Chapter 3: Chapter 3
In a sheer panic, I shot up from my chair, knocking my iced Americano over in the process.
The coffee splashed all over the empty chair across from me, successfully startling Alexander.
He just stood there, looking a little stunned. That bewildered expression was, I had to admit, kind of cute.
It was in that moment that it finally clicked: the man who blushed on camera and the CEO who ran a multi-million dollar company were one and the same.
I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Sorry, Mr. Stone. I… I need to grab some paper towels to clean this up. You can take a look at my design file in the meantime.” I snatched my phone from the desk and made a beeline for the breakroom.
Alexander just blinked, still a bit dazed. “Uh, sure.”
The second I was out of sight, I used my phone to remotely log out of all Facebook sessions. I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
The problem with Alexander was his habit of giving me a real-time report of his life on Facebook. If I hadn’t logged out, message notifications would have kept popping up in the corner of my screen. Even if I didn’t open them, his cursor could have easily hovered over them, and then my cover would have been blown.
I quickly replied to his messages, then finally returned to my desk.
By the time I got back, Alexander had already finished reviewing my design. He beckoned me over to revise the plan with him.
After explaining what needed to be changed, he stood up. “I’m going to grab you another drink. Be right back.”
Oh, God. He was coming back?
Defeated, I buried myself in my work.
Alexander was, without a doubt, a workaholic. With his “guidance,” it was nearly midnight by the time we finished the revisions.
“This is almost there,” he said, nodding. “Let’s go with this direction.”
I let out a breath of relief. “Great. That’s good.”
But deep down, a part of me was still fuming.
Just then, Alexander suddenly asked, “Do you live far? I can give you a ride.”
“Huh?” I froze, then quickly waved my hand. “No, no need. I can take the light rail. It’s pretty convenient.”
“It’s late for a woman to be taking the light rail alone in Seattle. It’s not safe,” Alexander insisted.
I couldn’t really refuse. I reluctantly agreed.
At the same time, a Facebook message popped up on my phone. [I’m giving a female colleague a ride home. I made her sit in the back.]
I responded: [Ok.]
We sat in his Tesla in an awkward silence. I couldn’t just play on my phone, so I ended up staring out at the city lights like a tourist.
“Oh, by the way,” he said, breaking the silence. “What kind of gifts do girls usually like from their boyfriends?”
I froze. Oh, right. My birthday was coming up.
“Um… well, it’s the thought that counts, not the gift itself,” I said awkwardly.
“The thing is, I’ve bought gifts for my girlfriend before, but she didn’t like them and even returned them to me. So I’m at a loss.”
He sounded genuinely frustrated. I, on the other hand, just wanted to scream.
Seriously? I come from a normal, middle-class family. He had bought me a lifetime license for the entire Adobe Creative Cloud suite. I didn’t even have a computer powerful enough to run it smoothly. Anyone who saw it would probably assume I was using a pirated version.
What was I supposed to do other than return it?
After a moment, I suggested, “You could make something by hand. Like a drawing, or a small design project. It won’t cost much, but it’s personal. It shows you put in the effort.”
He was quiet after that. “I see. You seem quite young. How old are you?”
My heart skipped a beat. “I’m one year older than you.”
“When’s your birthday?” he asked.
“August,” I replied.
He made a small sound of acknowledgment, then seemed a little embarrassed. “Um… I’ve never asked your real name—what is it?”
“Emma,” I stated. “E-M-M-A.”
Online, I had told him my nickname was “Ems.”
We didn’t speak again until we arrived at my apartment building. I politely said my goodbyes.
“Thank you, Mr. Stone.”
“No problem. Head on up,” he said.
I nodded and was about to leave.
“Emma!” Alexander suddenly called out.
“Yeah?” I turned back, confused. “What’s up?”
“Never mind. Just get inside soon.”
A few weeks later, the project plan was approved, and we landed the big client. To celebrate, the company booked a rooftop bar in South Lake Union for a massive party.
At the party, everyone was busy drinking and networking. All I wanted was to find a quiet corner and attack the mini cupcakes.
But then, someone called my name.
“Hey, everyone, let me introduce you to Emma Davis from our design department!” Jessica announced, her voice a little too loud. “Don’t let her age fool you—she’s incredibly talented. Alexander himself praised her work on the last project. Right, Emma?” She smiled, putting a hand on my shoulder in a show of admiration.
I knew very well that the project wasn’t supposed to be mine. It was originally her task, and she had just pushed it onto me.
Online, I was a witty powerhouse. In real life, I was a professional people-pleaser.
I wasn’t comfortable being the center of attention, but I forced a smile. “Oh, it was mostly thanks to your leadership, Jessica.”
Her grin widened. “Mostly, but you’re talented yourself. After all, you graduated from UW.” She then gestured towards a man standing nearby. “Come on, Emma. This difficult new client is all yours now.”
