With a bright smile, Emily arrived at the Brave company. Suzy, her friend and guide, led her to the office where she would be signing her contract. Upon entering, Emily was surprised to find a man who appeared surprisingly young to be a director.
"Director James, she's here," Suzy cheerfully announced to James, revealing a close relationship between the two.
"Emily, it's nice to finally see you. Welcome to Brave," James greeted with a friendly smile. Emily, sensing the warmth, reciprocated and shook hands with him comfortably. As James explained the details of the contract, Emily couldn't help but feel a sense of unusual generosity. For a newcomer, it seemed she was receiving benefits comparable to established artists. Although Emily wanted to question the peculiarities of the contract, the joy on Suzy's face made her decide to let it be.
"If you have no problems with the contract, you can sign it now or take some more time to read it," James offered with a pleasing smile. Emily found James's friendliness intriguing, prompting curiosity about why someone in his position would be so kind. Nevertheless, she set her suspicions aside and signed the contract without worry.
After signing, James stood up, extended his hand toward Emily, and once again said, "Once again, welcome to Brave." Emily accepted the handshake with a smile, excited about the opportunities that lay ahead.
As soon as Emily signed the contract, she swiftly took her phone out and sent a message. Suzy, curious about whom Emily was texting, couldn't help but ask, "Who are you sending the message to?" Emily remained silent, but her expression gave away the answer. Suzy's eyes widened with excitement, and before they could fully step out of the director's office, she let out a giddy shriek.
"Are you and Alex officially dating?" Suzy exclaimed with enthusiasm, causing James to glance in their direction. However, he chose not to comment on what he overheard and resumed his work. Emily, noticing James still occupied, felt relieved that he hadn't heard anything. She quickly ushered Suzy out of the office and explained, "We are, but it's only pretend."
Suzy looked confused, wondering what Emily meant by "pretend." The concept seemed to baffle her, and she couldn't wait to get more details.
As soon as Emily signed the contract, she swiftly took her phone out and sent a message. Suzy, curious about whom Emily was texting, couldn't help but ask, "Who are you sending the message to?" Emily remained silent, but her expression gave away the answer. Suzy's eyes widened with excitement, and before they could fully step out of the director's office, she let out a giddy shriek.
"Are you and Alex officially dating?" Suzy exclaimed with enthusiasm, causing James to glance in their direction. However, he chose not to comment on what he overheard and resumed his work. Emily, noticing James still occupied, felt relieved that he hadn't heard anything. She quickly ushered Suzy out of the office and explained, "We are, but it's only pretend."
Suzy looked confused, wondering what Emily meant by "pretend." The concept seemed to baffle her, and she couldn't wait to get more details.
As they were heading out, Emily began to explain the situation to Suzy. This fueled Suzy's anger to the point where she wanted to find Mike and give him a piece of her mind.
"Is he crazy? Can he still call himself a man?" Suzy angrily exclaimed. "Stop it, people will hear you," Emily urged, doing her best to calm Suzy down. As she continued to comfort Suzy, her phone beeped, indicating that she had received a response from Alexander.
Alex: [Congratulations, I've moved most of your things to our place. You can unpack them once you're home.]
Emily: [Thank you, sorry for the inconvenience.]
Alex: [It's fine, you had things scheduled already.]
Suzy, glancing at Emily with a mischievous look, noticed something different about her. "Are you sure it's pretend?" Suzy teased, looking at Emily. Unaware of what she had just revealed, Emily replied, "Anyway, I need to get home and unpack things."
"What, unpacked?" Suzy was now even more confused, trying to process all the unexpected developments happening to Emily in the blink of an eye.
In the end, Emily explained everything to Suzy. Although Suzy doubted that there was more to the story, she decided not to press Emily further. She was just relieved that Emily had found some new support.
"Fine, I won't ask more. Just message me once you're home," Suzy said as she bid farewell to Emily and returned to the office. Emily, on the other hand, prepared to head home to her new place. Alexander had sent her the location.
As she was heading home, Emily thought of bringing some life to the new place and decided to buy some flowers. She picked up some of her favorite flowers, including lilies and Pitimini roses. A genuine smile spread across her face as she looked at the flowers, and she couldn't help but think, 'When was the last time I received flowers?'
Not dwelling on that thought, she simply told herself, 'Well, I can always buy myself flowers.' Emily had undergone a transformation; she no longer felt the need to rely on others and was determined to take care of herself. She didn't want to be a hindrance to anyone, and she was ready to embrace this new chapter of her life.
As Emily arrived at the apartment complex, she noticed that it was situated in a family-oriented neighborhood. The area was filled with married couples and families, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. As she approached the lobby, Emily saw a couple exiting the building, and they greeted her with friendly smiles. She couldn't help but feel a bit awkward, unsure of how to respond.
Entering the lobby, the receptionist noticed Emily and extended a warm welcome, congratulating her as if she had recently gotten married. Emily offered a polite smile in return, still feeling a bit out of place.
Inside the elevator, Emily pressed the button for the 8th floor. Although the building wasn't particularly tall, with only 13 floors, each encounter seemed to intensify the awkwardness. Upon reaching her floor, the elevator doors opened, revealing a mother and her cheerful child waiting to step inside.
"You must be our new neighbor! Welcome! I just saw your husband earlier," the woman said, smiling warmly at Emily. Caught off guard, Emily replied with a hesitant, "Ah, yes. Thank you," before stepping out of the elevator and making her way to her new apartment.
Feeling a mix of amusement and discomfort at the assumptions, Emily chuckled to herself as she wondered how these encounters would unfold in the coming days. Little did she know that her life was about to take an unexpected turn in this seemingly ordinary neighborhood.
As Emily entered the apartment, she inputted the code to the locks, hearing a satisfying beep that confirmed her success. Excitement bubbled within her as she wondered how her new home would look. Upon stepping inside, she was greeted by a tall figure emerging from the corner.
"You're home?" Alexander's voice resonated through the space as he welcomed her. Emily, carrying a bunch of flowers among her belongings, was surprised to find him there. She had expected him to be at work by this time.
"Alex, you're here?" Emily asked, still processing the unexpected encounter.
"Hmm, I was trying to finish arranging things," Alexander explained, stepping closer to her and offering a hand to take some of her belongings. "Thank you," Emily responded with an awkward smile. She couldn't help but notice the difference in Alexander's appearance – in casual attire, he looked like a welcoming husband.
As Emily finished taking off her shoes, Alexander guided her further inside. "Welcome to our new home," he said with a warm smile. Emily, touched by the gesture, couldn't hold back the smile on her face.
"What's all of this for?" Emily asked, her eyes teary as she took in the sight of various flowers arranged throughout the apartment.
"Well, I thought some flowers would bring some life to this place," Alexander explained, surprising Emily as she had the same thought, which is why she brought flowers as well. The shared sentiment created a moment of connection, and Emily couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected warmth of their new home.
Emily, genuinely pleased with Alexander's gesture, wore a warm smile on her face that momentarily captured his attention. Trying to shift his focus, Alexander asked, "Have you eaten?"
"I haven't. Should I go out to buy some ingredients?" Emily suggested, thinking there might not be much in the fridge.
"Then, let's go together," Alexander proposed, surprising Emily with the unexpected offer. She hadn't anticipated him being so involved in their shared activities, and the suggestion brought a sense of companionship she hadn't experienced before.
"Sure, let me just freshen up a bit," Emily said, heading towards the bathroom to prepare for their outing.