Chapter 2
I also glanced over.
A man stepped inside. Tall, long legs, wearing a black suit that fit like it was tailored for him, his shoulders looking sharp and solid.
No tie, one shirt button undone. It looked relaxed, but it didn't take away from the strong vibe he gave off.
His hair was slicked back neatly, showing his forehead and brows. Beautiful nose, rosy lips. When he wasn't smiling, he looked like someone I wouldn't want to approach.
I froze, as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head.
What the hell? That face looked so familiar. It was the one saved in my phone, the only picture Aidan had ever sent me, a blurry side shot I grabbed when he said he was "hosting an international meeting from some random café".
That picture was blurry as hell, but the outline matched this guy exactly.
Aidan? My Weird Bae Aidan? The same guy who claimed he was "at the office", "working on the farm", and arguing with me about sauces?
What the hell was he doing at the annual party of our crappy little company? And he stole the spotlight.
Michael rushed over, bending low and grinning like crazy. "Mr. Hudson, we're truly honored you came. All the follow-up paperwork for the acquisition is done. You can rest assured. We've made sure everything is perfect."
Wait, Mr. Hudson? Acquisition?
I stood there frozen, ears buzzing, only picking up bits and pieces.
I could hear my coworkers talking nearby.
"Is that Mr. Hudson from Hudson Group? He's even hotter in person than in the business magazines."
"I heard buying our company was only something he did on a whim."
"Mr. Berger acts like a mere subordinate in front of him."
Hudson Group... That name that hit me like a lightning strike. It was a massive company I only knew from the news.
Was my weird online friend actually Mr. Hudson from the Hudson Group?
All those "going to the office", "doing farm work", and "holding board meetings"... he wasn't joking. It was actually true.
A chill ran down my spine. It was so insane that I felt like laughing and screaming at the same time.
Who the hell had I been dating for the past three months? Did all my random chats with him seem like a joke to him?
Right when I was ready to disappear entirely, that man, the center of everyone's attention, looked over toward me, almost casually.
My heart skipped a beat.
He didn't look at me for long. He casually moved his eyes away, as if I were invisible.
He nodded at Michael, said something quietly, and Michael instantly bowed, ushering him toward the main table.
Good, he didn't notice me. He had no idea it was me.
We'd never met. He'd only seen my photoshopped selfies and silly memes.
I was a total wreck, nothing like the cheerful self I showed him on my phone.
I quickly lowered my head, not daring to glance his way again. My heart was pounding so hard, and my hands were shaking.
I had to get out, now.
I held my glass, pretending to stay calm as I edged toward a less crowded spot, my legs trembling.
Finally, I made it to the food table, but my hands were shaking so badly that when I tried to set my glass down, I almost knocked over the champagne tower.
Just as I was fumbling with the glass, my phone buzzed in my bag.
Who could be texting me right now? Rosalia? Someone from home?
I had a really bad feeling. My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and unlocked it.
There was an unread message on WhatsApp from My Weird Bae. It was sent a second ago.
It was only one line, but it felt like a bomb had gone off, blowing apart whatever little sense I had left.
My Weird Bae: [Babe, the food at this party tastes familiar. I think it's from my family's food company.]
My hand slipped, and the glass finally fell, shattering all over the floor.
Orange juice and glass bits splattered everywhere. The crunching sound was painfully loud in the quiet corner.
Several people looked over at me.
I froze, my mind looping over that message he just sent me.
"Ma'am, are you okay?" The waiter hurried over to clean up.
I tried to talk, but nothing came out, so I shook my head.
I glanced up frantically, my eyes flicking toward the head table without thinking.
Aidan looked over, seemingly noticing the noise, his eyes briefly landing here.
This time, it felt like his gaze paused on my face, barely a blink.
Then, he raised an eyebrow, barely noticeable.
My phone buzzed again. I glanced down, my fingers barely moving as I unlocked the screen.
It was him again.
My Weird Bae: [Hey, is the one in the corner wearing black, who dropped her glass, the 'heiress to the family recipe', actually you?]
Alright, I knew I was fucked up.
My mind went completely blank. My blood felt like it had frozen, then rushed from my toes to my head, making my ears ring.
He saw me, and he recognized me. And he totally figured out my "family recipe heiress" joke.
What should I do now? Should I play dead? Pretend the phone was not mine? Or maybe pass out and call it a day?
The waiter finished cleaning up the glass quickly and, with concern, asked me again if I was okay.
A few coworkers were sneaking glances at me, clearly a bit amused.
Michael seemed to notice the commotion, too. He frowned for a moment, but didn't react in Aidan's presence.
And Aidan's eyes spanned half the hall, passing through the moving guests and glittering lights, and landed on me without a hint of hurry.
No pressure, no teasing. It was a calm stare, like he was silently daring me to respond, or pretending to glance randomly.
But I knew it wasn't.
That brief pause and the subtle lift of his brow were unmistakable. It was a silent confirmation.