I Accidentally Got Auctioned for a Date… My CEO Just Bid $5,000 to Keep Me
Chapter 2
By Monday, everyone at Hartwell Technologies knew.
Not officially.
But corporate gossip traveled faster than email.
Sophie entered the office at eight fifteen.
Three people smiled at her.
One winked.
Another whispered something to a coworker.
Sophie sighed.
She sat at her desk.
Rachel appeared.
“I can’t believe you’re going on a date with the CEO.”
“I’m not.”
Rachel stared.
“You were literally auctioned to him.”
“He donated five thousand dollars.”
“For dinner with you.”
“It’s a charity event.”
Rachel smiled.
“You’re blushing.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Sophie covered her face.
“This is a nightmare.”
Rachel laughed.
Then the elevator doors opened.
Alexander stepped out.
The office went silent.
He walked directly toward Sophie.
Her heart started beating faster.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Mr. Hart.”
He smiled.
“Alexander.”
She looked around.
“At work, Mr. Hart.”
He nodded.
“Fair.”
He handed her a folder.
“Board meeting moved to Thursday.”
“Okay.”
“And Sophie?”
She looked up.
“Yes?”
“Friday still works.”
She froze.
He walked away.
Rachel appeared beside her.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That wasn’t nothing.”
Sophie stared at the folder.
It was difficult to focus.
She reminded herself of one important thing.
Alexander was her employer.
Nothing could happen while there was a reporting relationship.
She decided the date should be purely charitable.
A one-time dinner.
Nothing more.
Friday arrived.
Sophie dressed simply.
Black dress.
Small earrings.
No dramatic styling.
Alexander arrived at the restaurant five minutes late.
He apologized.
“Traffic.”
“It’s okay.”
They sat.
The waiter brought menus.
For several minutes, they talked about the charity.
Then Sophie realized something.
Alexander was nervous.
She had never seen him nervous.
“Are you okay?”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
“You seem…”
“Different?”
“Yes.”
He laughed.
“Maybe because you’re not sitting across from me with a laptop.”
Sophie smiled.
“That’s true.”
They ordered.
Conversation became easier.
Alexander asked about her childhood.
Sophie told him about growing up with her grandmother after her mother died.
He told her about his father.
About inheriting the company.
About the pressure of being responsible for thousands of employees.
She realized the man in front of her was different from the CEO she knew.
He was tired.
Funny.
Thoughtful.
Lonely.
At dessert, he asked:
“Do you know why I bid?”
She froze.
“I assumed charity.”
“Partly.”
“What’s the other part?”
He looked at her.
“I had seen you helping everyone all night.”
She frowned.
“That’s your reason?”
“You fixed the projection system.”
“You calmed the catering manager.”
“You found the missing auction certificates.”
“You never asked for credit.”
He smiled.
“I like people who make things work.”
Sophie looked down.
“You could have just said thank you.”
“Would you have believed me?”
She smiled.
“Probably.”
He laughed.
The evening ended.
He walked her to her car.
“Thank you for coming.”
“Thank you for bidding.”
He smiled.
“That’s an expensive thank you.”
She laughed.
“Five thousand dollars.”
“I’ve spent more on worse decisions.”
She looked at him.
“Was this one a bad decision?”
He paused.
“No.”
Her heart skipped.
“Goodnight, Alexander.”
“Goodnight, Sophie.”
She drove home smiling.
But Monday came.
And with it came a problem.
The company’s chief financial officer noticed their dinner had happened.
He warned Alexander:
“People will talk.”
Alexander knew.
He decided the relationship could not continue casually.
Either they ended it…
Or they changed the reporting structure.
Because no amount of attraction was worth risking Sophie’s career.
He called her into his office.
“Sophie, we need to talk.”
She sat.
Her heart dropped.
“I’ve decided to move you out of my direct reporting line.”
She stared.
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because Friday wasn’t just a charity event for me.”
Silence.
“It was a date.”
Sophie didn’t know how to respond.
Then Alexander added:
“And I want to know whether you’d like another one.”
