CHAPTE.4
1692 Words
She knocked lightly on the door. No reply. The silence on the other side pressed in, making her hesitate before she knocked again. Still nothing.
She turned the handle slowly, trying not to make a sound. The door swung open to reveal a short corridor, tidy and quiet. A small desk and chair were pushed against the wall—clearly meant for a secretary—but the space was empty. At the far end, another door stood slightly open. Alice leaned forward to peek inside, then froze. Maybe she shouldn’t be here after all.
Just as she started to step back, a voice called from inside the office.
“Come in.”
Her pulse quickened as she stepped inside. Ethan’s office was nothing like the cubicles downstairs. It was spacious, carefully arranged: abstract paintings lined the walls, a couple of sculptures rested on pedestals, and a wide television screen dominated one side. To the left, a leather couch and low table created a lounge area, while a sleek mini-dining set was placed near the window.
Alice let her eyes skim over the room before fixing them back on him, not wanting to look like she was snooping.
“I came to drop these off… like you asked,” she said, holding out the souvenir bag.
He accepted it with a faint smile, then gestured to the chair across from his desk.
“Sit.”
Her palms felt clammy as she lowered herself into the seat, forcing her voice steady when he asked, “How has the experience been so far?”
To her own surprise, the tension began to ease. Something in his tone made it hard to stay nervous. She found herself answering honestly.
“It’s been… stretching me. I like it. I’m learning—both soft and hard skills, even how to communicate better.”
Ethan leaned back, a short laugh escaping him. His expression softened, genuinely intrigued.
“That’s good to hear.”
When the conversation paused, he tilted his head. “Give me your number. It’ll be easier to reach you directly.”
Alice blinked, but quickly rattled it off, her chest loosening with relief. Maybe she’d been overthinking everything. Ethan wasn’t dangerous or intimidating—he was just being friendly.
On her way back to the second-floor office, Alice checked the time—4:45 p.m. She sighed, “Finally, I can pack up and head home”. She tried calling Samuel to see if he was ready so they could leave together, but there was no answer. He’s probably in the interns’ lobby, she thought, flirting with innocent girls. Just as she slipped her phone into her bag, it buzzed again. A notification flashed
across the screen:
Alert: $50 received.
Right beneath it, a text from an unknown number: Nice meeting you today.
Her mouth went dry.
Why? How?
She sat in her seat for a moment, weighing how to respond. A dozen thoughts ran through her head. Finally, she typed:
“I really appreciate.”
Not too much, not too little. She thought and pressed send
Almost instantly, a reply came:
“My pleasure.”
Her lips curved into a nervous smile.
Alice walked down the corridor to the Legal department. She could hear laughter spilling out of one of the offices. ‘That’s one of the best experiences I had in Law school”, She heard Samuel’s voice.
She pushed the door slightly and peeped in. He was standing with his bag in hand, mid-conversation. She didn’t want to draw attention, so she signalled him quietly from the door.
Samuel noticed and excused himself. As he walked out, he grinned.
“Why can’t you just come in?”
Alice rolled her eyes lightly. “Your office is… weird and serious. The last time I stepped in, everybody’s eyes were on me. It felt—awkward.”
“You’re overthinking,” he chuckled, swinging his bag casually
On their way home, in the cab. Samuel noticed Alice’s distracted expression and asked, “What’s up with you?”
Alice debated whether to tell him about the transfer. She didn’t want to sound naïve. But the words spilt out anyway—how Ethan had invited her to his office and sent her money.
Samuel whistled. “See? I told you. The man definitely wants you. He’s not just being nice, Alice—he’s trying to get into your pants.”
Alice’s eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. “No! You’re overthinking. I think He’s just… genuinely interested in me. Like a friend.”
Samuel gave her a knowing smile. “Alice, the way men work, just watch and see. If I were you, I’d maximise this opportunity and milk him. He’s probably lonely, maybe stuck in a bad marriage. These men like to look for company. Trust me.”
She frowned, uncomfortable. “You make it sound so transactional. That’s not me.”
