Marrying a Charming CEO: From Friendship to Love

"There are moments we pray are only dreams... and dreams we wish could become our reality."

The world around me spun like a carousel of lights, music, and laughter-all too fast, all too loud. My thoughts were sluggish, drenched in tequila and heartache, and my limbs felt light, as if they didn't belong to me anymore. Ten shots in, maybe more. I couldn't count. I didn't care.

And yet, I remember the moment I felt myself being lifted-two strong arms wrapping around me, steady and sure, as if they had done it a thousand times before. I let myself sink into them, the scent of cologne and clean cotton grounding me more than anything else that night.

The throb of music softened the further we went, fading into a distant echo behind us. My eyes fluttered open. I tried to focus on the face of the man carrying me, but his mask concealed everything except his mouth-shapely lips, soft and slightly parted. His silence intrigued me. He didn't speak a word, and neither did I.

Maybe that's what made it feel unreal. Like something out of a story.

A part of me thought to lift my own mask-to let him see me. But he made no move to remove his. Maybe that was the agreement: two strangers behind masks, sharing one fleeting moment that didn't need names or explanations.

Because deep down, I knew... once the alcohol faded, regret would settle in like morning fog. But in that moment, the masks made sense. The mystery felt safer than the truth.

He laid me gently on a bed-cool, soft, inviting. As he stood to leave, I reached out, catching his wrist with a quiet desperation.

"Please..." I whispered, my voice trembling. "Don't go. I... I need you."

He hesitated, the warmth of his skin pulsing beneath my fingers.

"You should rest," he said, his voice low and smooth-like honey over silk.

Tears burned behind my eyes. "Please," I pleaded again, this time pulling him down to me. "Just stay. Help me forget... just for tonight."

"You'll regret this in the morning," he murmured, his voice brushing against my ear, breath warm.

I shook my head. "No, I won't. I just... I don't want to be alone tonight."

He looked at me then-really looked. Even through the mask, I could feel the intensity of his gaze. And then, slowly, he leaned in and kissed me.

Time stopped.

It wasn't hurried. It wasn't wild.

It was slow and full-like a promise. Like he wasn't just kissing me, but unraveling every piece of me I'd tried to hide.

And I let it happen.

I gave in to the moment-the heat of his body against mine, the way his hands moved like he knew exactly where to touch and how to hold. I wanted to lose myself. To surrender everything I'd been holding onto for too long.

And I did.

That night, in the arms of a masked stranger, I let go of the pain, the memories, the expectations. I gave him my first time. My vulnerability, my body, and I didn't even know his name.

A sharp ray of sunlight sliced through my eyelids, yanking me from sleep.

"Who the hell opened the curtains?" I groaned, covering my face with the back of my hand. My head throbbed like a drumbeat, and my mouth felt dry as paper.

Where... am I?

I sat up slowly, the events of the night before rushing back in broken pieces. I blinked, adjusting to the light-and saw the door closing quietly.

I caught just a glimpse of his back. Then he was gone.

"No... no no no," I whispered, panic rising in my throat.

I looked down.

Naked.

The duvet clung to my body, suddenly suffocating. I pulled it tighter around me and forced myself to my feet, rushing to the hallway.

He wasn't there. No footsteps. No trace.

I was alone.

And I was still wearing the mask.

The same one I wore into the bar last night.

The irony stung-he hadn't cared to see my face. Just my body. Just the part of me I had protected for so long.

With trembling hands, I walked back into the room and sat on the bed, pulling my knees to my chest beneath the blanket.

What did you do, Evelyn?

You weren't supposed to give yourself away like that... not to someone you don't even know. Not like that.

Tears burned their way down my cheeks. I tried to hold them back, but they came anyway-hot and heavy, carrying regret and shame with them.

I stood again, stumbling into the bathroom, and turned on the shower.

Under the steaming water, I cried harder than I had in years. The water couldn't wash away the memory of his hands, his mouth, the way he looked at me like I was something delicate. Something worth holding.

But then he left.

He was gone, and I didn't even know his name.

Back in the room, I wrapped myself in a towel and stopped at the mirror. My reflection looked like a stranger hair wet and tangled, eyes red from crying. I traced the faint marks on my collarbone with my fingertips.

His marks.

Proof it wasn't a dream.

I looked to the bed where the mask now rested. I picked it up gently, brushing my fingers over the soft blue feather along its side.

There were supposed to be three.

Now there were only two.

Just like me-something missing.

The sudden sound of my phone ringing cut through the silence. I flinched and dug under the bed until I found it. The screen lit up with a name I hadn't seen since yesterday.

