Experience Gained

After leaving the center, Ella called Tiesto. He had just finished a meeting and answered.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Mr. Sterling, I need your help with something,” Ella said. “The security guard told me this morning that I need to register my bike, but I need proof that I live there, so—”

“Alright.” Tiesto frowned slightly.“Javi, take care of it immediately.”

A second later, Ella’s phone buzzed—Tiesto Sterling had added her as a contact. Moments after that, he sent over the property documents.

She hadn’t expected the apartment to actually belong to him.

In the city, real estate prices were brutal. Even modest apartments could drain a family’s lifetime savings. This one was ninety-nine square meters—just over a thousand square feet. Even in an average neighborhood, its value was staggering.

Ella stared at the documents, stunned.

[So this apartment is yours?] she typed. [It must have cost a fortune.]

No reply.

After a moment, she added: [You probably have a big mortgage every month, right? I can contribute to the rent if you want.]

Still nothing.

Feeling awkward, she sent one more message. “I don’t earn much yet. I’ll only be using one room, so I can cover part of the market rate.”

Finally, a response came.

[No need.]

Even so, Ella felt uneasy. She’d planned to rent anyway, so she made a mental note to look up local prices later.

With the property documents and marriage certificate, registering her electric bike and charging station went smoothly this time.

Back at the apartment, she flipped the light switch.

Nothing happened.

The unit was pitch-dark.

A neighbor across the hall poked her head out. “Everything okay? Did your power go out?”

Ella frowned. It dawned on her that the utilities hadn’t been activated yet. She messaged Tiesto for the account details and access codes. His replies were brief—impatient, even—but she didn’t take it personally. She had no intention of bothering him more than necessary.

Her phone rang almost immediately.

“Make a list of everything that needs to be handled—utilities, parking, anything else,” Tiesto said calmly. “Send it all at once. Don’t report things piece by piece.”

Even while busy, he was polite. Still, the authority in his tone made her smile wryly. If she’d done this at work, she would’ve been reprimanded long ago.

“Oh—okay. Sorry,” she said, pulling out a notebook and carefully writing everything down.

Tiesto didn’t wait. “Javi, handle it.”

Javi moved fast—activating utilities, confirming parking access, and linking all fees to Tiesto’s accounts.

He had witnessed Tiesto registering the marriage himself, but over the past two days it was clear the CEO wasn’t entirely pleased with the arrangement. Javi didn’t ask questions. He never did.

“Create a new messaging account,” Tiesto added. “If she needs anything, she contacts you. You’re just a friend. I’m an ordinary employee.”

Tiesto’s main accounts were too public—corporate posts, media appearances, constant visibility. Personal matters didn’t belong there. Javi sighed. Keeping things low-key was one thing; this bordered on excessive.

Before Ella finished her list, the apartment lights flicked on.

Everything had been handled—utilities activated, parking approved, fees auto-paid. Tiesto even sent her the Wi-Fi name and password.

“For apartment-related matters, contact Javi,” his message read, followed by a virtual business card.

“Got it,” Ella replied, adding him.

“And don’t mention our marriage to outsiders.”

“Understood.”

She doubted she’d need to contact Tiesto much anyway.

The next day, the building upgraded its smart meters, rendering the old access codes useless. Ella didn’t have the new ones.

Tiesto didn’t live there, and Javi usually handled these things—but now it fell to her. She messaged Javi directly.

“I need the updated access codes. What should I do?”

Javi was in the car with Tiesto, who was on a call with an overseas investor. He didn’t interrupt. This was well within his authority.

Ella was nearby. It would be quicker to deliver them in person.

She waited by the apartment gate.

Minutes later, Javi approached. “Ms. Hart, I brought the updated access codes.”

“Oh—thank you for coming all this way,” Ella said, taking the envelope.

“Just doing my job,” Javi replied. “Let me know if anything else comes up.”

Ella glanced across the street—and froze.

“Wait… isn’t that car familiar?”

Javi followed her gaze.

Tiesto’s black sedan was parked nearby—far too conspicuous. If anyone recognized it, things could get messy.

“Maybe you’re mistaken,” Javi said smoothly, shifting to block her view.

Ella squinted again. Behind the sedan, a white SUV pulled up. A young woman inside laughed as she spoke to the driver.

Ellen. And her husband.

“Oh.” Ella relaxed.

“Coffee?” Javi suggested quickly.

“No, I’ll pay,” Ella said. “You already went out of your way.”

The distraction worked.

By the time Ella stepped out with her iced latte, the white SUV was gone. She waved goodbye to Javi, feeling oddly self-sufficient.

Tiesto’s call ended moments later.

Almost unconsciously, he glanced out the window.

Across the street, Ella was laughing softly as she said goodbye to Javi. They held identical cups of iced coffee.

Something in his chest stilled.

He’d known she was beautiful from the start—but her smile now, effortless and bright, caught him completely off guard. The curve of her brows, the light in her eyes—it was disarming.

His gaze lingered.

Javi returned to the car.

The door shut.

Tiesto’s eyes shifted to him—cold, sharp.

“You two seem… close,” Tiesto said.

A chill ran down Javi’s spine. That edge in his voice—subtle, unmistakable.

“Mr. Sterling,” Javi said carefully, “the smart meter needed updating. I handled it. She thanked me with coffee.”

The air only grew colder.

Tiesto said nothing.

But the tension remained.

Back at the office, Javi was unusually cautious. He’d assumed Tiesto was indifferent—that small gestures meant nothing.

He’d been wrong.

Tiesto’s possessiveness had surfaced quietly, unexpectedly, over something as trivial as a cup of coffee.

Lesson learned.

No matter how insignificant it seemed, Javi would never again allow Ella to get close to Tiesto in ways that might matter.

Experience gained: +1.