CHAPTER THIRTY
ELISE
“SURPRISE!”
My steps came to a complete halt as I stared at the decorated showcase room filled to the brim with Edge Record Entertainment employees.
I scanned the room seeing the familiar faces of my friends, Marissa from A&R, Kingsley from Marketing, Trent from Sales all the way to Nathan’s strikingly handsome face.
“What is this?” I asked, looking around the room full of people that I worked alongside with day in and day out for years.
“It’s your going away party.” Nathan explained as he approached, dressed immaculately in a black three piece suit.
“I wasn’t expecting this at all,” I admitted, blinking back the rush of emotion that threatened to spill over. “I thought you hated parties.”
Nathan smirked, his usual cool demeanor softened by a hint of amusement. “I don’t hate them. I just prefer them when they’re for a good reason. And tonight, that reason is celebrating you.”
My cheeks warmed. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“Of course I did.” he said, his voice lower now. “You’ve been one of the best things to happen to this company. You’ve worked harder than anyone I know, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed.” He gestured toward the crowd, his eyes scanning the room with pride.
A warm flush crept up my neck as I looked at my colleagues, who were smiling and raising their glasses in acknowledgment. A wave of gratitude washed over me, but it quickly mingled with a strange sense of loss. I’m leaving.
“I didn’t realize I made such an impact,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Trust me, you have,” Nathan replied, his gaze intense. He stepped closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “And, for what it’s worth, I don’t think anyone here is ready to let you go.”
I really wanted to kiss him, especially when I noted the adorable shade of pink that peppered both his cheeks, but we were supposed to be keeping our relationship a secret right now, so I’m sure kissing would blow our cover.
“Thank you,”
“Of course, Cupcake.”
It was my turn to blush.
“I’m going to mingle so I don’t do something crazy like kiss you in front of all of my coworkers.” I said. “You should do the same.”
“I’m okay with an audience if you are.” Nathan said, making me laugh.
“See you around, Mr. Edge.” I purposely placed emphasis on his name before strolling over to meet up with my friends.
***
THE CHATTER IN the room was a low hum, punctuated by bursts of laughter and clinking glasses. I moved through the crowd with practiced ease, stopping here and there to chat with colleagues who seemed genuinely upset that I was leaving.
“Did you know Nathan was planning this?” Marissa asked, her perfectly arched brows raised in curiosity as she handed me a glass of champagne.
I took it gratefully, shaking my head. “Not a clue. I thought I was walking into an artist showcase.”
“Well, leave it to Mr. Edge to go big or go home,” she said, her lips curving into a knowing smile. “Although, I’d say this is more personal than professional.”
I sipped my drink, trying not to let my reaction give anything away. Marissa had always been sharp and I’m sure my Tiktok only fueled her suspicions, but there was no way she could know about Nathan and me. Could she?
“Personal?” I asked, keeping my tone light.
“Oh, come on.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “It’s not every day Nathan Edge throws a party like this for anyone. Hell, I’ve worked here for five years, and he barely acknowledges birthdays.”
I laughed, brushing it off even as my cheeks grew hot. “Maybe he’s just in a festive mood.”
“Well, it’s obvious he’s in a better mood lately,” Marissa added, her voice lowering as if she was about to spill some juicy gossip. “Some of us are starting to think it’s because he’s getting laid on a regular basis. Everyone’s been wondering who the lucky woman is.”
The words sat heavy in my chest, but I kept my face neutral, pretending to find her comment as casual as she intended. “Guess we’ll never know,” I replied with a tight smile.
Marissa didn’t look convinced, but before she could press further, Kingsley swooped in with his signature charm. “Elise, our star! How does it feel knowing you’re escaping the clutches of the infamous Nathan Edge and not leaving in tears or therapy?”
“Like experiencing a miracle.” I laughed.
Kingsley chuckled. “Well, whatever you did, it worked. The rest of us are still out here dodging his wrath like our lives depend on it.”
“That’s because they do,” Marissa muttered, earning a round of nods from the group.
I stole a glance at Nathan across the room, watching as he engaged in conversation with my friends who had come out to support.
His expression was neutral, his posture relaxed but commanding.
He was ruthless, yes. But he was also the man who memorized my coffee order down to the exact number of pumps of vanilla.