Nathaniel, My ex. The reason I drank too much. The reason I wanted to forget.

My stomach twisted.

I didn't want to answer. But I did.

Clearing my throat, I held the phone to my ear.

"Hey babe, where are you?" Nathaniel's voice came through, casual and sweet.

But I wasn't the same Evelyn anymore.

Not after last night.

Evelyn's Apartment – Early Morning

The stillness of the morning was interrupted by the harsh buzz of my phone, splitting the silence like a blade. I stared at the screen for a long second, already knowing who was calling before I even touched it.

Nathaniel, With a sigh, I answered.

"Evelyn, where the hell are you?" His voice was curt, clipped-already impatient.

I rubbed my temple, exhaustion thick in my voice. "At home. Why?"

"Don't lie to me." His tone dipped lower, colder. "I'm standing in your apartment right now. You're not here."

I rolled my eyes, biting down the irritation that instantly bubbled to the surface. "Maybe I stepped out for a run. Ever consider that?"

"At this hour?" He let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You're going to be late for work."

I glanced at my bare wrist. "I didn't realize time mattered when I'm off the clock. I didn't wear my watch."

"You lost it?" The chill in his voice made me wince. "That was a custom Cartier, Evelyn. Do you even value anything I give you?"

I clenched my jaw. "Maybe I value what comes with meaning, not just a price tag." And without waiting for his rebuttal, I hung up.

The watch-his latest grand gesture-was already buried deep in the kitchen trash. A symbol of his love, now rotting with yesterday's leftovers. Just like everything else he claimed to care about.

The phone buzzed again, persistent and unwelcome. I pressed it to silent, not giving him another second of my peace.

And just as I turned to leave the room, a notification flashed on the screen. Just one message.

But it was enough.

I stared, breath stilled in my throat. My skin prickled, a strange shiver passing through me.

I blinked. Once. Twice.

No... it can't be.

I pinched my arm, expecting the fog of a dream to lift-but the pain was sharp, and the message was still there.

Last night, I had begged the universe to let everything be a dream.

But now?

I hoped to God it wasn't.

Outside Emma's Office – Late Morning

I stood outside the office door, half-hidden in the corridor. The door wasn't shut all the way-just open enough to betray its secrets.

And then I heard his voice.

Smooth. Familiar. Cruel now, in a way it had never sounded before.

"Emma, when are you going to let Evelyn go? I'm tired of pretending."

My breath caught, and my hand trembled slightly around the envelope I clutched-my resignation letter.

My Nathaniel. The same man who once promised to grow old with me, to build a future filled with laughter and lazy Sunday mornings.

Now, he was whispering another woman's name.

Emma.

I swallowed hard, pressing my body closer to the wall like a ghost. Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here. Not for him.

"Patience, darling," Emma cooed. Her voice was like silk, soaked in poison. "We still need her. The Kensington deal isn't finished yet. And she's the best on the team."

"And after that?" Nathaniel's voice dipped, closer, more intimate.

"Then you can drop to one knee and propose to me right in front of her," she purred, clearly pleased with her own cruelty. "Let her walk out quietly, with her pride intact. No confrontation. No fuss. Just... gone."

A slow beat of silence. Then Nathaniel's chuckle.

"You're wicked."

"And you adore it," Emma replied, her tone rich with satisfaction.

My knees weakened. My fingers curled so tightly around the letter they crumpled the edges.

Two years. Two years of dreams whispered into pillows, of promises, of pretending he saw me.

It had all been a lie.

I should've turned and walked away.

But fate-cruel and theatrical-had different plans.

The door creaked.

And in one humiliating moment, my foot caught on the uneven carpet and I stumbled forward-spilling through the door like a forgotten secret.

Falling at their feet.

Freaking out in disgust, I leaned closer to the door, but just as I was trying to gather myself, the door swung open wide, and I fell hard to the floor.

In embarrassment, I quickly raised my head, only to see Emma sitting on Nathaniel's lap. Both of them froze, their eyes locked on mine. After a brief, tense moment, Emma jumped off his lap in panic.

Both of their faces flushed with embarrassment, and Nathaniel hurriedly stood up from his chair. Luckily, they seemed more embarrassed than I was.

I struggled to my feet, my voice trembling as I stammered, "Um... I... I am sorry."

Suddenly, a voice inside me screamed in frustration. What the hell, Evelyn? Why are you apologizing? It's them who are betraying you! They should be the ones apologizing, not you!

"Um, yes... uh..." I cleared my throat, trying to steady myself.

"Evelyn..." Nathaniel marched toward me without any shame, as if nothing had happened. Standing beside me, he tried to play it off, saying, "Emma and I were just discussing the upcoming event with..."

