Long after they’d said their goodnights and retreated to their separate rooms, a single sentence echoed in Arianna’s ears:

"From now on, Mrs. King's business is the King family's top priority."

Arianna stared at the ceiling. How could he say such a heart-stopping, intimate line with a completely straight face?

She threw her arms wide and collapsed onto the bed, sinking into the plush comforter. She pulled a pillow over her head and lay there, playing dead, waiting for her frantic heartbeat to settle.

While showering, she caught a glimpse of herself in the vanity mirror. Her cheeks were flushed a deep, embarrassed rose—the tell-tale sign of someone who had been utterly charmed. Thank God she’d made a quick escape; Maxwell King hadn't seen her looking this pathetic.

After her shower, she sat by the desk to dry her hair. Her phone, resting on the bed, began to chime incessantly, the notification light blinking like a pulse.

Arianna shot a glance at the screen. Just more chatter in the office Slack. She ignored it and went back to combing through her damp hair. It wasn't until she was done that she finally picked it up, only to find the channel had turned into a total war zone. Several messages were tagged @Arianna.

She scrolled back to the top. It wasn't a work-related task force, but the general company chat. Someone had leaked the list of employees being moved to full-time status.

"Wait, Arianna Stone from the Business Dept??"

"Isn't that batch supposed to wait until next month for their offer letters?"

"The new product launch last week—their team ran a huge promotional campaign, and it went viral. Sales doubled. You know that catchy slogan everyone is using? That came from her copy. It’s a full-blown internet meme now."

"So why only her? What about the rest of them?"

"She was the only new hire in that group. Word is, she wrote the copy herself and handled the entire outreach strategy."

"@Arianna, you're a legend."

"..."

"Kiara Bell from R&D got bumped up early too. You guys are absolute beasts. I'm impressed."

Among the chorus of praise, a familiar avatar popped up.

Diana James: "You’re incredible! No wonder the stars looked so dim tonight—you’re outshining all of them! I just did a little light stalking on your social media, and wow, you’re gorgeous. A total heart-stealer!"

Diana James: "More of this, please!"

Arianna: "..."

Everyone else in the chat: "..."

As she scrolled to the very bottom, an out-of-place message broke the flow. Jenna Lawson, clearly annoyed by the fawning, typed aggressively:

"So, does this mean the ones getting hired are taking us all out to dinner?"

Kiara Bell, R&D: "Why would we do that?"

Jenna Lawson: "No reason, just thought it would be nice to share in the good vibes."

Kiara Bell didn't give her an inch: "Take that up with your own department. I don't even know you; why would I spend my money on you?"

Kiara was notorious for being an ice queen. If she didn't like something, she shredded it. Even the bald manager in R&D wasn't safe from her tongue. The chat went deathly silent. Everyone was watching the collision.

Jenna Lawson: "Don't misunderstand, I was talking about my good friend @Arianna. I forgot to tag her earlier. We’re great friends, so I’m used to joking around. No offense intended!"

Arianna: "..."

A direct message from Diana James hit the top of her phone screen: "Jenna Lawson is really... pathetic when she's trying to save face."

Arianna let out a muffled laugh. In the group chat, Kiara had stopped responding. Jenna, however, kept digging her own grave. Feeling the sting of public rejection, she doubled down, tagging Arianna to force a public display of "friendship."

"Hey @Arianna, when are you treating us? Are you free tomorrow?"

"Come on @Arianna, you pick the place! Let’s have a real celebration!"

Diana James drifted back in with a single, cutting message: "Lol."

Arianna pursed her lips and typed calmly: "I'm sorry, I don't think... we're actually that close."

Jenna Lawson: "..."

Kiara Bell dropped a "facepalm" sticker: "She just got a promotion, not a lottery win. Where on earth are people getting this entitlement to demand a free meal? The audacity is staggering."

A chorus of agreement flooded the chat.

"Seriously. Even if it was a bonus, the person should decide if they want to pay. Begging for a treat like this makes you look like you’re starving."

"Exactly. My last bonus was 500 dollars, and by the time I paid for the group dinner, I was actually in the red. I'd rather have skipped the bonus."

Jenna Lawson stared at the messages, her fingernails digging into her palms until her knuckles turned white. She gripped her phone so hard it shook.

***

The next morning, the thought of seeing her grandmother kept Arianna buzzing with excitement. Maxwell seemed to sense her mood; he was at her door bright and early.

"Arianna, time to wake up," he knocked rhythmically. He preferred her childhood nickname, a sharp contrast to his formal "Mrs. King" comment from the night before. "Let's grab breakfast, then we'll head over to see your grandmother."

Arianna scrambled out of bed and darted into the bathroom.

After breakfast, they stopped at a high-end grocery store to pick up supplements and some of her grandmother’s favorite snacks. Her grandmother had a set of teeth that would put a twenty-year-old to shame—she could bite through anything. She was remarkably trendy for her age and insisted on trying whatever the younger generation was into. She had once dragged Arianna through a night market, force-feeding her spicy street-style calamari, loaded chili fries, and flaming-hot wings. Arianna hadn't been able to stop her.

Arianna stood in the aisle, tossing boxes of mixed nuts into the cart. She headed toward the bulk section to grab some of her grandmother’s favorite roasted peanuts. When she turned back, she found Maxwell pushing the cart toward her.

It was piled high. Several bulky gift boxes were stacked precariously on top, which he was currently steadying with one hand.

Arianna: "..."

Arianna: "Why did you buy so much?"

"The staff recommended them. They said these are excellent for the elderly."

Arianna looked at the haul. She spotted several items that were duplicates of what she had already grabbed. "I already picked up that protein powder. You can put yours back."

Maxwell refused. "What you bought is your gesture; what I bought is mine. They’re not the same thing."

Arianna sighed and let it go.

While they waited in the checkout line, Maxwell remained fixated on his phone, his pale, long fingers gliding over the screen. A moment later, he looked up.

"After we leave, let's head to the second floor. There’s a bakery there. We should pick up some pastries for your grandmother. Most seniors have a sweet tooth."

Her grandmother definitely loved pastries. Arianna hesitated. "Won't they be too sugary?"

"Not a problem."

Maxwell held his phone up to show her the shop’s catalog he’d been scrolling through. "I checked. They have an entire line of sugar-free options."