ã€ŠLoving with a Heavy Heartã€‹


 1 Adam Hayes

    "Good morning, sir." Everyone greeted as their CEO walked past.

    Adam was young for his position, he was only 27, tall, and handsome with only one flaw; his cold and unapproachable air.

    "Good morning, sir." His assistant greeted as he entered his office.

    Adam sat at his desk, looked at the mountain of paperwork in front of him, and let out a sigh. Since he inherited the business from his father the company had undergone many changes to become more modern and high functioning. As a result, his workload seemed to double from one day to the next.

    "Most of the paperwork are approvals you need to sign, the rest are project proposals, and a few reports." His assistant informed him.

    The CEO nodded. "And what about meetings?" he asked.

    "You only have one scheduled meeting today with the marketing team regarding the upcoming product launch."

    "Is there an issue?"

    "The model who was supposed to wear the main jewellery piece has some health issues. She''s fine, but won''t be able to attend. The marketing department are struggling to find a replacement."

    The CEO''s eyes narrowed. If the marketing team couldn''t even find a replacement on their own what was he paying them for? "If that''s all you can leave." He said, dismissing his assistant.

    "Sir, there''s one more thing." The assistant said nervously.

    "What is it?"

    "There is an event you need to attend tonight."

    Adam looked at his assistant with cold eyes. Everyone knew that he barely attended events, so who was so important that he had to give them face and show up?

    "It''s the mayor''s birthday today." The assistant said hurriedly."The mayor helped HK with many bids in the past, I think it''s important to attend.

    Adam acknowledged that for the mayor even he would have to go. "Fine. Arrange a suitable gift for me to take."

    "Yes, sir." The assistant rushed out of the room.

    Adam leaned back in his chair for a moment, looking out at the clear blue sky. For a moment he felt a calmness, only for a moment. Then he turned his attention to the mountain of paperwork, and set to work, reducing it one sheet at a time.

 2 Elle Shaw

    Elle sat at her computer for most of that afternoon, staring at a blank page. Eventually she gave up on trying to write anything and stared out her window at the clear blue sky. It gave her a rare feeling of calmness.

    A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts. "Yes?" She called out coldly.

    Her father poked his head into her room. "The mayor''s birthday dinner is tonight.We''ll be leaving in a few hours."

    "I know." She said without raising her eyes to look at him. Her father left without noticing anything wrong with her behaviour.

    Her mother had passed away a few years ago, and her father had remarried. With a new wife and son in the house Elle was pushed to the side. Her father owned one of the country''s most popular perfume companies, and to society she was still his heir, but in the house she no longer mattered.

    Her father wasn''t cruel, but he obviously didn''t love her much. Every spare second he was home was spent with his new family. A family who never spoke to or acknowledged Elle. She, for the most part, kept to herself. No one seemed to notice that she had slowly begun to shut herself away.

    Writing became her escape. Elle was writing a webnovel under the pen name Elara. The book was about a girl, like her, with a sad past and a heavy heart. But in her book a happy ending was waiting. The only problem was that Elle was having writer''s block.

    Her character''s life was slowly turning around as she rose to fame as a popular actress. Elle''s problem was that she didn''t know what should come next.

    The girl in her story had yet to meet a man who could move her heart, and this was what the readers were demanding. But what type of man would compliment the main character? Elle didn''t know. She''d tried for a week now to write something romantic yet realistic, but she was failing miserably.

    In the story the main character, Rina, kept an electronic diary. The novel took place through these diary entries. With a somberness in her heart, one she often felt after speaking with her father, Elle wrote a simple two-line entry and posted it.

    "It''s 2 a.m. and I''m all alone with nothing but a bottle and my loneliness to keep me company. In a moment like this I can''t help but feel that there''s something wrong with me."

 3 A Chance Encounter

    Adam had been at the party for some time. He had made all the necessary introductions and greetings and had now found himself in a quite spot on a balcony of the house. He was flipping through pictures of models on his phone, trying to find a replacement.

    It was indeed a complicated task. He needed someone famous enough that it would create buzz for the event, and yet the model''s popularity and presence could not make her outshine the jewellery she wore. But every photo he saw he felt was incompatible. After a few minutes he gave up and put his phone away.

    As he did he noticed a girl standing some steps away from him. His eyes narrowed. When did she come out here? Adam wondered. Many woman, especially in social circles, flocked around him. However, his cold demeanour almost always made them too afraid to dare try to get close to him. Yet this girl came and stood quietly beside him without him even noticing.

    Elle seemed to notice a gaze on her, and she looked towards him, making eye contact. Only then did she realize that she was standing beside Adam Hayes, the most famous businessman in the country.

    She had been following her father around as they greeted various people. One of her father''s close friends had asked why his wife hadn''t joined them tonight. The comment pricked at Elle''s heart, and she quickly excused herself. She was going to go to the bathroom but as she passed the balcony she was drawn by the night sky.

    "Ah, sorry if I bothered you." She said, somewhat embarrassed. "I just wanted some fresh air."

    Elle had her black hair in a messy ponytail, wore very little makeup, and was in a short blush pink dress. She wore no accessories except for a pair of pearl stud earrings. Even the air around her screamed insignificance. Adam would usually think that such an excuse was a lie, but as he looked at the girl''s plain and low-key appearance, and at the faint blush creeping into her cheeks, he couldn''t help but feel that her words were honest.

    "It''s fine." He said simply. The two stood in awkward silence for a moment longer, before Adam left to rejoined the party.

    Elle turned to watch him as he walked back into the room. Adam was the most famous businessman, and also the most handsome. Elle had to agree. He was tall and slim, and had a great physique. He wore a light grey suit tonight, which made his dark brown eyes stand out. Those eyes had looked at her with a cold disregard and still Elle thought them beautiful. They seemed to hold a great depth of emotion.

    Almost everyone''s eyes seemed to follow him around the room. A group of girls giggled and whispered to each other as he passed them. She looked away towards the other side of the room where her father and his son were happily chatting away. He didn''t seem to notice that she had been gone for quite some time now.

    Elle felt her chest tighten. She was envious of Adam, and of how those girls took notice of him at a single glance. Their love for him was superficial, but it was love nonetheless.

    She suddenly took her phone out and made another update to her novel.

    "As I try in vain to fall asleep my head is filled with questions. Why does my life hurt so much? Why can''t I find a single piece of love? I''m grateful for many things, but is this as good as it ever gets?"

    Once she uploaded the short entry Elle put her phone away, and put a fake smile on, before rejoining the party.

 4 No Rest for the Weary

    Elle woke up early the next morning, as she drew back the curtains and saw the rainy sky she felt regretful. She had to go to the company today, but this weather just made her want to stay in bed and read.

    Her family owned one of the most popular perfume companies: Tae. Once Elle had finished university she began working in an entry level position at Tae. Slowly she worked her way up to a director of the marketing department. She was once excited by her work, but nowadays it seemed like everything else ¨C a chore.

    Nevertheless, Elle showered, dressed herself in a fitted black pants suit, and then went down for breakfast. Usually everyone in the house went about their day without much interaction, but as Elle headed towards the kitchen she could hear her father and his family happily chatting away with each other.

    She suddenly had no appetite. Her face fell and she decided to quickly leave before anyone noticed her. Unfortunately, as she quickly walked towards the front door her father spotted her.

    "Elle" He called out.

    "Yes?" she called back.

    "Are you going to the company now?"

    "Yes."

    "Are you driving yourself?"

    "Yes."

    "You don''t want anything to eat?"

    "No."

    "Alright, I''ll see you later then."

    Elle didn''t bother to reply to him, and simply left the house. She got in her car and sat in silence for a moment before starting the car.

    At the company everyone greeted her as she walked by. "Good morning Director Shaw."

    "Good morning." She replied with a smile.

    As soon as she got into her office a manager came to see her.

    "Miss these are all the proposals for the upcoming product launch."

    "Alright. Leave them there I''ll take a look at them."

    Elle sighed as she flipped through them. The proposals weren''t bad, but they weren''t anything new or exciting. There were 20 people in the marketing department, could not one of them come up with a unique idea? As Elle went through the proposals she grew more and more frustrated. Little did she know, that in another office the handsome man she met last night was doing the same.

 5 No Rest for the Wicked

    Adam was in a director''s meeting regarding their upcoming event. MK was going to release a holiday line of jewellery in November, and hold a grand party for the release. The line included common retail pieces, but also included five very expense show pieces, which would be worn by models during the event. It was already late September, and so close to the event date a model had withdrawn due to an injury.

    "When you guys went through the selection process did you not consider keeping a list of potential back ups?" Adam asked strictly. "Do I have to personally request for you to do something so basic?"

    All the directors kept their heads down. No one dared say a word.

    "How are all the other preparations going?"

    "All the main pieces are finished and stored carefully. The design department have inspected the first batch of retail pieces, there are no issues of note." Suzy, the director of the design department, said eagerly.

    "Yes, all other preparations are going smoothly and on track." Another director added.

    Adam nodded. "I went through the marketing department''s suggestions, none of them are the right fit. I want a new list of names by the end of the week."

    "Yes sir." The marketing director was leaning far back in his seat, as if he wanted to disappear into it.

    "If anyone else has any suggestions for the model they can feel free to voice them. That''s all." Adam said, dismissing the team. Everyone rushed out, eager to escape the CEO''s temper. Only Suzy stayed back.

    "Sir I have a recommendation to make. I''m friends with the model Emma. As I''m sure you know she''s very popular right now. It''s late notice, but I think she will agree as a favour to me." Suzy said, trying to put herself in a good light.

    Adam was the most eligible bachelor in the country. If she could just get him to notice her she could become the first lady of MK. It was a shallow dream, but one almost every socialite had. Suzy really couldn''t be blamed for her ambition. But Adam was not such a simple man.

    "Why are you telling me?" He asked coldly.

    "I just thought¡­" Suzy stuttered, taken aback by his tone.

    "If you have a recommendation pass it through the marketing department."

    "Yes, of course." She mumbled before quickly leaving the room. As she walked back to her office Suzy sent a text to her friend. "I may have an opportunity for you to model for MK. Are you interested?"

    Emma replied instantly. "With MK? Of course I''m interested."

    Suzy wore a proud smile as she changed direction and walked towards the marketing department instead.

    Meanwhile, back in the meeting room Adam furrowed his brow as he considered the issue.

    "David." He called out for his assistant.

    "Yes sir?"

    "I want to go see the main pieces." The five jewellery pieces were currently stored in a vault at an offsite facility.

    "Of course sir. Let me prepare the car."

    Adam simply wanted to examine the pieces to get a better idea of what sort of model would be best suited for it. Little did he know that while he was out, he would run into the girl who would soon solve all his problems.

 6 A Run in with Good Fortune

    At the facility Adam examined the five pieces once more. Four of the pieces were made of diamonds and platinum, giving a frosty appearance that suited the holidays. They were intricate and exquisite pieces, but the fifth, main, piece was in a league of its own.

    Set in platinum, the necklace held over 150 greyish blue diamonds. The V-shaped necklace had rows of diamonds that streamed down to the middle of the necklace, with dangling pear-shaped diamonds that grew larger closer to the center, with the largest one perfectly centered. The necklace had a tapered look, which made the diamonds almost look like drops of water.

    Adam looked at the pieces for more than a half hour before leaving without having gained anything from his trip. Looking at the clear blue diamonds only reaffirmed his position that the presence of the model should reflect the clarity of the diamonds. But what model''s presence wouldn''t overpower the necklace?

    He supposed he would just have to wait for the marketing department to submit their new list.

    Meanwhile, at Tae''s main office, Elle had skipped lunch to continue looking through the proposals. She had found two proposals in the batch that really weren''t bad, but she couldn''t help feel that they weren''t good enough. Elle was still debating about whether to approve them or not when she noticed it was almost 2 p.m. Fed up and hungry, she decided to go get some food. Perhaps the fresh air would help her clear her mind.

    The business district was always a high traffic area. Although it was already 2 p.m. the streets were still crowded, and shops were still full. Elle decided to drive a bit further away, and sat for lunch in a quiet caf¨¦.

    As she ate she opened her phone and looked through the comments from last night''s novel update. Some of the messages were sweet, many fans commented telling Rina to cheer up. But the majority of the comments were the same as always; asking about Rina''s love interest.

    Elle sighed and put the phone away. Why does there have to be a love interest anyway? She thought bitterly. Can''t Rina just be single forever?

    As she browsed on her phone she realized it was getting quite late. Elle quickly finished eating, and paid for her food. As she headed back to her car she heard a soft ping from her phone. She stopped when she saw that it was a text message from her father.

    "I''m going to your uncle''s house tonight. Let the kitchen staff know if you''re going to have dinner at home." He wrote. Elle frowned. Her father was going to her uncle''s house and wasn''t taking her, but he would probably take his new wife and son.

    Elle felt a sharp sting in her heart, and was about to angrily put her phone away, when suddenly she felt a strong body bump into her. As Elle stumbled forward, she felt something hot dampen her shirt.

    She turned around and saw Adam Hayes standing behind her, eyes wide, with a now empty cup of coffee in his hands.

 7 For The First Time, Someone Had Moved His Hear

    Adam had been walking back with his assistant, with half a cup of coffee in hand. He had looked towards his assistant for just a moment, when suddenly he bumped into someone.

    There was a moment of stunned silence between them as they both realized what just happened. Adam looked at the girl, her sleeve dripped with coffee.

    David, his assistant, watched with mortification. He felt sorry for the girl, who was most likely about to be scorned by his boss. What was she thinking, standing in the middle of the road like that? How careless.

    "I''m so sorry!" The girl exclaimed.

    "No," Adam replied immediately. "I should have watched where I was going."

    David looked at his boss with disbelief. Was he dreaming? Not only did Adam not get angry, he even said it was his fault?

    "No, no, it''s my fault." She insisted. "I shouldn''t have stopped in the middle of the road."

    Adam watched as the girl took a napkin out of her purse and started dabbing at her shirt. As he watched her he felt like she looked familiar.

    Elle looked up and met his inquisitive eye. "I met you at the mayor''s party." She said, as if she could read his mind. "Elle Shaw." She introduced.

    "I''m ¨C" Adam began awkwardly, but Elle interrupted him before he could continue.

    "You''re Adam Hayes." She said with a smirk. "I think everyone in the country knows who you are."

    Adam was drawn by the look in her eyes. She wore a perfect smile, and had seemingly perfect manners, but the look in her eyes had a mischievous glimmer. As if she was teasing him.

    "David, take her back to the company and get her a change of clothes." He commanded.

    Poor David, who was still in shock from this conversation, barely registered that he was being spoken too.

    "That''s okay, don''t trouble yourself." Elle interjected.

    Adam frowned. "You''ll catch a cold if you stay in those wet clothes in this weather. If you know who I am I''m sure you know it''s no trouble to arrange for a single outfit to be prepared for you."

    In a rare moment Elle wore a genuine smile. "I have a change of clothes at my office, you needn''t concern yourself. Forgive me for troubling you so much." She bowed her head and quickly left.

    Adam watched as she walked off briskly and got into her car.

    David blatantly stared at his boss. Was that gentleness he saw in his eyes? The Adam Hayes whose reputation as a cold and uncaring man preceded him?

    As she drove off Adam looked back to David with his usual dismissive glance. "Lets go."

    No. David thought to himself. I must''ve imagined it.

