Chapter 13
1268 Words
Luna had made one real friend at the firm in her first year: Ava.
Ava was sharp, loud, and had zero filter — the perfect chaos to Luna’s quiet order. They bonded over terrible office coffee, impossible deadlines, and the unspoken agreement that sometimes you just needed someone to complain to without being judged.
One ordinary Tuesday morning, Ava slid into the chair beside Luna’s desk, eyes sparkling with fresh gossip.
“Did you hear?” she whispered dramatically, leaning in like she was revealing national secrets.
Luna didn’t look up from her spreadsheet. “Hear what?”
“The company’s been bought.”
Luna’s fingers froze on the keyboard. “By who?”
Ava leaned even closer. “Alexander Ethan. That ridiculously wealthy family. Our numbers have been tanking, so they swooped in like sharks. Now they’re coming for the usual bloodbath — restructuring, layoffs, new leadership. You know what they come for.”
Luna’s mind went completely blank.
*Alexander Ethan.*
Her heart slammed against her ribs so hard she felt dizzy.
Not again.
She crossed her arms tight across her chest, nails digging into her own skin. “It cannot be him,” she muttered under her breath. “It cannot be him. He’s a professor. Not a CEO. He can’t be.”
Ava raised an eyebrow. “Uh… you good? You look like you just saw your tax bill.”
Luna blinked rapidly and forced a weak smile. “Nothing. I’m fine. Totally fine.”
She was not fine.
Two days later, the company-wide town hall happened.
Luna sat in the very back row, hoodie pulled up like a shield, trying to blend into the chair itself. Ava sat beside her, happily scrolling on her phone.
The lights dimmed.
The door opened.
And there he was.
Ethan.
He looked… devastating. Tailored charcoal suit hugging his shoulders perfectly, hair styled back, jaw sharper than she remembered. He had clearly not been “checking” on anything except maybe the gym. He was more handsome, more commanding, more everything.
He didn’t see her.
Luna immediately slouched lower, half-hiding behind Ava’s shoulder like a criminal in a bad spy movie.
He stepped to the podium and began speaking — calm, professional, powerful. Numbers. Vision. Change.
Luna stared at her lap the entire time, heart racing so loudly she was sure the whole room could hear it.
When the session ended, she practically sprinted out before he could scan the crowd again.
Ava chased after her. “Girl, what is wrong with you today?”
“Nothing,” Luna squeaked. “Just… allergic to town halls.”
---
The welcome party was that Friday night.
Rooftop venue. Open bar. Live music. Dress code: smart casual.
Luna almost faked a stomach bug.
But Ava physically dragged her out of her apartment. “You are going. You look hot. We are celebrating the fact that we still have jobs. End of discussion.”
Luna dressed beautifully — a sleek black dress that hugged her figure just right, simple silver heels, hair in soft waves, red lip for courage.
When she stepped onto the rooftop, heads turned. Whispers followed. She looked stunning and she knew it.
But the moment she spotted Ethan near the bar — tall, composed, laughing politely with executives — she went into full avoidance mode.
Operation: Do Not Cross Paths.
Phase One: Hide behind the dessert table.
She ducked behind a tower of cupcakes every time he turned in her direction. Ava found her crouched there, eating a mini tart like it was her last meal.
“Luna, why are you hiding behind pastries?”
“I’m not hiding. I’m… strategically positioned for maximum sugar intake.”
Ava snorted. “You’re being weird again.”
Phase Two: The Great Bathroom Loop.
Every time Ethan started walking toward her side of the rooftop, Luna suddenly “needed the restroom.” She made the loop four times in thirty minutes. On the fifth trip, the attendant gave her a concerned look.
“Are you okay, miss? You’ve been in here a lot…”
“Digestive issues,” Luna lied with a straight face. “Very tragic.”
Phase Three: The Manager Trap.
Her manager spotted her and waved her over enthusiastically.
“Luna! Come here, I want to introduce you to the new CEO as one of our most competent young talents!”
Luna’s eyes widened in pure panic.
She coughed dramatically — a loud, fake, theatrical cough that made heads turn.
“Oh no,” she wheezed, clutching her throat. “I think I’m coming down with something. Very contagious. I should… excuse myself immediately.”
She backed away like she was escaping a fire, still coughing theatrically, and disappeared behind a potted plant.
Ava found her there five minutes later, laughing so hard she was crying.
“You are the worst at this,” Ava gasped. “That cough was Oscar-worthy.”
“I’m surviving,” Luna hissed, peeking out from behind the leaves. “That’s all that matters.”
She spent the rest of the party doing an elaborate dance of avoidance — ducking behind waiters, pretending to be deeply interested in random conversations, once even hiding behind a tall colleague while pretending to fix her shoe.
Ethan never managed to get close.
She made sure of it.
---
The next morning, Luna woke up with a new resolve.
She stood in front of her mirror, pointing at her reflection like she was giving a motivational speech.
“I will avoid him at all costs. If necessary, I will request a transfer to the branch out of town. I don’t even care which town. I will move to the middle of nowhere. I am done. I am strong. I am free.”
She nodded firmly at herself.
She got to the office feeling empowered.
Ten minutes later, her manager called her in.
“Luna, great news. With the leadership transition, we need someone sharp and reliable to support the new CEO directly. You’ve been recommended. Starting next week, you’ll be his executive secretary.”
Luna stared at him.
Her brain short-circuited.
She dramatically clutched her chest like she was having a heart attack.
“No. No no no no. Absolutely not.”
Her manager blinked. “It’s… not that bad?”
Ava, who had followed her in out of curiosity, burst out laughing. “Oh my God, I’ve never seen this side of you.”
Luna turned to both of them, eyes wide with pure panic. “I want a transfer. To another branch. Any branch. I don’t care if it’s in the mountains. I will learn to herd goats if I have to.”
The manager looked genuinely confused. “Have we done something to upset you?”
Ava was still laughing. “Personal reasons, I’m guessing?”
Luna nodded frantically. “Yes. Personal. Very personal. Extremely personal.”
Her manager sighed. “Alright. I’ll look into it.”
Luna left the office feeling victorious for about thirty seconds.
Then her phone rang.
The CEO’s office line.
Her heart started racing so fast she thought she might actually faint.
*Why is this happening to me?*
*I thought I was over him.*
*Whyyyyyyyy? Oh no oh no oh no—*
She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and opened the door.
Ethan was standing behind the large desk, looking up from some documents.
Their eyes met.
The air instantly thickened.
He looked at her — calm, professional, but with something unreadable burning underneath.
Luna’s stomach flipped violently.
She was not over him.
Not even close.
- Writer
