Eve fell on her bottom.
Pain shot up her spine. Her legs laid askewed on the floor. She blinked her eyes several times, gathering her thoughts. The door stayed open before her. The beam of light beamed down at her startled expression.
It seemed to mock her.
“... then, I’ll send you the website and instructions tomorrow…”
Those words broke Eve out of her reverie. She scrambled to get away. Light footsteps served as her countdown. She turned on her side, pushing herself up. She sprinted for her desk. For a moment, she wondered if she could duck and roll like in action movies.
Then, she dropped the idea.
Eve reached her chair just before Avery walked out. Her eyes widened at her desk’s mess. She sneaked a glance at the madam. While Mrs. Hathaway was turned away, she arranged her pen holder. She made sure to be discreet.
Once the pens were all in, she peeled her hands away. She searched for a good arm position. The one that seemed the most natural. She settled for her hands clasped together on the desk.
Then, she tapped on her keyboard, pretending to check on something. Her eyes flickered back to the door as if she just noticed its movement.
‘Smooth, Eve. Real smooth,’ her inner voice remarked.
Avery closed the door gently. She shifted in place, spinning on her heel. She faced Eve who raised her eyebrows. She replied with a neutral expression.
“Is this door soundproof?”
The blood drained from Eve’s face. Her mouth opened but nothing came out. Did she get caught? She didn’t mean to eavesdrop. She hadn’t expected to hear about a deal. That topic of conversation had occurred several times before.
She even heard it in passing whenever they met the madam outside of the office.
“Ye-yes?” Eve stammered. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face. She clutched her hands tightly, almost breaking her fingers from the grip. Numerous excuses raced in her mind.
Her heart hammered in her chest.
“Good.” Avery nodded. She walked a few paces, then stopped. She pulled her feet apart. Raising her chin up, she glared at the ceiling.
Eve jumped in her seat when the first syllable reached her ears.
“AAAAAHHH…!!! That STUPID son of a BASTARD!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. The veins in her neck bulged. “How could such a person come out of my womb?! That-that-THAT COCKROACH has no romantic bone in his body! Why…! When his father and I first met, it was love at first sight! How did genetics fail to pass down that hopeless romantic trait?”
She wiped her face with both hands. They pressed down on her facial muscles. A dull ache stung her cheeks. Her voice turned into a whimper. “I always wanted a daughter. The only person who could give me one is uncooperative. Is this the suffering for my past sins?”
Avery dropped her hands on her sides. She shut her eyes and shook her head. This wasn’t a time to vent. She had 48 hours to establish the website. That part was the easiest. It was the list of girls she worried about.
‘The right woman,’ she repeated in her mind, massaging her left temple. How does a person become the right partner? Avery knew her son would most likely not fall in love with any of the girls—but, deep in her chest, she couldn’t help but hope.
‘The right woman,’ she repeated again. ‘The right woman could change the wheel of fate.’
The only question left was how to find that woman.
Avery heaved a sigh, opening her eyes. She stared off into space. She became trapped in her own world. Words swirled over her head as she created and scrapped ideas.
“Hey, Eve,” she called out without sparing a glance.
“Yes, Mrs. Hathaway?” Eve responded. She rose to her feet and pressed her hands on her abdomen. Her previous tension had faded. The yells from the madam had eliminated her worries.
She was off the hook from eavesdropping.
“Do you happen to know what kind of woman my son likes?” Avery asked.
Eve cleared her throat. “Uh…”
She recalled her boss’ patterns.
Ambryan wasn’t the type to mingle unless necessary. Most of his dates left to boast about their affiliation while he talked with business partners. The only times they spent together was when they arrive and when they leave.
Every time he picked a break-up present, it would be the latest jewelry piece in the market.
The first round of gifts usually came up from research.
Eve came to a conclusion. She gave Avery a sad smile despite how the latter couldn’t see it. “I’m afraid I don’t have an answer to that, Mrs. Hathaway. Not once did the boss give any woman more attention than others.”
