Adrian carried on working as usual, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Eleanor.

A few weeks after the meeting with Jake, an email came through on Eleanor’s account, inviting her to a five-day conference. Before he knew it, Adrian had accepted the invitation…

He was second-guessing himself almost as soon as he accepted the invitation. Why had he done it? How was he going to be Eleanor for five whole days…?

“Oh well, no time like the present”, he thought.

As he hadn’t any bookings for the rest of the day, he changed into Eleanor. After all, her being visible wouldn’t do any harm, and it could help with her backstory.

Pulling on a coat, Eleanor went out to a local café for some lunch and time away from the office, taking her iPad with her so she could ostensibly do some in-house marketing work for the business.

She sat curled up in a booth, comfortable, working away on a generic sales presentation, humming quietly to herself as she tweaked it.

A stray hair kept getting in her line of sight, so she had to keep pushing it away. It was when she was doing this that she noticed the woman watching her…

“Hi!”, the voice suddenly came. “You seem to be passionate about your work, or are you just trying to relax?”

Eleanor looked up. The other woman had come over and was standing over her.

“Do you mind if I join you?”, she asked.

“No, not at all”, Eleanor said, gesturing to another seat in the booth.

“Thanks! My name’s Sandy, by the way. Haven’t seen you around here before?”

“No. I’ve just escaped the office for a bit. I’m Eleanor. Pleased to meet you.”

The two women chatted for a while; the conversation went between work and what interests they had. Sandy was an accountant; she was also in the café to get away from the office.

The two were soon laughing like old friends. Sandy’s easy-going manner was really refreshing, and she was getting Eleanor to open up, and her light-hearted character was coming out as well.

Soon, however, Sandy heard a small ‘beep’ from her phone.

“Damn, I’ve got to get back”, she said. “I’ve got a meeting in half an hour that I’ve got to prepare for.”

As she got up, her hand brushed against Eleanor's…

She gripped Eleanor’s hand, and squeezed it, gently.

“I’ve really enjoyed this”, she said. “Let’s do it again, shall we?”

Eleanor slipped her a business card.

“Give me a bell when you need another break”, she said.

Sandy looked her straight in the eyes.

“Oh, you can count on that…!”, she said, with a smile.

She then walked off, with a wiggle in her step…

Damn, was that woman hitting on her…?

Back in the office, Adrian was really confused; he was also feeling a bit inferior…

He had trouble with any sort of social engagements; people just didn’t get on with him, for some reason. Eleanor, on the other hand, had been hit upon by a man and a woman in the same month. What the hell was going on…?

He was starting to feel really insecure.

In the end, he did the only thing he felt he could. He changed back into Eleanor…

Eleanor was a bit miffed.

“First sign of trouble, and Adrian does a runner”, she said to herself. “Oh well, more chance for me to get work done.”

As all these events were happening, Adrian/Eleanor was totally unaware of how his ‘split personality’ was developing. Eleanor was starting to become real, as opposed to an invented personality. At the same time, Adrian was growing more and more insecure and uncertain of himself. Eleanor was taking over…

One of Adrian’s friends dropped by, wanting to talk about a side-hustle that he thought Adrian might be interested in. He walked into the office and came face to face with Eleanor.

“Oh, Hi”, he said. “I was looking for Adrian. Is he about?”

“No”, said Eleanor, smiling and holding out a hand, “He’s left me minding the office for a change. Can I help you? Eleanor Hartley.”

“Oh yes, you’re the new marketing consultant, aren’t you? Actually, you might be just who I need to talk to…”

Once again, Eleanor managed to handle the meeting; her quiet confidence made the man, Geoff, at ease. They spent a few minutes discussing his proposal, then Eleanor pointed out a few ‘issues’ with it, and suggested alternatives.

“I’d never have thought of that”, Geoff said. “Thanks!”

He got up to go.

“I’ll let Adrian know you stopped by”, said Eleanor.

Geoff left, and Eleanor settled back in her seat. Then she heard Adrian’s phone ring. Curious, she listened to the message after the person left it…

“Adrian, you absolute liar! You said that Eleanor was just a marketing experiment, using AI. That’s absolute crap! I just met her, in your office; she’s an intelligent, attractive woman. She’s no more fake than you or me. AI, my foot!”

Eleanor just smiled…

Adrian stayed as Eleanor for the rest of the day. He was getting really comfortable in the role; Eleanor’s confidence acted as a real ‘safety net’ for him. Two more clients came and went, both happy with the help they got from her.

Then Jake Stevens walked in…

“Ah. Hi, Eleanor. Is Adrian about…?”

“No, sorry, he’s not in at the moment. Can I help you?”

As Eleanor was talking, she got up and removed her jacket. Jake almost forgot to breathe…

She was wearing the pendant he’d given Adrian for her.

“Are you alright?”, Eleanor asked, seeing he was in ‘difficulties’. “Here, sit down.”

Jake went weak at the knees as Eleanor took his hand and let her steer him to the office sofa.

“I was so afraid you wouldn’t talk to me again”, he said.

“Why?”, said Eleanor, simply.

“I’d hurt your feelings!”

“You did nothing of the sort. I wasn’t ready for you, then. I am now…”

This time, Eleanor kissed Jake…

Leaving a note on the desk, supposedly for Adrian, the pair left the office, Eleanor locking up behind her…