Unexpected Faces

Gabriella barely slept. Tonight, she would meet the parents of the man she was pretending to be in love with. She knew deep within her that this wasn’t going to be any ordinary dinner.

She had dressed carefully, choosing something professional but subtle, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to herself at the office. But it wasn’t just the office she was worried about. It was the family dinner, the gala, and everything beyond it. They all weighed heavily on her heart.

After getting ready for work, she grabbed her things and went downstairs, where she found Alexander already waiting for her.

“Good morning,” She said

“Morning. Let’s get going,” he responded dryly and walked out of the house.

The ride to work was awfully quiet, and Gabriella sat stiffly in the passenger seat as the city rolled past outside. Alexander had given the driver the day off and decided to drive them to work himself. His hands held the steering wheel lazily as he expertly maneuvered through the streets.

“What are your parents like?” Gabriella asked, breaking the silence. She couldn’t help herself.

Alexander’s eyes remained fixed on the road, letting the question linger.

“My father is… a lot. My mum isn’t so much trouble, though.”

Gabriella raised an eyebrow at him.

“What do you mean by a lot?”

“He’s very uptight. Loves things to be done his way, and he doesn't tolerate mistakes.”

Her stomach clenched. It always seemed like mistakes were a luxury she couldn’t afford.

When they arrived at Kingston Enterprises, Alexander got out first, opened the door for her, and then offered her his hand.

“Remember, just act natural.”

She took his hand tentatively, and his fingers interlaced with hers firmly, like letting go wasn’t an option.

Once again, they were greeted by an audience of curious eyes as employees stole subtle glances at them. Whispers followed them as they walked to the elevator, and Gabriella could feel the heat of their judgment on her skin.

Finally, in the privacy of the elevator, Alexander let go of her hand.

“This is good,” Alexander said.

“We’ve got everyone talking. Our story will be more believable now before I officially announce our engagement.”

“Easy for you to say. They’re all sending me death glares.”

Alexander chuckled.

“You’ll be joining me for a board meeting later this afternoon, so get ready.”

“Oh, alright. Is there anything you want to warn me about before the meeting?” She asked.

Alexander thought about it for a moment.

“No. I just want you to pay attention.”

The doors opened before she could ask any further questions, and they stepped out together into his office. Gabriella was grateful for the private elevator because she didn’t have to deal with another floor of judgmental co-workers.

“I’ll see you this afternoon then, and after work we’ll head to my parents’ for dinner before going home.”

Gabriella nodded and walked out of his office, already dreading the day ahead.

The day stretched on like a taut wire. E-mails, phone calls, and quick hallway whispers filled the hours. All the employees took every chance they got to drop their two cents on the CEO’s alleged affiliation with his new secretary, and Gabriella found herself navigating a minefield of glances and hushed commentary.

By midday, a stream of executives marched into the boardroom for a meeting regarding the failed fingerprint door locks. Alexander stepped out of his office, and Gabriella followed silently behind him.

The atmosphere was tense. Voices overlapped as executives argued, papers shuffled, and a large screen displayed graphs that dipped sharply in angry red lines. The meeting had been going on for an hour, and Gabriella sat in a corner observing and taking notes. Alexander sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable, but she could see the pressure pressing down on him.

“If this continues, the whole company is RUINED!!!” an executive announced, his voice sharp and unyielding.

“We need to end this backlash as soon as possible. The stocks keep falling with every day that passes.” Another executive said, looking to Alexander for answers.

Gabriella felt the tension rise.

‘If the company collapses, what will happen to my job?’ she wondered.

“Social media is tearing us apart,” the first executive said again, “If leadership is failing to contain a crisis of this magnitude, then we have to consider replacing the CEO.”

The room fell silent.

All eyes shifted to Alexander, and Gabriella felt her breath catch in her throat as she turned to look at him. He didn’t move or flinch. His face held a dangerous scowl directed at the executive who had suggested replacing him. 

“Replace me?” Alexander’s voice came out low and menacing.

No one responded.

“The company’s stability comes first. This is nothing personal.” The executive said, though his confidence seemed to waver slightly.

Then, without a warning, Alexander chuckled, but everyone knew he wasn’t finding it funny.

