Chapter 38 - Emily

**EMILY**

Emily sat at her desk, intently reviewing the latest bookings. One invoice was missing. She furrowed her brow as she meticulously flipped through the documents, but the missing number was nowhere to be found. It was as if the invoice had disappeared without a trace. There was no record of whether it had been filed or submitted elsewhere. Sometimes someone from purchasing would ask for an invoice, and either a copy would be forwarded or the original would be kept if there were any outstanding items. But for an entire invoice to just disappear, that had never happened before!
A quick glance at her watch told her that she would be leaving in ten minutes. At least for the others, because for her, the end of the workday seemed far away.
“Need some help, Emily?” Her boss, Ms. Harper, sounded sympathetic as she looked over at Emily.
“If you can show me the missing invoice for the items for the new cabinet, I’d be happy to accept your help, Ms. Harper,” Emily replied with a deep sigh. She tried to remain calm. The invoice had to be somewhere. *Everything always turns up*, she told herself.
“Look for it tomorrow,” Ms. Harper suggested. “Maybe Nicole filed it wrong.”
Emily shook her head and sighed again. “If I leave the program now, I’ll have to re-enter everything in the morning. It won’t save without a final balance.”
“Nonsense program,” Ms. Harper murmured quietly, crossing her arms. “That’s what the creative minds should be working on.”
Emily stifled a smile. Ms. Harper firmly believed that computer programs were about creativity, not technology. To her, computers were a gimmick anyway. Technically, Ms. Harper was second to none in accounting, but she was hopelessly out of her depth when it came to technology. Fortunately, she had assembled a capable team to deal with such problems. Delegation was one of her strengths, and Emily realized more and more how important it was to master this skill as she took on more and more responsibility for the interns.
“Maybe Nicole put it in the wrong year,” Emily muttered to herself as she stood up to go through the old folders. She was pulling a thick folder from the shelf when her phone suddenly rang. A glance at the display told her it was the receptionist.
“Saron, Accounting,” she answered quickly.
“Something has been delivered for you, Ms. Saron.”
Emily frowned. *Something for me?* “I’ll be right there,” she said, hanging up and looking over at Ms. Harper, who was packing up her things. “I have to go to reception. Let’s see what this is.”
She hurried out of the office and down the stairs. She took the shortcut through the courtyard, the cobblestones echoing under her heels in the cool evening air. *What could it be?* She couldn’t make sense of it. The thought that it might have something to do with the hostess contract made her freeze. *Could it be that Ms. Enders had sent the contract by courier?* The thought was terrifying. It would be a disaster if anyone at the office found out!
Nervously, she hurried on and approached the large reception island from behind. She walked around it and looked around tense. “Saron, was something delivered for me?”
The receptionist, a young woman with bright eyes, smiled at her. “Ms. Saron, I have never seen such a beautiful bouquet!” the woman exclaimed enthusiastically as she bent down and pulled out a huge bouquet. Roses, lilies, and carnations, all artfully arranged in lush greenery. Emily stared at the magnificent bouquet in disbelief. It wasn’t just beautiful - it was overwhelming.
“And here is a card.” The receptionist held the bouquet in her hand as she handed Emily the small card and smiled expectantly at her.
Emily resisted the temptation to open the envelope right away. She didn’t want to risk an inappropriate name falling into the receptionist’s prying eyes. A puzzling thought crossed her mind: *Who the hell sent me such a bouquet?* It couldn’t be Alexander Fitzpatrick - he didn’t even know she worked here. It would be terribly embarrassing for the CEO to send her flowers through reception. And Ms. Enders? Never! There was only one logical conclusion: Oliver Daron!
A small groan escaped her. Only he could have thought of sending her flowers as an apology. *How clichéd*, she thought, shaking her head slightly. With a resigned sigh, she accepted the bouquet and thanked her curtly. The receptionist’s eyes pierced her back as she hurried back to the office. *Just what I need*, she thought sullenly. The head of an escort agency was courting her - and in public!
When Emily returned to the office, Ms. Harper stopped abruptly and looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Flowers? In the office? How charming. Your suitor seems to know you are more likely to be found here than at home.”
Emily forced a polite smile as she placed the huge bouquet on the desk. “I suppose so.”
Ms. Harper looked at the flowers with an amused expression, then nodded in agreement. “Well, don’t keep your friend waiting too long. It’s better to rebook everything tomorrow than to spend the evening alone.”
Emily felt her cheeks heat up. She was surprised at how direct her boss could be sometimes. She could almost feel Ms. Harper’s satisfaction. She probably liked the fact that the usually sober and reserved Emily suddenly had a suitor - or so it seemed.
“See you tomorrow, Ms. Saron.” Ms. Harper grabbed her bag and was halfway out the door when she suddenly stopped and turned back. To Emily’s utter surprise, she leaned forward slightly and sniffed at the flowers. “Have fun tonight.”
Emily tried to keep her expression neutral. “See you tomorrow, Ms. Harper,” she said in a voice she hoped sounded relaxed. But inside she sighed. *Fun tonight?* She would have a normal evening - except for the review of this strange contract, which now hung like a dark shadow over her evening.
She sighed deeply, reached for her clutch, and slid the small envelope inside without even looking at it. She really didn’t have time for excuses or romantic gestures right now. All she could think about was the missing bill. *If I don’t find it, I can start all over again tomorrow!*
Emily sat down at her desk and frantically flipped through the papers, but the missing bill seemed to have vanished into thin air. Her fingers slid through the papers while her thoughts kept returning to the bouquet on her desk. *What if it was Alexander after all?* The thought was tempting, but unlikely. After all, he didn’t know where she worked.
But why Oliver? What was he up to? She barely knew him and yet he seemed to be going to a lot of trouble. Was it really just an excuse or was there more to it?
She looked at the clock. It was late, and she knew she probably wouldn’t find the bill today. Frustrated, she set the papers aside. *Maybe Ms. Harper is right. Maybe I should focus on something else before I lose my mind.*
With another sigh, she reached for her clutch and pulled out the envelope. She paused for a moment, her heart beating faster. *What if there’s more to this note than I expect?* She slowly opened the envelope and took out the card.
And then she froze. The words on the card made her hands shake: “To the woman who stumbled into my heart. Will you take me to dinner? - Oliver Daron.”
So this was his strategy... Emily stared at the words, unable to make a clear decision.