Bip bip.
The phone rang sharply. Maya sat in her plush office chair, the high tower room belonging solely to her was silent, save for the persistent ring of her phone as she tried to contact the elusive DAMIENSKIN.
That name — DAMIENSKIN — was never once spoken by the elite circles Maya moved in. Where had this company emerged from? Who owned it? The name was so ordinary, so nondescript, offering no hint of allure or prestige. But perhaps, that was the trick. Perhaps behind this simple facade lay the very thing Maya had been searching for all this time.
Was this company truly going to let the opportunity slip away? She had tried to contact them countless times, but no one had answered. A long sigh escaped her lips as she crossed her legs and leaned back into her grand black chair. Her eyes drifted to the ceiling of her vast office, heavy lids threatening to close — until the phone rang again.
DAMIENSKIN.
Her eyes snapped open, now sharp and alert. Without hesitation, Maya answered the call.
"Hello, DAMIENSKIN?" Her voice was calm, but beneath the surface, anticipation churned.
"Miss Maya?" came a man's voice. Strangely, it sounded almost like Arden's. The resemblance sent a chill down her spine. Or was it simply her own mind, haunted by thoughts of Arden, of the robot soon to be completed? Yet, this voice was slightly softer, gentler.
Maya pressed her fingers to her forehead, forcing herself to banish Arden from her mind. Focus. She had to focus. She was certain — the voice belonged to DAMIENSKIN.
"Yes, this is DE PHILIPS CORP. I've seen your work, and I propose you come once more to meet with me. Let's discuss a potential agreement," Maya said smoothly.
There wasn't the slightest tremor in her voice, not a single hint of haste or desperation. Maya was a master of restraint, always concealing her true emotions behind a composed mask. She had long learned to keep people at a calculated distance. To her, trust was a fortress that took years to build — and even longer to repair once broken.
What use was there in having many friends, if none could truly be trusted? Maya had learned this the hard way. Even Arden, the one she had once trusted most, had abandoned her. So why bother?
Ending the call with deliberate precision, Maya placed her phone on the desk. Her neglected work awaited, but that would soon be resolved. The meeting with DAMIENSKIN was set for tomorrow evening. However, she chose not to hold it at the DE PHILIPS CORP headquarters.
No — it would take place in the private office of her own home.
She didn't want DE PHILIPS CORP to be seen dealing openly with a shadowy, unknown company. Such whispers would quickly spread like wildfire: DE PHILIPS CORP partnering with an obscure name of uncertain origin? It would provoke too many questions. Holding the meeting in her private office was unconventional, perhaps even suspicious, but with tight security, she considered it safe enough.
Maya's mind, ever sharp, was already weaving her strategy. She planned to raise DAMIENSKIN's name to prominence — under her control. She wanted DAMIENSKIN beneath her command. And Maya, the woman who possessed everything, would stop at nothing to claim what she desired.