Voilà !

Brixlee walked into the office, deep in thought about the deal she had made with Xavier. She had finally agreed to do the fashion show if he would help them with the riddle. She had mixed emotions about it, but if that was the only way to help Nathan then it was worth it. Dropping her bag on her desk, she noticed Nathan with his head resting on the table, fast asleep. She quietly took a seat at her desk, trying not to wake him.

Suddenly, Tyler walked in, loudly announcing his presence and disrupting Nathan's sleep. Nathan looked at her for a few seconds and smiled wryly.

"When did you get here??" he asked.

"Just now," Brixlee replied back.

Tyler rested on Brixlee's desk and let out a sigh of frustration. "I found nothing! Maybe we should try finding new investors," he said.

"You don't think I've tried?" Nathan replied, annoyed, "Jessica Lopez is the only one interested in investing in the new smart patch. Sorry to burst your bubble, but we're stuck with her."

"It's okay. We still have six more days. I promise, we'll figure something out," Brixlee affirmed, hoping she would be the one to bring their worries to an end.

"Yeah, I guess," Tyler replied halfheartedly.

"You guys should leave early today. It's 7:15 pm already. You must be tired," Nathan said wryly. Brixlee could sense the discomfort in his voice.

"Thanks," she replied, handing over a file to him. He collected it and dropped a smile. "Great work, Brixlee," he implied, dropping the file on the table.

"I'll be leaving now, guys. Bye," Brixlee carried her bag and walked out.

The following morning, Nathan Grey slowly opened his eyes, yawning. He stretched his limbs and smiled as he looked around his spacious master bedroom. His room had always been his favorite place in the house, mainly because it had a private balcony overlooking the garden outside. He got out of bed and comfortably slipped into his flip flops. After checking the clock on the wall, he realized it was 6:13 am.

He walked outside and down the stairs, passing a formal dining room and spacious living room with large windows offering a beautiful view of the well-manicured lawn. A fireplace took center stage on one of the walls, with a big framed picture of him and his mother sitting over the mantle. Today was his mother's death commemoration - she had passed away from cancer eight years ago. Nathan visited her grave every year and wished he had made up with her before she died. They had gone through a rough patch, and he had always regretted not resolving their issues. As for his father, Nathan had completely cut him out of his life as he was more concerned about business than family. Nathan had run away from home after his mother's death and had worked hard to become the largest tech company in Texas and the third-largest in the world. But now, a stupid riddle threatened to bring down all that he had worked for.

As Nathan walked into the living room, his phone beeped - it was a text from Lucas. "How's your revenge plan going? I hope you're ready to lose to me."

Nathan held his fists in anger. He had been so occupied lately that he hadn’t really have much of a thought about how he was going to get his revenge on Brixlee. He wasn’t ready to lose to Lucas but at the same time, he had more other things to worry about. He had finally decided that he would move on with his plan after the whole investor problem was solved.

***

Nathan wasn’t sure how Brixlee had convinced him to let her tag along to the cemetery or why he had agreed to it. Maybe he felt he needed someone at the moment,his best friend Talia had bailed on him and he probably needed someone to fill her position.

The sky was overcast as Brixlee and Nathan, stood at the entrance to the cemetery. Brixlee felt nervous and out of place dressed in her office attire, standing next to Nathan who was impeccably dressed in his black suit. As she followed him through the rows of gravestones, Brixlee couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Here we are," Nathan said, stopping at a small headstone. "This is where my mother is buried."

Brixlee stood a respectful distance back as Nathan approached the grave. She saw him drop down to his knees and place a single red rose on the headstone. "I miss you, Mom," he said, his voice gruff with emotion. "I wish you were here."

Brixlee felt a pang of sympathy for Nathan seeing him in a vulnerable state that she had never witnessed before. "Mr. Grey," she said softly, approaching him. "Is everything okay?"

