My Corporate Affair

Chapter Fifteen

I sat behind my desk, staring at the updated project files on my tablet. The new direction was sharp, innovative but grounded. It wasn’t flashy or overcomplicated. It was... smart. Efficient. Exactly what we needed.

And apparently, it came from her.

Sophie.

A soft smile tugged at the corner of my lips before I could stop it. That intern. The one with the big eyes and the voice that still echoed in my head from that night outside the club. I hadn’t seen her since. Work had swallowed me whole again. Meetings, mergers, damage control. But even in all that noise, she lingered in the back of my mind like an unfinished melody.

I tapped the screen off and leaned back in my chair.

Mia was right, Sophie’s idea had changed the trajectory of the project. And if she could do that once... I wanted to see what else she had in her.

No. Not just that. I wanted to see her. I wanted to understand how someone like her saw the world.

I picked up the telephone and buzzed Mia.

“Sir?”

“I want Sophie assigned directly to the development wing for this project,” I said, not even hesitating.

There was a pause. “You mean, under your supervision?”

“Yes.”

“I....of course, sir. I’ll make the arrangements.”

“Thank you.”

I ended the call and exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair. It wasn’t unusual for me to request staff shifts. I was the CEO. But something about this felt... different. More deliberate.

Still, I couldn’t shake the thought this wasn’t about favoritism. She had earned this. She deserved it. If anyone asked, I could defend the decision with facts, with logic, with her contributions.

But the truth?

I just wanted her closer.

Sophie....

I had just returned from lunch, still clutching the smoothie I hadn’t finished, when Mia walked into the room with that purposeful stride she always had. Her eyes scanned the workspace before locking onto me.

“There you are,” she said, a little too loud. “Sophie, come with me.”

Heads turned. I blinked. “Um, okay?”

I quickly grabbed my notepad and followed her, nearly tripping over the leg of my chair in the process. She didn’t speak until we were outside the department space, walking down the corridor.

“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to match her pace.

“You’ve been reassigned,” she said, tossing me a sideways glance. “Effective immediately. You’re going to be working on the development project, with us.”

My heart skipped. “Wait, really?”

She nodded. “Under Mr. Hayes. Directly.”

I stopped walking.

“Under,,,under Elliot....I mean, Mr. Hayes?” I repeated, my voice going way too high.

Mia grinned. “Yes. He asked for you specifically.”

I nearly dropped my smoothie.

I couldn’t process it. I thought maybe she meant someone else. Or she meant I was going to be on the same team as him, but not like... under him. Like, directly.

“I..um...wow,” I breathed, trying to wrap my head around it. “That’s... kind of insane.”

“You earned it, Sophie. The idea was brilliant, and he noticed.”

I didn’t know what to say. A bubble of happiness swelled in my chest, the kind that made your cheeks warm and your stomach flutter. But just as quickly, reality crept back in when I stepped into the workspace again.

Wait, but how the hell did it spread so fast?!

The moment I entered, I could feel it.

The eyes. The shift in air. Whispers.

“She’s working with the CEO now.”

“Seriously? Her?”

“She’s only been here, like, a few weeks.”

I caught a glance between two of the other female interns, Elena and Marcy, both of whom were clearly not thrilled.

“She probably flirted her way into it,” one of them muttered, not very quietly.

I tried to ignore it, pretending I didn’t hear, but the sting landed anyway. My joy faltered just a little. I wasn’t used to being the center of attention, and I certainly wasn’t used to envy.

Still, I straightened my shoulders. I hadn’t flirted. I hadn’t schemed. I gave an idea. A good one. That was all.

Even if my heart had skipped a thousand beats the other night just talking to him... this opportunity was about the work.

At least that’s what I kept telling myself.

I sat back down at my desk, pretending to check emails, but really, I was just trying to keep calm. I was going to be working directly with Mr. Hayes. In his office. With him.

Me. The poor girl from nowhere. The girl who once thought she'd never even see someone like him outside a TV screen.

And now?

I was going to stand right beside him.

The second I stepped out of the building, the spring evening breeze kissed my skin, and for once, I didn’t mind the chill. My heart was still fluttering from the news, working directly with Mr. Hayes. I couldn’t wait to tell Mum and Grandma.

I texted Mum on the train ride home, barely able to hold back the excitement.

Sophie: You won’t believe what happened today. I’ve got news!

But instead of a giddy reply or a string of question marks like usual, her response came after a short pause.

Mum: Sweetheart, can you come to City General right away? Grandma was rushed to the hospital.

Everything in me stilled.

The buzzing joy evaporated in a blink.

I read the text again, just to be sure I wasn’t overreacting. But no, it was clear. Rushed. Hospital.

My chest tightened. I barely remembered getting off at the next stop. My legs moved on their own as I pushed through the crowd, flagged down a cab with shaking hands, and gave the address through lips that didn’t feel like mine.

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and old coffee. Cold, sterile, and too white.

I rushed into the waiting area, eyes scanning desperately until I saw Mum pacing by the vending machine. Her face was pale, worry lining every inch.

“Mum!” I called.

She turned immediately. Her eyes looked tired, but she forced a small, tight smile as she came toward me.

“She collapsed at home,” she said before I could ask. “It was sudden chest pains. The ambulance came fast. Thank God. She’s stable now, but they’re keeping her overnight for tests.”

I swallowed hard, nodding, though the lump in my throat made it difficult to speak.

“Can I see her?” I asked softly.

“She’s resting right now. Doctor said only one visitor at a time.”

I let out a shaky breath and slumped into the nearest chair. My hands were still trembling. Not from the cold, but from the fear. Grandma wasn’t just my grandmother. She was my everything. The one who held me when I cried as a little girl, who always said, “You’ve got fire in you, baby. Don’t ever let the world put it out.”

I had wanted to tell her today’s news first. I’d imagined the pride on her face. The way her eyes would twinkle when I said, “I’m working with him now, the CEO!”

But now… none of that mattered.

I just needed her to be okay.

Mum sat beside me in the waiting room, her hands clasped together so tightly her knuckles turned white. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, but the silence between us was louder.

I stared at the floor, trying to steady the storm in my chest. But I couldn't. I felt that familiar ache, the kind that reminded me how fragile life could be.

“Mum,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m scared.”

She turned to me, eyes tired but gentle. “I know, sweetheart. Me too.”

I swallowed hard, blinking back the sting behind my eyes. “It’s just… when I saw your message, I couldn’t breathe. All I could think about was…” I hesitated. “Dad.”

Her eyes shimmered, and I knew she understood without me saying more.

“She’s always been here,” I said, voice trembling. “Strong. Laughing. Cooking even when she shouldn’t. Grandma has always been… this anchor. And now, just the thought of losing her…” I choked on the last word.

Mum reached over and held my hand, her thumb brushing over mine. “You’re allowed to be scared, Soph. She means the world to us. But your grandma’s a fighter. You know that.”

I nodded, tears escaping “After we lost Dad, it was her who kept us together. I don’t think I’ve ever really healed from that. And now… this just brought everything back.”

Mum’s grip tightened slightly, like she was trying to hold me together with just her warmth. “We’re going to get through this. Just like we always do. She’s still here. And she’s strong, maybe stronger than both of us combined.”

I let out a shaky laugh. “She’d hate that we’re crying over her.”

“She’d tell us to toughen up and bring her real food,” Mum chuckled through her own tears.

We sat there in silence for a while, holding hands, leaning on each other the way we always did when things got hard. I knew I’d be strong if Grandma needed me, but right now, I just needed to let it out.

And Mum, as always, let me.