"Phew..." Alex settled into his chair, letting out a long sigh. Despite the hazy memories of last night, he felt surprisingly good. Perhaps it was the release of pent-up frustration, the culmination of years of carefully controlled emotions finally bubbling to the surface.
Poor Alex… A voice, perhaps divine intervention, perhaps just his own conscience, echoed in his mind.
Alex chuckled softly, a smug grin playing on his lips. No matter what, he'd fulfilled his vow, even if the methods were a bit… unorthodox. He wasn't exactly a saint, after all. The lingering guilt from this morning had dissipated, replaced by a strange sense of satisfaction. He couldn't quite pinpoint the source of this unexpected joy. Was it simply the act itself, the conquest? He'd been with countless women, yet none of those encounters had evoked this particular feeling. Perhaps it was the thrill of finally taming a rebellious spirit, the satisfaction of a long-awaited victory.
"Alex, what are you so happy about?" Lily asked, her curiosity piqued by Alex's unusually cheerful demeanor.
"Hmm? Am I happy?" Alex looked up, feigning innocence, though the smile lingered on his face.
"Of course! Sue, can you believe how happy he looks?" Lily gestured towards Sue, seeking confirmation.
"I'll admit, Alex does seem rather pleased with himself," Sue conceded with a smile. "But happiness doesn't always need a reason, does it? A good mood and a smile can do wonders for productivity. We should all strive to find joy in the mundane, shouldn't we?"
"Sue, you're always taking his side!" Lily protested with a playful pout.
Just then, the office door swung open with a loud bang.
"Good morning, everyone!" Alex, still basking in his good mood, called out cheerfully, without even bothering to see who had entered. He turned, and his cheerful greeting died on his lips as he was met with the frosty glares of Grace and Emma Winter.
"Uh... good morning," he amended, his voice losing its cheerful lilt. "What's with the ice age expressions?" He couldn't help but notice that even with their frosty demeanors, they looked stunning. Maybe it's true what they say, he mused, when you're in love, everyone looks beautiful.
Grace didn't say a word, but marched straight towards Alex, her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him from head to toe.
"What's up? Admiring the view? You might want to adjust your focus, though. A little less intensity," Alex quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
"Get serious!" Grace snapped, her voice tight. She leaned in, her nose twitching as she sniffed the air around him.
Alex, bewildered, glanced at Emma Winter, who was watching the scene unfold with a detached amusement, a smirk playing on her lips.
What the hell is going on? he wondered.
"There's a scent," Grace declared, her voice low and accusatory, "a woman's scent."
"Well, I am a man, last time I checked," Alex retorted, rolling his eyes. What was Grace playing at?
"No, I mean, there's another woman's perfume on you. So, where were you last night?" Grace's hand rested on his shoulder, her fingers digging in slightly, while her other hand fussed with his collar, a thinly veiled attempt to maintain a casual demeanor.
"I went home," Alex replied, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Liar! You weren't home last night. You were out all night!" Emma Winter chimed in, exposing his lie without hesitation.
"And how would you know that?" Alex asked, turning to her, his suspicion growing. It seemed these two were planning an interrogation. He needed a good excuse, and fast.
"Weren't you the one who asked me to go to your apartment and… keep an eye on things?" Emma Winter replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Because I slept at your place last night." She straightened up, a smug smile playing on her lips.
This woman could lie without even blinking. Who had asked her to "keep an eye on things"? Alex shot a look at Grace, who was now practically radiating suspicion. It seemed Emma Winter had already shared her version of the story.
"So? You were out all night too. What's the big deal?" Alex countered, trying to deflect their attention.
"The big deal is the unmistakable scent of another woman on you. Explain yourself, Alex Stone," Grace demanded, her voice tight with suspicion.
"Ladies, you're both standing so close, I'm surprised I don't smell like an entire perfume counter," Alex retorted, exasperated.
They're not going to catch me that easily. I showered this morning! he thought smugly.
"Don't you dare 'ladies' us!" Grace snarled, her playful demeanor vanishing. She tightened her grip on his collar, her eyes narrowing. "Spill it, Stone. What kind of little rendezvous did you have last night? And don't even try to deny it."
"Are you channeling your inner gangster, Grace?" Alex asked, trying to keep his voice light despite the growing unease in his stomach. His mind raced, searching for a plausible excuse.
"Just answer the question. Confess, and maybe we'll go easy on you," Grace pressed, her grip tightening.
"It's time to work, ladies. Work, work," Alex said dismissively, hoping to change the subject.
"There are still five minutes until work officially starts. To be precise, four minutes and fifty-three seconds," Emma Winter announced, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Seriously, Winter? Are you taking her side now? Oh, right, I did kind of mess with you last night…
"I have a life outside of work, you know. I have family, I have friends. Can't a man go home and catch up with them without being interrogated by the fashion police? Do you two think I'm some kind of social pariah? Seriously, what's with the third degree?" Alex looked at them both, his frustration growing. He leaned back in his chair, deciding to go on the offensive. "And Grace, you should really talk. Get your own life in order before you start judging mine. You act all prim and proper in front of clients, but around me, you're a complete mess. If you put half the effort you spend gossiping into your work, you wouldn't have to live in that… that pigsty you call an apartment. Honestly, if I lived in a place like that, I'd be out all night too!"
