"Your 18th birthday gift."

He said, "Happy birthday, Amy Landers."

Then I realized he hadn't just flown across an ocean for grilled cheese.

Because that day was also my eighteenth birthday.

When I applied for jobs after graduation, Harrison Enterprises was the first one I crossed off my list.

Even though he promised me an incredible package with all the perks.

But honestly, who in their right mind would want him as their boss?

I even went and interviewed at one of his rival companies, smugly telling him we'd be competitors now, may the best business win.

He just chuckled over the phone.

Said I was naive and cute.

I didn't get what he meant at the time.

Until a week after starting my job, before I'd even finished orientation, we got the announcement.

My new company had been acquired.

...

New CEO: Jake Harrison.

—

Late for work, caught an uber with my boss as the driver, and lost my perfect attendance bonus.

You'd think growing up in the same class as a billionaire's son meant I was loaded too?

Reality check: I'm broke as hell.

When I turned eighteen, my dad kicked me out.

If there's one thing Jake had that totally crushed me, it was his money moves.

Especially when he smiled sweetly while telling me I'd lost my attendance bonus.

"Come on, Mr. Harrison, we can talk about this..."

Of course I wasn't going to give up - it was the end of the month, and I'd worked so hard to be on time every single day.

"I'll do anything..."

He raised an eyebrow, his interest clearly piqued.

Leaning against the steering wheel of his Rolls-Royce, under that starlit roof, his smile turned playful.

"How about you cook dinner for me?"

—

Rich people must be insane.

I warned Jake to lower his expectations - I rarely cook. He just nodded.

Mr. CEO said he'd pay for everything.

So I went all out: lobster, king crab, you name it.

He just leaned on the shopping cart, resting his chin on his hands, lazily watching me spend his money.

Whatever - emptying the whole store probably wouldn't even make a dent in his trust fund.

After raiding the seafood section, I politely asked if he needed anything else.

He was scrolling through his phone, barely paying attention.

"Hmm, need those."

"Need what?"

I didn't catch his meaning until he finally looked up, with that infuriatingly mysterious smile.

Then we ended up in a very specific aisle.

He tossed two boxes of contraceptives into the cart.

I laughed.

"You've never even dated anyone. What do you need these for?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"How are you so sure I don't have a girlfriend?"

...

Please. I knew this guy inside out.

We'd known each other for over a decade - if he'd had some epic romance, I would've known. No way he could've kept that secret.

The truth was, at twenty-seven, he was still pure.

"If you actually have a girlfriend, I'll eat these boxes whole."

"Is that so?"

He smiled, his voice lifting with that familiar teasing tone.

—

Only someone with my chaotic genius would pair instant ramen with Australian lobster.

By the time I set the food on the table, he'd already called someone to bring up two cases of beer.

"You think I can drink that much?" I stared at him.

"Oh?"

He sat at the table, flipping the bottle opener like a pro.

"Bet you can't keep up with me."

He knew exactly how to push my buttons, and I fell for it every time.

I should've known better, but pride won out. I grabbed the opener and popped a bottle, watching the amber liquid fill my glass.

So our fancy instant ramen and lobster feast turned into a drinking party.

We drank from sunset's golden glow into the star-filled night.

Until my vision started blurring and my head wouldn't stop spinning.

I slammed my beer bottle on the table and grabbed his collar from across the table.

"What happened to... all that big talk? Can't hang anymore?"

He was already slumped over the table.

Just his red-tipped ears visible, his collar mysteriously unbuttoned and messy. My eyes wandered from his collarbone downward.

And froze.

He suddenly grabbed my wrist.

Jake's eyes were always clear and bright.

How to describe him? Like a fox - well-behaved yet mischievous, always plotting something in that clever head of his. He could be sneaky.

Right now, he was a drunk fox.

His eyes locked onto mine, grip tight around my wrist, his voice carrying a slight nasal tone from the alcohol.

"Amy, what am I going to do with you?"

"What?"

I leaned in closer, genuinely confused by what he meant. There was still some space between us, but suddenly he closed the gap.

His hot breath hit my ear, and I felt like if we got any closer...

My heart skipped a beat.

He was the one who challenged me, acting all confident, yet here he was - drunk before I was.

I tried to steady him.

Instead, he just collapsed his full weight onto me.

Eyes downcast, his breath now on my neck, still letting out that soft laugh.

"Jake Harrison!!”

I gritted my teeth, slowly, slowly dragging him toward the front door.

"I'm calling your driver."

Managed to find his phone in his pocket. The unlock code was my birthday.

Back then, he'd explained why he used my birthday as his password.

Said it was just so his mom couldn't guess it.

Never thought he'd keep using it for four, five years straight.

His phone layout was simple, contacts easy to find. I wasn't trying to snoop.

But a message popped up, catching me off guard.

Sweetie: "Same room tomorrow night, 806. Waiting for you~ "

—

I've been obsessing over this for two days.

Who was Sweetie? What's room 806? "Waiting for you"???

No way Jake actually had a girlfriend now, right?!

I crouched outside his office, until I finally cracked and grabbed a secretary who was just leaving.

