The weeks following the successful launch were relentless. The company was riding a high wave, and Aria was swept into a nonstop tide of meetings, campaign tweaks, and strategy sessions. Yet amid the chaos of her busy workdays, there was a constant in her pocket: Malee's messages. Little sparks of warmth and persistence that tugged at her attention whenever she could steal a moment.
A Surprise Visit at the Office
Aria was knee-deep in reviewing the latest sales reports when the office door suddenly opened. Malee stepped inside holding a delicately wrapped box.
"Hey, I brought something for you," Malee said brightly, moving with a kind of confidence that ignored boundaries.
Aria looked up, startled but softening despite herself. "Malee, what are you doing here?"
With a grin, Malee placed the box on Aria's desk. "Chocolate cake. I thought you might like a break."
Aria blinked, caught off guard. "You didn't have to."
"I wanted to. You've been working so hard. You deserve a little treat," Malee said, her eyes glimmering with genuine care.
For the first time that day, the heavy weight of stress on Aria's shoulders eased slightly.
They moved to the lounge corner of the office where Aria cut a small slice. Malee watched her with an almost childlike anticipation.
"So you really come here every day now?" Aria asked, feigning casualness between bites.
Malee tilted her head. "Yeah. I told you. I'm not giving up on you anytime soon."
Aria shook her head, laughing softly. "You are impossible."
"I prefer persistent," Malee corrected with a wink. "But if you want the truth, Aria, I like you."
Aria's heart skipped, though she masked it with a teasing smirk. "Let's see if I can keep up with you first."
For a few minutes, they shared an easy silence. It was not empty but charged with something unspoken, something neither was brave enough to define yet.
Later that afternoon, Niran from the sales team stopped by Aria's desk with a knowing grin.
"I've noticed Malee hanging around you a lot," he said, his voice low with amusement. "You two have some kind of thing going on?"
Aria gave a noncommittal shrug. "She is persistent."
Niran chuckled. "Good. Sometimes that is exactly what you need. Someone who will not quit."
Aria caught herself smiling faintly before quickly returning to her screen.
Post-Launch Update Meeting
The following Monday, the Elan team gathered in the sleek glass-walled conference room. A long oak table stretched through the center, covered in laptops, notepads, and coffee.
Sam, the CEO, stood at the head of the table, sharp as ever in her blazer. "Let us look at the numbers."
The projector flickered on, charts filling the wall.
"Our campaign exceeded projections," Sam said, her tone a mix of pride and authority. "Within the first seventy-two hours, we achieved a thirty percent higher ROI than expected. Engagement rates are up fifty percent. Conversion is steady at seven point eight percent, well above the industry benchmark."
Excited murmurs rippled around the table.
Aria leaned forward, her pen moving across her notes. "Customer acquisition cost has already dropped. Our influencer partnerships boosted organic reach, and the hashtag campaign gave us incredible visibility. If this trend continues, we can reduce paid ad spend by fifteen percent next quarter without sacrificing exposure."
Pim added, "Repeat purchases are already appearing in our data. That means customer retention is on track. Brand recall is strongest among women twenty to thirty-five, which is exactly where we wanted to land."
Sam nodded. "Excellent. This is the proof of concept we needed. We are no longer selling only a product. We are selling Elan as a lifestyle. Authenticity and relatability are our strongest differentiators. I want the next quarter's strategy to double down on that narrative."
The discussion shifted into next steps. They debated the cadence of email drip campaigns, mapped influencer content calendars, and planned PR angles. When the meeting ended, the team was buzzing, energized by their victory.
A Quiet Afternoon
Aria returned to her office, notebook filled with action points. The adrenaline from the meeting had not faded, and her mind was already spinning with deadlines. She pushed open her office door and stopped short.
Malee was perched on her desk, sipping iced coffee, legs crossed casually.
"You look like someone who just carried a whole company on her back," Malee teased.
Aria shut the door with a sigh. "Malee, you cannot just sit on my desk whenever you want."
"Why not? It is the best spot in the room." Malee held out the coffee toward her. "Besides, this is for you. My way of saying congratulations."
Aria accepted the drink, her lips tugging into the smallest smile. "You are ridiculous."
"Persistent," Malee corrected, leaning closer. "And maybe ridiculous."
Silence stretched between them, softer this time, more fragile.
"The campaign went well," Aria said at last, her tone calm but quieter than usual.
"Of course it did," Malee replied without hesitation. "You were in charge."
Aria looked away quickly, but the faintest blush had crept into her cheeks.
Malee's Night Out
That evening, Malee joined her friends at their usual bar, the very place where she had first noticed Aria. The music was loud, the drinks strong, and laughter spilled over every corner of the room.
"So," one friend nudged her, "what is happening with the office girl?"
Malee smiled, unashamed. "Honestly? I like her. More than I expected I would."
Her friends hollered, clinking glasses in her honor.
"She is playing hard to get, isn't she?" another teased.
"Maybe. But that just makes her worth it," Malee answered, twirling her drink. "She is not like anyone else I have ever met."
A sly grin spread across Jara's face. "So what is the status? Are you two official?"
Malee only laughed, shaking her head. "Not yet. But I will get there."
Glasses lifted in a toast. "To Malee and her chase. May she win the girl's heart."
Aria's Quiet Reflection
Back in her apartment, Aria sat curled up on her couch. A single lamp lit the room, casting a soft glow across her face. Her phone buzzed.
Malee's message lit the screen: I miss you.
Aria's breath caught. Her mind drifted back to the night of the launch party, Malee's soft confession, the almost kiss, the way her eyes had held nothing but truth.
A smile touched Aria's lips, but she quickly set the phone aside. She was not ready. Not yet.
For now, she closed her eyes and let the quiet fill the room.
The Distance That Speaks Volumes
Despite Aria's guarded exterior and Malee's relentless pursuit, something was shifting. Walls that had once seemed unbreakable were beginning to crack. Defenses softened in moments of laughter and silence, in coffees and texts.
Neither was ready to say it out loud, but both of them knew.
This was no longer just a chase.
It was something real, and it was only beginning.