Soon after, the elevator opened. When Emily and Oliver entered the conference room, people were finding their seats, exchanging greetings, and preparing for the meeting ahead. Oliver took a deep breath, relieved that they arrived on time. He greeted the board members warmly, his presence commanding attention, while Emily flashed her professional smile who was behind him. “Good morning, Mr. Chen. How was your trip to Hong Kong the other day?”The old man smiled at him, “It was great. Thanks to you”“Anytime, Mr. Chen”“Good morning, Mr. Sterling” a middle-aged woman chimed in. “You looked even more young, Mrs. Sanders. I heard your daughter will go to Paris?”“Oh yes. I would really love it if you met her once”“We will see about that, Mrs. Sanders”After several greetings, Oliver takes his seat. His demeanor was confident and focused while Emily stood a few meters behind him. The room fell into a hushed silence as the presentation for the new big project. The speaker, accompanied
Emily just adjusted the tie of her hair, then got back to her tasks, focusing on the matters at hand. With Oliver away from his office, she took the opportunity to place his lunch on his desk before heading to the cafeteria for her meal. As she entered the cafeteria, she couldn't shake off the feeling of being observed. The gazes of her colleagues made her increasingly uncomfortable. Spotting Bella and Jayce at a nearby table, Emily seized the chance to escape the uncomfortable attention. Carrying her tray of food, she hurried over to join them. Bella's grin spread across her face, "Emily, oh my goodness, you look amazing without the glasses! It's a whole new vibe, and I'm loving it. Now, I understand why you are being that talk of the workers on the lower floor" Emily sighed frustratedly, "I am? Shit," “Why? That’s not a bad thing” “It is. I never want to be the main character of rumors” Emily grumbled, taking a sip of her juice. “Don't worry, I am sure there is new gossip th
Emily adjusted her jacket and smiled as she admired the final touch of lipstick. Grabbing her bag and keys, she stepped outside, making sure her apartment was securely locked. Dressed in a long brown skirt, and a plain black shirt, complemented by Dr. Marten’s boots and a matching jacket, she prepared to walk towards her car. Suddenly, a luxurious vehicle pulled up, causing her brows to furrow in confusion. It was an Aston Martin car. A car that she doubted would belong to her humble neighborhood. The window of the car smoothly rolled down, revealing her boss—none other than Oliver Sterling. Emily blinked in disbelief. "Mr. Sterling?" she exclaimed. Oliver leaned slightly out of the car, a charming smile gracing his features. "Hey there, Ms. Collins. Need a lift?" She hurriedly walked towards his car, "Sir, what are you doing here?" "I'm here to pick you up," Oliver replied smoothly, "We've got somewhere to be first." "Somewhere? I don't know about any plans...I thought we would
The manager offered her a comforting smile, “We've selected a few ensembles we believe will suit the occasions impeccably." With a hesitant nod, she followed the manager to the fitting area, accompanied by attentive staff carrying an assortment of outfits. As Emily stepped into the first outfit which was a knitted black skirt that only reached the middle of her thighs and dark coffee turtleneck matched with a knitted blazer. The fabric enveloped her figure in ways. She has no say about the design of the clothes she knows are more knowledgeable in the fashion area than hers. Heck, she has a very bad fashion sense and her styling touch only works on Oliver and to herself. "This dress complements your complexion beautifully!," remarked one of the staff members, adjusting the neckline. "Um, excuse me," Emily hesitated, tugging at the hem of the skirt. "I think I'd prefer something a bit longer, more modest maybe?" Lauren offered a gentle smile. "I understand, Ms. Collins. Let's h
She quickly changed back into her plain clothes and glanced at the staffs, “Thank you so much” She hurriedly picked up her bag and stepped outside, searching her bag for her wallet. Seeing Oliver on the counter, she approached him, intending to settle the bill. To her astonishment, as she reached the counter, she discovered Oliver was already tucking his black card back into his wallet, while the staff efficiently packaged their selections into paper bags. "Wait, Sir, I should pay for these," Oliver glanced at her, putting back his wallet in his pants pocket, "No need, Ms. Collins. It's taken care of." Emily's eyes widened in disbelief. "But I can't let you—" "It's fine," Oliver interrupted, "Consider it as a gift” Emily was about to voice her protests again when Oliver turned to Lauren again. "While we're here, can you find me clothes that match what Ms. Collins picked out earlier?" "Absolutely, Mr. Sterling. We'll ensure they complement Ms. Collins' selections." Oliver g