    As they drove back to the office Adam couldn''t help but think about the look in that girl''s eyes. He didn''t realize it yet, but although it was a single playful glance, for the first time someone had moved his heart.

 8 Guilty Pleasure

    Back in the office Elle changed into a spare dress she had. As she sat down at her desk she noticed she was still smiling. It wasn''t her fault right? Any girl would feel like this after such an encounter with, arguably, the most handsome man in the country right?

    Elle looked at the proposals on her desk and felt a twinge of guilt in her heart. It was so rare for her to be feeling light hearted. She didn''t want to ruin it by looking through those proposals again. Instead she pulled up her novel on her computer.

    It was okay to be selfish once in a while. She took advantage of her happy mood to finally give her readers what they wanted.

    Although she was in the mood to write something romantic Elle still couldn''t decide what sort of character would be best suited to be the love interest. In her novel Rina was a girl who was treated poorly by her parents. After growing up she moved out, started acting, and was now on the verge of becoming a huge star. Rina was a person who didn''t trust anyone, and rose to the top relying only on herself. So what type of man could move her heart?

    Elle couldn''t decide, so instead of worrying about the character she simply wrote about a chance encounter with a mysterious man. Surely that would be enough to placate the readers for now. Elle still had a meeting to attend that afternoon, so after writing for a while wrote for a while she saved her work to continue when she was back home.

    The meeting ran quite late; by the time it was over most of the workers had already gone home. Elle decided to head back too. She even hummed to herself happily in the car. However, her cheerfulnesswas quickly crushed as she arrived home.

    Just as she pulled into the driveway she saw her father and his family coming out of the house with smiles.

    "Ah." Her father said, somewhat embarrassed, as he watched her get out of the car. He had the audacity to look guilty as he explained. "I''m just going to your uncle''s house. I thought you would be tired from work and not want to come along, so I didn''t ask."

    "That''s fine, you''re right." Elle snapped. "I don''t want to go anywhere with you." She didn''t wait to hear her father''s response, and she stormed into her room.

    Without even bothering to change her clothes Elle got into bed and pulled the covers around her, as if shutting herself away from the world. She pulled out her phone, and opened her novel''s draft from earlier today. The light of the screen was piercingly bright in the darkness, but Elle didn''t seem to care.

    She looked at the happy words on the screen and felt disgusted by them. What was she so happy about earlier anyway? She deleted all her work and wrote instead "I always get carried away by brief moments of happiness. I always seem to forget that such moments are fleeting and few."

 9 A Loving Family

    Adam was called back to the family house by his father that night.

    "You''re back." His mother greeted him at the door with a warm smile.

    "What does the old man want?" Adam asked as he went inside.

    "Do we need a reason to want to see our son?" His mother asked with fake incredulity. Adam raised an eyebrow at her. "He''s in the study." She sighed.

    Adam went upstairs to the study. "Father." He greeted.

    "Come have a drink with me."

    "You''re already at such an age and yet you still drink like this?" Adam scolded, but he poured himself a drink and sat down anyway.

    "I heard you''re having issues with the jewellery launch." His father said, not bothering with small talk.

    "Tell me, which of my staff members told on me." Adam said with a smirk. "You''ve already retired and left the company to me. You needn''t concern yourself with company matters anymore."

    His father scoffed. "I spent 40 years growing MK. It''s like a second child to me. How can I possibly not concern myself with it? Especially after you made so many changes last year."

    "Changes for the better." Adam reminded gently.

    "Have you found a replacement model yet?"

    "You seem well informed about the issue. Do you really think that I won''t be able to handle such a minor problem?"

    "If you can solve it solve it quickly."

    "Just relax at home like you''re supposed to. When the time comes I''m sure you''ll be satisfied with the results." Adam said, downing his glass. "And stop drinking so late at night."

    "I''ll trust you for now, but if I feel like you''re incompetent I''ll take MK back." His father muttered.

    "As you wish." Was all Adam said.

    In the living room Mrs. Hayes was flipping through a magazine. Adam had only been upstairs for a few minutes, but when she looked up and saw both men coming down the stairs. "Are you leaving already?" She asked with a frown.

    "I should go back. I still have many things to attend to."

    "Why don''t you just stay here. You don''t even have a girlfriend. Who will cook for you, and look after you in that big empty condo."

    "I thought we agreed you wouldn''t interfere with my love life." He said sternly.

    "If you found yourself a girlfriend I wouldn''t have to." His mother chided. "You know if you smiled a bit more you wouldn''t scare them all away."

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    "I''m talking about that permanent scowl on your face."

    "I don''t scowl."

    "Oh please. You came out of the womb with a stoic look on your face."

    His father laughed at the remark. "Let the boy be."

    "It''s not funny. Don''t tell me you never want to see your grandchildren." His mother scolded.

    "That''s enough." Adam said firmly. "I''m leaving now; I''ll stay for dinner another time."

    His mother conceded. "Drive safely then."

    As Adam drove back he took a rare moment to admire the night sky. The autumn air was crisp, and the sky was clear. The trees were just beginning to change colours, and it seemed that two hearts were destined to change with them.

 10 Flirting with Danger

    A few days passed. Suzy had gone to the marketing department and put forth her suggestion. The marketing director seemed very pleased with her recommendation. Emma was currently one of the most popular models in the industry. If she modeled for MK''s event, it would surely create a lot of buzz.

    Suzy was very happy with the progress; she was eager for a chance to stand out to the CEO. If she solved this problem surely he would see her in a favourable light. She texted Emma happily, to update her.

    "Everything is going smoothly Emma! The directors seem very happy with my proposal."

    "That''s great!" Emma replied. "Why don''t we go out for lunch today? I''ll treat you as a thank you for getting me such a good opportunity."

    "Sure. Can you come pick me up from the office? If I have a chance I''ll introduce you to our marketing director."

    "Okay, perfect! I''ll come by around 1."

    Suzy wore a proud smile as she went about her work that morning. Thousands of girl''s tried to get close to Adam Hayes without any success, but Suzy was confident in herself. She was promoted to director after just two years with the company. Her work spoke for itself. In addition, she was confident in her looks and style. If she could just get Adam to notice her work she was sure she could snag him.

    But of course, in reality, it wouldn''t be that easy for her.

    Emma showed up at MK around 1, like she said. She didn''t get to meet the marketing director since he was out on a business lunch, but it must have been her lucky day, because she ran into someone even more important.

    "Mr. Hayes." Suzy greeted as the two girls passed him in the hallway. "This is my friend Emma. I''ve recommended her to be the model for our event."

    "I hope we can work well together in the future." Emma said, bowing her head.

    Adam simply nodded and continued walking. Once the two girls were out of ear shot he asked David, "Have the marketing department finished their list?"

    "They''re still going through potential choices, but it seems they''ve come up with five recommendations for now sir."

    "Then call a director''s meeting this afternoon. I want to go through them."

    "Yes, of course sir."

    Suzy was out at lunch with Emma when she received the email scheduling a director''s meeting.

    "What is it?" Emma asked as she watcher her stare at her phone.

    "The CEO has called for a meeting this afternoon." Suzy said with a smile. "He''s also eager to sign a new model soon. Right now there are only four other recommendations and you''re more popular than any of them. I really think you have it in the bag this time."

    "Ahh I really hope I do." Emma exclaimed. "Working for MK is the golden standard. If you can get a job with MK you''re basically guaranteed work for the rest of your life. It''s also not a bad opportunity to try to get close to Adam Hayes."

    "Do you have your eye on him?" Suzy asked with a frown.

    "Of course. Everyone in the industry has their eyes on him. Can you imagine what it would be like to be the first lady of MK?" She said with a dreamy sigh.

    Suzy didn''t reply. It was true after all, it was natural for everyone to want to be Mrs. Hayes. But she had an advantage. As far as she was concerned she was the closest girl to Adam. She saw him on a daily basis, and had endless opportunities. She would just have to play her cards right.

    It was easier said than done.

 11 A Hitch in Her Plan

    Later that afternoon, all the directors sat in the board room as the marketing director went through the recommendations one by one. Adam listened patiently, keeping a straight face throughout the entire presentation. The marketing director was more and more nervous as he went along, Adam wasn''t reacting at all.

    Once the director finished going through the recommendations Adam addressed the room "What do the rest of you think?" He asked.

    Most of the directors were too nervous to speak up. They couldn''t tell if Adam was pleased with any of the choices, and no one wanted to say the wrong thing.

    "I think Emma is a very good possibility." Suzy said without hesitation. "She has more popularity than the rest of the recommendations, and she has a very strong presence when modeling. I''m confident she will be able to pull off such a grand piece."

    Adam still gave no reaction. "And the rest of you?" He asked. Still no one said a word. "What is the point of paying you guys if you can''t even speak?" He asked sternly.

    All of a sudden everyone was in a hurry to voice their opinions. As they discussed amongst themselves they soon came to the conclusion that, although none of the models were particularly bad choices, none of them were suitable. No one filled more than half the criteria.

    "Is the marketing department still going through possibilities?" Adam asked.

    "Yes sir." The director replied quickly. "So many models are eager for the chance to work with MK, and there are so many criterion to go through. The marketing department is working diligently."

    "From now on don''t bring me any recommendations if they don''t meet at least three quarters of the criterion."

    "Yes sir."

    With that Adam swiftly stood up and left the board room. David followed closely behind. The directors in the board room all let out a heavy sigh once the two were out of sight.

    "I''m old enough to be Adam''s father, so why am I so scared of him?" One of the directors mumbled.

    "There are hundreds of models in this city alone. Can''t the marketing department find anyone better?" Another asked bitterly.

    "It''s easy for you to say." The marketing director muttered. "I thought for sure he would be pleased with Emma."

    Suzy frowned. So did she.

    "We all agreed; Emma''s presence is too strong. If she wore the main piece she would end up overpowering it. Adam is very strict about the type of model he wants." Another director chimed in.

    "That''s the problem." The marketing director spoke up again. "He''s too strict. It''s a jewellery launch. The main piece isn''t even for sale it''s just a show piece. As long as the model is beautiful and popular it should be fine."

    The other''s all laughed at him. "That type of thinking is the reason that Adam Hayes is CEO and you''re just a director."

    The director''s chatted for a few moments, but everyone was still busy, and so they slowly filed out of the room. The marketing director was about to leave as well, but Suzy caught up to him and pulled him to the side.

    "Sir I think that although the CEO told you to continue looking, everyone can agree that Emma is the best choice we''ve had so far."

    "What are you suggesting?" He asked suspiciously.

    "Nothing. I just hope that you can continue to keep Emma on your list. After all, you''re right, there are too many criteria. Surely Mr. Hayes won''t ever find someone he''s truly pleased with. When the event draws nearer I hope he can agree that Emma is the best choice." Suzy said, with a smile on her face.

    The director didn''t see any faults with what she was suggesting. What was the harm in keeping a Option B? So he agreed to keep Emma''s file to review again later.

    As Suzy walked back to her office she got a text from Emma.

    "Is the meeting over? How did it go? Are they willing to sign me?"

    Suzy was embarrassed, after all she had lead Emma to believe she would definitely be chosen. She was still confident that her plan would work, so she simply replied "MK hasn''t decided on anyone yet, but everyone agreed that you were the best option. I think you''ll hear good news soon."

    Emma smiled and told her manager to cancel all her work for November. She couldn''t risk anything happening before the event.

    Suzy was smiling to herself in her office as well. Things weren''t going as smoothly as she imagined, but they were still progressing well. At the time she had no idea about the domino effect that would soon follow.

 12 Serendipity

    Two weeks passed by quickly with no progress for either Elle or Adam. Elle hadn''t posted a single update for her novel in the past two weeks. She hadn''t even opened the website to read the comments. Although her work at Tae was progressing smoothly she felt miserable inside.

    On the other hand, Adam was still mulling over the missing model. The rest of the preparations were ahead of schedule, and everyone seemed pleased with the progress, but he was stuck in a rut over a single model. The marketing department had several recommendations that he could certainly settle for, but he didn''t want to settle. Especially after the conversation with his father. No, he was a perfectionist. There was no way he could settle for second best.

    But unlike Adam, Elle had something to look forward to. Her best friend was back in town.

    Elle was a quite girl, even in the best of times she wasn''t one to make friends easily. Elle had made one very good friend during high school: Abby Scott. After high school Abby had moved overseas, but the girls still saw each other occasionally. Abby was attending a prestigious art school, she currently was on holiday and had came back for a visit.

    Elle was excited to see her, she took the day off work to accompany Abby. Elle was currently on her way to a tea house where they had agreed to meet.

    Meanwhile Adam was on his way to inspect one of MK''s stores. He sat in the back of a black Maybach, looking out at the gloomy state of the city. It was the coldest day of the season, and the sky was full of dark grey clouds. Most of the trees were already bare, their dead leaves littered the street.

    The car was stopped at a red light when a young girl suddenly caught his eye.

    Everyone was hunched against the cold wind, their faces furrowed and miserable. But she seemed to welcome the gusts, and on her face she wore a sweet smile.

    As Adam watched her he felt the corners of his lips pull up ever so slightly in a smile of his own.

 13 A Third Encounter

    It was only after watching her for a moment that Adam realized he was looking at the woman he had already run into twice before. Her black hair was tousled by the wind, and she wore a simple white dress under an open black cotton trench coat.

    As he watched he saw as a little boy who had be running down the sidewalk suddenly run into her and fell to the ground. A juice box he had been holding splattered onto her dress.

    "Pull over." Adam instructed.

    "Yes, sir." David said without question.

    Elle had been walking excitedly to the tea house where she was going to meet up with Abby. She seemed to be the only one in the city enjoying the weather. It was gloomy and cold, but that was the perfect weather for a hot cup of tea.

    As she walked Elle noticed a young boy running towards her. He was looking behind him while he ran and didn''t notice her, and although Elle had noticed him she was startled and reacted too late. He ran into her, spilling the box of juice in his hand onto her.

    Elle was overcome by d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    The boy fell back onto the cement and started crying. His mother came running and helped him up.

    "I''m so sorry." She apologized to Elle. "I told you not to run in the street." She then scolded her son. But he was crying still and didn''t seem to hear her.

    Elle crouched down to meet the little boy''s eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked gently.

    The little boy nodded while sniffling.

    Elle smiled and pinched his chubby cheeks. "Don''t cry. If you don''t want to fall hold onto your mother''s hand well."

    "I''m so sorry miss. Your dress." The mother looked at the stain with embarrassment.

    "Never mind the dress. It''s fine as long as your son is fine."

    "Let me reimburse you." The mother insisted.

    "It''s fine, it''s just a plain old dress. I''m in a hurry anyway." Elle said. The mother apologized once more before taking her sons hand and leading him away. Elle waved to the little boy as they walked off. She was still crouched down when she heard a voice behind her.

    "Are you a fool?"

    She turned around to see Adam Hayes standing behind her.

    "I beg your pardon?" She asked in shock.

    "You must be a fool to have the same thing happen to you twice." He said.

    Elle stared at him in disbelief. Was Adam Hayes teasing her? She wondered incredulously. Then, even more surprisingly, Adam crouched down to examine the stain on her dress.

    "Where you going somewhere?" He asked with his brow furrowed.

    "Ah, I was just going to meet a friend." She said slowly. Her brain was still trying to process this bizarre interaction.

    "Follow me." He said while standing up again.

    "Huh?"

