Chapter 53 - Emily

**EMILY**

The next morning, Emily felt like she was in a surreal bubble when she opened her eyes. The luxury of Alexander’s suite was overwhelming - the silky sheets, the luxurious yet playful four-poster bed, the soft light filtering through the heavy drapes. Yet despite all the comfort and elegance, she had barely slept that night. Alexander had not come. She had waited for him in vain, the hours stretching endlessly.

She sat up and looked around the guest room he had prepared for her. A part of her had hoped that he would show up in the early hours of the morning, but now it was dawn and she had to prepare for the day. Emily glanced at the clock - it was time to freshen up and get to work, even if her mind was heavy with thoughts of Alexander. It was Saturday, but some vendors shipped on that day as well, so someone in the accounts payable department always had to be present. Today was her turn and she had to work from nine to twelve.

She stood up and sighed with pleasure as her feet touched the wonderfully soft carpet. Heavenly! She walked into the adjoining bathroom, which was as opulent as the rest of the suite. She had enjoyed the luxury the night before. Marble as far as the eye could see, soft, diffused lighting, and an elegant mirror that took up the entire wall. Turning on the light made her squint at first, but then she freshened up. The shower was an invitation to linger, and the shower gel smelled deliciously of almond honey. Wrapped in a large towel, she returned to the bedroom and sat down in front of the makeup mirror. Here she found everything her heart desired - and then some.

Emily hesitated for a moment, unfamiliar with the wide range of products. They were high-end beauty products: carefully arranged powders, lipsticks, mascaras, and blushers, all from high-end brands she could never afford. But then she couldn’t resist the temptation. Alexander had obviously thought of everything, and if she was going to spend the night in his suite, she could at least afford the luxury of a little makeover. With smooth movements, she applied some products that felt so light on her skin as if they had been made for her. Her eyes sparkled when she saw the result in the mirror: her face looked refreshed, radiant, and a little daring - appropriate for someone who had just stayed in one of the city’s most expensive hotels.

But when she looked in her closet, she realized that all she had was the dark blue pantsuit she wore yesterday. The exciting and extremely eye-catching evening gown was not suitable for the office. She sighed softly and put on the ensemble, which somehow, despite its simplicity, now matched her elegant makeup. She felt a little uncomfortable because she had walked miles through Los Angeles the night before in these clothes, but there was nothing she could do about it. She had to be satisfied that at least she had perfect makeup on.

After getting ready, Emily decided that before she left, she would take full advantage of the riches offered here. If not new clothes, then at least a breakfast that would exceed all her expectations. She ordered an opulent meal from room service-fresh croissants, fruit, scrambled eggs with truffles, crispy bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice. It was a feast for the senses, and as she ate, she was able to forget for a moment the worries of the day ahead.

But eventually it was time to leave. Emily sat up and took a deep breath. Now she had to worry about her purse - she had no money, ID, or cell phone, and that was an awkward situation. She also had to get her apartment key. She couldn’t possibly spend more nights in this hotel and go back to work on Monday in the dark blue pantsuit.

As she rode down in the elevator, she wondered what she would say to the concierge, but her fears were unfounded. The young man on duty that morning greeted her with a polite smile. “Good morning, I left my clutch in Mr. Fitzpatrick’s limousine last night,” she explained as he listened intently. “Could you please leave him a note? I need it urgently.”

The concierge nodded politely and carefully noted her request before promising that the message would be placed in Alexander’s pigeonhole immediately. “We will take care of it, Miss Saron,” he said reassuringly.

Emily said goodbye with a grateful smile, but as she stepped out of the hotel, she realized once again that without her clutch, she had no money for a taxi. A quick glance at her watch showed that she could still make it to work on time if she hurried. So she squared her shoulders, breathed in the cool morning air, and walked to work.

The walk seemed to take forever, and with every step she took, she was reminded of how little this luxurious world suited her own. Still, she held her head high, determined to make the best of the day. She almost regretted that her destination was her office in the accounting department and not a luxurious room with a shower, exquisite food and a wonderful bed.

She kept glancing at her watch, and the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach intensified. She was going to be late. And she couldn’t even call the front desk because she didn’t have a cell phone! It was really tricky. But there was nothing she could do about it. She ran through a series of numbers in her head to distract herself, and finally she was at the entrance to Fitzpatrick Designs. She suspected she looked sweaty, but she didn’t care. Every minute counted. She hurried forward but was stopped by the young woman at the reception desk.

“Ms. Saron?”

“Good morning, yes, it is.” She smiled confusedly. She wasn’t so late that they had to look for her at the reception.

“Something was delivered for you.” The young woman smiled brightly, bent down and took out a vase with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. “There’s a card, too.”

“Thank you.” Emily accepted the bouquet with gratitude. With mixed feelings, she hurried to the accounting department. Her work day hadn’t started very well, and she hoped that nothing unexpected would happen. Although there was one thing she did wish for: that Alexander Fitzpatrick would somehow get her the clutch bag. She hadn’t been able to tell the concierge to leave her purse at the DarEnd-Agency because no one was allowed to know that they were both involved. It was a confusing situation.

At the office, Emily looked at the card immediately, even though she was sure the flowers were from Oliver. She had simply ignored his other bouquet. Of course, he tried again, but she wouldn’t have it.

She took the card out of the pale blue envelope and read the text: “Today at noon, 12:30 at the restaurant *Poseidon*? I have something for you. Love, O.”

She shook her head in disgust. “O,” she said, “what does that mean? Does he think he’ll have a better chance with me if he acts mysterious?”

She was about to throw the card away when she hesitated. She reread the second sentence, the one before his stupid greeting. *I have something for you?* Could it be that Alexander had delivered her purse so quickly? She looked at her watch, it was half past nine. It was possible. Even though it was the weekend, the billionaire often came to the company to work on some pieces when no one was around to interfere with his creativity. That was why Vivien had begged to be assigned every Saturday, but Ms. Harper hadn’t bothered. The three of them took turns.

Emily sighed, she needed to have a real talk with Vivien as well. And if she was going to be honest, she would also have to tell her that she had unexpectedly become the boss’s hostess.

“Oh no, I don’t want to think about that,” Emily muttered and started her computer with great delay. It was time to concentrate on her work. Everything else would have to wait. Even Oliver Daron. Because she couldn’t possibly make it to the *Poseidon* by 12:30.

*What if he doesn’t wait for me?* she worried.