Conversation flowed easily after that, but I couldn’t help stealing glances at Nathan from across the room as time moved on.
He was talking to Trent now, one hand tucked into the pocket of his perfectly tailored pants, the other holding a whiskey glass.
His face was composed, as usual, but I could tell from the slight curve of his lips that he was keeping an ear out for me.
I caught his eye once, and his expression softened in a way that made my heart stutter. It was ridiculous how much power that man had over me.
“Earth to Elise.”
I blinked, realizing Kingsley was staring at me with a teasing smirk. “What?”
“You’ve been zoning out,” he said, leaning closer. “You okay?”
“Yes,” I said too quickly, avoiding his gaze. “Just… overwhelmed by everything.”
“Uh-huh.” Kingsley didn’t believe me, but thankfully, he didn’t push. Instead, he excused himself to grab another drink, leaving me with Marissa, who was busy scrolling through her phone.
I used the momentary lull as an opportunity to escape. Slipping through the crowd, I made my way out of the showcase room.
Once I was alone in the hallway, I exhaled a long breath and leaned against the wall. My head was spinning. Not from the party itself, but from the weight of keeping things under wraps with Nathan.
With every stolen glance, every secret touch, and inside joke, it was getting harder to act like we were just colleagues. And tonight, with everyone’s attention on me, I felt like we were walking a razor-thin line.
I exhaled loudly. The quieter part of Edge Records felt almost sacred tonight.
Most of the lights were dimmed, the glass doors to the studios reflecting soft strips of overhead lighting along the polished floors.
My heels echoed faintly as I wandered, fingertips brushing the wall as if the building itself might remember me.
The thought that this was my last walk through the building tightened something in my chest.
Three years of my life had lived inside these walls. Early mornings, late nights, coffee runs, dance rehearsals, impossible deadlines… and Nathan. Without really thinking about it, I stopped in front of Studio B, a small smile tugging at my lips.
This was the first room where I’d seen Nathan differently.
I could still remember the day vividly. I’d been new, barely two weeks into the job and had been sent to grab coffee for him.
The door had been cracked open just enough for me to peek inside.
Kelsey had been in the vocal booth laying down tracks for her second studio album, headphones on, frustration written all over her face after botching the same line for the third time.
And Nathan hadn’t been the ruthless CEO I was growing used to. He’d been leaning over the mixing console, sleeves rolled up, talking to her through the mic with calm patience.
“Let’s run that again,” he’d said, voice steady through the speakers. “But this time don’t think about the note. Think about the feeling.”
I remembered how Kelsey had laughed through the glass and tried again.
And Nathan had smiled.
Not the tight, controlled smirk he wore in meetings.
A real one.
I’d stood frozen in the hallway longer than I should have, watching him work, watching the way the room seemed to orbit around him.
That was the first time I’d felt it. That tiny, inconvenient spark of a crush.
Shaking off the memory, I pushed the studio door open and stepped inside.
The room was quiet now, lit only by the soft glow of the mixing board. The faint thump of music from the party down the hall barely reached this far.
I walked slowly toward the console, trailing my fingers along the edge of the desk before glancing toward the vocal booth.
God, I was really leaving this place.
“Get it together, Elise,” I muttered under my breath.
But no matter how hard I tried to steady myself, Nathan and the way he looked at me earlier tonight like I was the only person in the room, kept intruding into my thoughts.
I exhaled slowly, pressing my palms against the edge of the console. I just needed another minute to breathe, but before I could collect myself, the studio door creaked open behind me and Nathan stepped inside.
I stared as he closed the door quietly behind him, the soft click echoing in the dim studio.
“You’re missing your own party,” I said, folding my arms as if that might steady the sudden flutter in my chest.
Nathan leaned back against the door, hands sliding casually into the pockets of his slacks. His gaze moved over me slow and appreciative, making me glad I had decided on the mini blue dress for tonight.
“I noticed my guest of honor disappeared.” His voice was calm, but there was something heavier beneath it.
“I just needed a minute,” I said. “It’s a lot.”
He studied me for a moment longer before pushing himself off the door and walking further into the studio. “You didn’t like it?” he asked.
My head snapped up. “What? No.” I shook my head quickly. “Nathan, everything is incredible. I just wasn’t expecting it.”