Emir Holmes could sense that the new manager had a vendetta against Hadley Marshall. He reached out discreetly to give her a subtle nudge of caution, but Hadley ignored him.

Coleson Reynolds noted her defiant posture and smirked to himself, determined to show Hadley what defeat looked like. He adjusted the ring on his middle finger and prepared to spin the bottle again.

With confidence shining in her eyes, Hadley took off her hoop earring and slipped it onto her ring finger. To everyone's astonishment, the bottle landed in front of her once more. This was the fourth time in a row, and whispers of disbelief spread through the room. Could it be that the bottle had indeed marked her, as the manager hinted?

Without hesitation, Hadley accepted her fate and began downing drinks, ignoring Emir’s attempts to intervene. Her cheeks flushed, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Seeing her determination, Coleson hesitated and stopped pouring the fourth drink. But Hadley grabbed the glass herself, raised it high, and emptied it with a fearless tilt of her head. Watching her, Coleson felt a twinge of guilt and decided to ease off this time.

He was about to spin the bottle again when Hadley abruptly placed her hand over it. "What's the matter? Giving up already?" she taunted, which suited Coleson just fine.

Swaying slightly, Hadley stood up. "Why should I back down? It's my turn to spin the bottle anyway," she declared. Before Coleson could respond, she snatched the bottle with a disdainful glance in his direction, challenging, "Afraid to play, Mr. Manager?"

Coleson chuckled, "You've been losing. Bring it on!" Hadley, her face a charming red, looked particularly captivating as she gripped the neck of the bottle and spun it.

All eyes followed as the bottle twirled, eventually stopping and pointing straight at Coleson. He was incredulous, "Impossible!"

With a satisfied grin, Hadley picked up a bottle of vodka, filled a glass, and commanded, "Drink up, kiddo."

Caught up in the game's twists, the crowd gasped. Emir, noticing Hadley's excitement and slurred words, whispered in her ear, "He's the manager. You're drunk. Let's talk tomorrow; I'll take you home."

Hadley frowned and brushed off Emir's hand, muttering, "There is no tomorrow; you won't see me then." She was aware Coleson was intentionally making life difficult for her, but her focus was on standing up to him. "Mr. Manager, let's finish this game."

She leaned forward and spun the bottle again, and to Coleson's disbelief, it pointed at him once more. "No way, even rookies don't get this lucky," he thought.

Hadley laughed triumphantly, "Looks like the bottle has picked you this time." Coleson, frustrated, lifted his glass. A brave colleague nearby suddenly offered, "Mr. Manager, let me drink for you."

Hadley raised an eyebrow, shaking her finger lightly. "Drinking and integrity are best friends, right? But if some young lady wants to drink for you, who am I to object? I’m generous like that."

Coleson, clearly irked, filled a glass of vodka and downed it in one go, while Hadley, fueled by drink, no longer feared anyone or anything.

In the following rounds, as Coleson kept muttering "Impossible, impossible..." the bottle unfailingly landed on him. "Damn it," he swore, but a loss was a loss, and drink he must.

Coleson paused midway through his third drink, unable to continue. Hadley leaned in, her words slightly slurred, "Trying to mess with me, kid? Who am I? I’m unbeatable! Can't drink anymore? I'll drink for you." Before Coleson could react, Hadley grabbed the two remaining glasses from the table and downed them boldly, "Two at once, hooray!"

"That's amazing!"

"Capture it and post it on Twitter!"

Having finished, Hadley leaned forward again to speak but accidentally let out a belch, causing Coleson to recoil. Her eyes were heavy and unfocused as she swayed, "Admit it, kid. You've lost."

Drunkenly, she removed the earring from her finger, "Thinking that spinning the bottle with your ring is clever—it’s not even as good as my earring," she slurred, placing it in Coleson's palm. "Kid, practice at home more," she advised, punctuated by another hiccup, her body giving in, nearly collapsing backward. Emir, ever the gentleman, caught her just in time.

Hadley was thoroughly intoxicated as Emir helped her out of the bar.

Outside, Eloise Cunningham, not pleased with Emir’s decision, followed after them. "Why are you taking her? Can’t someone else do it?"