"How's Mr. Harrison doing?" The secretary looked completely bewildered.

So I leaned in closer and whispered.

"Do you know anything about... Mr. Harrison's love life?"

The secretary jumped back, shaking her head and practically running away from me.

...

I felt deflated, and embarrassed about my impulsive behavior.

But I just couldn't connect the dots between Jake and having a girlfriend.

So I called everyone we knew in common.

They all said the same thing - no clue he was dating anyone.

My best friend laughed, asking why I didn't just ask Jake himself.

I sighed into the phone.

If he really had a girlfriend...

Wouldn't I look like a total idiot for declaring so confidently at the supermarket that he'd never dated anyone?

...

But within a few days, I'd find out whether he had a girlfriend or not.

Because "Sweetie” herself came to find me.

—

It was a bright afternoon.

The office perks had gotten way better since Jake took over. I found some fancy Earl Grey in the break room and watched the tea swirl into rosy swirls as I stirred.

Suddenly, someone popped up right in front of me.

Sunglasses, face mask, baseball cap - covered head to toe.

Nearly gave me a heart attack.

"Are you Amy Landers?”

The voice was feminine and oddly familiar. She had this subtle perfume that made you instantly like her.

I nodded without thinking.

She laughed softly and took off her sunglasses.

How did I feel in that moment?

It was like that time my best friend and I were at the mall and stumbled into a celebrity meet-and-greet. The star had glanced our way for just a second, but we were completely starstruck.

But this woman? Her eyes alone were a thousand times more stunning.

Just looking at her made my mind go blank.

And in that instant, I finally realized why she seemed so familiar.

But before I could say her name, she pressed her hand against my mouth.

"Shh, I snuck in here."

My hands were shaking.

"..."

"You know where Jake is, right? He's my boyfriend."

"..."

I almost spilled my tea everywhere.

Because the woman in front of me, claiming to be Jake's girlfriend, was none other than Hollywood's hottest rising star.

The kind who gets millions of likes on Instagram.

Someone I'd only ever seen on screen was now standing right in front of me, flashing a friendly smile.

"Jake talks about you all the time. You're his childhood friend, right?"

"I..."

She stepped closer, and I realized she'd backed me into a dimly lit corner of the break room.

"I'm Aria Stone - though you probably know my name. Look, I came here today mainly to tell you..."

"Could you stay away from Jake?"

"..."

I froze.

She came all this way just to tell me to stay away from Jake?

Was this a threat? A warning? Marking her territory?

So she really was dating Jake? She actually liked him?

Someone who existed in a completely different world from us regular people - she actually had feelings for Jake?

My heart did this weird flip thing. I stood there, overwhelmed by how surreal this felt.

She let out a soft laugh. "You look like you want to say something?"

I took a deep breath.

She seemed pleased by my obvious discomfort.

I stared at her, carefully choosing my next words.

"Could I..."

"Could I get your autograph?"

—

I lay in bed, flipping the autographed photo over and over.

Celebrity signatures were always fancy, and Aria's was no exception.

I still couldn't wrap my head around it - Jake had a girlfriend, and not just any girlfriend, but a movie star.

It made sense, really. Jake belonged to that elite world. He was probably exactly the kind of guy celebrities hoped to date.

But just days ago, we were sitting at my dining table, drinking beer together.

This weird emptiness crept over me out of nowhere.

I'd thought Jake was part of my world, but he really wasn't.

He'd even gotten a girlfriend behind my back, while I'd been stupidly convinced he'd never dated anyone.

Turns out I was the real clown, performing a one-woman show for an empty theater.

I nearly wore out my phone screen, still unable to send him a single text.

I typed out so many messages, only to delete them all.

It was strange - why was this so hard? I should just say "Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?" But somehow, I couldn't type the words.

Jake was dating someone behind my back.

The absolute nerve of him.

I stared at the unfinished beer from last time, and before I knew it, I'd grabbed a bottle and headed out the door.

—

Dogs barked somewhere in the dark streets.

Scattered streetlights lit the path ahead while the occasional passerby hurried past.

My heart was pounding.

I couldn't explain this weird rush of adrenaline or how to calm it down. The park near my apartment was empty now, all the kids long gone.

I sat alone on the swing.

A pale moon hung in the night sky.

Until a pair of black leather oxfords appeared in my view.

I looked up, stunned to see a man in a trench coat, hands in his pockets, standing in front of me.

Honestly, what were the odds?

Running into two celebrities in one day.

Finally found a coffee shop that was still open at this ungodly hour. I wrapped my cold hands around the cup, desperate for some warmth.

And of course - because the universe hates me - it was a freaking iced Americano. How wonderful.

Across from me sat a man in gold-rimmed glasses, sharp features, leaning back in his chair with casual confidence. His bedroom eyes glanced over me.

"Be my girlfriend."

...he said.

"..."

I nearly choked on my coffee.

A complete stranger, asking me out? What kind of weird luck was this?

And not just any stranger - but another celebrity.

Marcus Wright, the famous director and investor. I'd seen him in magazines, taking up full-page spreads.