disclaimer: chapter contains text messages so please make sure you have working wifi! also, gifs had to be screenshotted bc my life is sad, but they're popular gifs so you'd know what it is.

• C H A P T E R E I G H T E E N •

the one with
the news

Ethan had been running for what felt like hours.

He had slowed his steps into a leisure stroll when snow feathered down the dark sky, pulling a frown to his face. He wasn't expecting it to snow when he put on a tracksuit in a whim and left; he wasn't even expecting to run at this time. He was used to morning runs, but lately, he'd been picking random hours to clear his head.

Pulling the hem of his jacket up to puff warm air on his skin, he jogged back to the Lodge. It was almost nine when he pushed on the heavy glassed door. He wiped the sheen of sweat covering his forehead with the back of his sleeve and unplugged his earphones from his ears.

"Oh, look..." Robin's chin jerked up, amusement trickling his senses and a smile pulling at his lips. He looked at Natasha who stood next to him behind the desk, stacking the papers neatly and moving the chair back. Her head snapped up as she lowered her body to sit. She momentarily stilled at the sight.

"Shit-" she hissed, sharply pushing the chair far back and crouching down instinctively.

Robin's brows shot up, watching her incredulously. "What are you doing?"

Her face turned red as it dawned on her she was acting like a helpless teenager. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him, her legs not cooperating. She looked down, feigning to look for a pen.

Robin shook his head and looked back at the sound of Ethan. "Hey, Robin." He beamed, a little breathless. Natasha wanted to bang her head against the wood, although a little thankful she couldn't see him because she knew him looking like that and smiling would throw her.

"Evening." He smiled, looking down the moment he was out of sight. "Is this what you kids do these days to get the other's attention?"

"I don't want to get his attention." Natasha scoffed, slowly standing when she checked the coast was clear.

"Why not? He's a decent guy."

Natasha fumbled with the chair, taking a seat, and clearing her throat. She could barely handle Ethan in a suit - him wearing track pants? It's got to be illegal.

"He's sleeping with half of Manhattan." She rolled her eyes, gut twisting as the words escaped her tongue. "So, don't get any ideas."

"Thought you two were friends."

Natasha snorted at that. Sure, they were friends, but if she ever took a misstep, she was sure she'd slip right into the trap of his charm. She had been careful with him for years; she wasn't going to ruin her resolve now.

Ethan was right about to get inside his place when he heard screaming coming out from the girls' apartment. He frowned, twisted the knob, and barging inside.

"You girls need to keep it down."

"Ronnie!" Danielle yelled out again for her cousin to get out of her room as she and Chloe gaped at their screens.

"You are not gonna believe this." Chloe held out her phone for him to read.

"What's up?" He took brisk strides to reach them, eyes skimming through the page.

"What!" Veronica huffed, racing down the hall with large, heavy steps. "What." She shot them a glare. She had been comfortably cocooned in her bed, watching what had got to be her millionth rerun of the Big Bang Theory, and she hated being dragged out of bed - it better be good.

"How can you not tell us!" Danielle accused. Ethan had been rereading the title with pure confusion as his eyes darted to his sister.

"This better be fucking worth it." She snatched the phone from her grip, squinting her eyes at the bright screen.

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

'IT'S OFFICIAL! HARRISON DURANT'S DAUGHTER, ELENA DURANT IS ENGAGED.'

"...What?" Her throat tightened; words unable to roll out of her tongue.

"God you should see twitter," Chloe commented, eyes wide with thrill as her fingers hurriedly scrolled through the tweets.

"It's trending?" Danielle rushed to her sister's side and Veronica fished out her phone to google the news.

'WHO IS ELENA DURANT'S NEW FIANCE CALEB DALTON?'

What. The. FUCK.

"You knew about this?" Ethan frowned and Veronica shook her arms in exasperation.

"This is the face of someone in the know!" She yelped, hurriedly hopping on the stool next to the group.

