###The Queen Enters
The tension in the meeting room had finally started to dissolve, and Charlotte felt a wave of relief washing over her.
She'd done it.
Not just sealed a deal, but stood her ground, made her voice heard, and—dare she think it—earned their respect.
Olivia nudged her under the table and gave her a subtle thumbs up. Charlotte couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips.
And then—
The door swung open with a confident push, high heels tapping crisply against the carpet, each step calculated and deliberate.
A woman entered, draped in an immaculate white dress, lips painted a sharp red, a high ponytail bouncing as she moved. She was elegance and dominance wrapped in one perfectly toned figure.
"Apologies for being late," she said, her voice smooth and unhurried. "My flight was delayed. Alexander, you should've told me the meeting time was moved."
Charlotte felt her stomach drop.
Serena.
Alexander's rumored girlfriend—and the media darling of Hastings Industries' luxury dining brand, Eden Gourmet. A celebrity chef and brand ambassador. The kind of woman magazines called "flawless."
Alexander barely reacted. "Serena, this is Charlotte Evans. She'll be leading the health-focused content for our new collaboration."
Serena turned her gaze to Charlotte, her smile sharp as a blade. "Ah, yes. The healthy curvy girl everyone's talking about online."
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, ready to respond—but Serena was already sliding into the seat next to Alexander, her arm casually draping over the back of his chair.
"I just got back from the Mediterranean," Serena said sweetly, leaning slightly toward Alexander. "I've been working on a new dish inspired by black olives and figs—low sugar, high flavor. You have to try it, Alex. You'll love it."
Charlotte clenched her fists under the table. The way Serena said Alex made her teeth itch.
Serena continued, tilting her head. "Though I do wonder how your casual, everyday recipes will align with Eden Gourmet's upscale image. Your videos feel… a bit too accessible, if you know what I mean."
Charlotte's lips curled into a smile. "And what's wrong with accessible? My audience wants real food that fits into real lives. Not just something pretty for a magazine spread."
Serena's eyes narrowed. "Cooking is an art, darling. Not a weight-loss guidebook."
Charlotte didn't miss a beat. "Health-conscious cuisine can be art. The difference is—I create the kind of art people can actually eat without guilt."
Around the table, a few heads nodded in agreement. Even some of the senior staff looked intrigued.
Serena's smile wavered, but only for a moment. Then she straightened, her voice suddenly playful.
"In that case… why don't we put it to the test?"
Charlotte blinked. "…What?"
"At Eden, we're organizing a 'Chef's Challenge'—a company-wide culinary competition," Serena explained. "All our lead chefs are participating. Since you're part of this new health campaign… why not join?"
Olivia's mouth dropped open. "She's not a trained chef—"
"But she's a self-declared culinary weight-loss mentor, right?" Serena's smile was syrup-sweet. "What better way to prove her skills?"
Charlotte stared at her. Was this woman seriously throwing down a gauntlet? Against her?
She glanced at Serena's perfect frame, her pristine outfit, her effortless confidence.
This woman thought she was a threat?
To her?
It was almost laughable.
…Except it wasn't. Charlotte had once been that exact same woman. Possessive. Paranoid. Ready to wage war on any girl who got too close to Alexander—no matter how innocent, acting like she had to defend her castle, even though the castle was empty.
Truly... terrifying and ridiculous.
No wonder he grew cold toward her back then. She had been… exhausting.
Finally, she understood. Possessiveness wasn't love; it was fear.
She let out a short breath of laughter, not loud enough for anyone to hear, but enough to pull herself back into the moment.
Then, she looked Serena dead in the eye and said:
"Okay, I'm in, I'll join the challenge."
She paused, glanced at Alexander—and then smiled wickedly.
"After all… I do carry a little extra weight. Might as well put it to good use. I'm actually quite 'substantial' in my own way."
Olivia choked on her water. Someone at the end of the table snorted.
Serena's smile faltered, but she held her posture.
Alexander still hadn't said a word—but his hand had moved from the back of his chair to the table, fingers tapping lightly. Thinking. Processing.
Charlotte looked down at her notes, a strange sense of peace settling in her chest.
The challenge was on.
And this time, she wasn't fighting for a man.
She was fighting for herself.
###The Elevator of Doom
"Come on, we're celebrating," Olivia declared as they stepped out of the Hastings Industries conference room.
"Lunch's on me. You were on fire in there, girl. Even Alexander looked… dare I say… impressed."
Charlotte laughed, her eyes squinting with amusement. "Are you sure he wasn't just burning up from fever?"
The two exchanged glances and laughed lightly as they walked toward the elevator.
They stood at the elevator entrance, waiting for the light to signal up, and couldn't help but replay everything that had just happened.
"Did you see Serena's face?" Olivia rolled her eyes dramatically. "She almost blew her fake lashes off."
"Oh my god, she was totally acting like she was 'Alexander's exclusive item'," Charlotte mimicked Serena in an exaggerated, high-pitched voice, "Oh Alex, try my Mediterranean fig dish~ it's inspired by the time we watched sunsets in Santorini~"
Olivia nearly choked on her laughter, slapping Charlotte's shoulder. "You nailed it!"
Charlotte grinned and kept performing. "Seriously, does she really think I'm competing with her? I don't want her man, God, Alexander isn't some gem that every woman in the world is obsessed with! To me, he's more like…"
She paused, her face becoming both serious and dramatic as she said:
"An expired, stale leftover. Only she still treats him like a treasure, but me? Ha, I couldn't care less."
She proudly lifted her chin, waiting for Olivia's response, but found her friend completely frozen, her face written with the words "Oh no, oh no, oh no."
"What's wrong?" Charlotte grinned and nudged her. "Did I say something wrong? Surprised? Come on, I've decided to switch things up!" Her eyebrows raised in excitement, her eyes sparkling. "You promised me a handsome guy, right? I'm really looking forward to it! Hopefully, he has six-pack abs! I can already imagine what they'd feel like—"
"Do you like the feeling of abs?" A light chuckle interrupted her.
Charlotte's smile froze.
That voice… so familiar, it made her skin tingle.
She slowly turned her head.
Alexander was standing right behind her, a slight smile playing at his lips.
And Serena was beside him, her gaze complex, like she had just swallowed a spoonful of mustard—struggling to maintain her composure while evaluating Charlotte.
"The elevator's here," Alexander broke the tension, gesturing for them to step inside.
Charlotte felt like she was trapped in the air, too stiff to move, and had no choice but to walk in and stand in the corner.
The elevator doors closed, and the air felt like it had frozen over.
She didn't dare to look up, instead silently glaring at Olivia:
When did he even arrive??
Olivia slowly returned a look of absolute "disaster movie protagonist" shock, as if to say: I have no idea!!!
The elevator slowly ascended, and no one spoke.
Until Alexander cleared his throat, his voice deep and tinged with teasing:
"…An overnight leftover?"
Charlotte almost choked on her breath.
"Not interested? No interest whatsoever?"
Charlotte bit down hard on her lower lip, trying desperately not to turn bright red.
But, obviously, she failed.