Sophie....
My Grandma was already asleep when I arrived home. "Hey Mum." I greeted, a soft smile forming on my lips and she smiled back and gave me a kiss on my cheeks which I loved every single time.
"Welcome my love." She said warmly. Her gaze shifted to the box in my hand. "What's that dear?"
"It's cake Mama. I want to celebrate both mine and Grandma's birthday."
My Mum's eyes widened in surprise. I had told her years ago I didn't want to celebrate my birthday. My dad died on that day when he went out to get our birthday cake, but he never came back. I knew I was miserable but I couldn't imagine what my mother felt after losing the one man she had always loved.
"You are ready to do that now love?" I could see the tears forming in her eyes .
"Yes Mama," I nodded, trying to hold back my own tears. "I figured Dad wouldn't be happy about me sulking. He would be angry right now if I was still dwelling on it."
My mother smiled softly, but the sadness in her eyes was still there. My Mum always tried her best to make me feel better during those times. I didn't realize how much I had taken her strength for granted. She had been the one to keep us going after dad's death. She tried to celebrate my birthday the way my dad did once, but I hated it.
But now, standing there in the kitchen with her, I knew that I couldn't keep holding onto the grief. I loved my mother more than anything, and I wasn't going to be a burden or give her any more reasons to worry. I wasn't going to keep dragging us both down.
"I'm not going to make you worry about me anymore, Mama," "I want to make you proud."
She pulled me into a warm embrace, holding me tighter than I could remember in a long time. "You already do, Sophie," she murmured, her voice thick with love. "You've always made me proud."
I squeezed her back, feeling a sense of peace settle over me. It wasn't about forgetting the past, but learning to live with it, to honor it, and to move forward with my life, and with her by my side.
It was the next day, my birthday. For the first time in three years, I smiled at the thought of celebrating a new year added to my life. Suddenly, I heard a melodious happy birthday song from outside my door. The door opened and it was my mum and grandma .
My mum always had a beautiful voice.Her singing filled the room and it was like everything else faded away.
My heart warmed seeing their faces glowing with so much happiness.
"Happy birthday, darling!" My mum's voice was filled with excitement as she stepped forward, holding the small cake she already decorated with candles.
My grandma's eyes twinkled with joy as she winked at me. "Finally, the day's come. You're all grown up now, Sophie. You're twenty-five!"
I looked at them, my heart swelling with gratitude. Despite the pain of the past, I was surrounded by love. I couldn't hold back the tears that welled up in my eyes.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I love you both so much. Happy birthday grandma.I love you so much"
"Aww thank you my baby." My grandma gave me a deep kiss on the cheek.
My mum crying, hugged my grandma and wished her a happy birthday and also thanked her for being by her side.
"Stop it Clara. No tears anymore. You are my son's pride and joy. I'll be damned if I don't stay by your side." She wiped my muma tears and hugged her tightly.
They hugged me tightly, the warmth of their embrace making everything feel right again. The hole in my heart, once so big and painful, felt a little smaller now.
As we sat together to cut the cake, I realized how much had changed. The past had shaped me, but it wouldn't define my future. For the first time, I felt ready to take control of my life and embrace the new year ahead.
I arrived at the office with the box of cake in my hands. My mum and grandma told me to share it with the people at the office. Feeling lighter than usual. It was strange, after years of avoiding my birthday, I was actually excited to share a small part of it with the people around me.
"Happy birthday, Sophie!" Mia grinned as I placed the cake on the table.
"Thank you, Mia!" I smiled, taking out the knife to slice it up.
Other colleagues from my department gathered around, chatting and laughing as I handed out pieces. It felt nice to be part of something warm, something normal.
Just as I was handing a slice to another coworker, I noticed a shift in the atmosphere. The chatter quieted a little, and when I looked up, my breath caught.
Elliot.
He was walking through the department with a group of executives, his presence commanding as always. He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his hazel eyes scanning the room with that cool, unreadable expression.
I panicked and quickly looked down, my heart hammering. Why did I suddenly feel so nervous?
As he neared, his gaze landed on the cake before shifting to me. "What's the occasion?" His deep voice sent a shiver down my spine.
"Sophie's birthday, Sir! " Mia answered cheerfully.
Elliot's eyebrows lifted slightly, and for a second, I thought I saw something flicker in his expression. "I see."
Before I could even think, I found myself picking up a piece of cake and holding it out to him with both hands. My fingers trembled slightly, but I kept my eyes down, feeling my face heat up.
"You… you can have this, sir"
Wait!
What was I doing?
Offering cake to the CEO like he was one of the employees.
The room went dead silent.
When I dared to glance up, I saw everyone staring, including Elliot. His lips parted slightly, as if caught off guard. Then, to my absolute surprise, the corner of his mouth lifted into an amused smirk.
"You're giving me cake?"
I nodded quickly, my embarrassment reaching dangerous levels.
His eyes locked onto mine, something warm and unreadable in them. Then he reached out, his fingers brushing against mine as he took the plate.
"That's a first," he said casually. "No one in this office has ever given me cake before. It seems you all don't like me in this company huh?"
Laughter erupted around us, the staffs denying what he said playfully, breaking the tension, but I was too busy fighting the heat rising to my face.
Elliot glanced at the cake, then at me, his smirk softening into something almost… fond.
"Thank you, Sophie."
I swore my heart just flipped over.
Elliot...
Walking through the department with my executives, I scanned the workspace with a practiced eye, assessing my employees as they worked. Most of them stiffened when they saw me, the usual reaction. I wasn't surprised.
I expected the same level of tension as I approached the area, but instead, I was met with something unusual, laughter, a warmth that didn't typically exist in my presence.
A cake sat on the table, half-sliced, and employees gathered around, chatting. My eyes landed on that intern almost immediately.
She was handing out pieces, a shy smile on her lips. The sight of her, standing there with that softness in her expression, made something in my chest tighten.
"What's the occasion?" I asked, making my presence known.
The mood shifted. People straightened, laughter dying down. The intern stiffened, looking like she wanted to disappear.
"Sophie's birthday!" One of the employees, Mia, answered.
Sophie's birthday. I hadn't expected that. And yes, her name was Sophie.
Before I could say anything, Sophie did something that completely caught me off guard. She picked up a slice of cake, hesitated for a second, then held it out to me with both hands.
I blinked.
She wasn't looking at me, her head slightly lowered, but her fingers trembled around the plate. The sight was… adorable.
"You… you can have this, sir"
The room went silent.
I stared at her. Did she just..
My lips parted slightly before I caught myself. When was the last time someone offered me something so… simple? I should have expected my employees to share among themselves, but no one had ever thought to include me.
And yet, here she was, cheeks flushed, looking like she was about to run out of the room.
A smirk tugged at my lips. "You're giving me cake?"
She nodded quickly, still not looking at me.
I took the plate, fingers grazing hers for just a second. Her breath hitched, barely noticeable, but I caught it.
"That's a first," I murmured. "No one in this office has ever given me cake before. It seems you all don't like me in this company huh? "
Laughter rippled through the room, and Sophie's face burned red. She looked down, clearly embarrassed, but I couldn't take my eyes off her.
I glanced at the cake, then back at her.
"Thank you, Sophie."
Her wide eyes finally met mine, and in that instant, I knew, this girl had no idea just how much she was getting under my skin.