The choices we make [Completed]

Chapter 5 - And so it begins

Chapter 5 - And so it begins

A month into the project and Olena was happy at how her team has managed it on their own. They were now ready to go to production and it was time she got directly involved again.

Axel and Rachel had just finished briefing her on the latest developments when her intercom buzzed.

"Lena, the Picture Perfect team is here. They're waiting in the room B," the receptionist informed her.

"Thanks, Cathy."

Lena gestured for Axel and Rachel to proceed to the meeting room.

Picture Perfect was the production team they appointed for the video project, the one owned by Patrick.

During their briefing, Axel informed her that while did assign another director to the project, he would still join the coordination meetings occasionally as he would in that day's pre-production meeting.

She hasn't met the new director, but Axel had shown her his demo reel and it looked good. But she decided to hold judgment on his capabilities until she got to talk to him in person.

Entering the room with her team, Olena smiled at Patrick and Haidee in greeting then turned to the only new face in the room.

She didn't notice Patrick staring at her as his eyes followed her across the room.

It's been a month since he last saw her and Patrick had been thinking of her less often.

She had not crossed his mind for days now, and he felt confident he had gotten over his boyish admiration, so he came to this meeting without any expectations.

But Olena's presence as she entered the room affected him just as it did the first time they met. Even more so now that he knew how smart she was and how efficient at managing her team.

It was not her looks that drew him, that much he knew. He works everyday with prettier and sexier girls after all.

Maybe it was the way she carried herself? Or the way she commanded attention when she enters the room. Or the way she smiles so infrequently that it's always memorable when she does.

He must admit, though, that she looks more beautiful now than what he remembered.

Wearing a plain white top matched with simple accessories, she was like a breath of fresh air compared to the superficial girls he was used to being surrounded with.

"Are you Jasper, the new director?" Lena's voice cut through the Patrick's thoughts and brought him back to the present.

Olena had walked over to the only person in the room that she didn't recognize and handed him her business card.

The guy chuckled as he stood up and gave his business card in exchange.

"Well, yes that's me but wouldn't say I'm new, exactly. I've been in the industry for almost 8 years."

"Wow, you look really young!" Lena told him, surprise evident in her voice.

"I get that a lot," laughed Jasper. "But don't let this face fool you. I'm a mean son of a bitch on set."

Olena couldn't help but laugh with him. He was the kind of person one would immediately feel at ease with, probably because of his innocent vibe.

Patrick has had a serious face on since the beginning of their exchange, but at the sound of Lena's laughter, his expression grew grim.

Haidee, ever his life-saver, stepped in again before he exploded.

"Jasper I believe Lena has a busy schedule so let's get this meeting started," she urged.

With a final wink at Olena, Jasper sat back down, earning a low growl from Patrick.

Olena turned to him with a puzzled look as Haidee nudged him with an elbow.

Patrick took a deep breath then nodded to Jasper to start with his presentation.

Though Jasper led the presentation, Patrick would share his direction at appropriate moments, giving Olena a feel of how good he was at his job.

For the first time since she met him, she started to acknowledge him as the actual brains behind his business.

It was quite a leap from her initial impression of a millionaire playboy who used daddy's money to set up a company he can play with.

Since he caught her attention, Olena began noticing small details about him.

Like how he looked more formal today in a suit and appeared very much like the CEO that he was. Or the way his Adam's Apple moved when he chuckled. Or how his watch looked quite sexy on his arm.

Olena stopped at that last thought. She should not be thinking that way of him or any guy besides her husband for that matter!

She forced herself to give her full attention to the meeting.

As Patrick and his team discussed the details of the shoot, Lena became more impressed at how meticulous their team was. Nothing was left to chance, and she felt at ease going ahead with their proposal.

She told them as much and they smiled appreciatively, Jasper being the most expressive of the group.

"Why thank you miss!" He teased.

"I'm glad those late nights we spent working on this have paid off."

"Oh, so you have been dragging my team through long hours huh?" Olena teased back with a glance at Axel and Rachel.

Both of her staff played along and plopped down on their seats in mock fatigue.

"He was actually more demanding than you!" Axel complained.

Jasper immediately held up both hands in surrender.

"Hey, I warned you not to be fooled by this innocent face. I'm really a slave driver behind this mask," he joked. "You'll see the real me at the shoot. You will be there, right?"

Despite his growing irritation at Jasper's blatant flirting, Patrick suddenly focused his attention on Lena's answer.

"Of course," he heard her say, and his heart raced.

Patrick wasn't sure what he wanted more - cover up his sudden excitement or get Jasper to stop flirting with Olena - but either way he knew he had to leave the room right now.

He stood up and looked at Olena til her eyes met his.

"See you at the shoot, then."