Pixel officially received the offer letter three days later.
And somehow—
holding that email in her hands made her more nervous than the interview itself.
Because now it was real.
Actually real.
She was joining Stephan's company.
Not because of favors.
Not because of connections.
But because she earned it herself.
And for some reason—
the first thing she thought about wasn't the job.
It was Stephan's exhausted face sleeping on her couch.
The dark circles under his eyes.
The nosebleed.
The way he still drove across the city just to spend one hour with her.
Maybe now—
things would become easier for him too.
That thought alone made her smile softly.
But one thing was absolutely certain.
She was not telling Stephan directly.
No.
This needed to become a proper surprise.
And unfortunately—
that meant involving dangerous people.
The first person Pixel called was Stevan.
The moment he answered, his dramatic voice exploded through the phone.
"BHABHI."
Pixel immediately moved the phone slightly away from her ear.
"…Why are you shouting?"
"Because happiness."
"You don't even know why I called."
"I emotionally sensed it."
Pixel laughed softly despite herself.
"Are you free today?"
"For you? Always."
"That sounded fake."
"It was extremely genuine."
She shook her head smiling.
"I need help."
Stevan immediately gasped dramatically.
"Oh my God. Is this about bhai?"
"…Maybe."
"Tell me RIGHT NOW."
One hour later—
Pixel sat inside a café while Stevan stared at her across the table like an overexcited child.
The moment she showed him the offer letter—
he froze.
Actually froze.
Then suddenly stood up.
"WHAT???"
Several people inside the café turned to stare.
Pixel immediately grabbed his sleeve.
"Sit down!"
"YOU GOT SELECTED??"
"Yes!"
"In OUR company???"
"Yes!"
Stevan looked genuinely emotional suddenly.
"Oh my God."
Pixel blinked slightly.
"…Why do you look like you're about to cry?"
"Because bhai is going to lose his mind."
That answer alone made her chest soften.
Stevan immediately grabbed his phone dramatically.
"We need backup."
"Stevan—"
Too late.
He was already calling Johan.
By evening—
all four of them sat together inside Hill's apartment.
And the atmosphere was complete chaos.
Johan looked personally betrayed.
"You mean she's been secretly applying this whole time while WE knew nothing?"
Pixel looked guilty for exactly two seconds.
"…Yes?"
"This is disrespectful."
Hill calmly took another sip of coffee.
"I'm impressed actually."
Stevan pointed dramatically toward Pixel.
"SEE? I TOLD YOU SHE'S PERFECT FOR HIM."
"Relax," Hill muttered calmly.
"No, you don't understand," Stevan continued emotionally. "Do you know what this means??"
Johan answered immediately.
"It means bhai will stop driving like an emotionally unstable maniac across the city every night."
"EXACTLY."
Pixel lowered her eyes slightly after hearing that.
Because honestly—
that was one of the reasons too.
Hill noticed immediately.
"You really did this partly because of him."
Pixel sighed softly.
"He's exhausting himself too much."
Silence settled briefly after that.
Then Johan leaned back dramatically.
"That idiot loves dangerously."
The sentence came out quieter this time.
Less teasing.
More real.
Pixel looked down at the offer letter in her hands.
"…I know."
Hill crossed his arms calmly.
"So."
All eyes moved toward him.
"When are we telling Stephan?"
Stevan immediately grinned dangerously.
"We're not telling him."
Pixel looked up.
"What?"
"We're surprising him."
Johan instantly supported the chaos.
"Yes."
Hill sighed quietly.
"I already regret this."
For the next thirty minutes—
the four of them planned like criminals.
Or emotionally unstable event organizers.
Mostly Stevan.
"Okay," Stevan said dramatically while drawing something completely unnecessary on paper, "we need maximum emotional damage."
"That sounds concerning," Pixel muttered.
Johan leaned forward seriously.
"No, listen. Imagine this."
He pointed dramatically.
"Bhai enters office."
Hill already looked tired.
"Then?"
"Then suddenly—"
He pointed toward Pixel dramatically.
"SHE'S THERE."
Stevan slammed the table emotionally.
"MASTERPIECE."
Pixel covered her face.
"You all are insane."
Hill nodded calmly.
"Correct."
But honestly—
even he looked slightly amused now.
Stevan leaned toward Pixel suddenly.
"Wait wait wait."
"What?"
"What if he gets so emotional he stops functioning professionally?"
Pixel blinked.
"…Would that happen?"
All three men answered instantly.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then Johan sighed dramatically.
"You didn't see his face during the last three years."
Hill looked quieter now.
"He looked alive again only after you came back."
That sentence softened the atmosphere immediately.
Pixel's chest tightened slightly.
Because no matter how many times people said it—
hearing it still hurt.
Stevan noticed her expression and immediately pointed at her dramatically.
"See? This is why you both are impossible."
"What did I do?"
"You both love each other like emotionally damaged movie characters."
Hill nearly laughed hearing that.
Johan nodded seriously.
"Accurate."
Pixel hid her face in her hands.
"I regret telling all of you."
"No you don't," Johan replied immediately.
Unfortunately—
again—
he was right.
Finally, after endless dramatic planning—
they settled on one decision.
Pixel would officially join on Monday.
And Stephan would know nothing until the exact moment she walked into the executive floor.
Stevan looked genuinely excited.
"Oh this is going to heal me emotionally."
Hill rubbed his forehead.
"You were never emotionally stable."
"True."
Then suddenly Johan looked toward Pixel seriously.
"You know he's going to look at you like you hung the moon, right?"
Pixel's heartbeat instantly betrayed her.
"…Please stop talking."
