The Way He Looked
607 Words
By sunrise...
The photographs were everywhere.
Lia didn't know that.
Not yet.
She was still asleep, blissfully unaware that one slow dance had become the city's newest headline.
Her phone buzzed nonstop.
Messages.
Notifications.
Missed calls.
She groaned and buried her face deeper into her pillow.
Five more minutes.
The phone buzzed again.
And again.
And again.
With an exhausted sigh, she reached for it.
Her eyes widened.
Twenty-three missed calls.
Forty-seven unread messages.
"What...?"
The first message was from Sophia.
Don't check social media until you get here.
The second was from one of her classmates.
LIA! ARE YOU REALLY DATING ETHAN BLACKWOOD?!
Her heart dropped.
She opened a news article.
Right at the top...
A crystal-clear photo.
Ethan's hand around her waist.
Her hand in his.
Their eyes locked on each other during the dance.
The headline read:
BLACKWOOD HEIR'S MYSTERY WOMAN STEALS THE SPOTLIGHT.
Lia covered her face with a pillow.
"I am never leaving this apartment again."
Unfortunately...
She still had work.
The moment she entered Blackwood Tower, every conversation stopped.
Employees looked at her.
Some smiled.
Some whispered.
Others pretended not to stare.
They all failed.
Spectacularly.
Sophia was waiting near the elevators.
"You've seen it?"
Lia nodded miserably.
"I want to disappear."
"I thought you might."
Sophia handed her a cup of coffee.
"You'll need this."
The elevator doors opened.
Lia stepped inside.
Only to find Ethan already there.
Of course.
The universe clearly hated her.
The doors closed.
Silence.
Painful silence.
Finally...
Lia spoke.
"This is your fault."
Ethan looked up from his tablet.
"My fault?"
"You asked me to dance."
"I did."
"And now the entire country thinks we're in love."
"They're making assumptions."
She stared at him.
"You're unbelievably calm."
"I don't see the benefit of panicking."
The elevator stopped on the top floor.
As they stepped out, Ethan's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
His expression became unreadable.
"Take my office," he told Lia.
"I'll be there shortly."
She nodded and walked away.
Inside the office, she wandered toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The city stretched endlessly below.
She wondered how someone like Ethan could live with everyone watching his every move.
There was a knock.
Before she could answer, the door opened.
Victoria stepped inside.
She smiled warmly.
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
Lia straightened.
"No... not at all."
Victoria glanced toward the hallway.
"Ethan's busy."
"He'll be back soon."
"I know."
Her gaze returned to Lia.
"I actually wanted to speak with you."
Lia blinked.
"Me?"
Victoria nodded.
"I wanted to thank you."
"...For what?"
"For making him smile."
The room fell silent.
Lia frowned.
"I don't understand."
Victoria looked out the window.
"I've known Ethan since we were children."
Her smile became softer.
"For years, he only cared about work."
"No birthdays."
"No vacations."
"No real friendships."
"Just business."
She laughed quietly.
"I almost forgot what his genuine smile looked like."
Lia's heart began beating faster.
"And then you arrived."
Lia didn't know what to say.
"You're mistaken."
"Am I?"
Victoria smiled knowingly.
"I've danced with Ethan before."
She looked back at Lia.
"He never looked at me the way he looked at you."
Before Lia could answer...
The office door opened.
Ethan walked in.
His eyes immediately landed on Victoria.
Then on Lia.
The atmosphere shifted.
"You've met."
Victoria smiled.
"We were just talking."
Ethan looked between them.
"What about?"
Victoria picked up her handbag.
"Oh..."
She walked past him and paused at the door.
"I was just telling Lia that you've changed."
For the first time...
Lia saw Ethan Blackwood caught completely off guard.
And somehow...
That surprised her more than anything.
- Writer