"I have a car, and Hadley’s hammered. I need to make sure she gets home safely."

Ignoring Eloise's protests, Emir helped Hadley into the car as Eloise stomped her foot in frustration. In the car, Emir struggled to recall Hadley's address, vaguely remembering it was in the East End, but unsure of the exact location.

As Emir drove toward the East End, he hoped Hadley might regain some awareness. "Hadley, Hadley, where in the East End do you live?" he asked.

She frowned, annoyed by the interruption, and replied weakly, "East End... Lakeview Gardens..."

"Can you be more specific? Which building and apartment number? Hadley? Hadley?"

"Stop bothering me... I want to sleep... No shower for me..." In her drunken haze, Hadley began to pull at her coat.

"Hey, Hadley, don’t take that off." Emir said, alarmed, tapping the brakes sharply.

Hadley, caught off guard, lurched forward into the dashboard. A soft groan escaped her.

Emir drew a sharp breath, concerned, and gently nudged her, "Are you alright?"

"Leave me alone..." she muttered, eyes remaining shut, drifting back into sleep.

His hand resting on her shoulder, Emir tried to steady his errant thoughts—her warm, soft form close enough to stir unwelcome fantasies. But seeing her peacefully asleep, he shook off his musings with a determined shake of his head.

He sighed, realizing his only option was to get her to Lakeview Gardens and then use her phone to contact a friend or family member for the exact address.

The drive to Lakeview Gardens wasn't far, and soon Emir parked within the complex. He tried to gently rouse Hadley, supporting her as he did. Yet, she slumped against him, lacking any balance.

Hadley Marshall was deep in slumber, leaning unsteadily against Emir Holmes for support. Emir was focused on finding her phone to contact her family quickly.

Meanwhile, Josiah Marshall emerged from a convenience store clutching a bottle of wine when the glare from Emir's car headlights caught his attention. Reflexively shielding his eyes with his hand, he saw something that instantly enraged him: his daughter, appearing tipsy and seemingly vulnerable to an unknown man. He dropped the bottle and, despite wearing slippers, dashed to the car, yanked the door open, and pulled Emir out.

"You punk!" he yelled, landing a punch before Emir could even react.

Stunned by the blow, Emir stumbled back, trying to regain his balance. Josiah quickly circled the car to the opposite door, shouting, "Hadley! My daughter!"

Without Emir's support, Hadley was slumped against the car window. Josiah opened the door and she tumbled out, groaning, "It hurts..."

Josiah crouched to aid his daughter as Emir, nursing his injury, approached cautiously, "You must be Hadley's father? Sir, I think there's a misunderstanding."

Josiah propped Hadley up, glaring at Emir, "I saw you with my daughter, and she looks drunk. You got her drunk to take advantage of her, didn’t you? You should be careful!"

Emir took a deep breath, staying calm, "Sir, I'm Hadley's boss, Emir Holmes. She drank too much at a party, and I offered her a ride because I have a car. I was just trying to find her phone to call her family since I wasn’t sure of the exact apartment."

Supporting his daughter steadily, Josiah couldn't ignore Emir's sincere explanation. Hesitating, he asked, "Are you really Hadley's boss?"

Eager to make a good impression on Josiah, Emir quickly pulled out his ID from his suit pocket and said firmly, "Yes. I'm the manager of the Design Department at Skyline Enterprises, Emir Holmes. Hadley told me she lives at Lakeside Gardens, but she was too intoxicated to give me the exact address."

Realizing Emir's honesty, Josiah's anger subsided. He reconsidered, noting that if Emir intended harm, he wouldn’t have brought Hadley home. Feeling embarrassed, Josiah mumbled, "I'm sorry, young man. I didn’t mean to..."

Emir, relieved that Josiah believed him, replied, "No problem, sir. It was a misunderstanding. You should take Hadley home. She’s had quite a bit to drink. Take care of her; I'll be on my way."

Josiah thought about inviting Emir in for coffee but, considering the late hour and Hadley's groggy state, decided to let Emir go.

