, arguing fervently with the receptionist. Verena approached the scene, curious about the commotion.

"I am soon-to-be Mrs. Heisenberg, and I demand to be led to Louis' office right now!"

The receptionist, clearly frustrated, responded firmly, "Ms. Ella, I'm sorry, but I cannot allow anyone to enter without an appointment. Please schedule one with Mr. Heisenberg or wait for the Vice President to become available."

The girl refused to back down, persistently demanding to see Louis. As the argument continued, Verena approached the two.

"Excuse me," Verena interjected calmly, "I'm here to see Louis Heisenberg. Is there a problem?"

The receptionist was annoyed when she saw another had came to meet the same man. But nevertheless, she had to be professional and asked politely, "Do you have an appointment?"

Verena shook her head and said, "No, I don't have an appointment. I'm just here to meet him as a friend."

The receptionist sighed, anticipating another difficult encounter: "Then I'm afraid you'll have to wait for Young Master Heisenberg to come."

Verena nodded understandingly and walked towards the waiting area, taking a seat on the comfortable couch.

The receptionist was surprised by Verena's response. She had expected more resistance, especially after the confrontation with the girl. However, Verena's obedience and composure caught her off guard.

Glancing over at the girl who still stood in front of her, the receptionist couldn't help but remark, "You should learn something from her. She knows how to handle herself."

The girl, still fuming, looked over at Verena and walked towards her with fast footsteps. Verena noticed heels stopped in front of her and looked up to see the same annoyed girl.

Verena looked back at the receptionist, who shrugged her shoulders and guiltily smiled.

"May I help you, Ms. Ella?" Verena asked, trying to maintain her composure despite the girl's obvious frustration.

Ella took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, before responding, "You said you were his friend. Why don't you call him and see if he came down to get you?"

Verena wasn't someone who could be played around easily. She used to be bullied, and that experience gave her confidence to stand up for herself. She knew she couldn't let Ella manipulate her emotions.

Verena firmly replied, "I'm not responsible for your fiancé's whereabouts. If you're so concerned, pick up your own phone and give him a call." Ella's guilt-ridden smile disappeared, replaced by a hint of annoyance as she reached for her phone.

She called him, but he didn't accept it, and after two missed calls, Ella's frustration grew. She looked up at Verena, her eyes filled with desperation.

"I don't understand why he's avoiding my calls. We were supposed to meet," Ella said, her voice trembling with worry. Verena couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Ella, but she knew better than to let herself be manipulated by her.

"Maybe he's just busy or ignoring you," Verena said calmly, refusing to let Ella's anxiety affect her own emotions.

"W.. What do you mean? Don't think that he is not receiving my call. He will accept yours, ha!" Ella turned around, proud of her face. Verena raised an eyebrow at Ella's defensive response.

"I never said I was going to call him," Verena replied coolly.

"Call him right now!" Ella ordered as if Verena were someone lowly beneath her.

Verena sighed internally, realising that Ella's need for control was pushing her to manipulate those around her. She knew better than to let herself be pulled into Ella's power games.

Maintaining her composure, Verena calmly responded, "I'll call him when I feel like it, not when you tell me to," Verena retorted, a hint of swag in her voice.

Ella's face contorted with frustration as she realised Verena wasn't going to bend to her will.

"You!" Ella was very angry now. She couldn't stand the fact that Verena had the audacity to challenge her authority. Ella clenched her fists, her face turning red with rage. "How dare you defy me!"

She screamed, her voice quivering with anger. But Verena remained unfazed, standing tall and firm in the face of Ella's tantrum. She refused to let herself be intimidated by Ella's attempts to control her every move.

Verena thought for a moment and gave a nod, which confused Ella. She didn't know what Verena was planning, so she watched as she pulled out her phone.

Ella anger vanished like thin air and she smiled, wanted to see Verena's sullen and disappointed face. However, as Verena started tapping away on her phone, a mischievous smile slowly spread across her face.

Ella's happiness quickly turned to concern as she realised that Verena was plotting something unexpected and unpredictable. She still looked at the receptionist and smirked at her, indicating that she would watch the show happily.

Verena stood nervously, her heart pounding, as she dialled Louis' number. She also didn't know if he would receive her call because it was the first time Verena had called him, so her number would be unknown to him.

When he answered, she took a deep breath and confidently said, "Young Master Louis, it's Verena. I'm actually in your company right now. I thought I'd surprise you, so could you come down to the reception area? I'd love to see you."

Louis was taken aback by the unexpected call and a little puzzled. He stared at the wall, shocked, and said, "You're in my company? Uh, sure, I'll be right there." He didn't figure out how to feel about this call.

In a mix of excitement and confusion, Louis quickly ended the call and rushed to the reception area. As he made his way through the office, his mind raced with questions.

Why did she want to surprise him at work? Had she already agreed to his request? Why didn't she come to his office? The uncertainty gnawed at him, but he couldn't deny the anticipation building within him as he approached the reception area.

As Verena ended the call, she couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. Ella, who had challenged her, looked on with surprise. "How did he answer your call but not mine?" Ella wondered aloud.

Verena smiled and said, "I guess it's just fate. I'm really glad he's coming down."