    "If you keep crouching in the middle of the way a third person is bound to come spill something on you as well." He said sternly.

    She still didn''t move, Elle just stared at him blankly. Adam reached over, took her hand, and gently pulled her along back to his car.

    "Where are you taking me?" She asked.

    "It was my fault before. Let me prepare a change of clothes for you this time." Elle opened her mouth to argue, but he interrupted her. "Surely you don''t have a change of clothes on you this time. To make matters worse it''s a white dress, the stain stands out too much."

    "For CEO Adam Hayes a single minute must be worth thousands of dollars. I can''t afford to waste your time." She softly.

    "You overestimate me."

    Elle didn''t know what else to say, so she awkwardly followed him as he lead her back.

    David sat patiently in the driver''s seat. He wasn''t sure what Adam had suddenly stopped for, but he didn''t question it until he saw his boss return with a young girl whom he ushered into the car. David had to physically stop his jaw from dropping.

    "Are you going to sit there or are you going to drive?" Adam asked when he saw his assistant staring at them.

    David sat stiffly in the driver''s seat and snapped his head forward, not daring to so much as glance back at them. "Where are we going sir?"

    "Continue to the flagship store."

    David and Elle both sat in the car awkwardly as they drove off, but Adam seemingly didn''t notice.

 14 Returning the Favour

    Elle looked in awe as they arrived at MK''s flagship store. It was two stories high, with a crisp and clean appearance; white walls, marble floors, and gold accents. The entire store exuded luxury. Elle, in her plain white dress and short heeled boots, suddenly felt very out of place.

    As they entered the flagship store Elle followed four steps behind Adam and his assistant. Adam glanced back at her with an eyebrow raised, but didn''t say anything.

    "Mr. Hayes, you''re here." The store manager greeted him. She wore a short A-line black dress, black heels, and wore her hair in an elegant low bun. As Elle looked around she realized all the employees were dressed the same.

    Great. Elle thought to herself with her head down in embarrassment. Even their uniforms are better looking than my shabby outfit.

    "Before we begin the inspection I was wondering if you could help me prepare a dress for¡­" Adam trailed off looking back at Elle with a troubled look on his face.

    She laughed to herself as she realized that he didn''t even remember her name. "Elle Shaw." She said, introducing herself to the manager.

    "Of course." The manager said, a perfect smile on her face. "Why don''t you follow me."

    As the manager lead them into the back Elle looked around and realized there wasn''t a single customer in the huge building. Had they shut down the entire store? She wondered.

    Adam noticed her looking around, "We''ve shut down the store for the annual inspection." He said, answering her unspoken question.

    "Please wait here." The manager showed them into a room before leaving to retrieve some clothes. The three were once again left in awkward silence. Adam sat down on the sofa in the room casually, either not noticing or not being bothered by it.

    David on the other hand was too busy trying to control his reaction to bother trying to make small talk. He looked at Elle, she seemed ordinary and quite plain. In all the years he had worked for him, David had never seen Adam show interest in another person. Even if she didn''t look like much there had to be something special about her.

    While David marvelled over this strange occurrence Elle paced the room slowly. She felt too awkward standing still, but she couldn''t just go sit beside Adam. While she paced, she prayed for the manager to return quickly. To Elle''s relief she did.

    "Miss why don''t you follow me to a changing room."

    So Elle followed. Even the changing rooms were luxurious; they followed the same all white style of the showroom, with gold fabric curtains, and a huge three panel mirror.

    The manager pulled a dress out of a garment bag and hung it in front of Elle. "I tried to find something to match your style. Please let me know if the fit is wrong." The manager said politely. "I''ll have one of the employees bag your other dress for you."

    Elle could see why MK was the King of the industry; their service was unparalleled. She didn''t say anything and yet, in just a few minutes, the manager had found her a perfect dress. It was a short champagne coloured tulle dress, with a deep v-neckline. The dress was to her taste, the size was perfect, and the cut of the dress suited her body type.

    Elle changed quickly, while the manager put her dirty dress into a bag. Once she finished the manager led her back to where Adam and David were waiting.

    All the bizarre events of the day must have gotten to her, because Elle could have sworn she saw Adam''s gaze soften ever so slightly when she re-entered the room. Her eyes must have been playing tricks on her.

    "I have a few things to take care of, you can come find me in the store once you''re ready to begin the inspection sir." The manager said politely, before seeing herself out of the room.

    Elle felt herself blush under Adam''s piercing gaze. "Is it really okay for me to have this dress?" She asked nervously. "At least let me pay for it."

    Adam watched as she walked into the room, thinking the manager had done well. The champagne colour was subtle on her fair skin, but made her dark hair and eyes pop. Her windblown hair, and the playfulness of the soft tulle gave her a youthful appearance.

    "Keep it." Adam said gently. "It suits you."

    Elle looked at him, bewildered. Adam Hayes, THE Adam Hayes, was complementing her?

    "Am I dreaming?" She asked.

    Adam chuckled.

    "Ah! Did I say that out loud?" She covered her face with her hands, bright red.

    "I got coffee on you last time. Keep the dress as my apology. Now we''re even." Adam said while getting up. "David will take you to meet your friend. I''ll start the inspection first." He instructed his assistant.

 15 A Little White Lie

    David drove her back quickly, neither said a word during the trip. Elle had sent a text to Abby, back when they were at MK, to let her know she was running late.

    When they finally arrived at the tea house she was already almost a half hour late. Elle thanked David kindly before rushing into the store.

    Elle found Abby waiting for her at a table by the window on the second floor. The two girls hugged as they greeted each other for the first time in almost a year.

    "I''m sorry I''m so late!" Elle apologized as she looked through the menu. "You didn''t order anything yet?"

    "No, not yet. I wanted to wait for you."

    The two girls ordered tea, and more snacks than they needed, happily catching up with each other.

    "How''s your father?" Abby asked casually as they ate.

    "He''s fine." Elle said, gripping the cup in her hands tighter. It wasn''t Abby''s fault, she didn''t know what had happened yet. No one did. But Elle felt her chest tighten, the way it always did when the topic of her family came up.

    "Is something wrong? You look pale?" Abby asked. Elle saw the concern in her friend''s eyes.

    "Actually..." Elle said hesitantly.

    "What is it?"

    "My father remarried." Elle confessed.

    Abby sat back in her chair, shocked. "When?" She asked startled.

    "Earlier this year. I''m not sure exactly when either." Elle said, looking pointedly into her tea.

    "What do you mean you''re not sure?"

    "He didn''t tell me. The media doesn''t know yet either. One day he just came home with a wife and son. I didn''t want to ask."

    There was a moment of silence. When she realized Abby wasn''t going to say anything Elle looked up and was met with pity in her friend''s eyes. Suddenly she regretted saying anything.

    "Never mind it. Let''s talk about something else." Elle said, eager to get off the topic. "You''re staying for a month this time right?"

    "Almost. Just three weeks." Abby replied, willingly going along with her.

    "Are you going to Sarah''s birthday party?" Elle asked. Sarah was another classmate of theirs. They had all gone to the same prestigioushigh school. Although neither of the girl''s had never been particularly close to Sarah, they still ran in the same social circles.

    "I completely forgot about that." Abby groaned. "Did you get her a gift already?"

    "I''m just going to give her a perfume set from our new line."

    Abby groaned again, dropping her head on the table miserably. "I''m jealous. You''re the heir to a perfume empire it must be so easy for you to prepare gifts."

    "Your parents own one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. Don''t tell me that never comes in handy." Elle teased.

    "It never comes in handy! It''s only useful to take people to eat at, but I''m hardly ever in the city. Plus it''s useless in this situation."

    "Want to go shopping then?" Elle asked with a grin. "I''ll help you pick something out."

    "Yes!" Abby exclaimed. "Help me pick out a new dress too."

    With a new found energy Abby rushed Elle to finish so they could go to shopping. As they got up to leave Abby saw the MK bag Elle was carrying. "You went to MK?" She asked.

    It was an innocent question, but Elle felt a light blush creep up her face. "I ruined my dress on my way here. I thought it would be easier to just buy something else to change into." Elle explained. It was only a little lie.

    Elle didn''t mean to hide what had happened, but she felt like she couldn''t tell Abby she had met Adam. It was a sweet moment for her, like something from a dream, and Elle wanted to keep it to herself.

    The two girls had a fun day of shopping. Elle felt a little guilty for lying to Abby, but she quickly forgot all about it. Little did she know that Abby was keeping a secret of her own.

 16 He Had To See Her

    The inspection took a few hours, but it went well.

    Adam and David were returning late when Adam suddenly asked, "Find out more about that girl for me."

    "Sir?" David asked, trying to hide his shock. So he really was interested in her?

    "I''m just a little curious."

    "Yes, of course sir."

    Once they arrived at MK Adam dismissed David, and went up to his office alone. Adam still had a lot of work to do; in addition to the jewellery launch he also had to prepare for MK''s year end events. He spent hours going through documents that night, and ended up falling asleep in his office.

    The next morning when David arrived he went into his boss''s office as usual. He saw Adam standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows that an entire wall of his office. Adam''s hair was dishevelled, he had abandoned his suit jacket on the back of a chair, and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows.

    "Did you stay here last night? Should I prepare a new suit for you?"

    "That''s alright, I already have one. Just bring in today''s paperwork." Adam went into the bathroom in his office to freshen up and change. When he came out David was standing beside his desk with two file folders.

    "These are all documents that require your signature." David explained, putting one folder in front of Adam as he sat down.

    "And the other one?" Adam asked when he saw David hesitating.

    "I have some information about Elle Shaw, as you requested." David said, handing Adam the other file. "Her full name is Elizabeth, she''s the daughter of Alfred and Emily Shaw, and heir to the perfume company Tae."

    "Is there anything noteworthy?" Adam asked mildly, not bothering to flip through the file.

    "No, it seems like quite an ordinary family. Her mother passed away three years ago. There are some rumours that her father remarried earlier this year, but they aren''t confirmed. There is one interesting thing. It seems she writes a webnovel under a pen name that is very popular."

    "Oh?"

    "The information is in the file. Should I look into it further?"

    "No need."

    Adam dismissed his assistant and put the file aside. The day seemed to pass quickly, Adam spent most of it attending meeting after meeting. By the time he sat back down at his desk it was already almost 5 in the afternoon.

    He looked at the paperwork that he ought to be going through, but he saw Elle''s file and couldn''t help himself. He was just mildly curious about the girl after having run into her on three separate occasions. But instead of having his curiosity satisfied, he found that he was now more curious then ever.

    So instead of doing his work Adam pulled up Elle''s book online and skimmed through it. It seemed like a regular, clich¨¦d, story. Usually he wouldn''t have spent a second longer on such a book, but as he was skimming a single phrase caught his attention.

    In the story, after meeting her friend''s boyfriend for the first time the main character, Rina, returned home feeling envious. She wrote "I wonder if there was ever a time when I wasn''t envious of people who have things go right for them, in this world that, for me so far, just seems to go so wrong."

    Adam didn''t know what it was exactly, but the words moved him. He continued scrolling through and saw that despite the fact that the character''s life seemed to be turning around, most of the entries were heavy hearted.

    Adam was puzzled by this. He recalled the way Elle smiled sweetly as she pinched the little boy''s cheeks yesterday. How could a person with such a happy smile write such sad words? The happy and teasing her, and the sad and miserable her; which one was real?

    Adam was overcome with the feeling that he had to know. He wanted to see for himself.

    David entered Adam''s office just as he was shutting down his computer. "I''m heading out early. If there''s anything urgent call me." He instructed.

    David assumed Adam was simply tired from the sleepless night and thought nothing of it as he watched his boss take his keys and leave.

 17 Dinner for Two

    Adam pulled over outside of Tae''s headquarters. He sat quietly in his car, watching as people entered and exited the building. After waiting for about ten minutes Adam felt foolish. What was he doing? What were the odds that she was even here?

    Adam started the engine and was about to return to MK when he saw her come out of the building. She was bundled up in the same black cotton trench coat she wore yesterday, with her hair in a high ponytail, and classic black heels on.

    Adam didn''t know what was more unbelievable; the fact the he had sat outside of the building waiting for a stranger, or that she had actually appeared.

    Elle was walking to a caf¨¦ just down the block. As the holiday''s approached Tae was entering one of it''s busiest seasons. Everyone was working late hours, and she had decided to take a break and grab a quick coffee.

    As she was walking she noticed a car pull up beside her. For a brief moment she felt unsettled, but then she saw Adam Hayes sitting in the driver''s seat.

    He rolled the window down, "Good afternoon." He greeted.

    "Good afternoon." She replied with a smile.

    "Are you going somewhere?" He asked.

    "I was just going to get some coffee."

    "Have you eaten yet?"

    "No." Elle said slowly, confused by his questioning.

    "Perfect, get in."

    "I beg your pardon?" She asked, truly confused now.

    "Consider it a favour. I need to confirm the restaurant for MK''s new years dinner, but David cannot accompany me today."

    "I don''t think I can be much help to you."

    "I only need you to tell me if you like the food or not. Surely you can do that much."

    Elle was considering what to do when Adam spoke up.

    "I''m Adam Hayes." He said, for once feeling like his position came in handy. "Can you afford to say no to me?"

    He sounded serious, and his face was stern, but something in his eyes told Elle it was a joke, and something in her heart told her to just get in. So she agreed and climbed into the passenger seat.

    Adam was pleased as he drove her to the restaurant. It wasn''t a complete lie. In a meeting today the planning team for MK''s new years'' dinner had suggested this restaurant for the event and Adam had to approve the choice. He usually didn''t pay much attention to the choice of restaurant, and went along with whatever his employees had requested. Tonight, however, he decided he ought to sample the restaurant for himself.

    When they got to the restaurant the wait staff immediately showed them into a private room.

    "Do you always eat in private rooms?" Elle asked as they sat down. The room was much too large for just two people to eat in, but the staff didn''t seem to mind. MK wasn''t even involved in the food industry, and yet he still got first class service. Elle couldn''t help think it must be nice to be Adam Hayes.

    "The media can be irritating." Was all he said.

    So he doesn''t want to be photographed having dinner with me? Elle wondered.

    A waitress brought them two menus. It was an authentic Chinese restaurant, and as Elle looked through the menu she couldn''t quite decide on anything.Everything looked so good.

    While Elle delved all her attention into the menu, looking at each dish carefully, Adam was watching her with a small smile.

    "Do you have any preferences?" He asked.

    "Not really." Elle replied honestly.

    "Then let me order for the both of us."

    Elle agreed. When the waitress returned Adam put in an order for several items. Elle was surprised to hear him order so much. But I suppose it is normal if he''s trying to decide on a restaurant for a company dinner. She reasoned.

    Adam finished ordering, and the waitress collected the menu''s and left the room. He looked up and saw Elle looking around the room. She had a spark in of wonder in her eyes as she looked about.

    Adam couldn''t help but feel drawn by them. Her eyes had a clarity to them that Adam had never seen before. The people around him were in-genuine. They would smile at him in hopes of getting his favour, but no one ever revealed their true thoughts.

    On the other hand, this girl, didn''t need to say anything at all. Her eyes seemed to reflect everything she felt without restraint.

    "Is something wrong?" Elle asked when she noticed Adam''s gaze.

    "Nothing."

    Elle was trying to think of what to say to him, she didn''t want to endure an entire meal in awkward silence. While she was contemplating she received a call on her phone. It was from one of the managers in her department.