"Hey, if it bothers you that much, you can always come over and help me clean it!" Grace retorted, a sheepish grin replacing her earlier anger. She had no idea why she was so invested in Alex's personal life.
Emma Winter, however, couldn't help but agree with Alex's assessment of Grace's apartment. It was a disaster zone.
"And you, Emma Winter," Alex continued, turning his attention to her, "don't think you're any better. You can barely drag yourself out of bed in the morning. I practically have to wake you up every day. And don't even get me started on your cheating at Landlord. Have you no shame?"
"Cheating at Landlord?" James, who'd been quietly observing the scene from his desk, looked up, intrigued. "You can cheat at Landlord? Is there some kind of hack?"
"Better than a hack. She uses screen… Ugh!" Just as Alex was about to reveal Emma Winter's cheating method, she clamped a hand over his mouth, her face flaming red.
"There's no such thing!" she hissed, pulling him out of his chair and dragging him towards the door. "He's just making things up! Don't listen to him!" She gave the office a nervous smile, hoping to dispel their curiosity.
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. Emma Winter's frantic denial only served to pique their interest.
"Really? No cheating? No hacks?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not! He's just joking...!" Emma Winter insisted, her voice a little too high-pitched. Her flustered demeanor was anything but convincing.
"Right… well, excuse us then. Alex and I need to… discuss something… outside," she stammered, practically dragging Alex out of the office.
"What was that all about?" Grace asked, turning to James, her curiosity piqued.
"Beats me," James replied with a shrug.
"Seriously? I was just about to get some juicy gossip out of him, and she ruined everything," Grace grumbled, slumping back in her chair, defeated.
"Honey, you'll never get anything out of Alex," Sue said with a knowing smile.
Outside the office, Emma Winter pushed Alex against the wall, her eyes blazing.
"Were you seriously about to tell them about that?" she demanded, her voice low and menacing.
"What? Is it some kind of state secret?" Alex retorted, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course it is! Don't you know how embarrassing that is?" Emma Winter's voice rose in pitch, her frustration evident.
"If you're going to cheat, at least own it," Alex said, a smirk playing on his lips.
"So what? If you tell anyone, my reputation will be ruined! My life will be over!" Emma Winter exclaimed, her voice bordering on hysterical.
Life? Is it really that dramatic? It's just a game. And besides, I cheat at life all the time… Alex thought, amused by her overreaction. He decided to push her buttons a little, just to get back at her for the interrogation.
"Relax, Winter. It's not that big of a deal. And even if you don't want me to tell them now, I'll probably let it slip eventually," he said casually, feigning indifference.
"You wouldn't!" Emma Winter's eyes widened in panic. "If you do, I swear, I'll… I'll tell everyone about… about you and… and…" She sputtered, unable to articulate a suitable threat.
"And what?" Alex asked, enjoying her distress.
"And… and I'll move into your apartment and never leave!" she blurted out, the first thing that came to mind.
"That's supposed to be a punishment?" Alex chuckled. "And you're not going to tell… that person behind you?" He pointed over her shoulder.
Emma Winter froze, then slowly turned around. Standing behind her, looking distinctly uncomfortable, was Mr. Han.
"Well, well… what's going on here?" Mr. Han asked, a forced smile on his face.
"Nothing! It's… it's nothing, Mr. Han," Emma Winter stammered, quickly releasing her grip on Alex's collar and straightening her clothes. She adopted her most professional demeanor, hoping to salvage the situation. "You didn't see anything, right?"
"Of course not, Miss Winter. Nothing at all," Mr. Han replied, backing away slowly. "Ah, youth…" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he walked away.
"It's not what you think, Mr. Han!" Emma Winter called after him, her cheeks burning.
"Of course not, Miss Winter. I understand perfectly," Mr. Han replied, giving her a reassuring smile before turning to Alex and winking conspiratorially. You sly dog, Stone. You've snagged the CEO's daughter? Impressive. Make sure you close the deal, though.
Alex rolled his eyes, giving Mr. Han a subtle look back. Mind your own business, old man. I'm a respectable gentleman.
Clearly, they weren't on the same wavelength. Mr. Han interpreted Alex's look as confirmation of his suspicions. Good man, Stone! I knew you had it in you. Carry on… He chuckled to himself, disappearing around the corner.
"What was that all about? Why were you two exchanging secret signals?" Emma Winter demanded, turning back to Alex, her suspicion renewed.
"Nothing. It was just a joke," Alex said casually, shrugging it off.
"Who are you trying to fool? I know there's something going on between you two. Spill it, Stone, or you'll regret it!"
"You really have an overactive imagination, Winter. You see conspiracies everywhere. Mr. Han was just giving me a pep talk about the auction next week. He wants me to win the bid, and I assured him I would. It's all business, Winter. Seriously, what kind of dirty little scenarios are you concocting in that head of yours? I really don't understand what you rich girls think about all day." Alex rolled his eyes and headed back into the office.
Did I really overthink it? Emma Winter wondered, watching him go. But that look they exchanged… it was just too damn creepy!