When Love is a Question Mark-Chapter 81: Inspection

On the other side of the city, Lily stood on the docks, her eyes sharp as she scanned the row of sea vessels lined up under the bright afternoon sun. She was dressed in a crisp, navy-blue blazer and black pants, her hair tied back neatly, giving her a professional and commanding look. She had introduced herself as an inspector, and the crew members, unaware of who she truly was, treated her as such.

Beside her was Victoria, the Branch CEO for the country, who had been accompanying her throughout the inspection. Victoria was calm, respectful, and slightly nervous, trying to keep up with Lily’s strict demeanor. They had already gone through three vessels, and Lily had been nothing short of meticulous.

Lily moved from one vessel to the next, her eyes scanning every detail, her hands checking the equipment. She examined the safety gear, checked the lifeboats, and inspected the conditions of the decks. She asked questions, straightforward and clear, to the employees working there, and they answered with utmost seriousness.

"The life jackets here," Lily pointed, her tone firm, "are they regularly checked? Do you conduct drills to ensure everyone knows where to find them in case of an emergency?"

One of the crew members nodded. "Yes, ma’am. We do monthly drills, and the jackets are inspected every two weeks."

Lily narrowed her eyes, looking at him closely. "Make sure you keep it that way. Safety measures aren’t just protocols on paper; they save lives. If I find out there’s any negligence, there will be consequences."

The man swallowed and nodded again, understanding the seriousness in her voice. Victoria stood beside her, quietly observing Lily’s interactions. It wasn’t often she saw an inspector so involved, and yet, she knew better than anyone that Lily was no ordinary inspector.

Lily moved on to inspect the fire extinguishers, the engine rooms, and even the medical kits. She took her time with each vessel, her presence unyielding. She spoke to the engineers, the deckhands, and the supervisors, reminding them of the company’s strict guidelines.

"Follow the guidelines," she repeated to each group. "They exist for a reason. No shortcuts."

The crew members all nodded, some more nervously than others. They didn’t know they were speaking to their top CEO, the company’s heiress, who had a personal stake in ensuring everything was up to standard. To them, she was just a demanding inspector who wouldn’t let anything slide, but Lily didn’t mind. She preferred it that way.

Once they finished the inspection, Victoria led Lily to her office. It was a modest room with a large window overlooking the docks, sunlight streaming in through sheer curtains. Lily took a seat, still maintaining her composed, businesslike demeanor.

Victoria sat across from her, trying to gauge Lily’s mood. "It was a thorough inspection," she said, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. "I’m sure the crew learned a lot."

Lily didn’t respond to the comment. Instead, she shifted slightly, leaning forward. "I want to ask you about the movie partnership with Lopez Digital Studios," she said, her tone still professional. "What’s the status?"

Victoria’s eyes lit up. "It’s finalized," she replied. "Lopez Digital Studios just finished the auditions for the cast."

Lily’s expression softened, her lips curling into a small, almost imperceptible smile. It was a rare sight, and Victoria noticed it immediately. She found it intriguing.

In the days she had known Lily, she had seen her as someone who rarely showed her emotions, always maintaining that unreadable, serious face. Yet, whenever the conversation turned to Lopez Digital Studios, there was always a tiny spark in her eyes, a slight lift at the corners of her mouth. It made Victoria wonder what it was about this partnership that mattered so much to her.

Lily nodded, maintaining her usual composed tone. "Good to hear. I hope everything goes smoothly." She paused for a moment, hesitating as she considered her next thought. In her mind, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern. I hope Zinnia is doing well at work. No one’s giving her a hard time, I hope.

Though she kept her face neutral, her mind was buzzing with quiet worry. Lily knew Zinnia wasn’t someone who enjoyed the business spotlight. She’d always been more at ease with a paintbrush in hand than handling corporate meetings. I just hope she’s managing okay... and that no one’s pushing her around because of her name.

Lily could only hope that the work environment was kind to her.

Lily’s gaze lingered for a second, but she quickly brushed off the thought, turning her attention back to Victoria.

Just then, Victoria’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from Zinnia. "It’s from Zinnia," she said, looking back at Lily. "She sent the final cast list for our movie titled Sea of Deception. She mentioned that they’ll be having their voice rehearsal next week."

Lily’s eyes softened again, though she kept her expression mostly neutral. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and concern whenever she thought about Zinnia. She knew how her friend had been thrown into the deep end, handling a business world she never intended to be a part of.

I hope she’s okay, Lily thought to herself. I know she doesn’t love this, but she’s doing it anyway. I just wish it wasn’t so hard on her.

Meanwhile, across the city, Zinnia was in the middle of a meeting with the production crew. They were discussing the setup for the upcoming voice rehearsals. Papers were spread out on the table, each one detailing scripts, character breakdowns, and schedules.

Zinnia was focused, listening intently as the crew members shared their thoughts. "We’ll need to adjust the sound booth settings," Marcos suggested. "It’ll help capture the right tone for the characters’ dialogues."

Zinnia nodded, her mind quickly assessing their needs. "Let’s do a test run before the rehearsals. Make sure everything’s in order, and if there are any issues, I want them fixed immediately."

After the meeting wrapped up, Zinnia leaned back in her chair, feeling a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. Her phone buzzed on the table, and she picked it up, smiling when she saw Samuel’s name.

Will you be home tonight? Will we have dinner at home or not?