    She excused herself and went to the bathroom to return the call.

    "Where are you Director Shaw?" The manager asked, obviously trying to conceal their irritation.

    "Something urgent came up. If there''s anything I need to attend to you can make a note of it, I''ll take care of it in the morning."

    Meanwhile, in the private room Adam was smiling to himself ¨C he had found his model.

 18 Two Steps Forward and One Step Back

    When Elle returned the food was being served. She watched them place dish after dish on the table; Ehe had no idea how they were going to possibly finish it all.

    Adam saw the doubt in her eyes and said softly, "Don''t force yourself. Just eat what you like."

    They both ate slowly, enjoying the meal. At first Elle''s actions were awkward. After all she was acutely aware of how strange it was that she was having dinner with Adam Hayes. Although she suspected he had said it as a joke Adam was right, she couldn''t afford to offend him.

    But the conversation grew gradually. Adam pushed it along, asking her questions about small things like her work or the friend she had met up with. As time passed Elle began to feel more comfortable and began conversing with him naturally. Adam even reached over occasionally to put food on her plate, telling her to eat more.

    By the end of the night Elle was wondering how the person she had dinner with could possibly have a reputation as a cold and unforgiving man.

    Almost two hours passed when the two had finally finished eating. The bill arrived and Adam immediately took it, passing his credit card to the waitress naturally.

    "You should at least let me pay for half." Elle said awkwardly.

    "It''s fine. I asked you here as a favour so it''s only fair that I pay for it. Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that I make more money than you." He said with a smirk.

    Elle laughed. "Fine, but in the future you should let me treat you to something. I feel too indebted to you."

    "Where should I drop you off?" Adam asked as they entered his car.

    "You can drop me off at Tae''s headquarters."

    "Are you sure?" He asked with a frown. "It''s late, let me drop you off at home."

    "That''s fine. My car is still at Tae; I need to go get it. If you drop me off there I can drive home myself." Elle explained.

    "In that case you should give me your number."

    Elle stared at him. "Huh?"

    "So I can make sure you get home safely." He explained.

    Elle saw no fault with that, so she agreed. Adam passed his phone over to her and she put in her number.

    As they drove back Elle looked up at the night sky. It was a clear night without a single cloud in the sky. The stars were bright and the moon was full. She couldn''t help think it was a beautiful night.

    As requested Adam dropped her off at Tae where they parted. Elle got into her car and drove back home herself.

    She entered the house with a smile on her face and was quietly returning to her room when she heard her father''s voice call out to her.

    "How''s your life?" he asked sarcastically.

    "Excuse me?" She asked, stunned.

    "Well you don''t seem to inform me of anything these days. I thought it was best to ask." He said. "You''ve been acting out of line recently. I put up with it at first, but now you''re taking time off work and staying out late without so much as word to me. I was told you left early today without notifying anyone. I can put up with your little tantrum at home, but from now on watch how you behave in public. Especially at the company."

    His tone was harsh, and Elle felt tears begin to form in her eyes. "Okay." She said softly, walking off to her room before her father could notice.

    This was what she had been waiting for right? All those times she was rude to him, or gave him the cold shoulder, she was just testing him to see how long he would continue to care about her. She was expecting this outcome so why did it hurt so much?

    Elle couldn''t help herself, by the time she got to her room and shut the door behind her the tears were flowing soundlessly down her face. Her lip trembled as she tried her best to not make a noise.

    Falling to the bed, Elle closed her eyes to the world, willing her body to feel numb. She could bare feeling nothing at all, so long as she didn''t have to endure this pain.

    As she prepared herself for another lonely night she heard her phone ping beside her. She looked over and saw the screen light up. She had received a text message from Adam.

    "Did you get home yet?" He asked.

    "I did." She replied.

    "Good. Sleep well."

    Elle''s eyes were red, and her face was messy and wet, but she felt the corner of her lips pull up. Although her heart still hurt her terribly, she somehow managed to fall asleep with a smile.

 19 Preparing For A Night Ou

    The next day everyone was surprised as Adam arrived at the office. Although his face was expressionless as always, the air around him seemed much calmer. Was he in a good mood?

    David walked into the office with the usual stack of documents, but today Adam did not glare at them.

    "Did something good happen sir?" David asked hesitantly.

    "Not really." He said lightly. "By the way, let the planning team know I approve the restaurant that was suggested for the New Year''s dinner. They can go ahead with their preparations."

    "Okay." David was confused as he left his bosses office. He was clearly in a good mood today, but what had happened? After careful consideration David decided it was best not to question it, and simply enjoy the rare moment while it lasted instead.

    Meanwhile, in his office, Adam sat brooding over his phone. He decided last night that he wanted Elle to model for MK''s event. He couldn''t quite put it into words, but in her eyes he had seen the clarity that he had been searching for.

    The main issue now was the fact that Elle wasn''t a model. He would have to ask her to do the event, but how? Adam felt like he couldn''t simply ask her over a text message. Based on her personality she would refuse for sure. He would have to gradually build up to it, but how? Adam had no idea how to go about it.

    In the end, a few days passed without any interactions between the two.

    One morning, a little over a week later, David entered Adam''s office.

    "Sir I wanted to remind you that Mr. Carter is hosting a birthday party for his daughter tomorrow. Will you be attending?" He asked.

    Mr. Carter was a friend of his father''s, but Adam didn''t have much of a relationship with the family himself. He was about to decline when a thought crossed his mind. The Carter''s were in the cosmetic industry so it was likely Elle would be there. Adam had yet to think of a way to convince her to model for the event, this could be his chance.

    "I''ll go." He said in the end.

    ~~~

    The next evening Elle stood at her vanity, slowly getting ready. The weather was getting colder, and in response Elle had picked a long smokey grey evening gown. The dress had long sleeves, an embellished bodice that hugged her figure, and a high waist from where the skirt softly flowed out.

    She had straightened her black hair and left it out. It was glossy and sleek, and fell halfway down her back. Elle applied a deep red lipstick that popped against the monochrome appearance of the grey dress, her black hair, and her fair skin.

    Once she was satisfied she went downstairs where her father, and his son Jacob, were waiting. Initially Elle only had to deal with the other family members inside the house but recently her father had begun bringing Jacob along to more occasions. Although he hadn''t announced his marriage yet he seemed to slowly be introducing his son within their social circles.

    Elle didn''t say a word to either of them as they boarded the car. Although it was only natural that her father would bring Jacob along, Elle couldn''t deny that it made her uncomfortable. Her only reprieve was in knowing that Abby would be at the party as well.

    Meanwhile Adam, who had stayed at the office late, was also preparing to leave. He didn''t bother returning home to change, and simply wore the same navy blue suit he had worn to work that day.

    On his way to the party he stopped at his parent''s house.

    Adam''s mother had been feeling lethargic due to the cold weather and didn''t want to attend the party. His father decided to stay at home as well to accompany her, but he was also friends with Mr. Carter. Although they weren''t particularly close, he had seen Sarah a few times as she was growing up. Since he wouldn''t attend he prepared a gift for Adam to take.

    "You know I heard that Sarah is still single." His mother said as Adam was leaving the house.

    "I heard it''s not good to stick your nose in other people''s business." Adam said pointedly.

    His mother smacked his arm softly. "Drive safely." She grumbled.

 20 A Grand Entrance and A Spectacular Insul

    Elle arrived to the party before either Abby or Adam. Unlike the Mayor''s party, which was held at his own private villa, this party was being held in a grand banquet hall. The room must have been full with close to one hundred people all waiting for the birthday girl to arrive.

    Most of the guests were other big names in the industry, or important figures in social circles. Elle hadn''t seen Abby when they arrived, she had sent a text, and glanced at her phone occasionally, but had yet to receive a reply.

    While she waited Elle followed her father around with Jacob. Elle kept a polite smile on her face the whole time, not saying a word, as they greeted various people.

    Eventually, several minutes later, the birthday girl did arrive. She made a grand entrance at the top of a staircase with her parents on either side of her. She wore a gold sequin mermaid gown, which hugged her figure rather generously.

    Elle stifled a laugh as she watched Sarah enter the room. It was only expected that a socialite, especially one as pampered as Sarah, make such a grand display on her birthday. It was so common that such splendour was almost mundane.

    But as she walked in Elle couldn''t help but recall how Sarah, while still pretty, was rather plain in high school. She was a quite girl with a meek personality. She even had long bangs that she used to hide behind shyly. Now her hair was styled half up half down, with large loose curls, and her ends died blonde.

    What a dramatic difference a few years in society can make.

    With Sarah''s arrival Elle finally had a reason to excuse herself from her family''s side. "Happy birthday Sarah!" Elle greeted with false enthusiasm.

    "Thank you Elle." Sarah said politely.

    The two made idle small talk for a minute or two before Sarah excused herself to go greet the other guests.

    Elle looked around the room and spotted her father and Jacob talking to Mr. Carter. She didn''t want to return to her father''s side just yet, so instead she found herself a quite corner to hide in.

    To her frustration Abby hadn''t arrived yet. Elle was about to send her another text message asking where she was, when a voice suddenly sounded beside her.

    "Good evening Ms. Shaw." Adam said politely.

    Elle was engrossed in her phone and hadn''t noticed him at all. She was startled, and jumped as Adam greeted her.

    "Ah, my apologies." Adam said, surprised by her reaction. "I didn''t mean to scare you."

    "I didn''t notice you." Elle mumbled, her face turning bright red. "Good evening Mr. Hayes."

    Elle waited but it seemed Adam was content to just stand there, he didn''t continue the conversation any further.

    "Have you greeted the birthday girl yet?" Elle asked when she could no longer bare the silence.

    "No, I only just arrived."

    "It''s bad manners to arrive after the guest of honour you know." She teased.

    "The trick is to arrive just after them. They weren''t here either, they''ll never know you were late."

    Elle laughed softly. "How many years have you spent cultivating such a technique?"

    "Too many."

    It was the same as the night they went to dinner together; although Adam''s face was almost permanently expressionless he could actually be quite playful.Elle was smiling genuinely for the first time that night when she suddenly noticed her father. He was standing some ways away from them with Jacob, who was carrying a conversation with someone. His face was clearly unhappy with her.

    The smile immediately vanished from Elle''s face. "Excuse me Mr. Hayes, it seems my father is calling for me."

    As she approached her father pulled her aside. "Are you somehow acquainted with Adam Hayes?" He asked with a frown.

    "I''m not." Elle replied instantly. She wasn''t sure if it was because she thought trying to explaining their brief interactions would be too complex, or if it was because their relationship, brief and trivial as it was, was a secret she did not want to share with anyone. Either way the lie came out of her smoothly.

    "In that case you shouldn''t approach him so casually."

    "Why?"

    "It''s an embarrassment to watch you so blatantly flirting with him. Everyone knows his personality, what will you do if you offend him? I don''t want to blame you for setting your sights high, but I can''t risk having you offend him." Her father said almost gently.

    Elle''s eyes narrowed. "Is that what you think of me?" She asked coldly.

    "Isn''t it true?" He retorted. "Besides, it''s unlikely Adam Hayes will ever notice you. It''s better to be more realistic."

    Elle scoffed. "I''ll keep your advice in mind." She walked off without waiting for his reply. Every day she seemed to know her father less and less. What had happened to the man who had ruffled her hair so kindly just a year ago?

    Elle went to the bathroom, eager to escape the eyes of so many people even if it was just for a minute. She walked with her head down, not noticing that Adam had been watching her the whole time.

    Although he couldn''t hear what they had said, he could at least tell that her father''s words had upset her. Adam frowned as another piece was added to the puzzle.

 21 Heart of Glass

    Elle entered the bathroom, there were two or three other ladies, but other than that it was empty. Elle was thankful for the peace and quite. She wanted to let out her feelings, but she had no one to complain to. So Elle did what she knew best; she pulled out her phone and opened her story.

    Once she had posted the update Elle turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She touched up her makeup and noticed that her eyes were ever so slightly red. She frowned at her reflection. The girl in the mirror was plainly unhappy. And while Elle was unhappy, she was determined to hide it away in her story. As she looked in the mirror and altered her smile until she was satisfied; too big and it would be obviously false, too small and no one would notice the smile at all. Elle had spent the last year finding the perfect balance.

    Once she had stored her emotions away, and reassumed the smile on her face she went back out to join the party.

    She walked around the room slowly, occasionally greeting other guests that she recognized. She spoke to a few members of the industry, and a few of her father''s friends. Elle''s cheeks began to hurt from the stiffness with which she held the smile on her face.

    As she was looking for a quite corner to hide in again she spotted Abby who had finally shown up. Abby had her dark hair up in a fancy bun, and she was wearing the short sleeveless purple dress they had bought together the previous week.

    Abby stood with a gentleman that Elle couldn''t identify at first, but as she eagerly approached her friend Elle realized she was speaking to Jacob.

    "You''re finally here." Elle said with a smirk as she approached them.

    Abby''s eyes lit up as she saw her friend. "You look great today!" She exclaimed as she took in Elle''s outfit.

    Jacob cleared his throat awkwardly.

    "Ah, Elle this is Jacob." Abby said suddenly finding her manners.

    "I know." Elle said bitterly.

    "Are you two already acquainted?" Abby asked confused.

    "We live together." Elle said blatantly. Another person may have misunderstood her words, but Abby''s eyes widened with understanding.

    Her words may have been misleading, but Elle had picked them carefully. She didn''t want to acknowledge Jacob as her family. Not to his face at the very least.

    Abby stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to do. Elle took her hand and pulled her away. "Excuse us Jacob."

    "What''s wrong?" Abby asked as her friend pulled her away. "You seem upset."

    "It''s nothing." Elle lied. "I''m just a little tired." She didn''t mean for things to go this way, but recently she found herself lying more and more often.

    Meanwhile, Adam had been speaking to Mr. Carter when he felt his phone buzz. He excused himself and went aside to check his phone.

    He had thought it would be an email, or a message from David. Instead he saw that he received a notification that Elle''s story had been updated. She hadn''t updated her story for many days now, this was the first time Adam received the notification.

    He looked around the room and spotted Elle not too far from him. She was standing with another girl, and although she was chatting with a smile on her face it was a smile that didn''t reach her eyes.

    Adam recalled how she unhappily walked away from her father earlier. He opened the update, and found his suspicions confirmed.

    Elle had only written two brief sentences.

    "Even such simple insults make my heart tighten in my chest. It''s as if I have a heart of glass about to break."

    Adam frowned as he read. Elle had a seemingly normal life, and yet she wrote such heavy hearted words. It was natural to assume that a story was just a story, but it appeared that things weren''t as simple as that. As Adam looked back up at Elle he wondered, exactly how much of the story was true?

 22 Will You Be Our Model

    Adam watched Elle for a while. His eyes never once left her, as he waited for his opportunity. Finally it came. Abby was called over to talk to the birthday girl and Elle was left alone.

    This time Elle noticed him approaching and smiled at him. "Hello again."

    Adam nodded in greeting, and simply stood beside her. Elle was tired of conversing, so she welcomed his quite company.

    "Is everything alright?" Adam asked eventually.

    "Why do you ask?" Elle asked in surprise.

    "You seem unhappy."

    "I''m fine." Elle said cheerfully.

    Adam turned his piercing gaze on her. Elle met his gaze, determined not to look away first. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew she was trying to hide something, but Elle was determined to fool him.

