𝗕𝗮𝗲𝗸 𝗬/𝗡 had two things going for her: A convincing smile…
And a talent for faking
it till she made it.
After being kicked out of her last job as a barista—over something she totally didn't start (okay, maybe she accidentally told a rude customer where to shove their low-fat soy vanilla whatever)—
she needed a fresh start.
Rent was due. Bills were piling up. Pride? Long gone.
So when she stumbled on a job listing for a 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 with benefits that made her eyes water, she didn't hesitate.
She forged. She faked. She Googled how to lie on resumes and not get caught.
And somehow… it worked.
Now she was 𝗕𝗮𝗲𝗸 𝗬/𝗡 certified, qualified, and definitely not in danger of being exposed.
Or so she thought.
Because just as she was starting to settle into the office—making small talk with coworkers, pretending to know what "internal operations optimization" meant—the elevator dinged.
She turned, expecting just another suit.
Instead, she froze.
𝗛𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴-𝗺𝗶𝗻.
Tall. Cold-eyed. Sharp suit.
And still carrying the same arrogant smirk he used to wear in high school every time he beat her in a debate, test, or full-blown shouting match in the hallway.
Her 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀.
The same 𝗛𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴-𝗺𝗶𝗻 who made her blood boil back then.
The same one who definitely wouldn't forget her face.
Especially not if he dug too deep and found the forged qualifications tucked beneath her perfectly edited resume.
Her smile faded. Her heartbeat skipped. And her carefully built lie began to crack.
Now, she wasn't just trying to survive this job.
She was trying to 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵, from the one person who would love to ruin her all over again.
And worst of all?
He looked like he was already suspicious.
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