"Wait, pictures? For this arrangement?" Emily repeated, feeling slightly lost. Oliver just nodded. "Yeah, photoshopped images. Jason's a whiz at that stuff," he mentioned, almost as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. "Photoshopped?" Emily couldn't hide her surprise. She was okay with it, but it was certainly not what she had expected. She had imagined they'd stage the pictures through some mock dates or something. Oliver shrugged casually, taking a sip of his drink. "Hey, I didn't realize you were thinking along those lines. Actual dates? That's a bit time-consuming, don't you think?" "Sir," she started, trying to keep a lid on her frustration, "it's just that a little heads-up would have been nice." Taking a deep breath, she resigned herself to the situation. She knew her role as Oliver's secretary often required quick acceptance of unforeseen changes. "Okay, I get it," she replied, masking her emotions with composure. “So, Sir Jason knows about it?” “Yeah, I tol
As Emily entered the guest room, a sense of relief washed over her, and she began removing the accessories and clothes with Stacy's help. Curiosity laced Stacy's voice as she couldn't help but ask, "So, what's the relationship between you and Oliver?" Emily hesitated for a moment. "We're just…uhm… business partners," Seeming a bit confused by the response, Stacy raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Instead, she redirected her focus to assisting Emily in changing her clothes again. A few hours later, with almost all the fake dates on the list completed, they were down to the last one—a classical concert date. Emily let out a tired sigh as she reached the last set of clothes. Plopping onto the bed, she grumbled, "Do I really have to change again? I've lost count of how many outfits I've worn today." Stacy chuckled, "Come on, Ms. Collins, this is the last one,” gently pulling her up from the bed. "Alright. I'm running out of energy," Changing into the black silk dress an
As Jason made his way toward the exit, Oliver accompanied him to see him off in the hallway. "We should catch up sometime, Ollie. You owe me a drink for this and obviously for the edited photos." Oliver grinned, hands in his pants pocket, “Sure thing. Just make sure to give me at least half of the edited photos tomorrow night. My family might ask for some pics to show them. Better safe than sorry. I don't want my effort to go to waste in an instant.” “Well, you've invested in such a messy plan anyway.” “You know why I am doing this.” Jason nodded, less impressed, “Yeah, for Sophie who got you on lists of her last priority” “She has reasons” “A somewhat illogical reason.” Oliver shook his head, knowing that Jason never liked Sophie, even though she tried her best to be polite. "Anyways, thanks for today, man," Oliver said. Jason smirked, “It's not free anyway.” The two did a one-armed embrace, giving each other a friendly pat on the back. Before leaving, Jason added, "And,
As they walked, the trees thinned, revealing a breathtaking sight in the distance – a crystal-clear lake shimmering under the sun. Emily gasped, her surprise pulling her hand away from Oliver's instinctively. Without a word, she broke into a run towards the water's edge.Oliver chuckled, watching her go. He quickened his pace to catch up. "Wait, Emily!"Reaching the shore, Emily stood mesmerized. The gentle breeze ruffled her hair as she gazed at the calm surface of the lake, reflecting the blue sky like a giant mirror.Oliver joined her side, his features softening. "This place brings back a lot of memories,"Emily turned to him. "Memories?""This was my childhood haven. I used to spend hours he
It has been four days since Emily stayed with the Sterling family. And she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. The family made sure that she visited every nook and crook of their estates and even the town. It almost feels like the day was gone too fast.She quietly watched as maids, helpers, and other organizers busied themselves preparing for the party tonight. It was just morning, but the mansion was already a hive of activity. She had been here for four days now, and tonight’s party was the highlight of the week.Despite her initial reservations, Emily had to admit she enjoyed staying with Oliver’s family. They were warm and welcoming, and she found herself feeling at home. She couldn’t ignore the irony—she was supposed to be fake dating Oliver, yet she found herself genuinely liking the experience.