    She contorted her lips, assuming her usual fake smile. But her cheeks weren''t cooperating. Elle could feel their reluctance to be moulded falsely. When Adam finally looked away her smile fell away lifelessly.

    "If you don''t want to say that''s fine." Adam said softly. "But don''t think you can fool me so easily."

    Elle was stunned. Adam was practically a stranger to her. They had only met a few brief times, so how could he presume he knew what she was feeling? Her father barely noticed her, and even Abby was fooled by her smile. So how could he, who barely knew her at all, tell at a single glance?

    "Is there something I can help you with?" Elle asked, slightly irritated with him now.

    "What if I told you there was?"

    "What is it?" Elle asked. Her irritation disappeared as quickly as it came, replaced by curiosity instead. Adam Hayes was a man who could do anything perfectly. What help could someone like her possibly be to someone like him?

    "I''m not sure if you''ve heard, but MK will be having a huge launch event for our holiday jewellery line," He began.

    Elle nodded. Of course she had heard of it. Everyone in the city probably knew of it. MK''s launch parties were infamous. The anticipation for the upcoming event was huge.

    "Well you see we have the normal retail line, but we will also be showcasing several custom pieces."

    "I''m not entirely sure what I can help you with." Elle was still confused about what he wanted her help for.

    "Well you see one of our models pulled out suddenly. MK spent weeks looking for a replacement, but none of them met my standards. Finally I met a girl who I think is not only suitable, but even better then our original model. However, I don''t know how to invite her. I''m concerned she will turn me down." Adam explained.

    Elle let out a light laugh. "You are Adam Hayes. You''re asking someone to model for one of the biggest events of the year. There is no one who would reject such an appealing proposal." Elle said, assuming he was looking for reassurance from her.

    "Do you mean that?" Adam asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

    "Of course."

    "Then will you do it?"

    "Huh?"

    "Will you be our model?" Adam asked.

 23 Conflicted

    Elle stared at Adam with a blank face. Had he really just asked her to model for MK? Her?

    "Are you teasing me?" She asked.

    "I don''t joke." Adam said seriously. "Certainly not about something like this."

    "Why me?" Elle asked in a meek voice.

    "I told you, you''re the only one who meets all my standards."

    Elle doubted him. Of course she did, after all she was a girl who didn''t see anything good about herself. How could she believe that she met the standards of someone as high in the world as Adam?

    "I have to refuse." Elle said with her head down.

    "Why?"

    "I''m not so pretentious, I can''t pretend I don''t know that I''m inadequate. It''s such an important event for MK, you should find someone more suitable."

    Adam frowned. "Do you not trust my judgement?"

    Elle finally raised her eyes and looked at him with a sad smile. "You overestimate me. Either way, I cannot do this. It''s best you find someone else Mr. Hayes." She said politely.

    Then Elle walked off without allowing him to reply. Adam had expected this result. He watched her walk away for a moment. Instead of moping over this loss he turned around to leave. He had already greeted everyone he was supposed to. The only reason he even attended the party tonight was to speak to Elle. Now that she had rejected his offer there was no reason for him to stay any longer.

    As he drove back to his condo he had a smile on his face. It had been a long time since his work had been this interesting. He spent the rest of his night plotting on how to convince her to change her mind.

    Meanwhile, after leaving Adam, Elle wandered around the party until she saw Abby finish talking to Sarah and her family. Abby excused herself and came to rejoin Elle.

    "Oh. My. God." Abby exclaimed as she approached her. "Can you believe Sarah''s dress?"

    "I told you it was something to behold." Elle laughed.

    "I didn''t think after all these years these girls could still surprise me." Abby said, shaking her head.

    "She was so shy in high school, where do you think she got all that confidence from?" Elle wondered. She didn''t say it out loud, but in her heart she wondered if she could ever find such confidence for herself.

    "Not from where, but from whom." Abby said with a wink.

    Elle elbowed her playfully. "Don''t be rude."

    "It''s not rude if it''s true."

    Elle ignored her. "By the way, why were you so late today?" She asked, forcefully changing the subject before Abby could insult the birthday girl any further.

    Abby''s face broke out into a huge grin. "It''s a surprise." She said mysteriously.

    "Oh come on. You can''t expect me not to be curious after that reaction. Just tell me." Elle pleaded. If Abby had said there was traffic Elle wouldn''t have given it a second thought. But Abby chose to torment her instead, by dangling a secret in front of her.

    Elle kept pestering, but Abby refused to give the information up.

    "The timing isn''t right yet." She said. "I''ll tell you soon."

    Elle was forced to accept that answer.

    The two girls enjoyed each others company, the food, and the music. Late into the night Elle was finally making her way home with her father and Jacob. She had enjoyed the end of the night so much that her father''s comments were already forgotten.

    Adams proposal was also lost somewhere in the back of her mind until she heard her phone ping. Elle looked at her phone with a frown. Adam had sent her just one word "goodnight.". This one word forced her to recall his offer.

    Elle sent the same word back to him, only to be polite. She pressed her forehead against the car window. In the dark she could see her reflection in the glass. Elle wasn''t pessimistic, but she also wasn''t delusional. She knew she wasn''t that pretty, she certainly wasn''t a model, so what about her made Adam ask her to do such an important event? Elle thought about it the rest of the way home, but no matter how much she thought, she couldn''t find an answer.

 24 A Man Who Was Gentle Only To Her

    The next day was a weekend. Adam awoke at dawn, as always. He got dressed and went out to the private track course behind the luxury condo he lived in. Adam preferred to go jogging early in the morning, when no one else would be out yet, so he could enjoy having the entire course to himself. After an hour he returned to his condo and showered before fixing himself breakfast.

    His mother often pestered him to keep some staff so that he wouldn''t have to cook and clean for himself, but Adam preferred things this way. He enjoyed the solitude of living alone. But his solitude would be cut short today; Adam had promised his mother he would go to the main house for lunch.

    Adam prepared a light breakfast of toast and fruits knowing his mother would prepare a feast, and force him to eat more food then humanly possible.

    The television was turned on and a news channel was playing while he ate, but Adam didn''t pay it any attention. Instead he was busy staring at his phone. His chat with Elle was open, and Adam was gazing at the simple "goodnight" she had sent him.

    Was it too soon to ask her again? Would she dislike that he asked her over text instead of in person? But who knew when the next time he saw her would even be. These were the thoughts that plagued his mind while he ate.

    Meanwhile, Elle, who had had a restless night, was reluctant to get out of bed the next morning. Even after waking up she refused to get out of her warm and cozy bed. It was only when her stomach started grumbling that she finally threw the sheets back and got up.

    After a quick shower she headed downstairs for breakfast. Everyone in the house ate at their own leisure, and by the time she got downstairs everyone else had already finished eating. She threw together a quick plate of eggs and toast and took it back up to her room.

    Elle had never been one to sit down at family meals. Even when her mother was alive, everyone had conflicting schedules so it was rare that they ever sat for a meal together. But ever since her father''s new family had moved in she would avoid eating at the table, even if it was by herself. She hated being in communal areas of the house in general. Elle didn''t like the risk that she would have to run into any of them.

    When she got to her room she sat at the desk and opened her laptop, casually browsing through popular news websites as she ate.

    Once she finished eating she decided to open her novel and go through the comments. Recently she hadn''t been posting often, and even when she did she would only post a sentence or two at a time. As she expected many of the comments were complaints.

    Some requested she post more often, others wanted longer updates. The one thing everyone agreed on was that her recent updates were too melancholy, and as usual they all wanted some romance.

    Elle had never told anyone about her novel, not even Abby. It had started as a simple hobby, but the popularity for it was so high that she ended up continuing it much longer than she had ever intended to. Due to the popularity each of her updates had hundreds of comments, and Elle spent the better part of two hours going through them. As she was reading she got a text message from Adam.

    "Won''t you reconsider?" He asked.

    Elle obviously knew what he was alluding too. "I''m sorry to disappoint you Mr. Hayes, but I think it''s best you use someone else for your event." She replied. Elle waited for a moment but Adam didn''t continue the conversation any further.

    Elle still couldn''t believe he had even asked her to be a model for MK in the first place. The events of last night in general were so bizarre, Elle felt as if it was all just some strange dream. But of course, she now had a text message to prove it wasn''t.

    It was true that Elle didn''t have any interest in working for MK, but unbeknownst to Adam, he had given her something even more valuable than a job with MK. Perhaps the best thing to come out of the night was a piece of her conversation with him. Elle recalled, with a warm smile, the way Adam had said ''If you don''t want to say that''s fine, but don''t think you can fool me so easily.''

    It was only a simple phrase, but to Elle it was priceless. Adam had said it to her softly but his demeanour was stern. He was letting her know that he could see through her without being overbearing. After hearing that phrase coupled with his disposition, and after months of having writers block, Elle finally knew what type of character she wanted to write as a love interest.

    With a smile still on her face she assumed the mindset of her character Rina and set to work typing, writing about a man who was gentle only to her.

 25 Family Lunch 1

    While Elle had still been going through the comments of her previous updates , Adam had just arrived at his parent''s house.

    "Welcome back young master." The housekeeper greeted as he came in.

    "Where is my mother?"

    "The madam is in the kitchen." The housekeeper said politely as she took his coat.

    "And my father?"

    "In the study."

    Adam nodded and went up to his father''s study. He didn''t dare to bother his mother while she was cooking.

    When Adam entered the study he saw that his father was sitting in front of his computer, immersed by whatever was on the screen. He was so engrossed that he didn''t notice Adam come in. Adam approached him quietly and looked over his father''s shoulder at the computer screen.

    Several tabs were open, all of them appeared to be media reports about MK''s upcoming launch event.

    "Worried about the event, father?"

    The elder Mr. Hayes jumped in his seat. He hurriedly tried to close the tabs even though Adam had already seen everything. "I''m not worried." His father grumbled.

    "Then how do explain this?" Adam asked, amused.

    "I was just curious. It''s my own company yet you never report anything to me, how else am I supposed to find out about the event?"

    Adam sat down across from his father with a smirk on his face. "Is that so."

    "How are things going?"

    "I''m doing quite well. A bit tired, but that''s to be expected."

    "I mean for the event." His father muttered.

    "I know." Adam said with a small smile. "I found the replacement model. She''s even better than the one we had signed originally."

    "Good. Good." His father said, relieved to hear that things were progressing well.

    "All the other preparations are ahead of schedule; I just need to get her to sign with us."

    His father frowned. "She hasn''t signed yet?"

    "No, she declined when I initially asked." Adam replied honestly.

    "How is it possible that you can''t get a model to sign with us? If I knew you were this incompetent I wouldn''t have left MK to you." His father griped.

 26 Family Lunch 2

    Thankfully, before his father could continue Adam''s mother entered the room. "You''re here." She said to Adam warmly. "Lunch is ready, come along."

    Both men followed her downstairs, one apathetically, and one begrudgingly.

    As Adam looked at the spread on the table his face paled. He felt full just looking at all the food. "Mother you didn''t need to cook so much." He said politely.

    "It''s not a bother." She said as she sat down. "You rarely come home to eat, and you must be so tired from working so hard. I made sure to cook foods to replenish your energy. Eat a lot."

    "He''s not working that hard." Adam''s father grumbled as he began filling his plate.

    "Father please." Adam said politely. "You know how mother hates talking about work at the table." In truth, Adam didn''t care about his mother''s opinion. He just didn''t want to have to listen to his father''s lecture.

    "What are you talking about?" Mrs. Hayes asked with a frown.

    "He found a model he wants to use for MK''s event, but she rejected him."

    "Is that true?" Mrs. Hayes asked with surprise. MK was more successful than ever; who would reject such a golden opportunity?

    "It''s true, but the situation is a bit complex." Adam said lightly.

    "What''s complex?" His father protested. "You can''t even convince a single girl?"

    "I''m in contact with her, I just need some time to convince her." Adam assured them.

    "You have her number?" His mother asked. Adam''s heart sank as soon as the words came out of her mouth. "Contact her right now."

    "I thought no work at the table." Adam said innocently.

    "Screw that." His mother said excitedly. "Contact her. I want to see if it''s true."

    Adam tried to decline, but he had to fold under his parent''s pressure. He pulled out his phone and sent Elle a simple text message. ''Won''t you reconsider?''

    Her reply came quickly. ''I''m sorry to disappoint you Mr. Hayes, but I think it''s best you use someone else for your event.''

    "There." Adam said showing the response to his parents. "I don''t know what you expected."

    "What sort of model would reject MK?" His mother asked, stunned by the fact that someone had actually rejected the offer.

    "She''s not a model." Adam said without looking up for his food.

    His father slammed the table, enraged. "Are you trying to make a fool of us?" He bellowed.

    "Calm down father. I told you before, I will prove my capabilities with my results. You should just patiently wait for the event, I''m sure you will be satisfied then."

    Mr. Hayes mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, and Mrs. Hayes let out a sigh.

    "He''s right dear," She told her husband, "It''s not good for your health to keep poking your nose in the business. Just leave him be, I''m sure it will be fine."

    His father let the topic drop but only because it wasn''t worth it to go against his wife. The three enjoyed a nice meal. Every time Adam finished what was on his plate his mother would pile on more. It was only after he was so full that his stomach began to hurt that his mother finally conceded.

    She sent Adam and his father to the living room, while she returned to the kitchen to brew some tea.

    The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully. Adam and his father both had quite personalities, but his mother made up for it. Mrs. Hayes filled the silence by telling trivial stories, Adam and his father didn''t contribute to the conversation, but she didn''t seem to mind.

    Adam was only partially listening, when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. When he took the phone out he saw that had received a notification that Elle had updated her story. He looked at the notification for a moment, but this time he didn''t open it. Instead he put his phone back in his pocket and continued listening to his mother''s story indifferently.

    ~~

    It was already quite late when Adam finally drove back home. His mother had wanted him to stay for dinner, but he was still so full from lunch that he had to decline. His mother packed some food for him instead, Adam suspected it would last him several days.

    When Adam returned to his condo he put most of the food away in the fridge. There was a container of soup that he decided to have as a light dinner, he poured it into a pot and put it on the stove.

    As he waited for it to heat up he opened Elle''s latest update on his phone. He raised his eyes in surprise as he saw how long it was. In the past few weeks her updates had only been two or three sentences. This time her update was almost four pages long.

    Adam leaned against the countertop and began scrolling through it. In the story Rina was an actress, and while working on her latest movie she met a male actor. Most people were demanding of Rina and expected a lot from her, because of this Rina was often pushing herself past her capabilities. However, this male actor was gentle with her, and allowed her to be herself and go at her own pace.

    Towards the end of the update Rina had a breakdown. She felt like she wasn''t capable enough to continue acting. Elle had written "Every night, while the world is busy sleeping, I''m caught up fighting shadows in my mind. When I reflect on myself I can''t help but feel that I''m not good enough."

    Seeing Elle''s update at the party made Adam suspect that Elle was using the novel to write about her own feelings. Did this mean this is what was keeping her from being the model for MK? If so his job was simple, he simply had to account for her insecurities.

    Adam was distracted by his phone and forgot about the food on the stove until it started boiling. He snapped out of his thoughts and quickly turned the stove off. He left the soup to cool and went into his home office.

    He looked through several files on his desk until he found the one he was looking for. Inside one of the files concerning the upcoming event were detailed documents regarding the setup of the event.