"There's a picture!" Chloe ushered at the article, scrolling down to point at a post on Instagram a friend of Elena posted on their behalf. It was a professionally caught picture of them standing close to one another, looking down at the ring on her finger with smiles so wide their eyes crinkled. The picture had the caption: 'SHE SAID YES!'

To say Veronica was stunned would be an epic understatement.

"Hey, listen to this-" Danielle snorted as she read a tweet. "I'm not sure who I'm more jealous of, him, her, or their future kids cause damn those genes."

The wires in Veronica's brains were malfunctioning. They were cut short, the blood circulation coming to an abrupt stop as the information became nothing but a haze.

"I just saw Caleb yesterday. I asked him if it was serious and he said no... how is it now that he's engaged!" She couldn't believe the absurdity of the situation. "This is insane."

"Say what you will but I think it's hilarious," Chloe said, eyes glued to her phone. "I mean look at him. He's a child! I'm older and have been in a far longer relationship than he is and still am nowhere near engaged..."

"That is a completely different point, but OK." Danielle arched an eyebrow and Chloe shot her a glare.

"How long has he known her?" Ethan's eyes narrowed. "You barely broke up a few months ago."

It dawned on Veronica now that it was beyond believable. Something was missing. Something was wrong. They just talked yesterday, and he brought nothing of that up. But the picture was there, and the ring was clear as day.

"Wonder what Allen's thinking..." He added absently.

The girls' eyes widened in bewilderment at the bomb Ethan mindlessly dropped.

"Oh my God! Is this Allen's ex?" Danielle blurted. "With Veronica's ex?"

"What are the odds." Chloe frowned.

"Oh my God..." Veronica trailed. She pushed herself off the stool and lunged for the door. "I'll be back," she muttered, not waiting for a reply before she ran to Allen's place, knocking urgently.

She waited, a minute and then another. She frowned, trying again but there was no answer. Her first urge told her to let it go. However, she was so keyed up the first thing she did after that was taken out her phone to text him.

Opening their conversation, she noticed the last one they had was when she was at the hospital and he was making sure she was okay. She flinched, hoping he wouldn't notice and remember just how distant she had been with him. She sincerely hoped he blamed it on the pain killers.

Veronica shuffled on her feet as she waited for a reply. She didn't want to get back to her place. If he was inside and didn't want to let her in, she was going to use the key she still had to his place. She didn't care if it was rude - the adrenaline was making it hard for her to feel any sort of shame.

Her phone buzzed and she whipped it out before her in a flash.

She gnawed at her bottom lip. It was nine-thirty and he was still at work? Damn.

She rolled her eyes, already able to picture his confusion.

Veronica arched an eyebrow. Has he not heard?

Minutes passed and he yet hasn't answered.

She huffed, starting to feel slightly offended but she wasn't going to give up. She was already in deep - who cares.

She quirked an eyebrow, glaring coldly at the screen. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of dinner and her eyebrows shot up as she seriously considered this. She slipped her phone back in her pocket and rushed inside her apartment, bypassing her relatives as she threw on sweatpants and a hoodie, running back out with a barely audible 'goodbye' to spare. They didn't even question her.

The bigger issue was slipped to the back of her mind and to the front came the thought of seeing Allen for the first time in his office. Even the idea of stepping inside the company she was supposed to work for in a month was making her leg insanely jitter at the back of the cab.

She wanted to make it a surprise. She was already picturing it: bursting inside his office just in time to capture the look of surprise on his face. But just as giddy as this made her feel, the security guard standing by the door made the visual seem so far away, especially after he had to buzz Allen and ask for confirmation. When he let her in, she couldn't help but think that if it was the other way around, she'd leave him outside for a few minutes just for the hell of it. It was hard to get him riled up and she'd love to take a picture of that.

Walking inside the dark hallways, she was surprised to see bright lightened offices with people still inside working overtime. She stopped at a random floor to admire the inside architecture; the hallways alone were extravagant enough. Even through the dark, she could decipher the clean tiles and the odd suitable blend of luxury and comfort. Her shoes echoed as she walked back inside the lift. She was enjoying her little tour until she reached a deserted level. She took out her phone.

