Chapter 3: The First Failed Blind Date

At lunch, Seraphina Arden swiped her card to enter the cafeteria. It was self-service, offering a variety of dishes. If you didn’t eat, the leftover meal allowance would be refunded with your paycheck at the end of the month.

Ever since she became Mr. Everhart’s secretary, Seraphina suddenly gained a lot of “friends.” Everyone warmly called her by her first name, and some even brought her small gifts. Seraphina rarely accepted any.

Her father had always warned her, “Stay away from people who give gifts without reason. They always want something in return, and it’s never good.”

Despite her cheerful demeanor, Seraphina maintained an unspoken distance from everyone.

Seraphina loved food and feared being hungry. Every meal, she piled her plate high, determined to eat her fill. She couldn’t relate to her bird-like female colleagues who seemed to survive on a few bites.

Meanwhile, Leon Everhart and his team managers always worked through lunch, huddled together at their corner of the cafeteria. Seraphina, on the other hand, stayed far away, fully focused on her meal.

There wasn’t any of the office drama you’d see in TV shows—or at least none that surfaced publicly. No one ever called her a glutton or an airhead to her face. What they said behind her back? She couldn’t care less.

All that mattered was finishing her meal; she needed the energy to get through the afternoon. Without it, even walking felt like a chore.

Curious about Mr. Everhart’s personal life? Plenty of people were, and they often tried to get Seraphina to spill the beans. Her answer was always the same:

"I just follow Mr. Everhart to and from work. I have no idea about his personal life.”

A man in his thirties without a girlfriend? Highly unlikely. But Seraphina wasn’t about to speculate. She found it odd that so many beautiful women in the office were interested in him. Other than his money, what was so appealing about a man who treated his girlfriend like she didn’t exist? In public, they might as well have been strangers.

Leon Everhart was like a robot—cold and emotionless.

Seraphina followed her parents’ advice: work hard, make money, eat well, and mind her own business. Gossip? Never.

At 3:30 PM, Benjamin, the head of the fifth project division, was scheduled to meet Mr. Everhart. But by 3:00, Benjamin was unreachable. His phone was off, and he hadn’t come upstairs. Seraphina went to find him.

When she arrived at the fifth project division’s office, Benjamin was in the middle of cursing out an employee. His words were vulgar and harsh.

Seraphina waited at the side, catching his attention in a pause. In a calm voice, she said, “Mr. Benjamin, it’s 3:30. Mr. Everhart is expecting you. Are you ready to head up?”

Seeing her, Benjamin’s demeanor shifted instantly. His angry face turned into a smile as if flipping a switch.

“Seraphina! I’m ready! I’ll head up now.”

Seraphina rarely dealt with arguments. Her former boss, James, had seldom yelled at her. When she started working for Leon Everhart, she occasionally got reprimanded by both him and Sophia. But no matter what they said, Seraphina only nodded and replied, “Got it. I’ll fix it next time.”

She never argued or got upset. Everything was resolved with a simple, “Okay, I understand.”

Sophia once remarked, “Seraphina, you have the best temperament.”

Seraphina thought to herself, “I’m just here to work and make money, not to fight anyone. Why get angry? Besides, no problem in life can’t be solved with a good meal—or two, or three…”

Back in college, a few boys had pursued her. None of those flings ever made it past the starting line.

Most young guys were drawn to lively, charming, and radiant girls—basically the complete opposite of Seraphina. She was chubby, quiet, and had no clue how to flirt or play coy.

One boy told her he liked her, and she agreed to give it a shot. They went on one date, where she ordered just a cup of milk tea. Midway through, the boy said, “Seraphina, you should eat less. You’re too fat. It’s not attractive. You should save your food money and spend it on clothes. As my girlfriend, you need to look presentable when we’re out together.”

His words annoyed her.

"You’re short and dark-skinned. Why should I lose weight to please you? You clearly don’t like me; you’re just putting up with me. My mom is also chubby, and my dad’s never said anything like that to her!”

The boy stormed off, leaving her behind.

No big deal. Seraphina shrugged it off, grabbed a snack, and went home, full and content.

And just like that, her “relationship” ended without so much as a goodbye.

The boy later badmouthed her to others, saying she was just a glutton without a brain who’d never find a husband.

Her parents, however, reassured her. “Who cares? If you never get married, we’ll take care of you forever. You’ll always be our treasure.”

With their support, she quickly moved on.

After graduation, she joined TerraVantage Group, earning a decent salary. Her busy schedule left no time for dating. But as the year-end approached, her parents arranged a blind date.

Seraphina, unbothered, replied, “Sure.”

That weekend, despite being bone-tired from work—and even roped into overtime by Leon Everhart—she reluctantly dressed up for the date.

Typically, she wore white shirts, black slacks, and flats. Today, she opted for a dress: cream on top, black on the bottom, with a wool coat and mid-heeled loafers.

But as she looked in the mirror before leaving, doubt crept in. In a world of size zeros, her XXL dress fit snugly, especially around the arms. No matter how she turned, she still looked bulky.

At work, both Sophia and Leon noticed her outfit. Sophia teased, “Seraphina, are you going on a date?”

Following her mother’s advice not to share such details, Seraphina smiled and replied, “No, just attending a wedding dinner.”

The blind date took place at a modest café outside a mall. The man, Noah, had arrived early and ordered coffee for her. The moment he saw her, disdain flashed across his face.

Seraphina noticed immediately. She said, “How much was the coffee? I’ll pay for mine.”

“Five bucks,” he replied.

She handed him the money and said, “I can tell I’m not your type. When you speak to the matchmaker, just don’t badmouth me. I’ll tell my mom you’re great, but I’m not good enough for you.”

Her candidness surprised him.

“Why don’t you stay a while?” he offered.

“You’ll find someone better,” she said, then left.

To unwind, Seraphina bought milk tea, headed to the arcade, and played her heart out. By the end, she had a few stuffed toys to show for her efforts. Hugging them tightly, she drove home in her Corolla, utterly satisfied.

Meanwhile, Noah—27, 6'2", a graduate from a prestigious university, and a designer at an architectural firm—watched her from afar. He was only there to appease his mom, as his long-term girlfriend had dumped him over a fight about their pets.

Seeing Seraphina’s carefree joy in the arcade after the failed date gave him pause. For a brief moment, he considered her differently. But as he sighed and walked away, he thought, “Too bad she’s just not my type.”