Date The CEO.com

Chapter 193: In Too Deep

Andie unlocked the apartment door, humming to herself. Her coworker had one song on repeat the entire day. It was now stuck in her head. She didn't mind it because it really was good. She hadn't looked up the lyrics once and she already muttered them under her breath.

After taking off her shoes, she tossed her bag to the couch and entered the kitchen.

She flicked the switch to turn on the lights, still humming the same tune.

"Uh-huh-uh-huh-GAH!" Andie yelped with a jump. She placed her hands over her chest and felt her heart's rapid beats. "Eve! You scared me!"

Eve looked up from her stool. She had one arm folded over the island counter as she munched on a carrot. "Well, that's a first."

Her best friend rolled her eyes. "What are you even doing here? This is my territory."

"I'm still not sure about this."

They had crossed several lines, Eve recalled. She had sat in the dark and remembered everything Ambryan had shared about himself. He smiled a lot more than she was used to. He even joked and flirtedthings made possible by Evangeline.

Would they all disappear if he found out the truth?

Would they also disappear if Evangeline vanished?

Andie joined her, skipping the plate of carrots. She had brought her cereal box from the pantry and nibbled on chocolate malt grains. "Because you are now madly in love with Ambryan and are afraid of hurting him because of your secret?"

Eve peeled her eyes off the ceiling to look at her. "Why can't I say yes or no to that?"

"Because you're denying one of them."

"I'm not madly in love with him."

"Close enough." Andie shrugged. "Anyway, let me tell you something you had forgotten but it was what made this whole thing work in the first place."

"What?"

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"Communication," she gushed. Had Eve really forgotten about their first conversations? This had always been their strong point. "Girl, just tell him. He already knows you have a deal with his mom. Why not already tell him that you're not completely being honest about yourself? Also, why won't you just be completely honest about yourself?"

Eve hung her head, closing her eyes. "That sounds easier said than done."

Andie filled her palm with another handful of cereal. "Well, if I go by romance novels' logic, you should also make him fall for your secretary self."

"How does that make sense?"

She shrugged and ate three pieces. "Because isn't Ms. Everlee Hart who you really are? Didn't you say he was falling for a fictional person?"

"But I don't feel like Evangeline is fictional," Eve grumbled. She slammed a hand on the countertop and sweeped her bangs with the other one. "You've met her. I don't even act. If anything, it feels liberating to be her. I could do whatever I wantedalmost anyway."

Despite the spotlight, being Evangeline was effortless. The only hard work was the modelling. That was a skill that she needed to learn. It certainly didn't improve overnight but she constantly evolved with the experience.

"So what's the problem?" Andie frowned. Just take off the wig, the contacts and the name.

"Well, if I told Ambryan the truth, he might not see it that way. It doesn't change the fact that I lied to him. He hates that." Eve sighed. That fear where everything would backfire haunted her. It was selfish. This whole ordeal had been selfish. One slip and she would have ended everything back then.

But that wasn't the case now.

She had something to losemore than her sisters' education fund.

It was conflicting. If only Evangeline didn't exist. If only Eve didn't have to stay at a distance. Could she make Ambryan look her way even when Evangeline was gone? Could she get away with it even if he would never know they were the same person?

Eve banged her forehead on the island. To do the right thing, she'd lose everything. To do the wrong thing, she'd lose herself. The guilt would eat her up until the end of time. 

Legs of a stool scraped the floor from her left. Warm arms wrapped themselves around her. "If he loves you, he'd forgive you."

"Forgiving doesn't mean a happy ending together."

Eve leaned into the embrace. "I can't even blame him if he never would."

"So" Andie drawled, thinking of how to lighten the mood. "You do want to end up with him?"

"I know I don't want to lose what I have now," her best friend responded in a whisper.

It sounded cheesy but she seemed to have the best of both worlds. She had a remarkable boss on one side. She had a playful boyfriend on the other. And she'd lose both if this didn't end well.

Would it still be selfish that she wanted to keep, at least, one?

"We're going in circles." Andie shook her head. "I already told you this: Cherish the moment. The company party is coming up, right? Just forget about everything and make a memorable night."

She pulled away and clamped her hand on Eve's shoulder. "I fully support that idea. Worry about the other things after it. Hell, I'd even sneak a condom in your purse"

Eve slapped her arm. "Andie!"

"Girl, what is this? 1813? I've also seen your dress. If Ambee doesn't take you to bed, I'm questioning his sexuality." Andie snorted. Then, a smirk tugged the corner of her lips. "See? You don't even look that flustered. It means your own desires outweigh your bashfulness."

"Andie!"

Hiding her blush, Eve dropped her gaze to the floor. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like in his arms before. But now? It was a memory she could relive over and over again. How could a hug be so intimate? 

Her mind remembered every spot they touched and how close they werefrom the top of her forehead and down to her legs. The smell of his soap lingered against her nose like he just had a fresh shower. His fingers brushing her spine as if memorizing its curve...

It was a feeling that made her heart soar.

And she craved for more.

.

.

.

.

.

"Hello? Earth to Eve? Are you listening to my story or not?"

Eve blinked out of her daze and found herself in Evangeline's apartment. Cale stood behind her and styled the crimson wig in curls. She had draped a blanket over her shoulders to make herself comfortable.

"I'm sorry." She smiled sheepishly on his reflection in the mirror. "I might have missed on that last bit. What was it again?"

Cale scoffed before taking another section of her wig. "I was saying that someone spilled their drink on me."

"What?!"

He bopped the tip of her nose with his finger. "Now, there's the reaction I was looking for."

"What happened then?" Eve demanded.

"Normally, I would have gotten my payback but"

"But...?" 

Cale pressed his lips together, keeping her in suspense. Eve pouted in return. He caught the look and squealed at the mere memory. "But my date removed his jacket to cover me. It was the sweetest thing! I couldn't even move! I was about to defend myself when this man just had my well-being in his mind. And that bitch's jaw literally dropped. Her fake tities had nothing on me. My man chose moi."

"Aww," Eve cooed. She clasped her hands over her chest. This guy was a definite keeper. He received her approval at this instant. "So glad to hear that Cale. I can't wait to meet this guy."

"All in good time" Cale replied. Then, he put the curler down and clapped his hands. "And that is it! It's your time to swoon your own man's heart tonight."

As if he could see the future, the doorbell rang.

Eve stood up and shrugged off the blanket. It revealed a mermaid-cut black dress. The fabric's embroidery slithered across her body likes vines, puffing at the shoulders slightly. They extended up to her hand with loops to hook on her middle fingers.

A coal mesh cloth softened the effect of the deep necklinewhich extended to a narrow V right above her waist. Turning around, the mirror reflected more mesh that covered her entire back in a much wider V-cut. 

It was the most revealing yet the most modest dress she ever wore.

"Go, go, go!" Cale hurried her. "Don't keep him waiting."

Ambryan waited outside of the apartment.

He coughed onto his shoulder, praying it would be the last. If his mother heard it, no doubt she'd have him quarantine at him for the next few days. It had taken a lot of persuasion to let him do work in his home office.

Because the company anniversary required his presence, she refused to take any chances that he'd fall ill again. He found her behavior a little too extreme as if the world was under a pandemic.

Then, the door opened.

Standing before wasn't a human but a vixen.

He pulled her out of the apartment and captured her lips. Tilting her chin up, he managed to wrap her tighter in his arm while flattening her against him like they could be molded into one. It didn't matter if they were in the hallway. 

If it was possible to have her not leave his side, he would have gladly done it.

"How about we ditch the party and stay here?"