Nathan stood up and wiped away a tear.”No, Brixlee" he replied, his voice cracking. "It's not okay. My mother and I had a difficult relationship, and I never got the chance to make things right before she passed away."

"I'm so sorry," Brixlee said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Nathan looked at her for a long moment before speaking. "You know, Brixlee, I don't know why I brought you here, but I'm glad you're here with me."

Brixlee smiled at him, feeling grateful for the unexpected moment of connection. "I'm here for you, Mr. Grey," she said. "Let's take all the time you need."

They spent the next half hour in a comfortable silence, standing together at the grave. Brixlee watched as Nathan talked softly to his mother, telling her about his life and his regrets.

As they parted ways, Brixlee went home feeling tired. Nathan had dropped her off and left immediately. He didn't seem okay, and she was worried about him. She took a hot bath before changing into a warm jumper. As she was about to go to bed, her phone rang. It was Nathan.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Brixlee, are you there? I need help," slurred Nathan through the phone. "I'm at the bar near the office, and I don't think I can make it home on my own."

Brixlee's heart dropped. She should have known Nathan was bound to do something reckless. He didn't look good when he dropped her off earlier, and she had wanted to ask him about it, but she'd hesitated. Why did he call her? Did he think they had gotten close after their evening together? Reluctantly, Brixlee agreed to come and get him.

“ Okay, I'll come meet you. Just tell me where to find you.”

When Brixlee arrived at the bar, she saw Nathan propped up against the wall, seemingly asleep. He stirred when he heard her footsteps.

“Brixlee, You came!” He said as he tried to stand but swayed on his feet.

"Mr Grey," she said, rushing over to steady him. "Let's get you out of here."

He looked up at her, his gaze lingering a bit too long. For a moment, they both felt the awkwardness of their situation.

"You know, Brixlee, you're a good secretary," Nathan said, his words slurring slightly. "Always reliable."

Brixlee forced a smile, trying to keep the mood light. "Thank you, sir. I'm just doing my job."

As they walked out of the bar, Nathan tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. Brixlee shouted and leaned in to catch him, but they both tumbled to the ground, ending up in a heap of limbs.

Breathing intermingled in the sudden silence, they both felt their hearts racing as they locked eyes. For Brixlee, it was an unexpected rush of emotions she couldn't quite explain.

"I'm so sorry, Brixlee," Nathan said, his voice filled with remorse.

"It's okay, sir," she said, relieved to be able to break the tension. "Let's just get you home."

It was that moment Brixlee realized she didn't know where "home" was. What was she thinking, assuming she could bring him back to his place? Her confusion was palpable.

"Mr. Grey, do you know where your house is?" Brixlee asked, not quite sure she had phrased the question right.

"Sure! Right there," Nathan managed to say, pointing at the office building.

Brixlee felt disappointed. Why had she even asked in the first place?

"What about your address? You know that, right?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope.

"Yes, 16, Georgie Alley down... Brightwood Road," he stammered.

Brixlee couldn't help but believe him. The address sounded too accurate to not be true. She brought out her phone and checked the map for the address and surprisingly, it was on the map.

With a sense of adventure, she got into Nathan's car with him and they drove off toward his house. As they drove, the awkwardness hung over them like a dark cloud, and they made small talk about work, but Nathan's words were mostly gibberish, slurred by the alcohol.

Soon, they arrived at what seemed like a mansion to Brixlee. As they approached the gates, they opened automatically, and they drove in. Brixlee halted in the middle of the expansive lawn, taking in the grandeur of the place.

She helped Nathan inside and settled him on the plush couch. As she looked around, she was amazed by the luxury of the place. And the fact that he lived all alone in such a big house was even more of a surprise. What about family? Didn't he have one?

"I'll be taking my leave now," Brixlee said, turning to leave.

She felt a warm hand grab her wrist and froze.

“Don’t leave” Nathan had said still holding her hand.

She turned around and there he was,his face exceptionally close to hers. She could feel his breath on her face as her heart sank to her stomach.

Has he always been this hot?!