Morning sunlight washed over Homalia, glinting off the steel beams and half-finished structures of the Acacia development site. The air smelled of fresh cement, warm earth, and possibility.
Airam stepped out of the shuttle with the team, wearing her safety boots, helmet, and a confidence sharper than the morning breeze. She inhaled deeply. This was where she belonged. Not behind a desk. Not in someone's shadow. Here. Building something real.
Harry arrived a few minutes later in a separate car, his steps steady, expression unreadable. He greeted the international partners with practiced charm and professionalism.
Airam didn't look at him.
Not even once.
But Harry… his eyes found her every time the group shifted.
The lead partner, Mr. Farouk Hamid, one of the most respected architects in Homalia, approached the team. Older, dignified, with sharp eyes that missed nothing.
When he began speaking, everyone straightened.
Harry gestured respectfully.
"Mr. Hamid, this is our new team member, Miss Airam Gray. She'll be assisting with the Acacia project."
Airam stepped forward, bowing her head politely.
"Pleasure to meet you, sir."
Mr. Hamid examined her for half a second, then nodded politely, the kind of nod that said We'll see what you're capable of.
Harry stepped back, letting the team follow Mr. Hamid on the tour.
But halfway through the walkthrough, something happened.
At one of the structures, the engineers discussed a design issue, a minor discrepancy between the blueprint and the on-ground measurement. The discussion grew heated. The numbers weren't aligning, and the senior partner seemed displeased.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but before he could...
Airam gently raised her hand.
"May I?" she asked.
Everyone turned.
Harry's brows lifted slightly, curious, cautious, impressed, before she even started.
Airam walked toward the blueprint pinned on the temporary wall. She traced the line with gloved fingers, studying the elevation, then glanced at the steel bars being installed.
"The issue isn't in the measurement," she said calmly.
"It's in the angle here."
She pointed to a small section on the blueprint, a detail so subtle many would overlook it.
"This foundation beam needs to shift by exactly 2.5 centimeters, not 3. The error came from an older draft version being used during marking."
Silence.
The engineers looked at each other, then at the blueprint, then back at her.
One murmured, "She's right."
Mr. Hamid stepped closer, genuinely surprised.
"How did you notice that?"
Airam shrugged lightly.
"I started sketching houses before I could spell my name. And… I just pay attention."
A small smile tugged at her lips, confident, soft, proud.
Mr. Hamid's deep laugh echoed across the site.
"Sharp eyes. Very sharp. I like that."
Harry watched, a slow smile forming on his face.
He had never looked at her like that before, as if he was seeing her for the first time.
After the tour, Mr. Hamid approached Harry privately, but Airam was close enough to overhear.
"Your team members are remarkable," Mr. Hamid said.
"Her mind is precise. She sees details others miss. With her on this project, it will surely be a success. Do you know if she is single?"
Harry's eyes flickered toward Airam, who pretended to be staring at the cranes in the distance.
"I know, that's my girl," he said softly.
Almost too softly. Mr. Hamid looks disappointed and walks away.
Airam felt heat rise to her cheeks, but she kept her expression neutral.
The team gathered under a shaded tent for lunch. Airam sat with Jeff and two other colleagues, talking and laughing. She felt alive, finally seen for her talent, not her struggle.
From across the tent, Harry watched her.
She didn't look at him.
She hadn't had the entire morning.
But he watched her… The way she explained something with animated hands. The way her laughter pulled others in.
The way she breathed confidence today, a woman finally stepping into her own light.
Jeff whispered to her, "You impressed the big boss today. Even boss Harry looked proud."
Airam scoffed.
"Please. He looks at me like a mosquito he can't swat." Jeff chuckled.
"Funny. 'Cause he's been staring at you all morning."
Airam froze. Then she said, without turning around,
"Are you sure? He might just be observing, you know, collecting data for his research paper,"
But when she took a sip of her drink, her hands slightly trembled not with fear, but with something she refused to name.