    His dinner was all but forgotten as he went through the documents, adjusting the entire event for the sake of one model.

 27 Meeting

    Adam called for a meeting as soon as he got to work the next morning. This time it wasn''t just for the directors, it was a meeting for all upper and middle management involved with the jewellery launch.

    Everyone entered the meeting room anxiously. Having a meeting that was called on such short notice and with this many staff members involved had to be bad news for them. The marketing director, Mr. Williams, was sweating in his seat. His department still hadn''t found a suitable replacement. He was sure he would be getting an earful today.

    Suzy was the only staff member who seemed happy to be there. She assumed that the meeting was a result of Adam''s desperation. She was planning to use this opportunity to put Emma forward for the replacement again. The event was fast approaching, surely after considering how little time they had left Adam would agree to use her suggestion. Unfortunately for her, Suzy was about to be let down.

    "Good morning everyone," Adam greeted as he entered the room. "Thank you all for attending on such short notice."

    The staff members looked at each other in surprise. Not only was Adam not in a bad mood, he actually seemed to be a bit cheerful. As cheerful as he could be that is.

    "I have some changes to make to the event, they''re only minor changes, but if you have any questions or concerns this is the time for you to voice them." Adam continued.

    Everyone listened with great anticipation. They could already imagine the workload Adam was about to drop on them. But as they listened they were pleased. Adam''s proposal would add almost no extra work, and would also create more intrigue at their event. Adam waited patiently for any complaints or concerns, but there were none.

    Suzy was very pleased with the additions to the event; for the most part Adam''s proposal only added additional work for the design team. Their work for the event had finished with the completion of the jewellery pieces, so it was no trouble to have a few additional preparations added. In her mind Suzy imagined that Adam trusted her very much to leave the work to her.

    "It''s a very good idea sir." Suzy complimented. "But I do have one concern regarding the event."

    "What is it?"

    "Well we still haven''t been able to find a replacement for the model of our main piece¡­" Suzy trailed off.

    Mr. Williams scowled at her. The meeting had been going so well for him. By bringing this up, Suzy was essentially throwing him under the bus. Although her work in design was good, everyone in the room could tell that her main motive was always to impress Adam.

    Mr. Williams tensed in anticipation of a lecture that didn''t come. Instead of criticizing him Adam simply announced, "None of you need to concern yourself with that anymore. I''ve found a replacement."

    Williams let out a huge sigh of relief. After weeks of stress and anxiety he finally had some reprieve. He didn''t care who the model was, or what they looked like. As long as he didn''t have to look through any more profiles, he was satisfied. And of course if it was a model that Adam had personally chosen there was no way they would be unsatisfactory.

    Suzy did not take the news nearly as well. She felt her heart drop as she heard the words. "Who is the replacement?" She asked, somewhat agitated.

    "You don''t need to worry about that Director Miller." Adam said. "The marketing department can take of the details; the design department only needs to focus on finishing their additional tasks well."

    Suzy clenched her jaw, "Yes, sir."

    "If there are no other concerns then you can all get back to work." Adam said, dismissing the team.

 28 Humiliated and Irate

    Adam left first, walking swiftly out of the meeting room. David followed close behind. The other staff members slowly began filing out as well. As he was walking out Mr. Williams noticed Suzy still sitting in her seat with a bitter look on her face.

    "Is something wrong Director Miller?" He asked.

    "Doesn''t it bother you that Mr. Hayes chose a model without consulting the marketing department?" She asked, pretending she was upset on his behalf. "You guys have been working tirelessly searching for someone to meet his demanding standards, and yet he chose a model and didn''t even notify you."

    Williams'' eyes narrowed. "Do you not trust Mr. Hayes'' judgement?"

    There were still a few staff members in the room, they all listened silently, eager to hear Suzy''s reply. Depending on her answer, she might not last at MK much longer.

    Suzy blushed as she heard the director''s accusing tone of voice. "It''s not that I don''t trust his judgement, I just feel it''s a little unfair. After all, you have all been working so tirelessly."

    Mr. Williams let out a sigh. "You''re still young so I''ll pretend I didn''t hear anything this time, but you should be careful going forward. It''s true that we''ve been working hard, but we''ve been working hard with no results. Mr. Hayes is our boss. He has every right to make this decision by himself. The way I see it, he just saved my department another week''s worth of work."

    "I''m not criticizing the decision." Suzy insisted.

    "Maybe not. But the only reason you''re upset is because that your recommendation didn''t get chosen, and everyone knows it."

    Suzy clenched her fist, her long nails dug into her palms. "Yes, sir." She muttered.

    Williams didn''t say anything more, and left the conference room, the other staff members followed. Eventually Suzy was left in the meeting room alone.

    It was true, she was only upset because her plan to stand out in front of Adam had failed. Not only was her plan unsuccessful, but now she was also left to break the bitter news to Emma. Feeling remorseful Suzy texted her friend.

    ''Hey Emma, why don''t we go out for lunch today? It will be my treat.''

    Emma had been waiting to hear that she had been selected for several days now. After all Suzy had all but guaranteed that she would be chosen. Seeing the text Emma replied quickly, anticipating that Suzy had good news for her.

    ''That sounds wonderful. I''ll come pick you up at noon.''

    Suzy thought she could have a nice lunch with her friend, and then break the news to her softly, but as soon as they finished ordering Emma immediately began pestering her.

    "Did you guys finally finish the deliberations? Have I been chosen?" She asked eagerly.

    "Why don''t we finish eating first?" Suzy said sullenly. "Let''s save the business talk for later."

    "Oh come on. You''ve kept me waiting for so long now, we''re here to celebrate aren''t we? Just tell me."

    Suzy''s chest tightened. She was regretful that she had spent the past few days assuring Emma she would get chosen.

    "Well you see¡­" Suzy began, unsure of how to break the news. "Adam actually found a model on his own, so unfortunately you weren''t selected this time."

    Emma was in shocked into silence. After all Suzy had led her to believe this was a sure thing. "What do you mean?" She asked eventually.

    Suzy sighed. "It''s unfortunate, but Adam informed us this morning that he already found someone. MK will definitely consider you in the future."

    "That''s it?" Emma asked, enraged. "Do you know how many jobs I''ve turned down in preparation for this?"

    "I never told you that we would sign you for certain." Suzy said in her defence.

    "No." Emma snapped. "You just let me believe it."

    "Where are you going." Suzy asked as she watched Emma get up and put her coat on.

    Emma threw a few bills onto the table. "This is for my share. I''m leaving, you can take a cab back."

    Suzy waited until Emma was out of sight, then she slammed the table angrily. Everything had been going so well until now. Sitting in the restaurant by herself, humiliated and irate, Suzy cursed the woman that ruined her plans.

 29 Third Times The Charm 1

    Elle yawned for the third time in the past ten minutes. While Adam was in a meeting with his managers Elle was in a meeting of her own. She noticed one of the managers beside her throw her a dirty look as yet another yawn overtook her.

    Normally she might feel a bit embarrassed, but this budgeting meeting had been dragging on for almost two hours now. Elle felt as though she might live her whole life trapped within the grey walls of the meeting room.

    The whole time she was itching to pull out her phone. Elle finally wrote about a romantic interest in her novel, but she hadn''t had a chance to look through the comments yet. She had finally given the readers what they wanted, she imagined the comment section would be full of excitement. Elle smiled to herself while thinking about it.

    The last few updates had been downhearted, and reflected her own unhappiness, so she hadn''t cared to read the comments then. For the first time in a long time Elle was enthusiastic about her writing.

    ~~

    Meanwhile, Adam was spending the rest of his afternoon with the marketing department. They were meticulously going through the details of the new contract and making various arrangements.

    "Who is the model sir?" The director asked Adam. "Once we''ve finished preparing the contract we can pass it along to their manager."

    "Don''t worry about that." Adam said, avoiding the question. "Once the contract is completed you can send it to me directly. I will review it and take it over to be signed myself."

    The director could tell that Adam was deliberately not answering the question. This led him to believe his suspicions were true; that the model Adam had found was a personal contact. In another company this might have upset the director, after all using inside connections usually indicated a lack of talent. However, since the other person involved was Adam Hayes, Mr. Williams had nothing to worry about. No matter what the relationship was, there is no way Adam would hire anyone incompetent.

    So Director Williams kept his mouth shut, and didn''t say anything further on the matter.

    Once Adam was content with all the arrangements he sent a message to David. In a rare occurrence Adam would be leaving work early.

    He went straight to his car, got in, and set off, driving in the opposite direction of his condo. When he finally reached his destination Adam turned off the engine, but didn''t exit the car. Instead he pulled out his cell phone and sent a message.

    ''Good evening.'' He wrote.

    ~~

    The never ending meeting had finished some time ago. Elle was now sitting in her office revising a marketing proposal. Time really wasn''t her friend today. Every time she looked at the clock it seemed to move slower and slower.

    In truth, Elle was only in a hurry to get home so she could read through the comments on her latest update. Since her father had reprimanded her about her work ethic not too long ago she didn''t dare do it during work hours.

    While she was in the middle of debating whether it was late enough for it to be suitable for her to leave work, she received Adam''s message.

    ''Good evening.'' She replied.

    ''Are you still at work?''

    ''Yes.''

    ''Is it convenient for you to leave now?''

    ''Why do you ask?'' Elle asked suspiciously.

    ''I''m downstairs.''

    Without waiting to find out what he was here for Elle started packing up. ''I''ll be down in five minutes.'' She told him. She didn''t care what he was here for, she only cared that it gave her the opportunity to leave.

    There were only two other staff members still in the department when Elle was making her way out.

    "I have a dinner meeting so I''ll be leaving first." she announced. In her mind it wasn''t exactly a lie, she assumed Adam wanted to go to dinner again. But that wasn''t exactly what he had in mind.

 30 Third Times The Charm 2

    As Elle stepped out of the building she took out her phone. She planned to send Adam a message to ask where he was, but before she could, she spotted the black Maybach parked alongside the road. As she approached the car Adam got out.

    "Hello Ms. Shaw."

    "Mr. Hayes." Elle said in greeting. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

    "It''s a cold night. Let me give you a ride home."

    "You drove all the way over here just to give me a ride home?" Elle asked with a laugh.

    "I was in the neighbourhood." Adam lied.

    Though she would never admit it, Elle was somewhat disappointed. Not because she wanted to spend more time with Adam, but because part of her had been looking forward to eating a feast again.

    Elle was about to decline; after all she had driven herself to work. She would be inconvenienced the next morning if she left her car behind. But the look on Adam''s face stopped her.

    She had never seen him look so serious before. Stern perhaps, and maybe even attentive, but never as focused as he looked now. Elle got the feeling this was important to him.

    "Won''t it be troublesome for you?" She asked hesitantly.

    "Not at all."

    "Then I''ll accept."

    Adam felt relieved as he opened the passenger door for her. She got in gracefully and Adam shut the door behind her before getting in to the driver''s seat.

    They drove in silence for the most part. Elle fidgeted as the silence made her feel uncomfortable.

    "How are MK''s preparations coming along?" She asked finally, when she could bear the silence no more.

    Adam glanced at her for a moment before looking back at the road. "Things are progressing well."

    "Have you found another model?"

    "We haven''t," Adam said, seeing his opportunity, "but I hoped you might reconsider."

    "I''m not a model." Elle said softly.

    "It''s only a jewellery event. You don''t need to walk a runway. Just put on the piece and walk around the party like you normally would."

    "I can''t." Elle insisted. How could she possibly agree? She had no confidence, no self-esteem. Surely it would be better for them to hire a professional.

    "There is one more detail. No one will know it is you."

    "What do you mean?" Elle asked, confused.

    "The theme is a masquerade ball. All the models will be in masks, and MK won''t announce your name. I will be the only person who knows it''s you." Adam explained, revealing his latest change to the event. "You don''t need to give me your answer right away. Think it over for the next few days if you like, but just know that I won''t let you decline easily. I have my mind quite made up."

    "I''ll think it over then." Elle didn''t have the heart to reject him immediately, but even knowing that it would be a masquerade theme Elle didn''t have any intention to accept. To do so would be to put herself under a spotlight. She didn''t have the courage to do it.

    The rest of the trip was made in silence, but Adam didn''t seem to mind.

    Finally, they pulled up in front of Elle''s house, but Elle didn''t get out right away. She simply sat in the passenger seat looking solemnly out the window at the house.

    "Is something wrong?" Adam asked after a moment.

    "I''m afraid." She murmured.

    It was barely a whisper, but Adam still heard her. "Of what?" He asked with a frown.

    She turned back and looked at him with a sad smile. "It''s nothing. Thank you for the ride."

    Elle swiftly left the car and hurried inside. It really was a cold night.

    It had been a long day, and Elle felt emotionally and physically tired. She was looking forward to a hot bath. As she made her way to her bedroom she passed her father''s study. The door was cracked open, and Elle unintentionally heard the conversation inside.

    "I''m planning to have you join the company after the holidays." She heard her father say.

    "Yes father." Jacob replied.

    Perhaps she shouldn''t have, but Elle stopped in the hallway, pressed her back flat against the wall, and listened.

    "We''ll start you out in a lower level position but I''m sure you''ll rise in the ranks quickly. Once you''ve gotten used to things I will officially announce that you''re my son and we can place you in a director''s position."

    Elle had heard enough. She pushed herself off the wall and continued to her room. She was neither sad, nor angry. For once she didn''t cry. Instead she felt a strange sort of calmness in her.

    As soon as she got to her room she did two things: she sent a text message to Adam, and she made a quick post to her book. It was short, but Elle felt the need to cleanse it from herself.

    She wrote down the answer to Adam''s question.

    "I''m afraid. I fear the pain of one more loveless night."

    After she finished she threw her phone onto her bed and went into the bathroom, eager to draw herself a hot bath.

    ~~

    It was almost half an hour later that Adam finally got home. As he entered his condo he saw the two missed notifications on his phone. The first was Elle''s text:

    "I''ll do it." She wrote.

    Adam couldn''t deny he was pleased. He had worked so hard to convince her after all; it was only natural to be happy of his success. Part of him wondered what had changed, she had still seemed reluctant up until a moment ago. But Adam had got the result that he had wanted, so he didn''t pay to much mind to it.

    The second notification was another update of Elle''s story. Adam opened it and read. He frowned slightly at the miserable words.

    If there was any doubt before there certainly wasn''t now. This wasn''t just some made up story, these were her feelings. How much of the sad story was her own burden, he wondered.

 31 Afternoon Meeting 1

    Elle got to work extremely early the next morning. She had had a restless night of sleep. Elle had woken up a few hours ago, and after realizing that she wouldn''t be able to fall asleep again she decided to come into the office. Her car was still parked at Tae after last night, so she quickly got dressed and got a cab to work.

    There was something serene about walking through the empty building. Elle guessed she would have at least an hour to herself before anyone else in the department would come in. She settled into her office, but instead of taking the opportunity to catch up on her work, Elle was staring at her phone.

    Her conversation with Adam was open, and she was staring at the text message she had sent him last night with her head in her hands. In the spur of the moment she had agreed, but now she wasn''t so sure she could go through with it.

    Although a part of her, a large part of her, was regretting the decision, she couldn''t bring herself to tell Adam that she had changed her mind. A small part of her was excited, and that part of her refused to let the opportunity go.

    Under Elle''s text was Adam''s reply.

