Chapter 8 – After the Party

I sank into the back seat of the car, heels off, breathing a little too heavily. Tonight had been… a disaster in some ways and a triumph in others. Somehow, I had survived the business party as Katty, pretending to be Niran’s partner, without completely embarrassing myself. Barely.

Alex had been… well, Alex. Charming, teasing, impossibly confident. He had smiled at me in that way that made my cheeks heat, and I’d had to remind myself—he’s your boss’s business partner. Calm down, Catty.

I rubbed my temples, trying to replay the evening without cringing too much.

He noticed me.

Niran. His golden eyes, the way he’d observed every little thing I did. I hadn’t realized how much a single glance could make my heart race. And the way he had stepped in when I almost spilled the champagne… how can one look so cold and protective at the same time?

I shivered, remembering the fleeting tension when Alex leaned too close. Niran’s presence had been like a silent warning I couldn’t ignore.

“And…?” Alex’s teasing voice echoed in my memory. He had caught me mid-fluster once near the snack table. “Do you always make your boss watch you so closely?”

I had wanted to shove a napkin in his mouth. Instead, I smiled tightly, hoping it looked polite and composed. “I… try not to,” I had murmured.

Ha. Right.

And then there was Vivian. I hadn’t interacted with her directly, but I could feel her eyes on me at several points. She was elegant, intimidating, and sharp. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was silently judging me—maybe even sizing me up for Niran.

Great. A potential rival, I groaned internally.

The car hummed along the quiet streets, and I let out a long sigh. One night survived, but the complications were already stacking up. Alex flirting, Niran’s attention, Vivian’s eyes on me… and I hadn’t even started pretending I was Katty properly yet.

I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking: Okay, Catty. Two months. You can do this. Just… survive one party at a time.

But the thought that Niran had been watching me the entire evening made my stomach twist in ways I didn’t like… or maybe, secretly, in ways I did.

And as if on cue, a text pinged on my phone. From Alex.

> “Impressive work tonight. Think you’ll survive the next event as well?”

I groaned, dropping my head onto the seat.

Survive? This is just the beginning.