She stood back in the confinement of the elevator as she waited for his reply, the pizza boxes clenched between her fingers. Her stomach was tightening at the smell, and she flipped her phone back up to start spamming him shamelessly again.

She pressed the button and watched the numbers increase as she struggled to type a sarcastic reply with one hand, her fingers cramping.

"It would be a dream, wouldn't it?" His voice shot right through to her core as soon as the elevator doors slid open.

She turned mute.

It was easier to annoy him behind the shield of a screen and the reassuring thought they were a great distance away. But now, having him standing in front of her, hair tousled and inviting, eyes bright and teasing, scent sliding through her senses - it was increasingly hard to focus.

"Hi." She almost hated her voice when she squeaked it out of the notch forming in her throat.

His smile broadened and he dipped his head down. Her heart stilled as he came close, holding her breath when she felt his lips graze her cheek. He planted the softest kiss there, turning her insides to liquid and melting into a warm pathetic puddle by his feet. He pulled back, the twinkle in his eyes making her gut churn.

He looked and smelled incredible. Not fucking fair.

"Hey."

"H-hi." She stammered, a blinking mess.

His eyes slid down to briefly watch her lick her lips nervously before they lowered to the boxes in her hand.

"Didn't expect you to show up if I'm being honest." He stood straighter and she followed his line of vision. She instantly relaxed her fingers when she saw her knuckles were turning white. "Thank you."

The gentle tone in his voice made her insides burst with butterflies. Eugh.

"They're both Barbeque." That was a lie. She knew he despised BBQ.

He shrugged. "I don't mind."

Her eyes narrowed to slits at his good manners the moment he turned. She followed him and almost groaned expectantly at the sight of his office. It was spacious and the colors were a mixture of hues from dark blue to creamy white. It was a perfect balance of modern and cozy and it reminded her of his living room. She realized he had a very minimalistic taste, and it fit him so well it wasn't really surprising.

"You people crap money or something?"

Allen barked out a laugh, taking the boxes from her. He handed her the top one randomly and she shook her head, swapping them.

"This yours."

He frowned; he thought they were both the same, but they weren't. Hers was Margarita and he opened his to see it was Vegetarian. He arched an eyebrow at her. She knew it was his favorite, but she widened her eyes innocently and turned to look back out the windows.

Veronica held her breath as she looked outside, jealous of the fact his entire office was fenced with windows, exposed to the world. The sky was plunged in a deep shade of blue, the tall buildings and street lamps bathing the entire city with light, leaving her stunned. She moved to the window ledge and reached for a piece of pizza, folding it in half and taking a huge bite.

"I'm starting to see why you practically live here."

She turned at the sound of his low hum, the corner of her lips quirking up at the sight of him leaning on his desk chair, sucking sauce off his thumb. She sauntered her way to him, hopping to sit on his desk facing him. He watched her skim the content of his desk, eyes falling on the crystal ball he kept on the corner. Her brows slid up.

"It's been years," she remarked and shot him a look. She recalled when her mother gave it to him. It was a meaningful moment until her dad mentioned how clean and shiny this ball was.

"Didn't expect you to keep it."

He shrugged, swallowing the bite. "I love it. It's a nice memory." He chuckled and she blinked. Her heart tightened, and she shoved a piece to keep from showing her sudden unease at the reminder of that night.

Allen sensed her shift and momentarily froze as Ethan's words came back to him. While he enjoyed that night - and remembered shockingly little of it - Veronica hated everything about it. An awkward silence settled for a beat as she looked for anything to say to break it.

"It's still shiny."

Allen snorted as he recalled her dad's joke. It made her slightly relax. "Never gets old."

"Are you celebrating New Year's with us?" Veronica nonchalantly asked, fingers playing with the crumbs.

Allen's chewing slowed and he nodded. She swallowed thickly. Her uncles hadn't been around for four years and she sincerely hoped they wouldn't make an appearance this year too. She searched for words to make light of the subject.

"Yeah, it's been a while since I've seen your parents."