Samuel laughed. “Look, if I found an older woman here who liked me? I’d happily accept her. For all I care, I’d be making her life and marriage better by keeping her happy. Think of it positively—don’t feel guilty.”
Alice burst out laughing. “Only a lawyer can twist something like this into making sense. You’ve turned a scandal into charity work.”
He laughed, too, but she remained thoughtful. Deep down, she admitted Samuel had a point about men sticking around when they thought there was hope. Still, she wasn’t sure what to make of Ethan.
Saturday came. Alice dressed neatly and headed to her lesson centre. She had finally enrolled in the PMP certification classes she’d been dreaming about for years.
She just finished a class on Risk management, and she already felt her head spinning. “What the hell was he even talking about?” She murmured, looking through the concepts and the endless notes she had just jotted
She sat under a tree, scrolling through her notes. It was a break before afternoon/evening classes. Her phone buzzed. An unknown number flashed on the screen.
She hesitated, then answered. “Hello?”
“Hello, Alice.” The deep, familiar voice made her pulse jump. Ethan.
It clicked—she hadn’t saved his number.
“I was just checking on you,” he said smoothly. “How are you doing today?”
She fumbled for words. “I’m fine, sir. Just at my classes.”
A low chuckle came through the line. “Don’t call me sir, Alice. Just Ethan.”
Her throat went dry. She forced herself to answer. “Okay… Ethan.”
“What classes?” He asked curiously.
“Project management,” she admitted, unsure if she should be telling him.
A pause, then his voice softened. “Impressive. You’re working hard on all fronts. Would it be possible to see you later today, after your classes?”
Alice’s stomach fluttered. “Um… no, Ethan. My classes end late, and I really have to head straight home.”
He sighed, the disappointment clear. “Alright then. It’s okay.”
“Erm…okay, have a nice day”, Alice replied, her voice pitched higher than she intended.
A pause. Then his voice, low and deliberate: “Just so you know—you were my first option today.”
The line went dead before she could respond.
Alice pulled the phone from her ear, staring at the screen like it might explain what he meant. What the f**k….First option?
Her cheeks warmed. She shoved the phone back into her bag and tried to refocus on her notes. But no matter how many pages she flipped, the words replayed in her head.
Been days since the call, and I haven’t heard anything from Ethan or seen him around the office. She was kind of relieved, but she wondered. “Probably the endless trainings there go for, " she thought.
She loved it when the staff went for training because that meant less work. During lunch break, she slipped out to get food from her favourite vendor, not too far from the office. It was the best time of the day because she got to take a walk, and the cafeteria food was too expensive for her, and she wasn’t about to start dipping into her already tight allowance for a plate of rice that wouldn’t even fill her up.
She checked her phone to see if Samuel had replied. Nothing. They usually went out to eat together unless he was caught up with work.
She bought her food and made her way back into the office building with the paper bag clutched in her hand.
As she pushed through the glass doors, she spotted him.
Ethan.
He stood just outside the lobby, phone to his ear. “He… really is sexy”, she admitted, startled by her own thought. It looked like he was heading toward his Mercedes-Benz, where the driver was waiting.
His eyes landed on her, and he froze mid-conversation. Slowly, he lowered the phone; his gaze followed her. He gestured with his chin. Where are you coming from?
Alice lifted the brown lunch bag like a child caught sneaking candy and smiled. His lips curved, and he murmured something she didn’t quite catch while she kept walking. He said something to the phone.
She increased her footstep, forcing her feet to keep moving.
That night, as she went about her small nightly routine—washing her face, folding tomorrow’s clothes—her phone buzzed.
Unknown number
Her breath hitched. She already knew.
How are you doing?
She hesitated, then typed back: I’m fine. Work has been busy. And you?
Seconds later, the reply came.
The usual. Long days. Too many meetings. I thought about you today.
Her stomach tightened. She typed slowly.
Oh why?
The typing bubble blinked. Stopped. Blinked again. And then his message appeared.
Because I get an erection every time I see you.
Her hands flew to her mouth, eyes widening in shock.
She dropped her phone “Is this what he thinks about me?’
The phone buzzed again, the screen lighting up.
Too honest?
- Writer