Ella chuckled, still finding it hard to believe. "Well, with Louis' reputation and ego, he would never come down." The girl snorted at Verena, saying she should keep dreaming etc.

While the receptionist thought that if Young Master Louis really came down, she would be good with Verena in the future giving a nod she also waited for him.

…

Louis stepped out of the elevator just as Verena stood by the receptionist desk. The receptionist glanced at him and said, "Sir, you've got a guest."

Louis nodded, his gaze softening when he saw Verena. His attention caught both the receptionist and Ella by surprise.

"Verena, it's so good to see you here," he said warmly.

"I hope you weren't too busy," Verena replied with a smile.

"Of course not," Louis answered, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than usual. There was a quiet curiosity in his gaze, as though he was wondering why she'd come.

Ella, standing off to the side, smiled shyly, hoping Louis would acknowledge her. But he continued to look at Verena, making Ella feel foolish standing there. Her heart sank, but she wasn't about to let it show.

Determined, Ella walked closer, her voice sweet but laced with impatience. "Louis," she began, "How are you? I've been calling you. I hope you weren't too busy." She smiled, repeating the same question Verena had asked.

He merely took a glance at her and look back at Verena who was now looking at Ella with amusement.

"I was busy," Louis didn't gave her a face. "If Miss Ella could give me some space, I'd like to take my guest from here."

Ella flinched, caught off guard by his words. "But Louis—"

"It's Mr. Heisenberg for you," he interrupted sharply, his tone growing colder. Ella froze at the sting of his words. "You may leave now."

Without another glance at her, Louis turned and started walking away, Verena following behind with a small smirk on her face.

Ella stood there, stunned, as Louis and Verena made their way toward the elevator.

In the elevator, Verena could feel the tension in the air, but she remained silent, not wanting to escalate the situation further.

…

Once inside his office, Louis finally spoke: "I'm sorry you had to witness that. Ms. Ella can be a bit persistent at times."

Verena offered a reassuring smile that didn't reach her eyes and said, "It's okay, Mr. Louis. I understand."

"I hope she gets the message and stops bothering me." He sighed. 

"I'm sure she'll come around," Verena replied, trying to ease the awkwardness.

Changing the subject, Louis gestured towards a comfortable chair and said, "Please, have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?"

Verena nodded. "Sure, a glass of water would be great." She was already feeling thirsty because of the drama down the hall.

Verena settled into the chair, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that the tense situation appeared to be diffusing.

As Louis poured her water, he couldn't help but wonder why she suddenly showed up. Anyhow, he didn't complain about it and offered her the glass.

"Here you go." Verena took the glass and thanked Louis, a calm smile playing on her lips. She took a sip and savoured the coolness of the water, grateful for the distraction it provided.

As the silence lingered, Louis decided to break it by asking, "So, how have you been?"

"I've been alright," Verena replied, taking another sip of water. "Just dealing with some things; you know how it is." She tried to keep her tone light, not wanting to burden Louis with her troubles.

"So, have you finally de..decided?" Louis asked, his voice filled with nervousness. Verena looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of hesitation and stubbornness.

"Yes," she finally said, a hint of relief in her voice. "I've made my decision, and I'm ready to take the next step."

Louis nodded, a proud smile spreading across his face. "I knew you would," he remarked, his voice filled with confidence.

But the next second he leaned his body forward and crosses his fingers on the table and with a serious tone. He said, "I'm here for you, every step of the way."

Blood in her veins started to rush all together, the thunder of her heartbeat bursting her eardrums at his words.

Knowing that she had made the right choice in confiding in him. But only she knew how she had made this difficult decision.

"Thank you. As you said that day, I have time to get to know you. I should use my resources and understand YOU. You will acquire our marriage certificate within the next week, no matter what." Verena shrugged her shoulders in a lazy way, but she was quite seductive.

Louis couldn't help but admire the lady in front of him. She had spent four horrible years of her life, and here she was sitting in front of him, strong and confident.

He admired her determination and resilience, realising that she possessed a strength he had never seen before. The way she carried herself with such grace and seductiveness only added to her allure.

Louis couldn't help but feel grateful that she had chosen to confide in him. It just made him proud of him whenever he was able to help her in any way possible.

"So, here I am."

Louis nodded, and a small smile played on his lips as he watched her look around his office. "Is that so?" He lazyly murmured to himself.

"Wouldn't we start dating today?" Verena asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Louis was taken aback by her boldness, but he found himself unable to resist her charm.

He chuckled softly and replied, "Well, I suppose we could consider this our second unofficial date."

Verena frowned and thought, When was the first one? As he read her thoughts, he replied, "Two days ago. I thought you would remember it your whole life." Verena's eyes widened in realisation.

She had completely forgotten about their first encounter in the hotel. It was just a casual conversation over dinner, but Louis had clearly taken it to heart.

She felt a pang of guilt for not remembering, but also a flutter of excitement at the thought that he had been thinking about her all this time.

With a sheepish smile, she replied, "Well, in that case, I guess this can be our second official date." Verena grinned, her confidence radiating as she leaned in closer to him.

"I have a feeling this is just the beginning of something amazing," she whispered, her voice filled with anticipation.

And in that moment, Louis knew he was about to embark on a journey unlike any other he had experienced before.