Echoes Of The Heart

Chapter Thirteen

Walter stepped into Stephlon's office, his brow furrowed as he saw her hard at work, poring over paperwork. "I guess you didn't need my help after all" he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Stephlon looked up, a little surprised by his tone "I'm sorry Walter but I am no damsel in distress" She smiled at him standing up from her table to get back to work.

"I know, and I appreciate that you are always there when I need you," Stephlon said, giving him a warm smile. "But sometimes I just need to tackle things my own. I don't want you to feel like you're not needed, but I also need to be able to handle things myself"

Walter watched Stephlon as she spoke, watching the way her eyes lit up as she discussed the man she'd put in his place. He could see a hint of sadness in her eyes, though she was trying to hide it. He wondered what she was feeling, and whether there was anything he could do to help. He didn't want to pry, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was weighing on her mind.

"Come on, brother, give it a rest," Stephlon said, smiling beautifully as she walked away. Walter watched her go, his hands in his pockets, his mind racing. He wondered when she would stop calling him "brother".

Stephlon gathered a group of employees together and asked them to wait outside the conference room while she conducted individual screenings. She wanted to take the time to speak with each person one-on-one, to get a better sense of their strengths and weakness. She knew this would be a long and tiring process, but she was determined to find the best fit for the resort.

As one employee after the other, walked into the conference room, the others seated outside the conference room sat with their nerves on the edge. They tried to make small talk to ease the tension, but it was clear that everyone was nervous. Sweat beaded on their brows, and they swallowed hard to keep the bile from rising in their throats. It was clear that no one was looking forward to this process, but they all knew it was necessary.

Stephlon sat behind the desk in the conference room, conducting interviews with each employee in turn. As she asked her questions, she quickly realized why Gunther had insisted on screening all o the employees. Many of them had no idea why they were doing in their jobs, or why they were there in the first place. She shook her head in disbelief, wondering how the resort had been operating with such lack of understanding among its employees.

"Let's take a quick 15-minute break," Stephlon said, smiling as the employee left the room. The door closed with a click, and she let out a long sigh. With no one else in the room, she let her head fall onto the table, her golden-brown hair cascading around her like a curtain. The sun's rays streamed in through the wall of windows, but she didn't life her head to enjoy them. Instead, she let herself relax, if only for a moment.

The weariness of the day, and the lack of sleep she'd suffered from the previous night, caught up to her, and she slowly drifted off to sleep. Her breathing became soft and rhythmic, and her body relaxed into the chair. In her sleep, she absentmindedly brushed the hair from her face, only to have it fall back again. She groaned softly, a small pout forming on her lips. It was clear that even in her sleep, she was exhausted.

Stephlon's eyes fluttered open, and she lifted her head from the table. She rubbed her eyes, her vision still blurry, and squinted as she tried to make out the figure standing before her. The figure's silhouette was blurry at first, but as her eyes adjusted, she recognized the face.

On the other side of the country, Gunther's eyes burned with fury. He glared at his executives, his gaze cutting into them like a knife. His fury had only increased since his last phone call, and it was obvious to everyone in the room.

I need answers - and not just any answers, I need solutions. If I don't have them by next week..." Gunther's voice trailed off, but the implication was clear. His eyes were like steel, cold and unforgiving, boring into the trembling executives. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, as they struggled to hold his gaze. The silence was deafening, the tension palpable.

He stood from his seat, tall and imposing, and walked out of the conference room with confidence. His broad shoulders seemed to fill the doorway as he left, leaving the executives behind in a state of fear and uncertainty. He removed his suit jacket as he walked away, as if to demonstrate that he had nothing to hide. He was a man in control, and he knew it.

He slung the suit jacket over his shoulder, draping it casually across his back. He held onto it with one hand, while his other hand was buried deep in his pocket. As he walked, he radiated confidence and control. Philip followed behind him, providing updates on recent developments in a hushed tone.

As they reached Gunther's office door, he turned to Philip with a curious expression. His eyebrows were drawn together and his eyes narrowed, as his thought of his dilemma.

"How do I know her?" He mused, as he walked a step further to Philip's direction, then he looked down at his shoes then looked back at Philip, as he  raised a brow, just immediately he shook his head and continued walking.

"Who do you know?" Philip asked quickening his pace to catch up with Gunther. The man seemed to be mumbling to himself, but there was a playful gleam in his eyes and a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

Gunther remained silent as he opened the door to his office revealing a blonde-haired figure standing by the window, sipping a steaming drink. The steam from the drink rose up, obscuring the figure's face.

Hello sweetie 😘
How're you doing? 🤨
Love from Stephler ❤️
And welcome to Stephler's LoveBoat once again 🥰
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Ich liebe dich❤️