She started with a cloyingly sweet inquiry about my well–being, chattering on unti! my patience wore thin. “Mrs. Hayes,” I interrupted, “what is it you really want?”
She laughed, a sharp, unpleasant sound. “Stella, dear, I wasn’t aware Gervase was going to see you about a… setup His mentor is actually planning to introduce him to a senator’s granddaughter. Your circumstanc- es… they’re just too different. Our family could never accept a daughter–in–law like you. Even if Gervase approached you himself, I trust you won’t get any foolish ideas. Do you understand?”
I was speechless for a moment, then incredulous. “So, instead of managing your own son, you’re calling to warn me not to get my hopes up?”
“Gervase is a genius,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension. “And you… well. Honestly, Stella, I’m saying this for your own good.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I sat up, my voice turning to ice. “Don’t think for a second that calling you ‘Mrs. Hayes‘ gives you the right to lecture me. I don’t even listen to my own parents. What makes you think you’re anything special?”
slammed the phone down. But the rage was still there, a hot coil in my stomach. Iyanked Gervase out of my block list and dialed his number. The fury that had been simmering since yesterday finally boiled over
“Are you insane?” I shrieked into the phone. “Is your whole family insane? Showing up out of the blue to humiliate me? What, am I some kind of joke to you? Do you people-”
I raged on, a torrent of words, until the pressure in my chest finally eased. I took a long swig of Coke.
Only then did I hear his voice. “I’m sorry, I
1-
Istabbed the end–call button before he could finish and blocked his number again. A profound sense of relief washed over me.
Sometimes, losing your mind is incredibly satisfying.
Three years ago, when I first arrived in this city, I went to the most famous cathedral and knelt before the altar, making a vow. I will never let anyone make me feel small again. I had been wronged too many times. I was done. Now, I would rather die than let myself be bullied.
The dark screen of my tablet reflected my emotionless face, a face so much like my mother’s. I sneered at the image. I didn’t even care about my own parents anymore. Who in this world could possibly make me bow my head now?
After the holiday break, my boss announced with breathless excitement that he’d hired an industry titan for an internship. A cold dread washed over me.
“Hello, everyone.”
Of course. It was Gervase.
He placed a tray of bubble tea on the central table, his smile warm and perfectly polished. “I look forward to working with you all.”
I stared at him, my face a blank slate. He met my gaze with that same infuriatingly gentle smile, and I had no idea what his game was. This relentless pursuit wasn’t the style of a proud genius. I certainly wasn’t cha- rming enough to warrant this level of… obsession. Where was his dignity? His pride? After being rejected so many times, was he just a glutton for punishment?
I didn’t take his bubble tea I turned on my heel and walked away without a second glance.
A few minutes later, he appeared at my desk, holding a mango bubble tea. “This is your favorite. I saved it for you.”
“I don’t like it.” I didn’t even look up. “I only told you I liked it because I didn’t want you holding anything I actually enjoy.”
He paused, but there was no anger in his eyes. “Then what do you like? I’ll go buy it now.”
Snap
I slammed my pen down on the desk. looked up at him, my voice dangerously low. “Gervase, what is wrong with you? Do you have some kind of humiliation fetish? I’ve yelled at you, thrown you out, pushed you away–and you just keep coming back. Do you enjoy being treated like a dog?”
He swallowed hard. “If it’s your dog,” he paid, his voice barely a whisper, “is that a fetish?”
1 froze.
Beside me, a colleague’s chair clattered to the floor. She stared at me, then at Gervase, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and terror. “You… you two…”
“I’m pursuing her,” Gervase said to her, smiling easily.
I was convinced he had lost his mind. He clearly didn’t think so. He stood over me, holding the drink, and asked again, his voice gentle. “What flavor do you like? I’ll go get it. Any brand you want.”
His tall frame blocked the sunlight from the window, casting me in shadow. His focus on me was so intense, so tender, it was terrifying. A single thought crystalized in my mind:
There is a fine line between genius and madness.
The office was dead silent. My colleagues were trying, and failing, to pretend to work, their eyes darting nervously toward him.
Fine. I pushed my keyboard away “Let’s go talk. Downstairs, at the coffee shop.
He glanced at the bubble tea in his hand, hesitating “But ”