Hadley slept soundly through the night, not even stirring when River Marshall, her mother, tried to wake her twice in the morning. Turning over, Hadley ignored the calls to get up.

"Hadley? It's time to get moving! You'll be late," River urged.

Hadley mumbled, pulling the duvet over her head and slipping back into sleep. "Get up, Hadley!" River, now impatient, opened the curtains and pulled the duvet away without hesitation.

Light flooded the room and Hadley finally opened her tired eyes, rubbing them, "What? I wanted to sleep more."

"You can't. It's already bright out. Get up, clean up, have breakfast, and head to work."

Still half-asleep, Hadley allowed River to guide her out of bed. As she stumbled toward the door, not really paying attention, she bumped her head against the door frame, wincing, "Ouch! Stupid door." With that, she kicked it in frustration.

River chuckled, "You’re just like your dad, jumping to conclusions without knowing the full story."

Noticing the pointed comment, Hadley turned, puzzled, "What's Dad done?"

River entered the bathroom, squeezing toothpaste onto a brush, "Last night, your dad thought your boss, Mr. Holmes, was taking advantage of you, yanked him from the car, and punched him."

"What?" Hadley cried in disbelief, "Dad's so impulsive!"

River laughed, handing her daughter the toothbrush, "He was just worried about you. What's done is done, so I bought some ointment. Take it to work to smooth things over. Your dad said your boss seemed decent and friendly. Explain and apologize properly, and I doubt he’ll hold it against you. And, remember, as a young lady, don’t let this happen again."

Seeing her mother's stern expression, Hadley nodded, "Got it."

Hadley quickly freshened up and applied light makeup. With time short, she thought of skipping breakfast but was stopped by River, who handed her a bagel and the ointment, reminding her to apologize to her boss.

In a rush, Hadley squeezed onto the bus, finally having a moment to nibble on the bagel River had packed. Next to her, a young woman on a phone call seemed to be arguing with her boyfriend about a job interview. "You’re acting like a child," the woman said sharply. "I’m working hard for our future."

The words hit home for Hadley, reminding her of the previous night when, in her drunken state, she had criticized Coleson Reynolds and told Emir there was no tomorrow for her. The memory caused her to pause mid-bite, closing her eyes with a sigh. Her reckless words and actions weighed heavily on her mind. Lost in thought, she barely noticed the bagel in her hands seemed heavier with each passing moment.

As the bus reached her stop, Hadley got off, still holding the uneaten bagel. Looking up at the imposing Skyline Enterprises building, she recalled her first day walking into its grand lobby, amazed at how different a high-end office felt, especially the Design Department with its artistic flair; it was like stepping into a dream.

"Argh..." she sighed, trying to ease the knot in her stomach. She had really messed up last night, and after upsetting the general manager, she couldn't see how she could keep working at the company.

The relentless buzzing from Hadley Marshall's bag broke the peaceful rhythm of her walk home. Pulling out her phone, she answered distractedly while still moving, "Hello... Emir? I... I don't think I can come to work anymore... I just..."

Without realizing it, Hadley had stepped onto the crosswalk, completely unaware of the traffic light change.

"Watch out!" A firm grip yanked her back abruptly.

Startled, Hadley shrieked, her eyes wide as she watched a truck zoom past, barely slowing. The shock left her motionless, and her phone slipped from her hand, plunking directly into the gutter at her feet.

Coleson Reynolds steadied Hadley, who was leaning heavily against him. With a teasing smile, he quipped, "What, are my arms so comfy that you don’t want to stand up straight?"

The voice snapped Hadley back to reality. She faced Coleson's mocking grin, fury bubbling up as she quickly straightened herself, pushing him away. "Don't be so smug, and keep your distance."

Coleson shrugged, maintaining his casual air.

"Oh no, my phone!" Hadley crouched down, staring helplessly into the gutter.

Watching her, Coleson chuckled softly, "You won't spot it that way. It's probably gone by now."

Exasperated, Hadley glanced up to find the last person she wanted to see. "Meeting you is just bad luck. I bought that phone with last month's paycheck."

Coleson raised an eyebrow, incredulous, "You're being unreasonable. Without me, you'd have been flattened by that truck."