Soon after that day, Emily found herself staring at the horses, their powerful forms and glossy coats gleaming in the sunlight. The Sterling family had planned a horseback riding excursion and that includes her. The air was filled with cheerful chatter and laughter."This is going to be amazing!" chirped a young girl, barely taller than Emily's knees, bouncing on the balls of her feet."I know, right?" A group of teenagers nearby chimed in. "Finally, something fun to do besides listening to Uncle George's snoring!" they joke, erupting in a fit of giggles.An older woman with silver streaks in her hair chuckled good-naturedly. "Don't be so mean to your uncle, dear. He just enjoys his afternoon naps."The
When Emily woke up, she was momentarily disoriented, unsure of where she was. Then the events of the previous day came rushing back. Right, she was in Oliver's family mansion pretending to be his girlfriend. The unfamiliar room around her slowly came into focus, and she sighed, feeling warm and comfortable under the heavy blankets.Snuggling closer, she enjoyed the warmth and the comforting scent surrounding her. It was a mix of something clean and distinctly masculine. But then she felt an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and her eyes snapped open in surprise. She found herself face-to-face with a sleeping Oliver.Her breath caught in her throat as she quickly sat upright, careful not to wake him. Oliver continued to sleep soundly, his arm falling away from her as she moved.“Shit” she mumbled.Emily took a moment to steady her racing heart, her eyes drifting back to Oliver. He looked incredibly handsome in the soft morning light. His sharp jawline was relaxed in sleep, his
After the bonfire, Emily and Oliver made their way back to their room and changed into their sleeping attire. The warmth of the fire still lingered in their bones, but the reality of their situation quickly settled in as they closed the door behind them. They stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, neither quite sure how to proceed.Oliver cleared his throat and offered, "I can take the couch, Ms. Collins. You should take the bed."Emily shook her head, her sense of duty as his secretary kicking in but also noticing that he easily switched the way he called her. "No, Oliver—I mean Sir, you're the one who should take the bed. I’m fine with the couch.""Ms. Collins, I insist. You've been through a lot today, and you deserve to be comfortable.""No, really. It's just a couch. I’ll be fine." Before Oliver could move to the couch, Emily grabbed a pillow and made a dash for it. "Emily, wait!" Oliver called out, reaching for her hand. As he did, Emily accidentally slipped on a piece of
After spending some time in Oliver's room, Emily finally decided to venture downstairs. The house was quiet, the afternoon sun casting warm light through the large windows. After lunch, she and Oliver hadn’t spoken much; he had been called away by his father. She had changed into a simple skirt and a cozy sweater, hoping to feel more comfortable among Oliver's family.She frowned when she didn't see anyone. As she walked through the hallway, she ran into one of Oliver's cousins, a bubbly young woman. Her eyes lit up when she saw Emily. "Emily hey! We're having a bonfire outside. You should join us!"Emily hesitated, unsure if she should intrude on the family gathering. "I don't know. Maybe I should just—"Before she could finish, the woman grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. "Nonsense! You’re practically family now. Come on, it’ll be fun!"Reluctantly, Emily allowed herself to be dragged outside. The cool evening air greeted her as they stepped onto the lawn. She saw a l
Deciding it was time for some socialization, Emily descended the stairs, only to be met with a surprise. The living room was a sea of unfamiliar faces mingling with a few she recognized from previous gatherings. Her gaze instinctively darted around the room, searching for Oliver, but he was nowhere to be found.The sudden silence as she reached the bottom step made Emily acutely aware of all eyes turning towards her. Oliver's mother, Odessa materialized beside her in an instant."You finally come down!" Emily managed a shaky nod, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry, I fell asleep before I knew it""No worries, dear. Jet lag is the worst," Odessa added, before gently ushering her towards the assembled relatives. "Everyone, this is Emily! I want you to meet some of our family who couldn't make it last year. And this is our big family!"Emily scanned the faces, searching for those around her age and Oliver's. A group of children played near a window, their laughter echoing through the room."Hi
As the car rolled down the long driveway, Emily's grip on her bag tightened. Her gaze darted out the window, taking in every detail of the place that felt both familiar and utterly foreign. She couldn't help but admire the grand estate, especially the mansion. The house stood tall with large windows, its exterior constructed from light-colored stone, giving it a stately and classic appearance. The front yard was expansive, stretching out into a well-manicured lawn dotted with flower beds bursting with color. At the far end of the property, a glimpse of the family’s large land came into view, hinting at the vastness of the estate.The car finally came to a halt in front of the grand entrance. Oliver announced, "We're here. Are you ready?" His voice startled Emily from her nervous reverie.She took a deep breath. It's not like she can run back to the city and forget everything that happened. So she forced out, “Um…yeah.”She followed Oliver out of the car. He slipped his phone into his
The black car purred softly to a stop in front of Emily's apartment building. Oliver glanced at his watch, then out the window. Moments later, the door of the building swung shut and Emily emerged. She wore a simple sundress that accentuated her fair and pale skin, her hair pulled back in a loose bun. Large tortoiseshell glasses perched on her nose. However, the two large bags slung over her shoulders – one a backpack, the other a hefty duffel – detracted from the effortless grace she usually carried.Oliver stepped out, his gaze landing on the bags. "Good morning, Ms. Collins," Emily returned with her professional smile, "Hi, Sir. Good morning," she replied, hoisting the bags a little higher on her shoulder. The effort caused her to wobble slightly."Emily, did you pack all of this yourself?" he asked, gesturing to the bags with a raised eyebrow."Yes, I did. I wanted to make sure we had everything we might need for the trip. Oliver was touched by her thoughtfulness. He could tell