    ''That''s great.'' He wrote. ''Come over tomorrow when you have some time. Tell the receptionist you''re here to see David.''

    Elle read the words for the hundredth time before slamming her head into her desk and letting out a huge sigh. What had she gotten herself into?

    Meanwhile, Adam had just arrived at MK. Although it was still early it wasn''t unusual for him to be in.

    As he settled in he instructed David. "The model we''re signing will come in today. I told her to ask for you, you can bring her straight to my office when she arrives."

    "Yes, sir." David was perhaps the most excited to finally see this new model. He didn''t know about the dinner they had shared, or the conversations they had had at Sarah''s Birthday, so David had no idea that the model would be Elle. In his mind Adam hadn''t recently had any contact with potential candidates. He was curious to see who his desolate boss had found.

    Both Elle and Adam passed their mornings the same way; busily.Adam had a few meetings to attend, but more importantly Elle''s contract had been completed. Adam spent at least two hours that morning meticulously going through each detail.

    On the other hand, Elle had proposals to revise and budgets to run. Over the past few days, in a rare turn of events, Elle had been taking her work more seriously. She was no longer approving simply adequate proposals. Instead she was working longer hours with her staff members to improve them.

    It was well past lunch when Elle finally had time to take a break. Elle glanced at the clock nervously. It was already getting late into the afternoon. She didn''t want her first impression at MK to be a bad one, so she decided to head over there first.

    "I have a meeting; I might return late." She informed her staff as she left.

    When she got to MK she entered the large lobby and went straight to reception desk, trying her best to not be intimidated.

    "Hello," the receptionist greeted her warmly, "how can I help you?"

    "I''m here to see David."

    "Why don''t you have a seat, I''ll let him know you''re here."

    Elle was waiting for no more than two minutes when David rushed out of the elevator. His raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw her.

    "Ms. Shaw, a pleasure to see you again."

    "You as well."

    David wore a smile on his face as he led Elle upstairs. So this was the mysterious model Adam had found.

 32 Afternoon Meeting 2

    They took the elevator to the top floor where Adam''s office was. There were only a few other staff members present on the floor and they all stared at her blatantly as she entered Adam''s office. If they were in a high enough position to be working on that floor they knew better than to gossip, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t indulge in a little harmless curiosity.

    Elle tried her best to ignore their looks as she entered Adam''s office. It was a large office, at least twice as large as her office at Tae. The far wall was made entirely of floor to ceiling windows. Although it was mid-autumn sunlight was still pouring in. Black sofas were arranged in a lounge area to one side of the office, and Adam sat behind a large dark wood desk at the other. Overall his office was decorated with a minimalistic and sleek design that Elle thought suited him very well.

    "Have a seat." Adam said, getting up as he saw her come in. He pulled the contract out from his desk and joined her on the sofa.

    As he approached her he realized she looked slightly pale, and her eyes had bags under them. "Are you okay?" He asked with a furrowed brow.

    "I''m fine." Other then my tense nerves, Elle thought to herself sarcastically. "Why do you ask?"

    "You seem tired." Adam murmured.

    Elle flushed. Did she look that bad? She regretted that she hadn''t applied any makeup before coming.

    "I''m fine." She insisted. "I''m just in a bit of a hurry, I still have to go back to the company."

    "Then let''s keep it short. This is the contract." Adam said while handing her the thick document. "You can take a few days to read through it. Once you''ve signed it bring it back on a day where you have a few hours to spare and we can go through the details then."

    Elle weighed the thick document in her hand. "That''s all?" She asked.

    "That''s all." Adam confirmed. "You can take your time if you like. David will see you down once you''re ready."

    "In that case I''ll leave now." Elle said while getting up. "I''ll see you later sir."

    "Sir?" Adam asked with a raised brow. "You were referring to me as Mr. Hayes just yesterday. Why the increase in formalities?"

    "Yesterday we were acquaintances, but from today onwards you''re my boss." Elle said with a smile. "I''ll contact you once I''ve finished going through the contract."

    Adam nodded but didn''t say anything else as David escorted her out.

    ~~

    When Elle finally got home that night she went straight to her room like always. She sat at her desk and pulled out the contract, finally having the time to go through it.

    As she was reading there were three light taps at her door. She immediately recognized her father''s knock. Sure enough, as she turned around her father was poking his head into her room.

    "Still working?" He asked as he saw the paperwork in front of her.

    "I''m just looking through some things." Elle answered cryptically.

    "Did you eat yet?" He asked.

    "Not yet."

    "I had a dinner meeting at that ramen place we went to for your birthday last year. You really liked it right? I brought some home for you." He said as he placed the steaming hot bowl beside her. "Eat it while it''s hot."

    Elle frowned at the bowl as her father left the room. She hesitated for a moment, but then reached for the wooden chopsticks. She couldn''t deny the food was good. It was hot, and fresh, and it warmed her heart.

 33 Contract Signing

    Elle took her time looking through the contract over the next few days. As the marketing director at Tae she had seen dozens of contracts like this before.Elle looked over every section of it meticulously but could find no faults. She was satisfied, and texted Adam telling him so.

    She waited almost half a day for his reply. "When you have time stop by MK." was all he said.

    Elle felt a little guilty when she saw the words. He had taken so long to reply, surely it was because he was extremely busy. He was the CEO of MK yet he was seeing to her contract himself.

    "You seem very busy." Elle sent hesitantly.

    "Its fine. I can make the time." Adam replied quickly, assuming she was just trying to be polite.

    "I wonder if meeting on a weekend might be more convenient for you." Elle wrote.

    Adam thought about it for a moment. It was true, he had so much work to attend to. Barely anyone would be in over the weekend, they could get things done much faster and without being interrupted, so he agreed.

    They both waited patiently until, finally, Saturday arrived.

    Elle woke up early that morning. She took a shower and had a warm and filling breakfast. She got dressed in a simple grey sweater dress with black tights and knee high boots. Finally, she sat at her vanity and did her makeup. Elle didn''t wear makeup very often, even when she did she went for a simple and natural look.

    Today, although she kept true to a natural look, Elle wore a bit more makeup then she normally might. Last time she went to MK Adam had commented that she looked tired. He was only voicing his concern, but Elle was keen to look good in front of Adam today. He had hired her to be a model after all, she should at least put in some effort.

    It was about midday when she left her home and headed for MK. Elle was surprised to see how many people were there despite it being the weekend. Then again, since it was almost MK''s year end she supposed it was only natural. She approached the receptionist and asked for David as she did the other day, feeling much less nervous this time.

    David came downstairs and escorted her back upstairs to Adam''s office. Unlike a few days ago, the floor was now vacant.

    "I still have a few things to attend to." David instructed as he stepped back into the elevator. "You can enter his office first."

    Elle walked much more confidently without a dozen eyes staring at her, and knocked softly at Adam''s door. "Come in" a strong voice called out.

    Elle entered Adam''s office and the two sat down together. Elle pulled out the contract, she had already signed her portion. Adam quickly signed MK''s portion of the contract before extending his hand out to her.

    "I look forward to working together." He said earnestly.

    Elle smiled and put her hand in his. "As do I." She said warmly.

 34 I Think You Look Beautiful

    Adam sat down with her for almost thirty minutes, showing her various plans and explaining various aspects of the evening. It was fairly straight forward; about half way through the event all the models wearing showpieces would be brought on stage to show off the jewellery. Afterwards all she would have to do was walk around the event in. She wasn''t to speak to anyone, simply walk around so that everyone could see the piece. Surely even she could pull off that much.

    "Do you think you can manage it?" Adam asked once he''d gone through all the details with her.

    "Of course." Elle assured him. "It''s not really that difficult is it?"

    "If you have any concerns you can message me directly."

    "Is that all for today?" Elle asked as she watched Adam put the documents away.

    "There''s one more thing to take care of. Follow me."

    Adam led her to one of the lower floors of MK''s massive building. They entered what appeared to be a large workshop. There were fabrics strewn around the place, and delicate dresses hung on mannequins; beautiful, even in their unfinished state.

    "This is Will, our head designer for MK''s fashion line. He makes all our custom pieces by hand." Adam introduced as they approached a man hunched over a design.

    The man looked up as he heard Adam and Elle approach.

    "Hello boss. How can I help you?"

    "This is Elle." Adam introduced. "She''ll be wearing the main piece at our jewelry launch."

    The man''s face brightened. "Very suitable indeed. You certainly have an eye for these things Adam."

    Elle was surprised to hear someone speak to Adam so informally. "He''s an old friend of mine." Adam explained. "We were classmates when we were younger."

    "Yes, I latched on once I heard he was the heir to MK." Will elbowed Adam teasingly. Surprisingly, Adam didn''t seem to mind.

    Elle smiled politely while secretly wondering how two so opposing personalities had managed to become such good friends.

    "I''ll have one of the girls come do her fitting." Will said while reaching for his phone.

    "No." Adam interrupted. "There isn''t much time left. You do it yourself."

    Will appeared curious but didn''t say anything to refute. "Follow me then miss."

    Will led them into a room in the back. It was a much smaller room but there were dozens of mirrors positioned at all sorts of angles which made the room appear larger than it really was. In the center of the room was a pedestal that Will had Elle stand on top of.

    "Wait just a moment, I''ll go get the dress." He instructed.

    He was gone for only a few seconds, and returned with a black garment bag in one hand and a pin cushion in the other.

    "Put this on." He ordered Elle as he passed her a bundle of blue fabric.

    Adam and Will stepped out of the room for a moment while Elle quickly changed. "Come in." She called out as soon as she was finished.

    The dress wasn''t a perfect fit, but even so Adam could immediately see that he had made the right decision.

    The dress was an off-the-shoulder, light blue satin dress. The long skirt was pleated, but rather than regular pressed pleats, the fabric had been bunched to give the appearance that the skirt was flowing out from the waist. Underneath the skirt were layers upon layers of tulle that added fullness to the skirt.

    Elle''s glossy black hair and dark eyes popped against the light fabric. She looked up to see him walk in, and Adam met her eyes. They were crystal clear, and there seemed to be no limit to the depth of them.

    While Adam was secretly admiring her, Elle was secretly mortified. The dress was made to be worn by someone with a model''s figure, it was expected that she wouldn''t fit into it, but she hadn''t expected it to be this bad.

    The dress was quite long; a large portion of the skirt was draped across the floor. They clearly expected someone much taller to be wearing it. The real problem, however, was that the bodice was much too tight. Elle had to suck in her stomach just to get it to slide over her, and even then she wasn''t able to zip up the low-back.

    Will immediately set to work. First he put pins in at the bottom of the skirt, marking where the train of the dress should end. Then he began putting pins into the bodice, as he adjusted various parts of it. Elle couldn''t help but flinch each time she saw the pin draw near her.

    "I''m a good tailor." Will said with a laugh. "I''ll only end up pricking you if you keep flinching."

    "Sorry." Elle murmured.

    She ended up shutting her eyes so that she could no longer see the pins. She hoped that would keep her from flinching, but even then she occasionally recoiled as she felt the cold metal brush against her.

    Finally, after trying, and failing, to stand still for over twenty-minutes Will announced that he was finished.

    As Elle opened her eyes she saw Adam staring at her with an amused look on his face.

    "I charge extra for you to laugh at me." Elle warned, but her face was so flushed that it was unconvincing.

    "I''m not laughing at you." Adam insisted. "I think you look beautiful."

    He said it with such a straight face that Elle couldn''t tell if he was serious or teasing her. She assumed it was the later. Either way she was eager to get out of the dress and back into her bed before she could be embarrassed any further.

 35 Where We First Me

    The next few days passed by in a blur. Between her work at Tae, and MK''s preparations, Elle''s novel was all but forgotten. There were a few times she had wanted to write an update, but each time she would return home exhausted, and fall asleep without typing a word.

    Overall her preparations had been going well. She hadn''t seen Adam since the first dress fitting, but she met with Will three times after that for additional fittings. Each time she went the fitting went better then the time before, until everyone was satisfied with the appearance of the dress. Once all the alterations had been made the dress fit her like a glove. The fit of the dress was so perfect that Elle could hardly believe she had once struggled just to squeeze into it.

    After the last fitting Will took her to the stylist. She sat in a chair for two hours while the stylist played with her hair and practiced doing her makeup.

    It was a week before the event, and the only thing that she hadn''t done was see the necklace. Although she hadn''t seen it, MK''s employees all gossiped about it. The other''s often told her how jealous they were that she would get to wear it, and about how beautiful it was.

    In addition to the preparations, Elle''s work at Tae was going well too. Tae would be releasing a new scent for the holidays. As the marketing director Elle was responsible for the promotional material. She had put a lot of effort into her work this time around, and everything was running smoothly.

    For the first time in a long time Elle felt like things was turning around for her. The only complaint she had was the weather, which was getting colder and colder with every passing day.

    One morning Elle woke up and the weather was particularly cold, and the sky was grey. Luckily she had the day off work, for she wanted nothing more than to stay in bed all day. Unfortunately for her, a text message from Adam quickly pulled her out of it.

    ''I''ve arranged for you to try on the necklace today. I''ll come pick you up around noon.'' He wrote.

    She was off work today but she didn''t want Adam to come pick her up from her house. So Elle decided to get dressed and take a taxi to work.

    "I thought today was your day off Director." One of the girls said with a frown when she saw Elle heading to her office.

    "I just had something I wanted to pick up." Elle said as an excuse.

    There was still an hour or two before Adam would show up. Elle sat in her office quietly passing the time by going through her emails. It was a quarter past 12 when Adam texted her again.

    ''I''m downstairs''

    Elle quickly grabbed her things and went outside. She spotted his car easily. Adam stood beside it, the collar of his woolen black trench coat was pulled up against the wind.

    He opened the passenger door for her before going around and getting into the driver''s seat.

    "It''s awfully cold today." Elle commented as she watched him blow hot air into his hands.

    "It is. Are you warm enough?" He asked eying her skirt.

    Elle was wearing a white button up blouse paired with a dark green pencil skirt underneath her coat.

    "I''m fine." The sheer tights and knee high boots to helped keep her legs warm.

    As usual they drove in silence. Elle was beginning to associate silence with him. She wasn''t sure if he didn''t like conversing or if he just couldn''t be bothered too, but she didn''t mind either way.

    The silence was broken a few minutes in to the drive as they drove past a caf¨¦ that Elle recognized.

    "Ah!" She exclaimed pointing at the building. "This is where we bumped into each other. You spilled your coffee remember?" She asked excitedly.

    Adam chuckled. "Isn''t a bit weird for you to be this enthusiastic? You had coffee all over you. Do you remember that memory fondly?"

    "Of course I do." Elle said with a smile. She didn''t say it out loud, but for her the Mayor''s party didn''t count; for Elle that memory was of the first time they met.

    "I was on my way back from look at the necklace myself back then." Adam commented.

    "Is that so?" She said thoughtfully.

    It was funny to consider how things had turned out. Who would have imagined that the person Adam had bumped into coincidentally while on the way back from viewing the necklace would now be the model for it? And of course she could never imagine now what was in store for her ahead.

 36 The First Snow

    They arrived at the facility shortly after. Once they were there Adam led her into a private lounge. It was furnished to look warm and inviting, almost like the sitting room of a house. The only thing that was out of place was the large white vanity placed at one end of the room.

    "Have a seat." Adam said while pulling the chair at the vanity out for her.

