Chapter 1 Chapter 1

I was dating my boss online. Meeting in person? That was never going to happen. He didn't even know his online girlfriend was one of his employees... Lately, my boss had been in a bad mood. Everyone could feel it, so everyone had been extra careful. Even the usual breaks had been cut short. The boss had been working crazy hours, and no one dared leave before him. So, our workdays had stretched to 11 PM or 12 AM, and I was starting to get dark circles under my eyes. My skin had been looking worse, too. To be honest, I felt like I was probably the only one who knew the real reason behind his bad mood, but I couldn't tell anyone. The boss had had his heart broken. And unfortunately, the one who broke his heart... was me. He didn't know that, though. It all started when my online boyfriend of two years wanted to meet up in person. We met on social media. He had posted something asking for advice. [Why can't I find a girlfriend?] I clicked on it, and the post said, [I'm a man, 6'2", 183 lbs, 25 years old, Ivy League graduate, with a Master's in Management and Engineering. I'm currently the vice president of a listed company, with an annual salary starting at half a million. I own a car and a house, but my looks are just average. I've never had a girlfriend. So, what's the issue?] The comments section was full of sarcastic remarks. [Ugh, someone's fishing for compliments.] [Is this guy living in a dream world? Ivy League grad, just 25, and already a VP? Come on, get real. At least create a more realistic persona.] [As we all know, only family-run businesses give young people such high positions. But most of those rich kids study abroad.] Being in a playful mood, I commented, [Maybe it's the looks. Post a photo and let's see.] Then I closed the app. Not long after, I got a private message from the poster. [Hi, can I send it to you privately?] Though confused, I enjoy some drama, so I replied, [Sure.] Then he sent me a photo. I almost spat my coffee out. He said he was 6'2"? I'd believe 5'0", maybe. It was a selfie, with his face covered by his hand, and the angle made his head look huge and his body tiny. His hair was sticking up like he'd just used some kind of hair gel, and he was wearing thick black-rimmed glasses, making him look both nerdy and awkward. But despite all that, his face was actually... fine. Even though it was partially obscured, I could tell his lips, nose, and eyes all screamed "handsome". Still, there was something about him that seemed oddly familiar. I mentally shouted, "There are actually guys who don't realize they're good-looking?" while zooming in and out of the photo multiple times. With my helpful mindset, I typed out a few tips. [Your clothes and selfie skills need work. Try frameless glasses, or better yet, wear contacts. And change your shooting angle! Tilt the phone slightly, making sure the charging port leans toward you. Also, try pants that are a bit looser, like casual black ones…] He replied, [Thank you so much.] I didn't think much of it and moved on, but the next day, he sent me photos of his makeover, taking my advice to heart. The day after that, again. Then it went on for a few more days. I was getting tired of it when he suddenly asked if he could add me as a friend on Facebook and offer me a thank-you gift. If someone was offering money, I'd be crazy not to take it. So I gave him my profile link. Moments later, an account with a familiar profile picture sent me a friend request. Wait, wasn't this my boss? I panicked, almost accidentally accepting his friend request. My heart sank, and I quickly restricted the visibility of all the previous posts on my feed. My brain raced, wondering if I'd somehow linked my private Facebook account to my company info. Meanwhile, he was typing for what felt like forever before sending a message. [Thanks for all the help these past few days. Here's a little something for you.] And then, he sent me 7 thousand dollars via Meta Pay with the note, [Voluntary gift.] I was speechless. I compared his profile with the photo he sent me—yep, it was the same guy, and he was indeed the boss of my company. I couldn't believe the sheer absurdity of the situation. But, after some hesitation, I accepted the money. After all, he didn't know it was me. The following days, I helped him tweak his photos and appearance, and soon, he was looking a lot better. But just when I thought I could quietly slip away, this guy confessed to me. First came the long, rambling messages, which I skipped over. Then, at the end, it wrote, [Actually, there's something I've wanted to say for a long time. I have feelings for you.] I replied with an [Um…] The silence was deafening. Then I sent another, [Thanks, I guess?] He instantly wrote back, [Huh? [I said I have feelings for you!] I wrote, [And I said thanks!] He insisted, [No, I'm serious.] I replied, [I seriously appreciate it!] I felt a headache coming on. Was this guy okay? He seemed to pause for a while before asking, [Regardless, can you give me a chance to pursue you?] I didn't reply. That night, I couldn't sleep—something that didn't occur often. The next day onward, he started sending me messages every day, wishing me good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, as well as updates like him heading to work, arriving at the office, and starting his work. So, this was how he was trying to win me over. So impressive. I occasionally responded with short replies, and he seemed thrilled, like he'd won the lottery. I couldn't help myself and finally replied, [Please, you should read up on how to talk to women.] He wrote, [Huh?] I sighed. Great. Things took an unexpected turn a month later. I had been browsing videos of handsome guys and, without thinking, shared one with my best friend. But I accidentally sent it to him instead. I wrote, [Hot stuff. Wish I could just lick him.] He replied with a question mark.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

