“I Needed a Fake Girlfriend for the Office Party,” the CEO Muttered—Then She Slid Me a Note That Said “Pick Me”
Chapter 7
The old acquisition server was stored in a secure room beneath the company’s headquarters.
Only six executives had access.
Ethan used his credentials.
The door opened.
Lena followed.
They searched through archived records.
After forty minutes, Lena noticed something.
“Stop.”
Ethan looked at her.
She pointed at the screen.
“This file.”
“What about it?”
“The timestamp.”
He examined it.
The altered projections had been created before she had even finished the original report.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Exactly.”
Lena opened the metadata.
The file had been copied from another workstation.
Not hers.
Ethan called security.
“Trace the workstation.”
The answer came minutes later.
It belonged to Richard Hale.
But Richard wasn’t working alone.
Another name appeared.
Vanessa Hall.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Lena looked at him.
“Your ex.”
He nodded.
“Why would she do this?”
“I don’t know.”
They returned upstairs.
Security intercepted Richard before he could leave the building.
Vanessa was found waiting in the parking garage.
The evidence was overwhelming.
They had created false records to make it appear that Lena had manipulated the acquisition.
Their goal was to force Ethan into removing her.
Then they planned to use the scandal to challenge Ethan’s leadership.
But there was one more problem.
The board had already received a motion calling for Ethan’s removal.
The emergency meeting was scheduled for the following morning.
Ethan spent the night preparing.
Lena wanted to help.
“You should go home.”
“No.”
“It’s almost five.”
“I can work.”
“You don’t have to prove anything.”
She looked at him.
“Neither do you.”
He smiled.
“You’re stubborn.”
“You noticed.”
At sunrise, they sat in the empty executive lounge.
Two cups of coffee.
No cameras.
No employees.
No pretending.
Lena looked exhausted.
“So…”
“So?”
“What happens after this?”
Ethan knew what she meant.
The fake relationship.
The note.
The party.
Everything.
He looked at her.
“I don’t want this to end.”
She swallowed.
“Neither do I.”
“But I don’t want you staying because you feel obligated.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“I chose you before you even knew what you wanted.”
Ethan laughed.
“That note.”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you write it?”
Lena looked down.
“Because I had liked you for months.”
He stared.
“What?”
“You never noticed.”
“I noticed you.”
“Not the way I wanted.”
He smiled.
“I’m sorry.”
She shook her head.
“It’s okay.”
He reached for her hand.
“I notice now.”
Their fingers intertwined.
Neither spoke.
Then the boardroom doors opened.
Claire appeared.
“It’s time.”
Ethan stood.
He looked at Lena.
“Ready?”
She nodded.
“Let’s go.”
This time, they walked into the boardroom together.
Not as CEO and fake girlfriend.
But as partners.
