Ethan Grant had always prided himself on being a man of control. He was a man of schedules, to-do lists, and strategically placed reminders to make sure he never veered off track. Whether it was managing his billion-dollar company or organizing his weekends with military precision, chaos had no place in his life.
But then there was TheWittyOne88.
She was the unexpected storm in his meticulously ordered world. She wasn't just funny—she was hilarious. Dry humor, with the kind of sarcastic edge that made Ethan feel like he was in on some private joke. It was addictive. The first time he watched her, it was harmless. A quick laugh, maybe. But after that, something strange happened. She kept popping up in his feed, drawing him back. Her videos were like chips at a party—one was never enough.
He'd been trying to focus on work—his financial empire needed attention. But the moment he opened TikTok to distract himself, there she was. TheWittyOne88 in a video, telling everyone why you should never trust a person who says "just one more episode"—because they've been lying to you their entire lives. He laughed, loud and obnoxiously, before quickly glancing around his luxurious office, hoping no one had heard. The last thing his assistant, Rachel, needed was to see him sitting there like an over-caffeinated teenager, giggling over his phone.
When Charlie called, Ethan barely even tried to hide his grin.
"Still watching that woman?" Charlie asked with the kind of knowing tone only a best friend could have. He was Ethan's polar opposite—always joking, always looking for fun. The kind of guy who'd ditch business meetings to go on spontaneous road trips to the beach. It was the kind of friendship Ethan needed—someone who would pull him out of his workaholic shell, even if it meant dragging him kicking and screaming.
"Her name is TheWittyOne88," Ethan corrected automatically, as if he was defending a cherished secret. "And yes. I may have watched a few more videos."
Charlie sighed dramatically. "A few more? I think you've practically memorized her content at this point. Dude, you're hooked."
Ethan didn't care. He was hooked. There was something oddly refreshing about her. She didn't fit into any box. She didn't care about fame, or followers, or anything that Ethan was used to. She was just... herself. And for some reason, that was magnetic.
"I don't know why you're so obsessed," Charlie continued. "But if it's getting you to relax, maybe that's not the worst thing. You're a machine sometimes, man."
Ethan chuckled, but the truth hit home harder than he wanted to admit. Charlie was right—he was a machine. A well-oiled machine that hadn't felt anything real in a while. And now here he was, practically stalking a woman he'd never even met.
"Tell me something," Charlie said, sounding suspiciously like he was about to launch into one of his "life lessons." "Have you messaged her yet?"
Ethan nearly dropped his phone. He hadn't even considered that. "What? No. I'm not sending her a message. That's ridiculous."
Charlie was relentless. "Why not? You've been watching her like a teenager with a crush. Just say something funny, or compliment her. Get the conversation started."
Ethan set his phone down, running his hands through his hair. "It's... not that simple."
Charlie's laugh rang through the phone. "Right. 'Not that simple.' Dude, you're a billionaire. You get deals done with a snap of your fingers. But when it comes to a woman on the internet who makes you laugh... suddenly it's too complicated?"
Ethan took a deep breath. It was true. He was good at making deals, at playing the game of business and life. But when it came to this—this irrational, crazy thing that made him feel like a teenager again—he had no idea what to do.
The next few days felt like an emotional rollercoaster. He'd wake up, check his email, and find himself scrolling through her TikTok feed for the next hour. She'd posted a new video, making fun of how no one ever knows what to say when someone says "let's get together soon."
"Let's get together soon," she mimicked, leaning into the camera. "Yeah, right. I know, and you know, that we're both too busy for that. Just say 'I'll see you when I see you,' and we'll all pretend like we care."
Ethan laughed so loudly he startled Rachel as she entered the office. She raised an eyebrow. "You good, Mr. Grant?"
He gave her a quick smile. "Perfect. Just enjoying a... moment of levity."
She didn't look convinced, but thankfully, Rachel didn't pry. Ethan appreciated that.
Still, there was this nagging thought in the back of his mind that wouldn't leave. What if this was it? What if she was the one? He couldn't get over the way she made him feel—light, funny, alive. But, logically, he knew that couldn't be true. She was a stranger, a woman behind a screen. He was a man who prided himself on his success, his control. His world didn't revolve around internet stars.
But even as he tried to shake it off, the itch only grew stronger.
When he got home later that night, Ethan's penthouse was silent save for the gentle hum of the air conditioning.
He poured himself a drink and turned on the TV but he couldn't stop thinking about her. This crazy TikTok girl.
"This is pathetic," he muttered to himself, stretching to grab his phone.
He would watch just one video.
As he opened the app, there she was, TheWittyOne88. She was ranting about corporate executives who thought they understood "the youth" while their social media teams desperately tried to make them seem relatable.
"Oh look, another CEO posting about their morning routine. Wow, you drink a protein shake and meditate for twenty minutes? Revolutionary. Groundbreaking. I'm inspired," she drawled sarcastically. "Next you'll tell me you read books and drink water. Truly, you're changing the world one Instagram post at a time."
Ethan snorted, recognizing himself in her mockery. Just last week, his PR team had suggested he start sharing his morning routine to seem more "accessible." He'd shut that down immediately, but now he wondered if he should have let them. Maybe then TheWittyOne88 would have roasted him specifically.
The thought made him smile. Then he frowned at himself.
What was he doing? This wasn't him. He didn't obsess over social media personalities. He barely used social media at all, aside from the carefully curated LinkedIn profile his communications team maintained for him.
And yet, here he was, thumb hovering over the message icon on her profile.
It was 2 AM, and he was still scrolling.
"Don't do it," he told himself firmly. "You're a grown man. You don't slide into random women's DMs at 2 AM."
But what would he even say? "Hey, you are so funny and I think I'm crazy about you"? That sounded like the opening line of a cautionary tale about online predators.
His phone buzzed with a text from Charlie: "Did you message her yet?!"
Ethan groaned and tossed his phone onto the couch. This was Charlie's fault. If he hadn't introduced him to TikTok, Ethan would be asleep right now, not contemplating messaging a stranger like some lovesick teenager.
But he couldn't deny the strange pull he felt toward her. It wasn't just attraction—though her voice was certainly captivating. It was something about her perspective, her unapologetic honesty, her refusal to take anything too seriously. She was the opposite of everything in his carefully controlled life.
Against his better judgment, Ethan picked up his phone again.
"Hello", he typed. Then deleted it. Too generic.
"I just wanted to say I really enjoy your content." Delete. Too fan-like.
"Your videos have been the highlight of my otherwise tedious day." Delete. Too pathetic.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered as he turned off his phone. He would have to deal with these crazy emotions tomorrow. Still, as he dragged himself to the bedroom, a part of him hoped he would see her in his dreams.