Sophie Carter was having a relatively peaceful morning at work, sipping her coffee and scrolling through emails when a knock at her office door startled her. Before she could respond, the door opened, and a delivery guy stepped in, holding a massive bouquet of roses—red, white, and pink.
"Delivery for Sophie Carter," he announced.
Sophie blinked in confusion. "Are you sure? Sophie Allen Carter?"
The man checked his clipboard. "That's what it says here. Sophie Allen, Ethan's Corp. That's you, right?"
Still confused but intrigued, Sophie nodded. "That's me."
He handed her the flowers along with a small envelope and left with a polite nod. Sophie stared at the bouquet, the vibrant colors brightening her otherwise bland desk.
"What in the world…" she murmured, opening the envelope.
Inside was a beautifully handwritten note:
"To the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. Your smile lights up the room, and your laughter is the melody I never knew I needed. Yours, A Secret Admirer."
Sophie's mouth fell open. "What is this?"
---
The Office Buzz
Word spread like wildfire. By lunchtime, the entire office was buzzing about Sophie's mysterious admirer.
"Sophie, who sent you the flowers?" Mia whispered excitedly, leaning over her desk.
"No idea," Sophie admitted. "There's no name, just a note."
Mia's eyes sparkled. "Ooh, this is so romantic! Maybe it's someone from the office!"
Sophie laughed. "Doubtful. Have you met the men who work here? Most of them can barely string two sentences together."
As they chatted, Ethan D'Angelo walked by, his sharp suit and commanding presence immediately silencing the chatter. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed the bouquet on Sophie's desk.
"What's this?" he asked, his tone neutral but his piercing gaze fixed on her.
Sophie glanced at the flowers and shrugged. "Oh, just some flowers. No big deal."
Ethan arched a brow. "No big deal? That's half a garden on your desk."
Mia, sensing the tension, quickly excused herself.
"They're from a secret admirer," Sophie explained casually. "It's kind of sweet, don't you think?"
Ethan's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "Sweet," he repeated. "Sure. If you're into anonymous gestures."
Sophie tilted her head, amused by his tone. "What, you don't approve?"
"Just saying," Ethan replied coolly. "It's easy to write flowery words and hide behind anonymity. A real man would face you."
Before Sophie could respond, Ethan walked away, leaving her both amused and puzzled.
---
The Second Delivery
The next day, another surprise awaited Sophie. This time, it was a box of gourmet chocolates accompanied by another note:
"A treat as sweet as you. Thinking of you always. Yours, A Secret Admirer."
Sophie couldn't help but smile as she opened the box and popped a chocolate into her mouth. "Okay, this is starting to get interesting."
Ethan, who happened to be walking past her office again, stopped short when he saw the box of chocolates.
"Another gift?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"Yep," Sophie said cheerfully. "And they're delicious. Want one?" She held out the box.
Ethan glanced at the chocolates like they were personally insulting him. "No, thanks. I don't eat candy from strangers."
Sophie laughed. "Relax, they're not poisoned."
Ethan smirked but didn't say anything, instead walking away without another word.
---
The Office Mystery
By the end of the week, Sophie had received a small gold bracelet and a book she'd once mentioned loving. Each gift came with a note, equally poetic and romantic, but still unsigned.
Naturally, the office was abuzz with speculation.
"I think it's Mr. Anderson from accounting," Mia declared during lunch.
"No way," Sophie replied. "Mr. Anderson is 62 and calls me 'kiddo.'"
"Maybe it's that new intern," another co-worker suggested.
Sophie shook her head. "He barely knows my name."
"Whoever it is, they're clearly smitten," Mia said with a dreamy sigh.
---
Ethan's Frustration
Unbeknownst to Sophie, Ethan was watching all of this unfold with growing irritation. He hated the way Sophie lit up whenever a new gift arrived, the way she speculated about her admirer, the way her coworkers fawned over the romance of it all.
One evening, as he worked late in his office, Ethan found himself venting to his sister Zoe over the phone.
"She's got this secret admirer sending her gifts, and the whole office is losing their minds over it," Ethan grumbled.
Zoe laughed. "Wait, Sophie? Your Sophie?"
"She's not my Sophie," Ethan snapped.
"Uh-huh," Zoe said, clearly unconvinced. "And you're jealous because…?"
"I'm not jealous," Ethan insisted, though the tightness in his voice said otherwise. "I just think it's ridiculous. The guy doesn't even have the guts to reveal himself."
Zoe sighed dramatically. "Sounds like someone's got feelings they're not admitting."
Ethan groaned. "Goodbye, Zoe."
"Fine, fine," she teased. "But if you don't make a move soon, someone else will."
---
A Suspenseful Twist
That night, as Sophie was leaving work, she found an envelope tucked under her windshield wiper. Inside was another note:
"The gifts are just the beginning. Soon, I'll reveal myself, and you'll know how much you mean to me. Yours always, A Secret Admirer."
Sophie's heart raced as she looked around the dimly lit parking lot. Was this romantic…or creepy?
Little did she know, Ethan was watching from his office window, his fists clenched as he saw her reading the note.