“Let’s talk about stability, shall we?” he continued. “In the last three years, Kingston Enterprises has tripled its revenue, expanded into two international markets, and outperformed every major competitor in this City.”

His gaze landed on the man who had spoken.

“Under my leadership.”

No one interrupted him. He was speaking facts.

“Now the company is facing a product issue that surfaced not long ago, and your solution is to replace the person who has brought this company a magnitude of success?”

The executive opened his mouth to respond, but Alexander didn’t let him.

“That’s not strategy. That’s panic.”

Alexander’s words shifted the atmosphere in the room, and Gabriella watched in awe as he took control of the situation.

“Effective immediately, all affected units will be recalled for inspection, and a statement will be released acknowledging technical inconsistencies.”

Everyone straightened in their seats and listened attentively. Alexander looked around the room and continued again.

“Engineering will prioritize identifying the exact cause of failure. Not guesses or assumptions. That way I can fix the problem you’re all too busy complaining about."

The confidence in his tone was intimidating, without doubt or hesitation.

He straightened.

“Now, until we have that data, let's not feed hysteria by suggesting nonsense that helps the company in no way.”

His eyes locked onto the man again, and he shrank in his seat.

“Let’s proceed with the recall plan.” An older board member said. 

Others nodded, and slowly, the tension eased. Alexander had won the room.

For now.

“Meeting adjourned,” Alexander announced.

Chairs shifted, and papers gathered. One by one, people filed out of the boardroom. Gabriella remained seated for a moment longer, her eyes fixed on Alexander as he walked away.

When evening came, Gabriella and Alexander left the office and headed for the Kingston family estate. The drive was quieter than usual, and Gabriella stared out the window as she tried to prepare herself for what she knew would be an intense evening.

“You handled the meeting well,” she said cautiously.

“I did my job,” Alexander replied, his grip on the steering wheel tightened, making his knuckles turn white.

Gabriella fell silent, clasping her hands together in her lap. She decided to stay quiet and not say anything that may shift his mood.

The minutes stretched by in silence, and soon the car slowly turned, approaching a set of tall iron gates that opened silently, as if they had been expecting them.

Gabriella’s breath caught as the estate came into view. The mansion before her was nothing short of breathtaking- grand pillars, manicured hedges, and an aura of wealth that made her feel incredibly small.

“Wow…” she whispered.

After Alexander pulled the car to a stop, they both got out and walked up the staircase that led to the entrance.

Gabriella’s heart hammered in her chest, and she anxiously smoothed her outfit, adjusting her clothes repeatedly.

“Would you quit fidgeting?” Alexander said, commanding.

She turned to face him. “ I’m about to meet your parents…billionaire business moguls.”

“And?” he asked flatly.

“And I’m… me,” she said, gesturing at herself, “a girl who couldn’t afford to pay her rent a few days ago.”

For a moment, silence lingered between them.

“You’ll be my wife soon. Act like it.” He said firmly.

There was something in his tone that made her chest tighten.

“This is still a contract,” she reminded him and turned to face the door.

“Yes,” he continued, “But tonight, no one else needs to know that.”

Suddenly, the doors were pulled open, and Gabriella straightened, holding her breath. Alexander guided her inside, and the staff who had opened the door welcomed them with a gentle bow.

Immediately, all eyes fell on her, and Gabriella came face-to-face with Alexander’s parents standing in the foyer.

Her breath hitched in shock. She froze as her gaze locked with the man standing next to Alexander’s father. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

For a split second, the man's expression flickered.

Recognition?

His lips curved slowly into a knowing smile as he slipped his hands into his pockets. Gabriella’s heart began to pound.

“Gabriella,” Alexander said, snapping her out of her daze.

“Meet my parents, Mathew and Stella Kingston.” He paused and gestured to the other man, who was still smiling mischievously.

“And my brother, Dennis.”

The name echoed in her mind.

Dennis tilted his head slightly, his gaze never leaving hers, sending a strange feeling up her spine as her fingers curled at her sides.

His smile made her pulse quicken, though she wasn’t sure why.

“Well,” Dennis said smoothly, his eyes twinkling with amusement, “this just got interesting.”