Stevan looked emotional again.
"Too late. Bhai is finished professionally."
And honestly—
all of them already knew it was true.
Monday morning arrived far too quickly for everyone except Stevan.
Stevan had been excited since six in the morning.
Disturbingly excited.
By eight-thirty, he was already inside Stephan's company building walking around like he personally owned the surprise.
Meanwhile—
inside the executive office—
Stephan looked exhausted again.
Not terrible.
Better than before.
But still tired.
His attention remained fixed on the laptop screen while assistants moved in and out with files and schedules.
Hill entered first.
Then Johan.
And immediately both noticed something.
Stephan kept checking his phone.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Johan sat dramatically across from him.
"You know staring at your phone won't make her text faster."
Stephan didn't even look up.
"I'm not staring."
"You checked it six times in three minutes."
Silence.
Which itself was confirmation.
Hill leaned lightly against the table.
"You meeting Pixel later?"
"Yes."
That answer came instantly.
Johan looked personally offended.
"Wow."
"What?"
"No hesitation. No shame. Nothing."
Stephan finally looked up calmly.
"You asked a question."
"And you answered like an emotionally attached husband."
Stephan ignored him completely and returned to work.
But unfortunately—
a small smile still appeared on his face.
Hill noticed immediately.
"…There it is again."
"What?"
"That expression."
Stephan looked unimpressed.
"You both need work."
"We have work," Johan replied immediately. "Our work is observing your emotional downfall."
At the exact same time—
downstairs near the HR department—
Pixel stood nervously adjusting the sleeves of her formal outfit.
Offer letter in hand.
ID process complete.
Today was officially her first day.
And suddenly—
she felt terrified.
Not because of work.
Because of Stephan.
What if he got angry she hid it?
What if he thought she crossed boundaries?
What if—
"STOP THINKING."
Stevan appeared out of nowhere dramatically.
Pixel almost jumped.
"You need psychological help."
"I need to witness bhai's reaction."
Hill walked over calmly carrying employee documents.
"You look nervous."
"I am nervous."
"Good," Johan said while appearing beside them too. "Maximum emotional impact."
Pixel looked around helplessly.
"How are all of you functioning adults?"
"We're not," Stevan answered proudly.
Unfortunately—
that seemed true.
After final paperwork finished, Pixel officially received her employee ID card.
And for a moment—
everything became real.
Her name.
His company logo.
Her designation.
Senior Developer.
Pixel stared at the card quietly.
Then softly—
"…I actually got in."
Hill looked at her calmly.
"You earned it."
"And don't let bhai make you doubt that emotionally," Johan added immediately. "That man already looks at you like you invented oxygen."
Pixel covered her face instantly.
"Please stop."
Stevan looked emotional again.
"She blushes so easily. Bhai is finished."
A little later—
the elevator doors opened on the executive floor.
Pixel stepped out slowly holding her file close to herself.
Her heartbeat had become ridiculous now.
Employees moved around the large office floor while conversations and keyboard sounds filled the atmosphere.
And far away near the glass conference area—
Stephan stood discussing something with senior employees.
Tall.
Focused.
Cold.
Completely in CEO mode again.
For one brief second, Pixel simply looked at him quietly.
Because somehow—
seeing him here inside his own world always affected her differently.
He looked untouchable.
Powerful.
And yet—
she knew this same man fell asleep on her couch from exhaustion.
The contrast softened her heart instantly.
Beside her, Stevan whispered dramatically—
"Okay. Time for emotional destruction."
Pixel immediately looked horrified.
"Please stop saying things like that."
Too late.
Because Johan had already started walking toward the center of the executive floor dramatically clapping his hands once.
The noise immediately caught everyone's attention.
Employees looked up from their desks.
Even Stephan turned slightly with visible irritation.
"What now?" his expression practically said.
Johan smiled suspiciously.
"Attention everyone."
Hill closed his eyes briefly already regretting this.
Stevan looked spiritually prepared.
Johan continued proudly—
"From today onwards, one more Senior Developer is officially joining our company."
Employees immediately became attentive.
Some curious.
Some excited.
Then Johan turned dramatically toward the elevator entrance.
And smiled.
"Please welcome her."
Every gaze shifted toward Pixel.
And at the exact same moment—
Stephan looked up properly.
Then froze.
Completely froze.
The employees near him kept talking for another second before slowly realizing—
their CEO had stopped functioning.
Because Stephan wasn't looking anywhere else now.
Only at Pixel.
Standing there nervously with her company ID card around her neck.
Official.
Real.
Part of his company now.
For one long second—
he genuinely looked like his brain stopped processing information.
Pixel's heartbeat became even louder under his stare.
Stevan whispered emotionally near her—
"Oh my God. He actually stopped breathing."
Hill quietly looked away trying not to smile.
Around the office, whispers had already started instantly.
"Wait—that's her?"
"The project lead from the collaboration?"
"She got selected here?"
"Oh my God…"
Meanwhile Stephan still hadn't moved.
Or spoken.
He simply stared at her silently.
Then slowly—
his eyes lowered toward the ID card near her neck.
Her employee badge.
His company logo beside her name.
Senior Developer.
And something changed in his expression immediately after that.
Not shock anymore.
Something deeper.
Softer.
Almost emotional.
Like he suddenly understood what she had done.
Pixel stood there nervously while every employee silently looked between both of them.
And honestly—
the entire office could physically feel the tension in the air now.
Finally—
after what felt like forever—
Stephan started walking toward her slowly.
One step.
Then another.
Complete silence filled the executive floor.
Because nobody—
absolutely nobody—
had ever seen their CEO look at someone like this before.