Love Revival: Living with the Boss

"Terry, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Asking you out on a date. Haven't I made it obvious enough?"

In the spacious hotel suite, a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting bright light over Lacey Wallace's head. She picked up her cup, letting the warm water soothe her stomach, easing the discomfort. Her brows gradually relaxed, as if she were in a different world from the clinking glasses and lively chatter at the other end of the table.

"Lacey, " came Emma's voice.

Lacey had been pulled into tonight's social gathering at the last minute, only knowing it was to welcome the new boss brought in as the new boss. Her colleague Emma Baxter had hinted multiple times, both subtly and overtly, for her to be proactive and aware. But feeling under the weather, she found it hard to muster any enthusiasm.

Lacey turned her head towards the voice, only to meet the gaze of the person at the center of the crowd. In an instant, he looked away, as if he too felt she didn't belong in this setting.

"Lacey." Emma approached her, her voice low but clearly irritated. "Did you come here just to drink? If I had known you'd be like this, I wouldn't have approved Emily's leave! Now, go and toast Mr. Curtis."

Lacey took the glass Emma handed her. As she stood up, a sudden cramp in her stomach made her pause, gripping the table for support before she could straighten up and follow Emma.

Emma pushed Lacey in front of Terry, with a big smile on her face. Lacey could even make out the three wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. "Mr. Curtis, this is Lacey Wallace from our design department. It's her first time attending a social event. Please don't mind if she doesn't follow the etiquette."

Lacey raised her glass, looking at Terry with dull eyes. "Mr. Curtis, I toast to you."

Terry Curtis turned his gaze away coldly, his tone slightly annoyed. "If you can't drink, don't force yourself."

Then, his glass clinked lightly against that of a middle-aged man beside him, leaving Lacey with a cold and distant back.

The people around cast sympathetic glances at Lacey, while Emma looked at her with disappointment. "Go back to your seat."

Lacey could hear the sarcasm in his words. It was because she drank too much back then that she did something so foolish.

On the night of their university graduation party, classmates were crying, laughing, breaking up, and confessing. By the end of the meal, few were sober in the private room.

Lacey had gone to Terry's lab, emboldened by alcohol, and handed him a love letter she had written earlier.

"Terry, I like you. I'm leaving tomorrow, and I don't want to leave with regrets. I don't expect anything, just wanted you to know before I leave."

Before he could react, she had run off, blushing, nearly bumping into someone along the way.

The next morning, Lacey awoke to countless missed calls and unread messages on her phone. Her mind was foggy until her roommate showed her the phone, making her realize the gravity of the situation.

Her confession letter to Terry had been posted on an online forum for public declarations of affection!

At that moment, her heart shattered... the whole world collapsed...

There were already thousands of replies, all filled with insults. Someone even posted her phone number, encouraging others to harass her.

Who was Terry Curtis? He was a legendary figure at a prestigious university, a top student who consistently ranked first, winning numerous national competitions, and serving as student council president. He was tall, handsome, and reportedly from a prominent family. Not only did girls from my university like him, but girls from other schools lined up to confess and send love letters, all of which he rejected, focusing solely on his lab work.

Anything about Terry on the confession wall would attract a crowd.

Now, Lacey felt as if she were stripped bare, standing naked before a crowd, facing public humiliation and ridicule, with no escape, watching helplessly as her dignity was trampled and violated.

Tears flowed like a flood, large droplets splashing onto the desk.

Terry, why did you humiliate me like this?

Eventually, her tears dried up, her voice hoarse, and Lacey fled the school in anger.

She changed her phone number, deleted her old social media accounts, severed all ties with university and Terry, and moved over to Maine, finding her current job and living alone.

Lacey thought three years would be enough to heal the wounds, but when she saw Terry in the suite, the suffocating feeling of being haunted by a nightmare returned, and her delayed period suddenly arrived.

After the meal, Emma, noting that Lacey was the only one who hadn't drunk, insisted she take Terry home, giving her no chance to refuse.

Lacey, suppressing her stomach discomfort, helped Terry to the parking lot, fished the car keys from his pocket, and searched for the car row by row.

Terry was much taller than Lacey, and even heavier when drunk, making it a struggle for her to support him.

"Terry, did I ever wrong you?"

"What did you say?"

"I said... you are really brillian, Mr. Curtis."

"Oh... I thought... you were cursing me. "

Lacey glanced sideways, noticing a slight smile on Terry's lips. She hadn't drunk much, so he must have been really drunk.