By the time I saw the message, it was already too late to unsend it. It was only natural for people to like looking at pretty things, but for some reason, I felt a bit guilty. Just then, a message popped up, [Is this your cup of tea?] Then, a video arrived. It looked like it was filmed in a gym. The muscles weren't overly bulky, but rather beautifully defined, with smooth lines and a pale skin tone. The perfect V line curved downward, disappearing into the grey workout pants below. As for the top… Well, it was very... pink! The man in the video seemed embarrassed, and by the end, his face was bright red. I asked, [Got more? Send me some more!] The response came, more shy videos. I had to admit, this was working for me. I hadn't expected my usually composed boss to be so... well, you know. How should I put it? I found it unexpectedly thrilling. Just as I was enjoying the view, another message came through. [If you agree to be my girlfriend, I'll send you these every day from now on. I'll make sure you don't need to look at others anymore.] There were four main desires in life that everyone was after: money, power, fame, and lust. The first three didn't interest me, while the last one was definitely tempting. I replied, [Well, that... doesn't sound too bad.] It was just an online relationship anyway. Of course, there had to be conditions. No public announcements, no couple avatar, no video calls, no real-life meetings. He wasn't thrilled but agreed. And so, two years passed. As he became more stylish, I found myself enjoying his photos and videos more and more. I realized he could pull off all sorts of different looks. Just when I thought everything would continue like this, he suddenly brought up wanting to meet. I quickly wrote back, [Didn't we agree not to meet? This is just an online relationship, no real-life involvement.] He replied, sounding frustrated, [I know. I'm sorry, but I really want to meet you.] I knew exactly what he was after. A couple of days ago, after my university reunion, a classmate confessed to me. I turned him down, and then he sent me a bunch of gross, cringeworthy messages. I ended up calling him out on my social media, then deleted and blocked him. Since I was in a relationship now, this guy could see it. It seemed like he wanted to meet up and make his claim on me in person. I knew why we were keeping this whole thing online, and the answer was definitely no. After a week of him pestering me, I got fed up and told him I wanted to break up. He was utterly shocked, as if someone had just poured cold water on him. My phone buzzed with countless calls. Sighing, I turned my phone face down on the table. Just then, my manager, Leah Stauder, called out to me. "Loren, take this proposal to Mr. Thompson." Everyone at the company knew Leah was into our boss, Benedict Thompson. Normally, she'd be thrilled to interact with him. But recently, he'd been in a bad mood, and the last time she tried to comfort him, she ended up being scolded, which was embarrassing. Since then, she'd kept her distance. I winced, forcing a smile. "Ms. Stauder, I'm still one level below him. Isn't it inappropriate to approach him directly?" Benedict was my online boyfriend. Although I had his contact through work, we'd never actually interacted. Plus, this proposal had been delayed for so long because Benedict was unhappy with it. Honestly, even when he was in a good mood, he'd still find fault with things, let alone now, when he was clearly upset. This was just her way of pushing me to bear the brunt of the criticism. Leah rolled her eyes. "Just do it and stop yapping." Fine. Even though I had seen almost every part of him online, I was still a bit nervous about meeting in person. Besides, he was known for being strict at work—intimidating, even. And extremely sharp-tongued. After hesitating, I pulled out my phone. Since I had suggested breaking up, he'd been sending endless apologies, clearly panicked, but I hadn't replied. I had only suggested breaking up to stand my ground, and since then, I hadn't looked at his messages. One, because I didn't want to soften, and two, to show him I wasn't backing down. There was no way we were meeting in person. Breaking up, though, I wasn't completely against. I thought for a moment, then sent a message. [We can stay together, but can you behave? I really don't like people who don't keep their promises.] He replied immediately, [Babe, you finally replied. I know I was wrong. I'm sorry. I won't do it again.] Then, a crying emoji appeared. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The person inside froze, then cleared their throat. "Come in." As soon as I walked in, I was drawn to Benedict's slightly red nose. Had he been crying? Noticing my gaze, he awkwardly tapped the desk. "Is that the proposal? Just leave it on the desk. You can head back." His mood seemed to have improved. Otherwise, he would have scolded me for skipping levels. A colleague had been fired for going directly to the higher-ups instead of following the proper chain of command. Of course, there were other issues with the colleague's work—they weren't performing and didn't fully follow orders—but it was clear that skipping levels in the office was a major taboo. That proposal still wasn't quite right, so it got sent back. Leah handed it back to me. Left with no choice, I had to stay late to revise it. But Benedict seemed in a better mood today, leaving right on time. Since it was Friday, all the other colleagues, who'd been working late, also left early, so soon it was just me and the receptionist left in the office. I wasn't sure how long the revisions would take, so I told the receptionist to go ahead and leave, promising to turn off all the lights and lock up. Hours passed. Suddenly, I heard the sound of the door unlocking, and I froze, feeling a bit scared. Looking at the time, I realized it was already 10 PM. Who could be coming now? I tried to calm myself, telling myself there was no such thing as ghosts, but my heart raced as I held my breath and stayed still. A familiar figure appeared, and when I saw his face, I couldn't help but relax. It was Benedict. "What are you doing here by yourself? Aren't you going home?" he asked, surprised to see me still working. I gritted my teeth inside. Well, it was his fault I was still stuck at work at this hour! "This proposal is urgent. I'm worried it won't be feasible if I finish it tomorrow, so I thought I'd work overtime to perfect it tonight.""Oh, that proposal." Benedict paused, then walked over to me. "Let me explain it in more detail. It'll be easier to revise that way." My heart skipped a beat. Since we'd reconciled, I had to reply to his message, but I didn't want to keep opening my phone, so I had logged into my Facebook account on my computer. What should I do now? Benedict approached, saying, "Let me see your screen." My mind raced as I slowly navigated on my computer. Just as I had it ready, Benedict said, "Move over. Let me—""Wait a second!"