“Really?” The madam muttered. She closed her eyes for a second. Sadness drooped down her expression. “I shouldn’t have much hope then.”
The sight tugged on Eve’s heartstrings. Avery Hathaway was a woman that oozed confidence. Most celebrities reserved their smiles for the cameras but not her. When she was the top A-list actress, genuine happiness glowed in her face. It seemed that nothing could bring her down.
Thus, it broke Eve to see her this way.
“I’m truly sorry, Mrs. Hathaway,” she said, pressing her lips together. She willed herself not to approach Avery. “Your son not once gave a thought about those women. Every gift was calculated from information I dugged up. He wanted to be fair and made sure they all received the same treatment. The only time he ever broke out of character was when one of them tried to force feed him with a forkful of spaghetti.”
“He hates tomatoes.”
“He hates tomatoes.”
Eve held back a snort. Who hated tomatoes? The fruit had contributed to a variety of savory dishes. A pizza wouldn’t be a pizza without its sauce. The combination of cheese and tomato sauce was simply divine.
Her boss was delusional if he couldn’t see that.
Avery chuckled at their synchronization. That was enough to flutter Eve’s heart. The sense of accomplishment crawled over her skin. It tickled the side of her neck.
It was a good feeling.
“It’s been five years since you’ve been working for him, right?” Avery thought out loud. Other than home visits from Ambryan, she always saw his secretary with him. Not everyone noticed Eve right away but she did.
“Yes, that is correct.” Eve nodded.
Avery tilted her head to one side. She admired the secretary’s angelic face. Round brown eyes that reflected a pure heart. Those were her first thoughts when she met Eve. “Yan doesn’t like sugar with his tea.”
At this, Eve nodded again. “Black tea is the priority. If there is none, it would be green tea.”
“Right…” The madam narrowed her eyes. She walked over to Eve’s desk, taking her time. “He also doesn’t like to wear red.”
Eve laughed. A faint memory played in her mind. She recalled the first time she sent his preference for gifts. Since then, she had a template email ready. It was scheduled to be sent on a certain day before celebrations rolled in.
“He only wears three colors: blue, white and black.” She giggled. That list still sounded ridiculous to her. It was long and intricate. The amount of details had her wondering about the incidents behind them.
“Except for socks,” Avery added. “They’re always black.”
“They also have to reach above the ankles,” Eve finished. She shook her head slightly. “Other than his hands, his neck and his head, the rest should be covered in clothing. He explained that it’s the aesthetic a professional should wear.”
After she heard it, she arrived the next day with the proper outfit. It was the first time she had surprised him. She followed his descriptions down to the T. She felt uncomfortable in certain spots but she could get used to it.
Then, it was her who became more surprised.
‴
“You look ridiculous,” he told her five years ago.
Eve scowled. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t follow someone’s sense of style blindly. That was merely my opinion. There aren’t written rules to be obeyed in fashion. Everyone has the freedom of expression. If there is a code, wear what you find comfortable in it. Don’t force yourself.”
‴
If Eve remembered correctly, that was the first time she truly admired him. He never mixed his own personal beliefs with work. She took upon herself to practice it as well. Most women wanted to date.
For her, she wanted to be like him.
Avery watched as the secretary retreated to her own world. She used the opportunity and assessed Eve’s stature. The suit didn’t do her justice. She had curves that couldn’t be seen unless through a keen eye.
“Eve.”
“Yes, Mrs. Hathaway?” Eve replied, recovering from her daze. A pale tint of pink colored her ears. She had done her bad habit again—withdrawing from reality. Memory lane always knew how to bait her.
She bit her bottom lip and bowed her head. She waited for the scolding.
…
…
…
…
It didn’t come.
Instead, a small smile stretched on Avery’s lips.
“How would you like to have the chance to date my son?”
ns 15.158.61.20da2
