A Hundred Ways to Love You

The next morning, Emma awoke feeling a strange mix of anticipation and dread. It was her fourth day working for Liam Ashford, and while she was starting to get the hang of the job, her boss remained an enigma. For every fleeting moment of warmth, there were countless others where his sharp wit and colder demeanor left her reeling.

She grabbed her phone and groaned. A new message from Liam:

Meet me in the main house at 7:30 a.m. sharp. Bring your tablet.

"Of course, he couldn't just let me have breakfast in peace," she muttered, rolling out of bed.

---

A Morning of Surprises

Emma entered the main house with a coffee in hand, determined to face whatever Liam threw her way. She found him in the sunlit kitchen, a plate of croissants and fresh fruit set on the counter. He was scrolling through his phone, but he looked up when she entered.

"You're on time. Impressive," he said, gesturing toward the food.

Emma hesitated. "Is this... breakfast?"

"You'll need energy for today's tasks," Liam said, his tone neutral.

Emma grabbed a croissant, still suspicious of his sudden generosity. "What's on the agenda?"

"We're visiting a manufacturing site in the city," Liam explained. "I want you to observe the operations and take notes. This is a crucial project, and I need you to understand its significance."

Emma nodded, her interest piqued. "Got it. Anything else?"

"There's a meeting with the design team this afternoon, and you'll need to finalize the vendor contracts by the evening," Liam added, taking a sip of his coffee.

Emma groaned inwardly but plastered on a smile. "Sounds like a fun day."

---

The Manufacturing Site Visit

By midmorning, Emma and Liam were on the outskirts of the city, standing in front of a sprawling industrial building. The air buzzed with activity as workers in uniforms moved between stations, overseeing machines and packaging materials.

Emma followed Liam through the facility, her tablet in hand as she diligently took notes on everything he pointed out—efficiency metrics, production timelines, and potential bottlenecks.

"This is where innovation meets execution," Liam said, his voice filled with unmistakable pride.

Emma glanced at him, surprised by the passion in his tone. "You really care about this, don't you?"

Liam looked at her, his expression softening. "Of course. These projects don't just represent profits—they create jobs, opportunities, and progress."

For a moment, Emma saw a different side of him—one that wasn't driven solely by ambition but by a genuine desire to make a difference.

As they moved to the next station, a worker approached, carrying a clipboard.

"Mr. Ashford, there's an issue with one of the new prototypes," he said nervously.

Liam took the clipboard and studied it, his brow furrowing. "Show me."

Emma followed as they were led to a testing area, where a sleek piece of equipment was malfunctioning. Liam's sharp eyes took in every detail as the technician explained the problem.

"What's the estimated downtime?" Liam asked.

"Two days, minimum," the technician replied.

"That's unacceptable," Liam said firmly. He turned to Emma. "Take note: we need to allocate additional resources to this division. I want this resolved within 24 hours."

Emma nodded, quickly typing on her tablet.

As they left the facility, Emma couldn't help but admire Liam's composure under pressure. "Do you ever lose your cool?" she asked, half-joking.

Liam smirked. "I save that for when no one's watching."

---

The Afternoon Meeting

The design team meeting was held in a sleek conference room back at AshTech headquarters. Emma sat beside Liam, feeling slightly out of place among the team of seasoned professionals.

The lead designer, a charismatic woman named Olivia, presented a series of sketches and prototypes for an upcoming product line.

"These are stunning," Emma whispered to Liam, leaning closer to him.

"They're also expensive," Liam replied.

Emma rolled her eyes. "You can't put a price on art."

Liam shot her a sidelong glance, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "Good thing I'm not an artist."

As the meeting progressed, Liam's attention to detail became evident. He questioned every design element, from functionality to market appeal, pushing the team to think critically.

"Your standards are insane," Emma whispered after one particularly intense exchange.

"That's why we succeed," Liam replied without missing a beat.

---

An Unexpected Detour

After the meeting, Liam surprised Emma by suggesting they take a short detour before heading back to the estate.

"I want to show you something," he said cryptically as they got into his car.

Curious, Emma didn't argue. They drove to the edge of the city, where a small community center stood surrounded by greenery.

"This is one of AshTech's charity projects," Liam explained as they walked inside. "We fund after-school programs, job training, and community events here."

Emma looked around, impressed by the vibrant energy of the place. Children laughed as they worked on art projects, and adults chatted in a nearby classroom.

"This is incredible," she said.

"It's easy to get lost in the corporate grind," Liam admitted. "But projects like this remind me why we do what we do."

Emma studied him, her heart softening. "You're full of surprises, Liam."

He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Don't get used to it."

---

The Evening Deadline

Back at the estate, Emma dove into the vendor contracts, determined to meet the evening deadline. She worked in the guesthouse, the quiet atmosphere helping her focus.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her concentration. She opened it to find Liam standing there, holding a cup of coffee.

"You looked like you could use this," he said, handing it to her.

Emma accepted the cup, surprised by the gesture. "Thanks. You're really breaking character today."

Liam smirked. "Don't let it go to your head."

As he turned to leave, Emma called after him. "Hey, Liam?"

He paused, looking back at her.

"You're not as bad as I thought," she said, smiling.

For a moment, his icy exterior seemed to melt, and he gave her a small nod. "Good night, Emma."

As he walked away, Emma felt a strange warmth settle in her chest. Maybe Liam Ashford wasn't as unapproachable as he seemed.

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