"This is a challenge, Elise. You need to bring him or we won't stop at all. We need the confirmation."

Elise bit her lip but then nodded. "Of course, I'll bring my boyfriend to the gala. You'll meet him by then."

Actually, it was none of anyone's business even if she was dating Marc Sanderman. Who cared if she did! It was human's rights to date anyone they fancied.

However, Elise didn't like confrontation and she was tired of the ongoing gossips in the office. She just wanted to work and make honest money so she could stand up on her own two feet.

It's good that now she had Loriel who was kind to her and had been helping her, but for how long? What happened if things went south between them?

"What is he like, Elise?" This time around, the people were actually interested in the person that she was dating.

The man couldn't be more awesome than their boss, who had been nominated as the most eligible bachelor in the world for three years in a row, could he?.

"My boyfriend?" 

The people in the group nodded their heads. One of the women spoke up and motioned to herself. "I mean if I had the option to date my boss, I would want it. But your boyfriend must be amazing if our boss' acts don't mean much."

She was actually trying to say that Elise must be crazy to reject Marc's move to date another man. Her boyfriend surely couldn't match Marc's level. That guy must be poor that Elise had to keep working to afford her life.

They still thought that Marc coming during Elise's time of need meant that there was a chance that Marc considered Elise as a special person.

 But if Elise already had a boyfriend then it meant that Marc Sanderman's act before in saving her from Julian and Tessa didn't have the same effect on Elise.

OR...

Elise was just pretending to have a boyfriend, a cover, so people would stop gossiping about her relationship with Marc.

Whichever it was, everyone was curious to know the truth.

"Well… he's one of the most handsome guys you'll ever see," Elise started. "But it's not only his looks that'll make you fall in love with him or like him. My boyfriend is sweet, thoughtful and considerate."

"The guys here should start taking notes. Elise's listing out a dream man." The women started joking and teasing their companions and even Elise.

It wasn't easy to convince them when their minds were still stuck on considering her as Marc's woman.

"How is he sweet and considerate?" A woman raised her brow. "I mean a boyfriend would at least try to drop you off at work or pick you up when our work's over, you know? I've never seen a whiff of him."

Elise shrugged. "He's a busy man. But when I get home after work or my baking course, he's often done preparing dinner."

"Wait wait… you live with him?"

Elise probably said too much. 

She really did.

The men in Elise's life were actually so few that she didn't have much reference at all and started describing Loriel by default. If it was between him, her father, Julian and Chef Lucy. Loriel was the ideal boyfriend that came to her mind?

"Man, I thought you and your boyfriend are still taking it slow or recently got together… but all this time you've been staying with him? That's incredible." Another woman gushed.

Elise quickly found an excuse to end the conversation. She got carried away and spilled way too much.

"I'm sorry, Alex needs me in her room now," she waved at them and took her leave.

"Don't forget to bring your boyfriend to our end-of-year gala!!"

"If not, we will think that you made him up."

"Bye, Mrs. Sanderman!"

Elise's face flushed red when she heard their teasing before she stepped into the elevator. She pinched herself for what she just did.

Why did she have to put herself in this situation? She could have just smiled and left, not caring about what they said. 

Now, not only did she fake a boyfriend, but she also told them that she was already living together with that man.

What should she do? Would she dare to ask Loriel to go with her to the company gala? What would he think about her?

If she told him the truth, that she only did it to avoid being gossiped with Marc, would Loriel scold Marc?

Ufff… Elise was conflicted and didn't know what to do.

***

When was the gala coming up? 

Elise checked on her phone's calendar and stepped inside the penthouse. It was a little worrying how Elise placed herself in this predicament when she had no clue of Loriel's schedule at all.

Loriel was always at home when she arrived. It was easy to assume that he spent his days at the penthouse and never left.

But that was impossible.

Loriel surely went out around the same time as she did and just frequently arrived back in the penthouse before she did. At least, that's what she assumed.

If only Elise knew that Loriel spent most of his time playing with his two cats, swimming, working out in his private gym, watching new cooking shows, knitting her a sweater… she must be coughing blood.

The man was enjoying life to the fullest. Now that he already found his wife, he was content. He didn't want to do anything stressful.

He was happy to let Elise enjoy her new life, doing things she liked, and he patiently waited for her to return to him every day. 

"Ah, Elise, good evening." Loriel greeted her with a gentle smile. Horatio had told him about her arrival before Elise entered the penthouse, so Loriel could hide his knitting projects.

He had finished twin scarves for Elise and him and was in the middle of finishing a nice cozy sweater for her.

Winter was coming in the next few days and he wanted her to have warm clothes.