Hadley stood up, stomping her foot. She knew she was in the wrong but couldn't bring herself to admit it. Turning, she continued her walk home.

"Hey!" Coleson caught her arm, stopping her.

Hadley turned around, irritated. "What now? Looking for a 'thank you'?"

Coleson released her, maintaining eye contact. "A thank you wouldn't be out of place. And just so you know, your job is in that direction." He pointed toward the office building.

Hadley glanced at the building Coleson indicated, then checked her watch. "I'm already late anyway. Perfect excuse for you to fire me."

Coleson was taken aback for a moment, then smirked. "Is that why you were so out of it, afraid I’d fire you?"

Taking a deep breath to calm down, Hadley responded icily, "You’re holding a grudge because I embarrassed you at that restaurant the other day, and yesterday at the event you were clearly targeting me. Just fire me already. Why pretend?"

Coleson, surprised by her directness, laughed. She was something else. Despite everything, he couldn't help but admire her boldness. "Alright, I'll admit I did target you at the event. Let's call it even. At the company, as long as you don't do anything worthy of firing, it’s not my concern. Besides, I’m not interested in micromanaging."

Hadley was taken aback, cautiously asking, "So, we’re even? And you’re not firing me?"

"I’m not one to repeat myself," Coleson said, nodding at her company badge. "And since you're wearing that badge, remember to keep up with your work. Oh, and employee tardiness? I wonder how HR deals with that."

"I’m heading to work now." Hadley hurried past Coleson, making her way towards the entrance of the building. Pausing briefly, she turned back and flashed him a quick smile, "Thanks, by the way."

Watching Hadley disappear into the building, Coleson blinked, pulling a small, shining silver earring from his pocket. It was what drunken Hadley had slipped him the previous night. He looked at it quietly; Hadley was indeed striking, especially with that brief smile that brought a hint of spring. The thought amused him; it was unusual for him to linger on such reflections.

Arriving at the office, Hadley noticed her colleagues giving her sidelong glances. She understood it wasn't just because of her behavior at the event last night, but also because of Emir's injuries incurred while assisting her. Despite the whispers, Hadley ignored their looks, though the sight of Emir's bruised cheek made her feel deeply guilty.

Emir was in the break room making coffee when Hadley hurried over to take the cup from him. "Let me, Emir."

He simply smiled, "Thanks."

Hadley handed him the coffee, unable to meet his eyes. "You’re saying thank you to me? I should be the one hiding in shame."

Emir blew on his coffee and led her to a small table. "If it’s about last night, don’t worry about it. You didn’t hit me. Just a misunderstanding."

Hadley sat beside him, pulling out a lotion her mom had slipped into her bag. "This remedy works wonders. My mom used to apply it whenever I got hurt as a kid. Your bruise should heal quickly with it."

Emir looked at the lotion curiously. "Is it really that effective? This little bruise doesn’t bother me."

"Even minor injuries need attention to heal faster." Hadley insisted, squeezing some lotion onto her fingers. "I’ll apply it now, see for yourself. Lean in."

Before Emir could react, Hadley's delicate fingers were already gently applying the lotion to his cheek. The touch was cool and soothing, and he found himself quietly admiring her: clear bright eyes, porcelain skin, softly curling hair draped over her shoulders.

"Hey, hey, this is a workplace, what’s going on here?" Coleson's voice broke the peaceful moment as he strode in, hands in pockets, irritation in his tone.

Hadley withdrew her hand, ignoring him, and gave Emir the lotion with a smile. "Reapply it in a couple of hours, the swelling should be gone by tomorrow."

Emir nodded, rising to leave, with Hadley following.

"What, ignoring me?" Coleson exclaimed, surprised.

Hadley and Emir kept walking, not looking back.

"Hadley, stop!"

Only when Coleson called her by name did Hadley halt. She turned, "Were you talking to me? All that 'hey' earlier sounded like you were talking to yourself."

Emir stifled a laugh, continuing out of the break room.

"Hadley, are you trying to tick me off?" Coleson stared at her in disbelief.

