Behind His Plan

The next day, in Ethan’s office, he sat behind a massive wooden desk, his head down as he scrutinized the revised PPT I’d just sent him, his face as stormy as a summer thundercloud.

After a long, tense silence, he finally looked up, a hint of confusion in his eyes. “Lillie, you didn’t get this job through some kind of connection, did you?”

As soon as he spoke, I felt my face flush, stumbling over my words, “No, you hired me during the campus recruitment.”

It was midsummer, and companies from all over were there. Ethan’s team stood out with their laid-back style—T-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops. They looked more like they were headed for a beach party than a job fair.

At the time, I hadn’t faced the real world’s harshness and didn’t think to ask about perks or benefits. I just eagerly handed my resume to Ethan, who was clearly the most attractive recruiter there.

He was the one who interviewed me. Under the blazing sun, he chugged several bottles of water, his Adam’s apple bobbing, sweat trailing down his neck. I was completely spellbound.

“You studied Chinese Language and Literature at Silverine University, right? And you’re from this city?” he asked.

After I answered, he flipped through my resume with a casual air, nodding as if he’d already made up his mind. “She’s the one. Get her details and wrap it up.”

Later, I learned I was the only person they hired on the spot.

Ethan suddenly said, “Come over here. I’ll show you how to fix these.”

I moved a chair and sat next to him, instantly enveloped by the refreshing scent of polished wood. It smelled amazing.

“Delete this part, and this one too.”

“Change the font here to highlight the main points.”

“And this section needs to be clearer.”

With rapid clicks of the mouse, his movements were swift and precise. After making several significant edits, he finally looked at me, his gaze steady. “Got it?”

I nodded quickly, “Got it, Mr. Jones.”

“Good. Make the rest of the changes,” he instructed.

As I settled in at the computer, feeling his gaze on me was intensely nerve-wracking. The office was spacious and quiet, and I could hear his soft, steady breathing, like a gentle spring breeze.

My heart pounded in my chest, not from fear of my boss or work stress, but from an intense, confusing emotion.

I fumbled with the mouse for a moment before standing up abruptly and saying, “Mr. Jones, I think I’ll go back to my desk to finish these changes so I don’t disturb you.”

I grabbed my notebook and practically bolted out of the office.

Oh no! What if he decides to follow me?

The moment I stepped out, I grabbed Ada from HR, barely able to contain my curiosity. “Ada, does the company really crack down on office romances?”

Ada gave me a knowing look and leaned in conspiratorially, pointing at my forehead. “Come on, spill it. Who’s got your interest? Keep it hush-hush; just don’t let me catch you sneaking around.”

I shook my head vigorously, clutching my notebook. “No one! I have a boyfriend, remember?”

Her interest seemed to fade as she shrugged and went to get some water.

Everyone knew about my long-distance boyfriend, though I kept things low-key. I’d always said he worked out of town, so we rarely saw each other. It was a convenient excuse.

But now, it’s time to end things with him.

I sneaked a glance at my phone and saw that Ethan had sent me a “Goodnight, baby” in the middle of the night. How shameless!

I quickly typed a message and hit send. [We’re not a match. Let’s delete each other.]

As soon as I sent it, I felt a pang in my heart.

A whole year of daily texts, checking in on each other, gifts for holidays—everything a relationship could offer, except for seeing each other face-to-face or hearing each other’s voice. We shared our daily lives and emotions like any long-distance couple, gradually connecting on a deeper level.

Often, after closing my phone, I’d hug my pillow and imagine what the person I’d been chatting with online was really like. How tall, how heavy, what their eyes, nose, and mouth looked like.

But then, I realized those details didn’t really matter. What I liked was him as a person, the experience of being with him, not his looks or height.

Yet, seeing Ethan in person shattered that illusion.

How could a high-level executive be into online relationships?

I can’t have Ethan as my boyfriend! Absolutely not!