"Lucky."

Her dry statement sparked his curiosity and he gave her an amused scrunch of his nose, which she ignored.

"You get to meet Bilal's girlfriend this year."

Allen blinked in bewilderment. "What?"

"Kayla. She's Chloe and Dan's cousin. It's her second New Year's with the fam. They haven't met really but we all agree they're the perfect match cause he's the male version of her minus the temper."

"How so?" He arched an eyebrow, Veronica watching as he took a bite. Even the way he ate was fascinating - she couldn't believe she found the way his jaw flexed to be sexy, but she did, and it was making her insides grow warm.

Allen's head tilted as he probed her to continue and in that horrifying moment, she realized she was staring. She cleared her throat, ignoring the tiny smirk stretching his lips. "Well, for starters, they're both really fun to be around." He laughed at her sarcasm. "She's like his doppelgänger but personality-wise."

"The fact she didn't spend New Year's with you guys before this last year says something."

"Oh yeah. She hates family gatherings. We have a pool going to see for how long she'll last. Honestly, I say never after this time. If I had the option, I wouldn't be going at all. We were all shocked to see her. We were genuinely happy up until she started calling everyone names. The word 'loser' was a recurrence."

Veronica sincerely hoped Kayla would be there if her uncles would ever make an appearance - she was desperate to see them getting roasted.

They finished their food as conversation naturally flowed, and the main reason for coming here started to creep the front of her mind.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," she told him. Allen closed the cartoon and took hers to put on top of the bin to throw out when they leave. She headed to the bathroom in the meantime to wash her hands.

"I assumed."

She met him right outside as he waited for his turn. He offered her a smile and she smiled back, making herself comfortable on the couch next to his desk.

"You heard about the engagement...?" She probed, unable to start with a proper preamble as her nerves jittered.

Allen sat on the couch facing her, an adorable frown morphing his features. "What engagement?"

"Elena's engagement."

He blinked, pausing briefly before he mumbled a simple: "Oh".

She frowned. She didn't know what to make of this. She didn't expect much either but oddly still didn't imagine an 'oh' to be his reaction. "Yeah..." She trailed, studying him carefully. An idea crossed her mind. "You knew about this?"

Allen briefly shrugged, leaning forward with his elbows planted on his knees. Her eyes widened beyond her control.

"Since when?"

He heaved a sigh through his nose, keeping a layer of calm to shield any slip from her. "A while."

She raised an eyebrow. She wasn't sure she liked the thought at all. The memory of Elena waiting for him at the lobby emerged in her thoughts. "When Elena came here, she told you?" She looked at him skeptically. "Or you knew since the beginning it was that serious?"

He held her eye, his gaze unwavering. "I did."

"Uhm... okay? Don't you think you could've told me something like that?"

It surprised her when he chuckled. "Why?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, trying to sound unfazed. "I'd ask why not."

"Didn't seem important."

It was important. She didn't know why yet, but it was.

"I'm starting to think nothing to you seems important enough to share."

The air became slightly crisp and Allen frowned at her defensiveness. "Why are you mad?"

"I'm not mad," Veronica was quick to retort. It did make her sound frustrated and she started to hear herself. She paused to breathe. "I expected you to tell me something like that or have a reason why you didn't. Not the 'it's not important' crap."

"I thought you and Caleb were close. I expected he'd tell you."

Ouch. Her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed. Allen kept his calm, features relaxed but eyes guarded.

When she stayed silent for too long, he tilted his head. "Why didn't he tell you?"

"You and I have a deal. He's not really obligated to tell me - you are, though."

"I am?"

Veronica started to hate where this was going. She didn't mean for it to become an argument, and over something so small. But it was his attitude and the fact that he so easily could push her buttons that was becoming infuriating.

"I'm writing a contract for you to sign so you have to keep me in the loop just as I have to give you updates." She offered a tight smile, sarcasm obviously dripping from her tongue as she leaned back and crossed her arms.

Maybe then, you can update me about your feelings for her while bounded by law.

