Ronan didn't expect the guilt to bloom so fast. He thought pretending to be someone else just for a little while would be easy. But every shared smile, every casual conversation, every coffee break with Evelyn made it harder to breathe.
He wasn't just hiding who he was. He was becoming someone else entirely.
The mornings were the worst. Waking up in a modest studio apartment he rented for the role, miles away from his penthouse overlooking the city skyline, he felt like an impostor. The room was cramped and barely decorated just a bed, a desk, and a stack of takeout containers on the kitchen counter. But Evelyn had once said she liked "people who lived real lives." So this was now his reality.
Every morning, he practiced being Ryan Cole in front of the mirror.
"Don't talk like a boss.""Smile more.""Ask questions instead of giving advice.""Don't slip."
And still every now and then he did slip.
That Thursday, Evelyn had invited him to grab lunch outside the office. "There's this food truck two blocks down that has amazing birria tacos," she said. "You in?"
He grinned. "Only if you're buying."
"Oh, please," she rolled her eyes. "Interns don't get paid enough to joke like that."
They walked side-by-side in the early autumn sun, the breeze cool against their faces. Ronan noticed how her dark hair caught the light, how her smile lingered a moment longer than before. Her laugh wasn't guarded anymore. He liked that. He hated that it was all because she thought he was someone he wasn't.
The line at the food truck was long, but neither of them minded. They stood close together, talking about everything and nothing her brother's recent engagement, his "fake" struggles adjusting to office life, her favorite horror movies, his convenient fear of clowns.
They found a bench near a fountain and sat side by side, legs almost touching.
"These are so good," Evelyn said with her mouth half-full. "You're going to thank me for the rest of your life."
He looked at her with a soft smile. "I already do."
Her chewing slowed. She glanced at him, then away. "Careful, Ryan. I might think you're flirting."
He swallowed hard. "What if I am?"
Silence. Then a half-smile.
"Then I'd tell you not to waste your time," she said gently. "I don't date people I work with."
"But we're not exactly coworkers," he replied. "You're the analyst. I'm just the intern."
"That's still working together, smart guy."
He laughed, trying to hide the sting. "Fair enough."
There was another pause. Not awkward. Just… cautious.
She took a sip of her soda. "It's not just a rule. It's more like… a survival tactic. I've seen how office romances play out. One person always ends up with the short end of the stick. Usually the woman."
"I get that," Ryan said quietly. "You deserve to protect yourself."
She gave him a curious look. "You're not like most guys here."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should."
They smiled again, and for a second, the moment hovered on the edge of something more.
Then Evelyn's phone buzzed.
She glanced at it, frowned, and sighed. "Great. Elaine wants me in the conference room in ten."
"You okay?" Ryan asked.
"Just... more restructuring drama. Someone higher up thinks they can optimize our workflow by cutting half the team. I'm getting real tired of being the 'rational voice' in the room."
His heart sank. This was his company. His decision, probably.
He reached for her hand without thinking, then stopped himself. "If it helps, you're making a difference. I can see it. People listen when you talk."
She looked at him, eyes softer now. "Thanks, Ryan."
She stood. "Same time tomorrow?"
He nodded. "Absolutely."
Back at OrionTech, the day moved slower. Ryan sat through a budget meeting where Evelyn spoke passionately about team morale and workload efficiency. Every point she made was thoughtful, practical, grounded in human empathy. She was the kind of leader he wished the company had more of. The kind of leader he used to think he was.
After the meeting, someone else lingered behind Jason Larrick, one of the middle managers and a textbook example of corporate smugness. He leaned against the doorway and shot Ryan a smirk.
"You're the intern, right? Ryan, was it?"
Ryan nodded. "That's me."
Jason stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Word to the wise don't get too cozy with Evelyn. She's... difficult. Talented, but difficult. Not worth the headache."
Ryan's jaw tightened. "Thanks for the unsolicited advice."
Jason shrugged. "Just looking out for you. We've had a few guys come and go trying to get on her good side. None of them lasted long. She doesn't play the game."
"Maybe that's why she's better at her job than most people here."
Jason gave a short laugh. "You'll learn, rookie. People who don't play the game? They either burn out or get burned."
He walked off, leaving a bitter trail in his wake.
Ryan sat down, fingers clenching the edge of his desk. This is what Evelyn dealt with every day? People like Jason, subtle manipulation, men in power who dismissed her, judged her, tried to contain her?
The guilt returned in full force.
That evening, he called Marcus his right-hand man, the only person who knew about his undercover stint.
"You need to stop ghosting the board," Marcus said immediately. "They're asking questions."
"Tell them I'm overseeing internal operations."
"You've been overseeing for three weeks."
"I'm not done yet."
"Ronan…" Marcus's voice dropped. "What's really going on?"
Ryan looked out the window of his temporary apartment. "She's not who I expected. She's... better. Stronger. She's smart and she cares, and she makes people feel seen. She makes me feel seen."
"So, what's the plan? Stay undercover until she magically falls in love with a stranger who doesn't exist?"
Ryan didn't answer.
"Man," Marcus sighed. "This is either the boldest thing you've ever done… or the stupidest."
"Probably both."
The next day brought an unexpected twist. A company-wide email announced that the CEO Ronan Blake would be visiting departments over the next week for "firsthand observations and feedback."
Evelyn walked past Ryan's desk with her eyes wide. "Do you think he'll come to our floor?"
Ryan played dumb. "Who? The CEO?"
"Yes! Ronan Blake himself! The man never shows up in person. If he actually visits this office, I swear, I'll probably faint."
"Why? You nervous?"
She rolled her eyes. "Please. I'm not intimidated by men in suits. I'm just curious. No one really knows him. He's like this myth. Rich, young, mysterious. And if the rumors are true… stupidly attractive."
Ryan coughed. "I heard he's overrated."
Evelyn laughed. "Jealous?"
"A little."
That night, Ryan lay awake staring at the ceiling.
He had a choice to make and soon.
The longer he stayed, the more real it felt.
But secrets had a shelf life.
And Evelyn Hart?
She deserved truth, not fantasy.