Chapter 16 Alex
ALEX
"You said what to her?" Sam's eyes are wide, his beer frozen halfway to his mouth.
I groan, dropping my head into my hands. "I know, I know. I fucked up."
"Fucked up? Dude, you nuked that bridge from orbit." Sam shakes his head, taking a long pull from his bottle. "I'm surprised she didn't castrate you on the spot."
I wince, the memory of Paige's face—hurt, angry, devastated—flashing through my mind. "She looked like she wanted to."
Sam sighs, setting his beer down on the bar. "Okay, walk me through it again. What exactly did you say?"
I rake a hand through my hair, shame and regret churning in my gut. "I told her she was a robot. That she was incapable of feeling anything, and that I was done waiting around for her to grow a heart."
Sam lets out a low whistle. "Wow. That's... harsh, man."
"I know." I thunk my head against the bar, the wood cool against my forehead. "I was just so frustrated, you know? I've been trying so hard to get through to her, to get her to open up. And every time I think we're getting somewhere, she just shuts down again."
Sam nods, his expression sympathetic. "I get it, man. Paige's a tough nut to crack. But calling her a robot? That's a low blow."
I groan, the sound muffled against the bar. "I know. I didn't mean it. I was just so angry, and hurt, and it just slipped out."
Sam pats my shoulder, his hand warm and solid. "Look, Alex. I know you care about her. And I think, deep down, she cares about you too. But you can't force her to be someone she's not. You have to let her come to you in her own time."
I sit up, running a hand over my face. "But what if she never does? What if I've ruined everything?"
Sam shrugs, a small smile playing on his lips. "Then you apologize. You grovel, if you have to. And you hope like hell she's willing to give you another chance."
I nod, a plan forming in my mind. "You're right. I need to make this up to her. I need to show her how much she means to me."
Sam raises an eyebrow. "And how are you going to do that?"
I bite my lip, hesitating. I'm not supposed to tell anyone about CupidCode—Paige was very clear about that. But Sam's my best friend, and I trust him with my life. Surely he can keep a secret.
"Okay, but you can't tell anyone about this," I say, leaning in close. "Paige's been working on this project, on the side. It's called CupidCode."
Sam's eyes widen. "CupidCode? Like, a dating app?"
I shake my head. "No, it's more than that. It's an AI-powered algorithm that finds your perfect match. Paige's been tweaking it for months, trying to get it just right."
Sam lets out a low whistle. "Damn. That sounds impressive."
I nod, a small smile tugging at my lips. "It is. And the crazy thing is, it matched me with Paige. Before we ever started this thing between us."
Sam's eyebrows shoot up. "Wait, seriously? You guys are like, algorithmically compatible?"
I shrug, a warmth spreading through my chest. "I guess so. But Paige freaked out when she saw the results. Said it was a mistake, that the code must be wrong."
Sam frowns, his brow furrowing. "But what if it's not? What if you guys are meant to be together?"
I sigh, the warmth in my chest fading. "I don't know, man. Paige's so convinced it won't work, that we're too different. And after what I said to her... I wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to see me again."
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Alex Spencer and Sam Kim."
I look up at the sound of a familiar voice, my stomach sinking. Hollis, the smarmy VP from Titan, is standing over our table, a smirk on his face.
"Hollis," I say, forcing a smile. "What brings you to our neck of the woods?"
Hollis shrugs, his eyes glinting. "Oh, you know. Just out for a drink after a long day of crushing the competition."
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Hollis has always been a pompous ass, even when we were interns together at NexGen. He's the kind of guy who thinks he's God's gift to tech, always bragging about his latest conquest or his killer instincts.
"Sounds thrilling," I deadpan, taking a sip of my beer.
Hollis chuckles, sliding into the booth next to Sam. "Oh, it is. But not nearly as thrilling as what I overheard you two talking about just now."
I freeze, the beer turning to ash in my mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Hollis leans forward, his eyes gleaming. "Don't play coy with me, Spencer. I heard you talking about CupidCode. Paige Reynolds's little side project."
I feel Sam tense beside me, his hand clenching around his bottle. "How do you know about that?"
Hollis smirks, leaning back in his seat. "I have my sources. And from what I hear, CupidCode is going to be the next big thing in dating tech."
I narrow my eyes, my gut churning with unease. "What's your point, Hollis?"
Hollis spreads his hands, his expression innocent. "My point is, I want in. I want to buy CupidCode from Paige, bring it under the Titan umbrella."
I shake my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "Yeah, good luck with that. Paige's not selling. She’ll launch it herself.”
Hollis raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? Because from what I've heard, Paige's not exactly the type to put herself out there. She's brilliant, sure, but she's too scared to take risks. Too worried about failure."
I feel a flare of anger in my chest, my hands clenching into fists. "You don't know what you're talking about. Paige's the bravest person I know."
Hollis laughs, the sound grating on my nerves. "Please. I worked with Paige back in the day, remember? She was always second-guessing herself, always pulling back when things got too real."
He leans forward, his voice low and conspiratorial. "Face it, Spencer. Paige's never going to pitch CupidCode. She's too afraid of rejection, of putting her heart on the line. But you... you could convince her to sell. You could be the one to bring her vision to life."
I stare at him, my mind racing. Could he be right? Could I really convince Paige to sell CupidCode to Titan?
The thought sends a pang of guilt through me. It feels wrong, going behind Paige's back like this. Betraying her trust, her confidence in me.
But then I think about what Hollis said, about Paige being too afraid to take risks. Too scared to put herself out there.
Isn't that what I've been trying to do this whole time? To get her to open up, to take a chance on us?
Maybe this is the push she needs. Maybe if I can show her how much I believe in CupidCode, in her, she'll finally let me in.
I take a deep breath, meeting Hollis's gaze. "Okay. I'm listening."
Hollis grins, a shark scenting blood in the water. "Excellent. Here's what I'm thinking..."
As he lays out his plan, his vision for CupidCode under the Titan brand, I feel a growing sense of unease in my gut. This feels wrong, like I'm making a deal with the devil.
But then I think about Paige, about the hurt and anger in her eyes when I called her a robot. About the way she pushed me away, even as I tried to hold on.
I have to make this right. I have to show her how much I care, how much I believe in her.
Even if it means going behind her back to do it.
Sam shoots me a worried look as Hollis continues to talk, his hand tightening on my shoulder. "Alex, are you sure about this?"
I nod, my jaw clenched with determination. "I'm sure, Sam. I have to do this. For Paige."
Sam sighs, shaking his head. "Okay, man. But be careful. Don't let Hollis push you into something you'll regret."
I swallow hard, my throat tight with emotion. "I won't. I promise."
But even as I say the words, even as I shake Hollis's hand and seal the deal, I can't shake the feeling that I'm making a horrible mistake.
That in trying to win Paige back, I might just lose her forever.