Over a weekend that passed in a haze, Monday morning arrived. Charlotte Hayes, known as Lottie, dressed in a sharp business suit, tied up her hair, and applied a subtle, elegant makeup look. She looked effortlessly charming. Skipping breakfast, she hurried to the office, rehearsing in her mind how she would handle the situation if Alexander Grant, or Alex, was still at the company.
She imagined countless scenarios on her way, but when she arrived, everything seemed normal. The morning rush was in full swing. Standing in the crowd, her eyes couldn’t help but glance at the empty elevator next to her. Her heart raced, fearing that the figure she dreaded might step out of it.
Fortunately, she managed to squeeze into the crowded elevator. Standing next to her was a handsome man. Due to the tight space, petite Lottie was practically nestled in his arms. She gave an embarrassed smile, and the man responded with a warm one. A few seconds later, they reached the sixth floor. As Lottie stepped out, the man followed and caught up with her, introducing himself in a cheerful voice, “Hi, I’m Dana Carter, from the sales department.”
Lottie returned a polite smile, “I’m Charlotte Hayes, the new secretary in the director’s office.”
“I’ve noticed you before,” Dana said with a bright smile. As they reached the sales department, Dana added, “Let’s keep in touch.”
Back in her office, Lottie went about her usual routine: checking emails, organizing client documents, and preparing for the day. Suddenly, a new email popped up with no subject. She clicked on it instinctively and saw a message: “Charlotte, you’re in the office, right? Do you know who I am?” followed by a smiley face.
Lottie checked the sender’s name—Dana Carter. Clicking further, she saw his title: Sales Manager. Lottie couldn’t help but smile. She quickly replied, “Dana, you’re amazing! I didn’t expect someone so young to be a manager.”
“Haha, you’re too kind. Since Director Grant isn’t back, your workload must be light. You can even sneak in some downtime.”
“I’m new here; I can’t afford to slack off. I need to work hard to prove myself. I heard your department is hiring?” Lottie thought of her two friends who were coming for interviews and decided to ask.
“Yes, we have over thirty applicants. The interviews are at ten.”
“Are you conducting the interviews?” Lottie asked, surprised.
“Usually, the department manager handles them. Why, are you interested?”
“New employees can’t apply within the first year, but I recommended my friends. I hope they pass.”
“Friends? What are their names? Maybe I can help.”
Lottie felt a surge of relief. Meeting Dana today might have been a stroke of luck. She quickly typed her friends’ names, “One is Emma Smith, the other is Olivia Johnson. Manager Carter, please go easy on them!” Lottie joked, knowing the stress of interviews all too well.
“Haha,” Dana replied with a big smile.
A moment later, Dana sent another message, “Alright, I’m heading to the meeting room. Let’s chat later.”
The morning’s conversation with Dana had lifted her spirits. The usually dull office needed such energy to feel less stifling. Lottie finished organizing the documents and was about to file them when the phone rang. She immediately put on a professional smile and answered in clear Mandarin, “Hello, Director Grant’s office.”
“Come to my office,” a deep, magnetic voice commanded from the other end.
Before Lottie could respond, the call ended. But she would never forget that voice—Alex Grant.
Her heart pounded uncontrollably. Excitement, nervousness, fear, and panic all surged within her, leaving her disoriented. The calm she had maintained over the past two days was shattered. Go to his office? What did he want? An explanation? An apology? Or something else?
Her mind was a mess. The thought of facing him made her anxious. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She reminded herself that she wasn’t the one at fault. He was the one who should feel guilty, not her. She had no reason to be afraid.
After some self-reassurance, Lottie headed to the elevator. As she pressed the button, her hand trembled. She was so nervous that her entire body was breaking out in a cold sweat. She tried to imagine how he would bring up that night. Would he blame it on being drunk? That seemed like the most plausible excuse. After all, alcohol could make people lose control.
If he used that excuse, Lottie decided she would let it slide and not hold it against him. She admitted that she was also partly to blame. She had let her guard down, drawn to his charm. Before meeting him that night, she had also had three drinks at a pub. For someone with a low tolerance, three drinks were enough to cloud her judgment. So, both of them were at fault.
Suddenly, Lottie felt foolish. She had been wronged, yet she was making excuses to comfort herself. He was the one who had crossed the line. What he did that night could be considered assault. She could have lashed out at him, hated him, demanded he take responsibility. But deep down, she didn’t feel that way. She couldn’t deny that it had been painful, but she had also shamefully enjoyed the pleasure of it. She had been drawn to his masculine scent, his kisses…
She was going crazy, she thought. In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. Maybe she should just treat it as a one-night stand.
Her thoughts were in turmoil, but as she stepped onto the 21st floor, her mind went blank. As she pushed open the door, her thoughts were completely empty.
As expected, Alex was already there. His desk was polished to a shine, emitting a faint sandalwood scent. He sat at his desk, his handsome face unreadable, his deep eyes complex. His posture was that of someone ready for a negotiation. He looked at Lottie as she entered, his gaze commanding and intimidating.
Lottie felt an overwhelming pressure. She avoided eye contact, instead looking down at the scattered documents on his desk. She didn’t greet him or say anything, just stood silently in the center of the office, waiting for judgment.
She cursed herself for being so weak. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t stand up to him. She felt cowardly, useless, and spineless.
Alex calmly picked up his black coffee, took a sip, and spoke in a measured tone, “I’m sorry about what happened that night. This is your compensation. I hope you can forget it.”
His words were cold and formal, devoid of any personal emotion. Lottie stared at the check he pushed toward her. The amount was staggering, but what shocked her more was the anger building inside her. She looked up, meeting his deep, inscrutable eyes with a mocking smile. “I think you understand, Director Grant, that I’m not that kind of woman. So please don’t treat me like one. I can handle a one-night stand.” With that, she pushed the check back.
Alex was momentarily taken aback. He stared at the delicate woman before him, then spoke in his deep, magnetic voice, “You don’t have to refuse. This is just my way of compensating you. I’m not trying to insult you.”
But you already have insulted me, Lottie screamed in her heart. Outwardly, she remained calm. “Director Grant, if you really want to compensate me, then let me leave Grant Corporation. Consider the severance pay as compensation.” Staying here would only make her miserable. This was her chance to leave.
Alex raised an eyebrow, his sharp eyes narrowing. “You want to leave the company? Why?” His intention was simply to compensate her. He didn’t like owing anyone.
“No reason,” Lottie said firmly. Her reasons for leaving were complicated. First, she didn’t want to face him anymore. Second, she could find a job more suited to her skills, even if it paid less.
“If you’re leaving just to avoid me, then stay. We won’t see each other again. After all, Grant Corporation is a top-paying company. With your abilities, you’ll go far.” His tone was calm but insistent. Alex’s sharp gaze had seen through her.
We won’t see each other again. The words were like a knife to Lottie’s heart. She felt a pang of pain in her chest. She forced a smile and replied with feigned nonchalance, “Alright. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now.”
Once again, she fled the room. Lottie felt as if a mountain was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She had never expected him to develop feelings for her after that night, but his cold words had wounded her deeply. Her first time had been reduced to a transaction, and now he was promising they’d never see each other again. Never? Not even in the same company?
She didn’t want his promise. All she wanted was to return to a normal life. She didn’t mind occasionally seeing him, running into him by chance. But he had crushed even that small hope.
Women could be so foolish. Even when hurt, they put on a brave face. He was like a poison, intoxicating her, making her addicted, and then leaving without a trace, without a shred of remorse.
Was Lottie being foolish? Did she do the right thing? That night, she realized she might have fallen for him…