I stepped into the living room, and my mother's serious expression immediately put me on edge. "Thank you for coming," she said softly, but I could see the worry in her eyes.
"What's going on, Mom?" I asked, my heart racing. I needed to know what was happening, but I could tell she was struggling to find the right words.
She took a deep breath, and I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on us. "Elliot, it's about you not your father..."
.
.
.
A wave of frustration surged through me. I didn't want to hear anymore of it. I didn't want to sit here and wait for her to explain anything. "I can't do this right now," I said, my voice rising. "I need some air."
Without waiting for a response, I turned and stormed out of the house. I felt the cool breeze hit my face as I stepped outside, but it did little to calm the storm inside me. I needed to think, to process whatever news she had just dropped on me.
"Elliot!" I heard my mother call after me, her voice sharp with urgency. I didn't stop. I walked toward my car, my mind racing with thoughts and emotions.
"Don't you dare walk out on me!" she shouted, her voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation. I paused, feeling the weight of her words. I didn't want to hurt her, but I also didn't want to face whatever she said.
"Elliot, listen to your mother," my father's voice came from behind me. He stepped outside, his expression serious. "You need to hear her out."
I turned to face them, my frustration boiling over. "I can't just sit here and listen to this! I need to clear my head!"
"Running away won't solve anything," my father said firmly, his calm demeanor contrasting with my rising anger. "You need to listen to us. Its for the benefit of us all"
I looked at my mother, who stood with tears in her eyes, and I felt a pang of guilt. I didn't want to hurt her, but I also didn't want to confront whatever was waiting for me inside.
"Please, Elliot," she said, her voice softer now. "Just come back inside. We need to talk about this as a family."
I took a deep breath, feeling the tension in the air. I didn't want to go back inside, but I knew I couldn't walk away from them. I nodded slowly, my shoulders slumping as I turned back toward the house.
Sophie....
I took a deep breath as I washed my hands, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My second day at Sterling Enterprises had been overwhelming, so much to learn, so many important people, and, of course, Elliot Hayes himself. seeing him in the conference room the previous day made my stomach do this weird flip. But I told myself it was just admiration. Completely normal.
Right?
Shaking off the thought, I dried my hands and fixed my blouse. I needed to focus. If I wanted to do well here, I couldn't let myself get distracted by my boss's good looks.
I pushed open the door and stepped out into the hallway....
And crashed into something solid.
A strong grip caught my arms before I could fall. My breath hitched as I looked up and met Elliot's hazel eyes.
Oh no.
"I—I'm so sorry!" I blurted, stepping back quickly. My heart pounded as I noticed the tension in his jaw. His suit was slightly wrinkled, his tie loose, and his expression… dark. He looked frustrated.
And I had just run into him.
His grip lingered for a second before he let go and sighed. "Watch where you're going," he muttered.
My face burned. "I— I will. I mean, I usually do. I just..."
Oh God, stop talking, Sophie. Just stop.
His eyes flicked over me before he ran a hand through his hair. "It's fine," he said, almost to himself, before walking past me i watched him walk a distance into the executive elevator before the doors closed
I stood there, frozen.
What just happened?
I forced my feet to move, heading back to my desk in a daze. My arms still tingled where he had touched me. His hands had been strong, warm...
Stop it, Sophie.
I shook my head and dropped into my chair, exhaling sharply. It had been a simple accident. A totally normal workplace accident. But my mind kept replaying the way his fingers had wrapped around my arms, the way his deep voice had brushed against my skin.
Sinful thoughts crept into my head, uncensored and dangerous. What would it feel like if his hands lingered longer? If his frustration was vented in another way on my....
No. Absolutely not.
I grabbed a random file and flipped it open, desperate to shove the thoughts away. He was my boss. Off-limits. And I was here to work, not to fantasize about things that could never happen.
I just needed to focus.
And stay as far away from Elliot Hayes as possible.
Elliot...
I sank into my chair, running a hand down my face. My parents. Again. They never let me breathe. Every decision, every move in my life seemed to be made out by them, as if I wasn't capable of making my own choices. I clenched my jaw, feeling the weight of their control pressing on me. They wanted to decide my future, my marriage, my career. They manipulated me with guilt, love, and duty. And I hated it.
I leaned back, trying to calm myself, but my mind kept drifting elsewhere, back to the hallway earlier. Back to her.
Sophie.
The young intern.
I could still see her face, startled, red, embarrassed, wide-eyed. The way she stumbled over her words and flushed bright red made her look so… innocent. So cute. I couldn't deny it. There was something about the way she had shrunk back, flustered and lost in the moment, that struck a chord with me. Her voice, a bit shaky, her nervous energy. It was a refreshing change for a moment for me. Pushing those thoughts aside, I forced myself to focus, exhaling sharply as I looked at paperwork on my desk. My life was spiraling in a direction I didn't want. My parents were suffocating me with their plans, the pressure to take the reins of this company felt like a weight I could hardly carry.
I needed to get back on track, make the right decisions, and fight for my future, even if that meant doing things I didn't want to do.
But that didn't mean it was easy.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake the frustration away, but it lingered. All I wanted was a little bit of freedom. A little bit of control. I composed myself and arranged my suit and hair again. I was the damn CEO, and i had to look like it even though i was miserable inside.
Sophie...
It was time for me to go home. I bid goodbye to the workers and prepared myself to head home. I picked up my jacket, and suddenly I remembered it was my grandma's birthday and mine the next day. My grandma was turning seventy-three, and i was turning twenty-five. I smiled at the thought of it. I was so excited but sad at the same time. It's been three years since my dad died. And since then, my birthday has never remained the same.
I always woke up to my dad singing songs he composed every year for my birthday. He was always so full of life when he sang melodiously. Those were the best moments of my life.
I wanted this year to be different, since we were happy about me getting the internship. I decided to stop by a bakery on my way home to buy a cake for tomorrow to celebrate my grandma and I birthday. Grandma deserved to be celebrated and so did I.