"You don't have to give me updates. As long as you let me know for sure she's not being taken advantage of."

His reply was smooth, but she felt the twinge of the annoying nagging at the back of her mind. She wasn't going to let this go because if she did, she'd kick herself for it.

"How's Elena doing?" She blurted before she could stop herself. Allen's eyes widened a fraction before he swiftly recovered.

"She's fine."

"You talk to her a lot?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Occasionally."

"Why did you break up?"

His eyes narrowed. He paused.

"Why did you and Caleb break up?" He countered. It was funny to her he thought such a subject could strike a nerve. She shrugged.

"We're better off as friends."

"And just like that, all the feelings are gone?"

"What about your feelings for Elena?"

It sounded ludicrous, but she needed confirmation that he wasn't doing this because he still had feelings for her - or worse because he still loved her - while she was growing attached to him. Silence smothered the room and the longer it took him to answer the harder her heart pounded against her chest. She wanted to extinguish this feeling, dig so deep, and bury it so it wouldn't have that much of an effect for her. Allen was studying her. She couldn't stop the feeling of dread that came with the fact he had no answer.

Is it so hard to say no? Is it that complicated? What's he thinking? Do I have the right to even ask?

Allen's eyes softened and she feared he saw something she hopelessly scrambled to hide. She swallowed, looking away. It didn't matter what his answer was, the feeling of doubt won't go away until she was sure. She wasn't even sure something was heading somewhere between them. She might be misinterpreting everything. She might be overthinking. Deluding herself. It might all be in her head because she desperately wanted him to feel something for her yet is beyond terrified.

"She's just a friend," he told her like he was trying to reassure her. She couldn't look at him. She kept her eyes fixated on the back of his laptop. Seconds passed before she stood.

"You have to get back to work," she mumbled, walking to take the empty boxes from the top of the bin.

She turned around. Her breath hitched in her throat when she almost bumped into him. He stood right in front of her, looking down at her with eyes so heavy it shocked her system.

"I'm done. I'll take you home," he told her, voice low. Her eyes skimmed down to stare at his lips beyond her control. She flickered her eyes back to meet his. Her heart stirred at the sight of them darkening. "Wait for me. Okay?"

The heat seeped out of his body to hers as he unconsciously took a step closer. She swallowed and couldn't do anything but nod.

"Okay..." She whispered, nodding again. "Yeah, okay."

Danielle had her magnifying glasses on as she focused on pinning the butterfly on the mounting board.

She held it by the thorax, delicately pinning it in the middle with insect pins, using the forceps for more leverage. After properly mounting the wings, body, and antennae on the board, she folded the wings down using strips of paper and pins, being extra wary to not touch them with her fingers. She carefully used pins to pull the front ones, inserting them right behind larger veins to not rip them.

She hummed softly along to the background song she played, tilting her head back to admire her work and dipping her head back down as she moved to the antennae and the abdomen. She trapped her tongue between her lips in concentration, eyes narrowing behind her glasses.

"Dan!"

She rolled her eyes at the faint sound of her sister's yelling, working through adjusting the positions so it could be parallel to the butterfly she already pinned next to it.

"Dan!"

"What!" She scoffed in annoyance. She gasped when her hand moved and pulled back in an instant, jerking her head down to check for any damage. She huffed a sigh of relief and put a mask of annoyance as she pushed herself off the desk.

"What is it!" She shouted the moment she opened her bedroom door.

"Could you get the tweezers? It's in Veronica's room!" Chloe's voice was muffled through the closed bathroom door. Danielle loudly grunted as she stomped her way inside her cousin's bedroom.

She rummaged through the drawers, hissing in frustration when she couldn't find the steely tool.

"I can't find-" She started to say but shut herself mid-sentence at the sight before her.

Sanford & Co is pleased to offer you the position of Assistant Brand Manager.

"What the..." She scrunched her nose in confusion, snatching the paper from the drawer and flipping to the last page. Her eyes grew wider the more she read, her jaw dropping at the sight of the signatures at the bottom.

Employer signature

Employee signature

"...fuck?"