"Mr. Curtis, where do you live?"

"I don't need directions... Lacey."

"I'm asking you! Where do you live?" I repeated loudly.

""I don't need directions!"

Lacey suspected he was pretending to be drunk to mess with her...

Just then, they reached the car. She shoved Terry into the back seat and leaned against the car, booking a hotel and calling for a driver, not caring if he was comfortable inside.

In the end, she paid the driver 50 dollars to take Terry to the hotel.

The next morning, as soon as Lacey arrived at the office, the gossip group pulled her aside for interrogation.

"Lacey, is the new boss handsome?"

"I don't know. I didn't look closely."

"Lacey, what's the new boss's temperament like?"

"I have no idea. Just be careful, gentle or not, he's still our boss."

"Lacey, I heard the new boss went to the same university as you. Did you know each other? You even took him home yesterday... "

"No, I didn't know him. He had already graduated when I was in school, never met him."

"I've heard that he's the son of the big boss at the head office. Why has he come to our branch?"

"Who knows what rich people think."

......

"Lacey, Mr. Curtis wants to see you in his office." Emma's distinctive voice floated over, and everyone scattered like a lark.

Terry's office was at the end of the corridor, the door half-open. Lacey knocked politely before entering. Terry was in a suit, his hair meticulously styled, showing no signs of last night's hangover. His clothes were different from last night, and his glasses added an air of sophistication, reflecting a cold light that warned people to keep their distance.

"Mr. Curtis, what can I do for you?"

Terry's gaze left the documents, slowly moving up to Lacey's face, his eyes momentarily brightening before dimming again.

"Thank you for last night... "

"That's my duty, Mr. Curtis, but you do owe me for the driver and hotel from last night." Lacey noticed the change in Terry's expression but ignored it. "I'll waive the small change, just pay me back 80 dollars."

Terry lowered his head, giving off a cold vibe.

"And this is my resignation letter." Lacey handed an envelope to Terry, just like she had once handed him a love letter. She suddenly felt the world felt strangely ironic.

"Just give me a reason."

"I've been away for too long. I want to go home and take care of my parents."

"As far as I know, you lost your parents a few years ago."

Back then, when Lacey's parents died unexpectedly, Terry had accompanied the school leaders to offer condolences.

"I didn't want to disclose my privacy, but I'm resigning to go back home and get married. My boyfriend's family doesn't want us to live separately."

A tense silence filled the air. Lacey worried if Terry was still suffering from a hangover and couldn't understand her words.

"Alright, " Terry finally spoke after a long pause, his voice a bit hoarse. "But you can only leave after a month. That's the procedure."

"Thank you, Mr. Curtis. I promise to work diligently and conscientiously this month."

She hadn't slept a wink last night, unable to convince herself. She realized she didn't hate him as much anymore, fearing she might fall for Terry again. After all, he was someone she had loved for three years. Time could heal wounds but couldn't erase love.She feared betraying the pain she had endured and the dignity she had reclaimed...

Six years ago, Lacey was in her sophomore year when her uncle called to tell her that her parents had died in an accident. She was about to head to class but changed direction and went to the artificial lake on campus, where her parents had once watched her dream about the future. Now, only Lacey was left. The two people who loved her most in the world would never appear here again. Tears couldn't express her pain as she stared blankly at the lake.

She saw her parents waving to her from the lake, and with a smile, Lacey leapt in. The cold autumn water enveloped her, but she felt no chill-it was her parents' embrace.

When she opened her eyes again, it wasn't her parents she saw but Terry's face. His face was close, eyes full of urgency, and his lips gently touched hers, blowing air with a faint jasmine scent.

In that moment, Lacey was captivated.

Before leaving work, Lacey was called to Terry's office again.

"Here's your 100 dollars back." Terry pointed to ten bills on the table. "I don't like owing people. You helped me last night, so consider this 20 dollars my thanks."

Lacey only picked up eight bills. "Thanks for you generosity, Mr. Curtis. But I only need what is mine."

"Then let me treat you to dinner."

"No, I'm on a diet."

"How about driving you home tonight?"

"No, I get carsick."

"Lacey Wallace, are you fooling me?"

"I'm always straightforward with refusals, unlike you!" Lacey turned and left without hesitation.

Terry's eyelid twitched involuntarily.

