Enchanted pen

KAIA

It is the worst feeling when you don’t want your thoughts to be bothered by someone—but somehow, they are.

When the artist called both of us in for a meeting, I assumed he was going to choose between us. I looked over my pitch again, feeling controlled but unsettled.

Neil Voss. CEO of Voss Entertainment. Never bothered by anyone. Always practical. No sense of emotion—or at least that’s what it feels like. But there is somewhere he shines.

Being a jerk.

While I looked at his dark hazel eyes, my mind reminded me—this is just work. There may be a clash, but we want the project, not a duel.

The artist—Mr. Edward Brimsley—was looking over both our pitches. A legend outside. A wolf when it comes to business. Not many people manage both.

I suppose that’s the magic.

“Both the pitches are excellent,” he said, “but you both have a missing piece.”

“And what is that, Mr. Brimsley?” Neil asked.

“One has the emotion but not the numbers. The other has the strategy but misses the memory.”

“So what do you suggest?” I asked.

“It’s simple. I need both of you. There’s no negotiation here. Take it or leave it.”

“But sir—” we both said at the same time.

He didn’t wait.

Five minutes.

That was all we got.

NEIL

Life works in strange ways.

Today, it decided to be amusing.

Me—working with Kaia Laine.

The person who needs everything perfect. Always adds a twist of memory or emotion. Spectacular, no doubt. But what happened a few months ago…

Still confusing.

Why would anyone take a compliment like that?

“So what do you say?” she asked.

I looked at her properly this time.

Well… I never noticed her eyes before.

Those black eyes had the potential to hypnotise someone.

But what stood out more was how enthusiastic she was about the project. Focused. Certain.

And for a fact, I knew she would regret working with me.

Which made the decision easier.

“Well, we’d be fools to let go of this opportunity,” I said. “So yes—we take it.”

She sighed. Thought for a moment. Rolled her eyes.

“Fine.”

That attitude again.

This was either going to be exhausting—

or interesting.

KAIA

“Can you imagine this, Blair? Months of this campaign—with him.”

Blair laughed.

“Kaia, this is Edward Brimsley. If this works, you’ll be the star of the industry.”

“I know that,” I said. “But this is going to be annoyingly hellish.”

“Are those even words?” she giggled. “Look, I know what happened in the past makes him… difficult. But this is big.”

“I know.”

“Then go in, do your job, and try to be positive.”

“Fine.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

The call ended.

I didn’t know how this was going to go.

But it was worth trying.

The conference room was quieter this time.

And there he was.

Navy shirt. Grey pants. Coffee—with a side of attitude.

He turned slightly.

“Didn’t think we’d be starting at 10:30.”

“Well, some of us have lives,” I replied. “You should try it sometime.”

A pause.

“Is that what that is?” he said.

We both gave each other a look.

Cold.

Measured.

Professional enough.

We sat down and got to work.

I proposed:

• narrative direction
• emotional arc
• cultural positioning

He responded with:

• structure
• rollout
• timing
• feasibility

“I admire your practical layout,” I said, “but don’t you think the audience connects more with a strong narrative?”

“I agree,” he said. “But if the sales need to match Mr. Brimsley’s expectations, we need structure.”

“How are you sure the audience connects to that?”

“I’m not dismissing your idea,” he said. “The emotional core works. We just need to build around it.”

I nodded.

That was enough of a reaction.

Inside—

not quite.

We tried dividing the work.

Creative and execution.

Simple.

Efficient.

Wrong.

Every idea overlapped.

Every direction interfered with the other.

It didn’t work.

NEIL

She was not wrong.

That was the problem.

But without structure, her ideas wouldn’t last.

She didn’t see that.

Or didn’t want to.

“Why are you not ready to work around it?” I asked.

“I never said that,” she replied.

“Just because your face is calm doesn’t mean you are.”

“Oh, so now you know everything about everyone?”

A pause.

“Alright,” I said. “Then tell me—how do you suggest we build that audience with just an emotional arc?”

“There are tons of ways,” she said. “Cultural campaigns, narratives about how he became an artist… maybe we can make a video about it.”

“Uh huh,” I nodded. “And how do you propose we do that without money?”

She hesitated.

“Well… we use—” she stopped, then exhaled, “—your ideas.”

A slight pause.

“Oh, really?”

“Fine,” she said, sharper now. “We just need to strategise how to raise money as well.”

KAIA

It was frustrating.

Not what he said—

how he said it.

As if emotion needed structure to exist.

As if instinct wasn’t enough.

And yet—

He wasn’t wrong.

Which made it worse.

INTERNAL — NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

KAIA — MEMO

Re: First working session

He overcomplicates things.

Every idea needs structure. Every structure needs validation.

The artist responded to the emotional direction.

That should have been enough.

It wasn’t.

He said the emotional core works.

And somehow, it still felt like a limitation.

I don’t think he realises how he says things.

Or maybe he does.

Either way—it’s going to be a problem.

NEIL — MEMO

Re: First working session

She simplifies things that shouldn’t be simple.

No structure. No framework. Just instinct.

It shouldn’t work.

But it does.

The artist connected to her immediately.

That’s rare.

The emotional core is strong.

It just needs something to hold it together.

I don’t think she sees that.

Or maybe she does—and ignores it.

Either way—it’s going to be a problem.