I glanced at him, my eyes wide. "Emma?"

"Oh! I mean ma'am..." He quickly looked away, avoiding my gaze.

"Yeah, and I was about to call you. You know the details better than we do," Emma added, trying to mask her unease.

I was fed up with their lies. What amazed me most was that they never seemed to tire of telling one after another.

"Event?" I said, my voice cold. "But Nathaniel was the one who took all the details from my desk before I even had a chance to glance at the company's name, so I could do my research and prepare."

What are you waiting for, Evelyn? Just throw that resignation letter in her face and walk away! The voice in my head urged me on.

I glanced down and noticed my hands were empty.

Where is the letter?

"Are you alright?" Emma asked, her voice laced with feigned concern.

I didn't answer, just kept searching the floor frantically.

Ah, there it is!

My heart raced in relief as I spotted the letter lying near the door. I picked it up and blew off the dust, quickly unfolding it. Luckily, it was still in good condition.

I moved toward Emma's desk, trying to calm my nerves. Nathaniel was still distracted, rummaging through some files and muttering to himself.

I placed the letter carefully on top of the file he was looking through and looked at Emma. "Ma'am, it's for you..."

"What's this?" she asked, clearly startled as she picked up the letter.

As she started to unfold it, I calmly added, "It's my resignation letter, ma'am..."

"What?" they both gasped in unison, their faces blank with shock. Seeing their stunned expressions was almost too satisfying.

"I'm leaving this company."

"But why?" Emma asked, glancing away as though she already knew the answer but still wanted to hear it from me.

"You're asking me why?" I said, my voice steady but biting. "You should be asking yourself that."

Before I could say more, Nathaniel interrupted, his voice filled with false concern. "How can you just abandon our company like this, Evelyn? Why are you being so irresponsible?"

I folded my arms across my chest, standing tall. "First of all, Nathaniel, this is not my company. Second, I know how responsible or irresponsible I am, and I don't need you to lecture me. Third, I have the full right to leave whenever I want."

Emma shook her head, a hint of panic in her eyes. "No... I'm not approving this. You're not leaving until we're done with the upcoming event. It's just around the corner, Evelyn, you can't do this."

I snickered, covering my mouth. "Oh, I see. You want me to wait until you kick me out of this company. No thanks."

Their faces, which had just returned to normal, turned a deep shade of red once more. They exchanged uncomfortable glances, and I couldn't help but enjoy their discomfort.

"You... heard..." Emma stammered, her voice wavering.

"Yeah, every word. And not just today," I shot Nathaniel a pointed glare. "I've known what's been going on behind my back for days now."

Nathaniel quickly closed the distance between us, grabbing my arms as he tried to calm me down. "It's not what you think, Evelyn. You're just overreacting. It's all a misunderstanding."

I shoved his hand away, no longer caring for his empty words. "Stop it, Nathaniel. I've had enough. I'm done buying your lies."

"Stop being unreasonable," he said, grabbing my wrist and trying to pull me toward the door. "Let's go outside and talk."

"Why outside?" I yanked my hand free. "Oh, are you worried Emma might hear your little 'misunderstandings' about me? Come on, you're so obsessed with her, aren't you? Why can't you just admit it?"

"Evelyn, stop talking nonsense," he said, his eyes wide, his expression a mix of anger and frustration.

I stepped closer to him, my voice low and cutting. "Nonsense? Really? You're kissing your boss behind your girlfriend's back and still promising me you'll stay loyal? Tell me, Nathaniel, what should I call that if not nonsense?"

"I..." He gulped, clearly unable to look me in the eye.

"Tell me, Nathaniel, what did I lack? Was it because she's rich and has more experience with men than I do?"

Suddenly, a sharp slap landed across my cheek.

"Stop it!" Nathaniel yelled, his face twisted in rage. "You don't have the right to say such things about her."

I held my cheek, the sting of the slap burning, but I didn't flinch. "Why not? Are you incapable of hearing the truth? Don't you know she's had three boyfriends at the same time in the past? Doesn't it make you wonder if she's seeing someone else while she's with you? Do you really think betraying me will lead to true love in your life? Don't forget, Nathaniel, what goes around comes around."

"Stop it!" he shouted, raising his hand again, ready to strike.

This time, I grabbed his wrist before it could land, my grip firm.

I shoved his hand away and slapped him across the face, my voice steady as I said, "I am not your slave to take all your violence."

With one last shove, I turned to leave, but Nathaniel charged at me, his fury palpable. I prepared myself to face him. Even though I knew he was stronger than me, I wasn't going to back down.