When Lacey got home, she was surprised to see Terry coming out of the landlady's apartment across the hall.

"Lacey, Mr. Curtis said you're going home to get married next month. How come I didn't know you had a boyfriend? Didn't you go on a blind date last week? And now you're getting married?" The landlady dropped a bombshell, completely ignoring Lacey's attempts to signal her with a wink.

Terry, however, seemed to understand perfectly, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

"Ah! Miss Ford, it's a spur-of-the-moment decision."

"Young people these days are so unbelievable.

Lacey, do you mind if I rent the room opposite yours? After you go home to get married next month, he'll rent the whole place. You'll only be sharing for a month. He's already paid a year's rent."

"Miss Ford, I don't mind." Terry answered without being asked.

Lacey's eyes widened, struggling to process it all. She pulled Terry into her apartment, closing the door under the landlady's kindly gaze.

"What are you doing?"

"Renting a place. I have nowhere to live in Maine."

"Why rent here?"

"The rent is cheap, it's close to the office, and it's in the city center-a great location."

Something felt off, but she couldn't pinpoint what.

Lacey lay on her bed, scrolling through her phone, while the sounds of moving furniture from the living room seeped through the door and her headphones.

"Lacey and Mr. Curtis living together"- this headline was bound to be the hottest topic among alumni and colleagues.

Thankfully, it was only for a month. After that, he would have the place to himself, as the landlady said.

Thinking of this, Lacey sat up abruptly, finally realizing what was wrong.

The boyfriend and marriage were just her excuses, and the rent was paid annually with no refunds for early termination. She still had over half a year left on her lease...

She realized she had made a big mistake!

In the morning, Lacey yawned as she groggily walked into the bathroom. Terry, dressed neatly in a shirt and trousers, was brushing his teeth inside.

Terry turned to look at her. Lacey's hair was casually tied up, adding a touch of cuteness. Despite wearing loose cartoon pajamas, her impressive figure was not concealed, especially the two prominent areas that swayed with her steps, revealing glimpses of her curves. Terry involuntarily swallowed a mouthful of toothpaste foam, choking and coughing, while Lacey snapped awake, covering her chest and running back.

"You creep!"

When she opened her bedroom door again, she noticed all the furnishings had changed. The old furniture from yesterday was gone, replaced by brand-new pieces. Terry, having finished his morning routine, sat quietly at the dining table, eating breakfast. His long legs stretched out naturally, feet crossed. If not for the familiar scratches and peeling paint on the walls, she might have thought she had traveled through time.

By the time she finished getting ready, it was already 8, 30. Lacey hurriedly grabbed her bag and keys, changing shoes at the door.

"Come have breakfast." Terry was quite leisurely at the dining table.

He didn't realize the difference in their identities. How could he possibly understand the pain of an office lady commuting to clock in?

So, Lacey's response to Terry was the sound of the door slamming shut.

At the office, Lacey opened her computer to check emails. A paper bag caught her eye, followed by Terry's persistent voice.

"I packed the breakfast you didn't eat this morning. Don't waste it."

What the hell was he doing?

Didn't he know everyone was watching!

If there were a hole in the ground, Lacey would have crawled into it by now.

As soon as Terry left, the gossip group surrounded Lacey, demanding answers.

"What's going on?"

"Why did Mr. Curtis bring you breakfast?"

"What's the breakfast?"

"How does he know you didn't have breakfast?"

......

"I... just ran into Mr. Curtis downstairs. We chatted casually, and when he heard I hadn't eaten breakfast, he packed up his leftovers for me."

That was all there was to it.

A chat window popped up on her computer screen.

Terry, "That wasn't my leftovers."

Lacey, "Get lost."

Terry, "Finish it. Wasting food is immoral."

Lacey didn't reply as she was speechless for this answer.

Terry, "I don't mind visiting your office again."

Lacey, "I'll eat it right away."

Lacey cursed under her breath, taking a fierce bite of the food, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Lacey, "Can you stop meddling in my business?"

Half a minute later, Terry, "Fine."

Suddenly, several messages flooded her WhatsApp.

A row of "Lacey, you're amazing" messages appeared.

A few seconds later, Lacey realized they just chatted in company group chat! Jesus Christ!

She clicked the mouse, but it was too late to retract it...

A major public blunder, a major public blunder!

Her phone showed a yellow rainstorm warning. Lacey quickly took a screenshot and sent it to the group chat several times, attempting to cover up the previous message.