"I wouldn’t dare, Mr. Reynolds. What do you need?"

"Why were you and Emir looking so cozy?" Realizing his question seemed inappropriate, he quickly added, "You do know that such behavior affects your professional image?"

Hadley found his words absurd. "He was hurt; I was just helping with the lotion. If you have nothing else to add, I need to get back to work."

"Wait, I'll go first." Coleson didn’t want to linger alone. As he moved to the door, he paused, "Oh, and bring me a coffee."

Once Coleson was out of sight, Hadley mimed kicking and punching him, whispering through gritted teeth, "Coffee’s right there. Can’t be bothered to get it yourself, huh? Think you're all that because you're the boss? Just a big kid."

Despite her reluctance, Hadley knew he was still the boss. She placed the coffee on Coleson's polished desk. "Here’s your coffee, Mr. Reynolds."

Without waiting for him to respond, she turned to leave.

"Hadley, hold on."

She spun back around, "What now?"

Coleson pulled a small silver hoop earring from his pocket, handing it to her with a smirk. "This is yours."

Seeing the earring brought back flashes of her drunken antics at the party. Embarrassed, she took it. "Thanks."

"You and Emir... what's going on there?"

"Uh?" Hadley was caught off guard by the question.

Coleson glanced out the window, mulling over why he’d asked such a direct question. He quickly covered up, "I just don't want to see anyone using personal relationships to act inappropriately at work."

Hadley simmered with annoyance. "You’re overthinking it. Emir and I are just colleagues."

Coleson’s lips curled into a satisfied smile, a hint of smugness washing over his features. He straightened and pulled a new phone from his drawer. After dialing a few numbers, he tossed it to her. "Here."

She caught it, surprised. "What for?"

"Your phone fell into the gutter, remember? Use this one."

With the new phone in her hands, Hadley asked, slightly confused, "You're paying for this?"

"Consider it that way. My number’s already in there, call me if you feel lonely." Coleson leaned forward, offering a charming smile. "Actually, Hadley, you’re quite pretty. You’re interested in me, huh? Last night was a ploy, right?"

Stunned by his arrogance, Hadley stared at him incredulously.

Coleson, oblivious to her disbelief, relaxed back into his chair, enjoying his own conclusion. "Ordinary beauties don’t catch my eye. So, you must have planned to stand out. Even our meeting at the restaurant was a setup, yes?"

With no response from Hadley, Coleson peered over his desk. She had quietly left the room.

Back at her desk, Hadley tried to shake off Coleson’s words, focusing on her work.

"Hey, Hadley, you sure are busy at work. Between work and charming the bosses, you must be exhausted."

Hadley looked up to see Gwen with an exasperated expression. "I am busy, so please don’t disturb me."

Gwen sneered, "As if I want to see you? Your phone kept ringing while you were off with the boss."

Gwen tossed a file onto Hadley’s desk. "A client from Seattle is flying in this afternoon to discuss designs with Emir. Here’s their itinerary, go pick them up."

Hadley skimmed the file, her tone softening slightly, "Got it."

Gwen left with a dismissive flip of her hair.

Before noon hit, Gwen, unusually polite, reminded Hadley about the importance of the client from Seattle, insisting she should be early.

The client’s flight was due at 2 PM. Not one to be easily bossed around, Hadley took her time before heading to the airport, arriving an hour early.

Sipping a drink, Hadley people-watched to pass the time. She hoped to run into Eloise but realized her new phone only had Coleson’s number. Seeing his name on her contact list, she chewed her straw in frustration, wondering why he seemed to be everywhere.

At 2 PM, Hadley stood at the arrival gate with her sign, but as each passenger disembarked, none were her client.

Perplexed, Hadley approached the information desk and was informed another flight from Seattle would arrive at 3:30 PM.

Reflecting on the situation, she realized the client must have missed their flight. Deciding to wait it out, she settled in for the hour.

Back in the office, the air conditioner hummed softly. Emir was engrossed in the monthly report on his screen, noting the clock ticking past 3:30 PM.

His phone rang, and after a brief conversation, he hurriedly donned his jacket and rushed out of the office.