The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 556

Chapter 285: It Looked Smaller in My Head

Maya shook her head; unable to hold back a laugh.

Harper really was something else.

She naturally slipped her arm through Maya’s once again as she led her toward the entrance of the complex.

“Harper, you do realize that whole welcome committee you organized was a little overboard, right? Maya said, unable to suppress another smile.

“And… they looked completely out of place.”

“What are you talking about?” Harper replied innocently.

She leaned in and lowered her voice.

“Actually, I didn’t even have much time to prepare. You know… A mischievous grin spread across her face. “I was a little busy last night, so I had to throw everything together at the last minute this morning.”

Maya stared at her for a long moment.

“… That was you throwing something together at the last minute?”

“Yup!” Harper popped the P proudly before grinning from ear to ear. “Come on! Let’s eat. I’m starving?”

Maya could only shake her head as Harper happily tugged her inside.

The interior of the Takahashi Aviation Complex was every bit as impressive as its exterior

Towering floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooked the expansive hangars, while polished stone floors, brushed steel accents, and state-of-the-art technology gave the building a refined, futuristic elegance. Impressive as the Takahashi family’s private aviation complex in New York had been, this headquarters in Tokyo was on an entirely different level.

Despite everything Maya had experienced since stepping into Damien’s world, she still found herself quietly impressed.

The wealthiest families truly lived in a world of their own.

Harper continued leading her through the sprawling complex. Every staff member they passed immediately paused what they were doing to bow respectfully before resuming their work.

Eventually, Harper stopped in front of a pair of elegant double doors.

She released Maya’s arm and turned to face her, an excited grin instantly spreading across her face.

“You’re going to love this.”

“I personally picked everything on the menu so you could try authentic Japanese cuisine,” she said proudly. “But don’t get too excited. This is just a little welcome brunch.”

She leaned in with a playful wink.

Tonight, we’ll have the real feast at home.

Without another word, Harper turned back around, placed both hands on the handles, and pulled the double doors open with a flourish

The moment the doors swung open, a wave of cool, perfectly conditioned air washed over Maya. The rich aroma of freshly prepared cuisine instantly greeted her, and the sight before her brought her to an abrupt stop:

The private lounge looked less like a waiting area and more like the dining room of a world-class luxury hotel

An extravagant buffet stretched nearly the entire length of the room, overflowing with an astonishing variety of food.

Fresh sushi and sashimi rested beside beautifully prepared wagyurdishes, while elegant tiers displayed delicate pastries, macarons, fruit tarts, and cakes. Crystal pitchers of freshly squeezed juices sat alongside premium teas and handcrafted coffees. Bowls of seasonal fruit, imported cheeses, artisanal breads, and countless other delicacies filled every remaining space.

Uniformed attendants stood discreetly nearby, ready to assist at a moment’s notice. Behind an expansive serving counter, a team of chefs dressed in crisp white uniforms and tall toques worked with practiced precision, preparing fresh dishes as the buffet was continuously replenished.

Harper clasped her hands together with an expectant smile.

“So?”

Maya slowly turned to look at her.

N

You said this was a little brunch.” She glanced back at the buffet before looking at Harper again. “This looks like you’re expecting to feed a hundred guests!”

Harper scratched her cheek sheepishly.

“…It looked smaller in my head.”

Maya couldn’t help laughing.

Harper’s definition of “little” was clearly very different from everyone else’s.

r

Beyond the lavish buffet, the spacious lounge had been arranged with several tables for the arriving guests and crew.

Alice and Dahlia had already settled at a table beside the floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking the expansive aviation complex.

Nearby, Jaime’s medical team shared another table, while Lee, Kim, the flight crew, and the pilots were already helping themselves to the lavish brunch.

Sunlight poured into the lounge, bathing the room in warm natural light. Yet despite the blazing late summer sun outside, the interior remained perfectly cool and comfortable

Maya couldn’t even feel the slightest hint of heat.

Just then, Jaime and Kenji walked into the lounge, their conversation still revolving around the facility

The moment Jaime looked up, his eyes widened

“Whoa..” he breathed. “This is so cool! You can see the entire complex from here!”

Kenji smiled.

“The glass is specially engineered,” he explained. “It’s bullet-resistant, shatter-resistant, and laminated with

a transparent thermal film that blocks out almost all of the outside heat.”

Jaime walked closer, instinctively reaching out to touch the glass.

“It doesn’t even feel warm.”

“That’s not even the best part,” Kenji said with a grin. “It’s also one way

Jaime’s eyes widened.

F

“…Seriously?”

Kenji nodded.

“From the outside, all anyone sees is a reflective surface. But from in here, you have a completely unobstructed view of everything happening across the complex.”

Jaime let out a low whistle as he looked back outside.

“That… is awesome.”

After admiring the lounge for another moment, the four of them finally made their way to the buffet, each filling a plate before looking for a place to sit.

Just as Kenji was about to pull out a chair beside them, Harper reached over and lightly grabbed his

sleeve.

“Nope. You and Jaime can sit over there.”

She pointed toward a nearby table.

Kenji looked at her, then at Maya, before letting out a resigned sigh.

“We haven’t seen each other in forever,” Harper said matter-of-factly. “We have a lot of catching up to do”

Without waiting for a response, she gave him a gentle shooing motion with both hands

“Go. Shoo.”

Chuckling to himself, Kenji simply picked up his plate and headed for the neighboring table with Jaime

Leaning in slightly, Jaime asked in an amused whisper,

“Does she always do that?”

Kenji nodded as though it were the most normal thing in the world.

“All the time.” He sighed dramatically “She’s a bolly”

Without even looking, Harper casually said,

1 can hear you, moron”

Kenji didn’t even look offended. Instead, he flashed Harper a grin.

“Love you too, my amazing sister.”

Then he leaned toward Jaime with an exaggerated sigh.

“See what I have to put up with?”

Jaime couldn’t help but chuckle.

As Maya and Harper settled into their seats, Maya’s gaze drifted through the glass walls toward the private apron where their aircraft was still parked.

Outside, the enormous reinforced shipping containers were being unloaded from the aircraft with extraordinary care. Even with specialized transport equipment, each container required multiple handlers to guide its every movement, ensuring it remained perfectly stable as it was slowly transported toward the hangar.

“They’re treating those containers like they’re carrying crown jewels,” Maya remarked.

“In Mom’s eyes…” Harper replied with a laugh, “… they practically are.”

She lowered her voice conspiratorially.

“Our house has rooms that most people think are museums. In fact, Dad stopped asking how much they cost years ago.”

“What was that, Harper?”

Harper nearly jumped in her seat at the familiar voice behind her.

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