    Elle sat down and waited patiently. A few minutes later a man in a suit, who she assumed was a manager, entered the room with a security guard following close behind. In his hands he held a large jewellery box made of black velvet.

    Elle felt her stomach tighten with anticipation as he approached her. He stood beside her and opened the box, revealing the beautiful necklace nestled in velvet within.

    "Here you are miss." He said as he presented it to her.

    The necklace was beyond her expectations, and took her breath away. It was magnificent and grand without being overbearing. The greyish blue diamonds were like a breath of fresh air. It gave off the feeling of delicate perfection.

    "What do you think?" Adam asked while gaging her reaction.

    "I think it''s beautiful." Elle said breathlessly. "I think it''s the most beautiful thing I''ve ever seen."

    Adam was pleased, even if his face didn''t show it.

    He reached out and gently turned Elle''s face so she was looking straight into the mirror in front of her. Then he carefully took the necklace from where it laid in a bed of velvet and draped it over her neck.

    Elle shuddered as she felt the cold metal rest on her neck. Adam''s fingers gently brushed against the nap of her neck as he did the clasp. Elle tried not to flush as she watched his reflection in the mirror.

    Once he had the clasp on Adam took a step back, and Elle took in her appearance. She had no words as she looked at herself in the mirror. The girl on the other side of the glass looked back at her with doe eyes, and rosy cheeks. She looked young, and pretty. It was just a necklace, but Elle felt that she looked like a completely different person.

    "It suits you very well miss." The manager complimented. "The necklace is made of platinum, and has over one hundred and fifty diamonds. It''s worth more than ¨C "

    "No, no, no!" Elle interjected. "Don''t tell me." The manager looked at her strangely. "I''ll be too afraid to walk around in it if I know how much it''s worth." Elle explained faintly, embarrassed at her outburst.

    Adam had to hold in his laughter as he watched her try to explain herself.

    Elle sat at the vanity admiring the necklace for a little while longer until Adam''s voice drew her out of her thoughts.

    "We will head back first." He instructed the manager. Adam then carefully took the necklace off and placed it back in its box. Elle''s neck felt bare now that the weight of all those jewels were suddenly gone.

    She felt excited as she followed Adam back out to the car. There were only a few days left before the event, she was anticipating it greatly.

    "I imagine things are busy for you at Tae. You must be tired with all the preparations." Adam commented as they both got in the vehicle.

    "I actually have today off work." Elle admitted, feeling guilty from his concern.

    "Why were you there this morning?"

    "I had some things to quickly take care of." She lied.

    "I''ll drop you off at home then." Adam said. Elle couldn''t tell if he had bought it or not, but he didn''t say anything further.

    Elle stared out the window as they headed back. They were stopped at a red light when she noticed soft white flakes falling from the sky.

    "It''s snowing!" She exclaimed. "It''s the first snow of the season."

    Adam looked up at snow and then to his right at the childlike amazement in her eyes. "You like the snow?" He asked.

    "It''s cold, and it''s a pain, and yet it''s so beautiful." She sighed while looking wistfully out the window.

    By the time they got to her house the snow was coming down much more heavily.

    "Be careful going back in." Adam said. But Elle didn''t seem to hear him. She was looking out the window at her house. She seemed reluctant to go in like she had the last time he had dropped her off.

    "Is something wrong?" Adam asked.

    "It''s nothing." Elle said, but the look on his face told her that he wouldn''t buy her words so easily this time. "My father remarried, so there are a few extra people in the house now. It''s just a little uncomfortable that''s all." She explained.

    Adam frowned. Wasn''t she being foolish? "If it makes you uncomfortable why don''t you just move out?" He asked.

    "Maybe it''s childish, but this is the house I''ve lived in for twenty-four years. It''s my home. I don''t want to move out and leave it to them so easily." Elle admitted.

    Adam couldn''t fault her for that. He didn''t pry any further.

    "It''s cold and you must be tired." He said softly. "Go inside quickly."

    "Okay." Elle agreed. "Drive safely."

    She said goodbye and then quickly left the car. As she was entering the house she ran into Jacob, who appeared to be on his way out. Thankfully Adam''s car was already pulling away, Jacob didn''t have a chance to see who was inside.

    "Hello sister." He greeted her. "Who was that? A date?"

    Elle ignored his questions. "Don''t call me that."

    Jacob''s mouth twitched as he tried to maintain his smile. "What should I call you then?" He asked, obviously trying to hide his irritation.

    "I''d prefer if you didn''t call me at all." Elle said nonchalantly.

    She then walked off, leaving Jacob standing at the entryway with his jaw clenched.

 37 A Bundle of Nerves

    It was the morning before the day of the event. Elle was full of emotions; mainly excitement and anticipation. So much so that she had taken the day off work, knowing she wouldn''t be able to concentrate on anything.

    She tried to keep busy. She cooked, she cleaned, she even tried writing, but no matter what she did Elle couldn''t focus. All she could think about was the event tomorrow.

    The more she thought, the more she worried. As time passed, her excitement turned to anxiety and her anticipation turned into fear. It was around four in the afternoon when Elle finally had a breakdown.

    It was surprising that she had lasted as long as she did.

    Elle had tried and failed to take a relaxing bath to calm her tense nerves. While in the bath all she could think of were all the horrible things that could go wrong tomorrow. They piled up until she eventually cracked under the pressure of them.

    Finally, she got out of the bath and decided to give Adam a call. It was the first time she had taken the initiative to contact him, which only added to her anxiety.

    Adam had been in the middle of a meeting when he got the call. He took one look at his screen and then excused himself from the meeting. All the staff members in the room watched incredulously. They had never seen Adam step out of a meeting for a call before. It must have been someone very important.

    As Adam stepped out into the hallway he picked up her call.

    "Hello." his cool voice sounded from the other end of Elle''s phone.

    "Hi." Elle replied in a shaky voice. It felt strange to hear his voice so close to her.

    "Is everything okay?" He asked immediately.

    "I''m feeling a little nervous." Elle admitted. "I don''t know if I can do this."

    Adam looked at the time on his watch. "Are you at home?" He asked.

    "Yes."

    "Be ready in thirty minutes."

    "Okay." She said miserably.

    It only took her five minutes to change out of her bathrobe and into a formal black jumpsuit. It took her another five to dry her hair. Elle spent the other twenty minutes pacing.

    It was exactly thirty minutes later that Elle saw Adam''s car pull into the driveway.

    ''Of course.'' Elle thought to herself bitterly. ''How predictable that he is punctual up to the second.''

    Adam watched as Elle entered the car. Her face was pale, and as she sat in the seat beside him she kept fidgeting with her fingers.

    "Are you really that nervous?" He asked lightly.

    Elle gave him a look as if pleading him to put her out of her misery.

    "I assume you haven''t eaten lunch yet." Adam remarked as he pulled out of the driveway.

    "No." Elle confirmed.

    "Then let''s go get some food."

 38 Trust In Me

    As Adam drove Elle picked at her fingers nervously.

    "I don''t think I can eat." She confessed.

    But Adam continued to drive as if he hadn''t heard her. Eventually they pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant.

    "You''ve got to be joking." Elle said as she stared in disbelief at the all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant they were at.

    "Come on." Adam took the keys out of the ignition, got out of the car, and went around to open the passenger door for Elle. She got out, still in shock.

    There were many things wrong about the image of her walking into an all-you-can-eat restaurant with Adam Hayes. She couldn''t pick just one to settle on.

    It was just past five in the afternoon; which was still quite early to be having dinner. As a result, there were hardly any customers inside the restaurant. No one seemed to notice as Elle and Adam sat down at a booth.

    The waitress brought them two menus but Adam only took one saying he would order for both of them. Elle had no appetite anyway, so she was fine with this arrangement. She kept her head down as Adam ordered. Elle was busy trying to calm her pounding heart and didn''t pay any attention to him.

    The waitress took the order quickly and left, leaving the two of them alone. They sat waiting in silence.

    "Aren''t you supposed to give me a pep talk or something?" Elle asked, finally breaking the silence.

    "I''m the CEO, I think that''s a little below my pay grade."

    "You''re the one who dragged me into this in the first place." Elle muttered. "You should have just hired a professional like I suggested."

    Adam smirked. "I know what I''m doing." He said confidently.

    The waitress returned with a few dishes in her hands, and then came back a second time with a few more. Elle watched as the plates began to pile up.

    "Do you always eat this much?" She questioned, recalling the last time they had gone out to dinner together. But Adam didn''t answer her.

    "Eat." He commanded. "You''ll feel better."

    "Doubtful." Elle replied, but she still helped herself to small portions of food.

    She ate a few bites and then put her utensils down, but Adam reached over and added some more food to her plate.

    "You really should eat more." He said.

    Elle went along with him at first, but every time she cleared her plate Adam would only add more food.

    "Aren''t you worried I''ll be bloated tomorrow?" Elle eventually asked with a frown.

    "Its fine. Just eat."

    "What if I can''t fit into the dress?"

    "We can adjust I''m sure."

    "You better take responsible when Will comes after me." She warned.

    "If Will was so incapable that he couldn''t alter a single dress I wouldn''t have hired him in the first place." Adam said simply.

    Elle couldn''t find fault with that logic, so she gave in and ate. Both of them continued to eat until they were completely full.

    "I''m definitely not going fit into the dress tomorrow." Elle groaned as she patted her stomach.

    The corners of Adam''s lips pulled up in a smile.

    "How can you be smiling?" Elle asked doubtfully. "Aren''t you worried about tomorrow at all?"

    "I''m not. I''m confident; nothing will go wrong." Adam replied.

    If it were anyone else Elle would have disbelieved them, assuming they were only saying it to save face. But everything about Adam exuded confidence; his demeanour, his voice, even the look in his eyes.

    "How can you be?" Elle asked weakly.

    "What do you think of me?" Adam asked in return.

    Elle flushed. "What do you mean?"

    "About my work."

    "Well," Elle started. "I haven''t seen your work in particular, but everyone can see your results. MK is at the top of the industry, everything you do you do well."

    Adam smiled. "That''s quite the compliment." He teased.

    Elle puffed her cheeks. "Do you have a point?"

    "MK is at the top of the industry, but even we''ve had failed ventures. Our product lines right now are all extremely successful, but we''ve had one''s that haven''t done nearly as well. Mistakes are part of life. If you make a mistake at tomorrow''s event so be it; the only person who never makes a mistake is the person who never does anything."

    Elle listened to Adam earnestly. "But I don''t want to make a mistake tomorrow. Not at such an important event, and not in front of you." Elle professed.

    "Do you think I''m a capable person?" Adam asked.

    Elle rolled her eyes. "If you aren''t capable no one on this planet is." She said sarcastically.

    Adam reached forward and ruffled her hair. "Then it doesn''t matter if you don''t believe in yourself. Instead trust in me."

 39 Sweet Dreams

    "Trust in me." Adam said. "Trust that I know what I''m doing."

    Elle felt an odd sense of security wash over her. She didn''t know if she would mess things up tomorrow, but she could believe that even if she did Adam would find a solution.

    "Okay." She whispered.

    "Good." Adam looked at his watch. "You''re not in a hurry to return home are you?"

    Elle glanced at the time as well. It had been over an hour, but it was still quite early.

    "Well I was scheduled to pace in my room at eight. And I have another breakdown scheduled for nine." She jested.

    "I hope you can reschedule." Adam said, going along with her joke.

    "What did you have in mind?" She asked.

    "You''ll see." He said cryptically.

    When the waitress came back around with the bill Elle tried to pay but Adam refused to let her.

    "You paid for dinner last time." She argued. "You should let me pay this time."

    "We''re out for dinner because of work related matters." Adam countered. "It''s only right that I pay."

    Elle felt it would be awkward to keeping insisting to she relented and let him pay.

    "I''ll definitely get the bill next time." She said under her breath.

    "I''ll look forward to the next time then." Adam said with a crooked smile.

    Elle put her head in her hands as she realized he heard what she said. Now it looked like she was expecting to go out with him again; she was thoroughly embarrassed.

    Adam chuckled. "Come on, let''s get going." He said as he got up.

    Elle followed Adam back to the car. As they drove Elle tried to guess where they were going, but she couldn''t think of anything special in the direction they were heading in. Eventually they pulled into a gravel parking lot.

    Elle got out of the car and looked around, they appeared to be at a park of sorts. The area was wooded, but the trees were sparse. A lit stone pathway was leading away from the gravel lot they were in.

    "Why are we here?" Elle asked.

    "Let''s go for a walk." Adam replied as he stepped towards the stone pathway.

    Elle followed Adam and they set off walking. Occasionally they passed people walking in the opposite direction back to the cars. Elle looked around curiously. Although she lived in the city her entire life she had never seen this area before. She liked it, it was quite and relaxing, and the lights against the autumn leaves looked beautiful.

    "Where does this path lead?" Elle asked.

    "No where in particular."

    Then why are we on it, Elle wondered. They walked a little further before she asked; "Do you go for walks often?"

    "I go jogging some mornings, but I don''t really go for walks." Adam looked to Elle and saw her looking back at him curiously. "I thought it would be a good idea to walk after eating such a large dinner. We can''t have you being bloated tomorrow, Will might have a fit if you go in and can''t fit into your dress."

    Elle smacked his arm. "Then don''t feed me so much in the first place!" She complained. She picked up her pace and started walking in front of Adam, but he easily caught up to her.

    "Don''t be mad, I''m just joking." He said with a laugh.

    But Elle began walking even faster. "I won''t walk with you anymore." She insisted.

    "Fine then. I''ll go on ahead." Adam began taking longer strides. He quickly outpaced Elle, leaving her jogging to catch up.

    "These are heeled boots, they''re hard to run in." She complained as she caught up to him.

    Adam reached out and took her hand in his. "If we walk like this we''ll both be forced to keep pace with the other."

    Elle was rendered speechless. Adams hand was much larger, Elle''s hand was encompassed by his. Elle looked down at her feet as they continued to walk; she didn''t know what sort of look she had on her face right now. Her long hair fell straight, hiding her red cheeks.

    "Do you treat all your models this well." She asked faintly.

    "No. From the start you were a special case."

    The sun was setting, and the late November evening was cold. Yet the warmth of Adam''s hand seemed to radiate throughout her body. Despite the chilly air Elle felt incredibly warm.

    Eventually it began to get too cold and too dark so they headed back to the car. Afterwards Adam took her to get something to warm themselves up with.

    "You can treat me this time." He told her.

    Elle quickly ran into the store with a smile on her face. She returned a few minutes later with two steaming cups of tea in her hand. They sat in the car while they drank and enjoyed a light conversation. Elle''s anxiety about tomorrow was already long forgotten.

    Elle didn''t know how so much time passed that night. They drove around for a little longer, and by the time they arrived back at her house it was already past ten o''clock.

    "Thank you for tonight." She said sincerely as she got out of the car.

    "It was my pleasure."

    They parted and Elle staggered into the house, tired and longing for her bed. The house was empty and quite, she supposed everyone else had already gone to sleep. Elle returned to her own room quickly, changed her clothes, and stumbled into bed.

    That night she slept undisturbed; she had no dreams, just a peaceful night of rest.

 40 The Big Nigh

    The next morning Elle slept in. She had woken up a few times but each time she rolled over and went back to bed.

    It was finally Friday, the event would take place that evening and Elle knew she would go crazy if she got up early, so instead she slept until her grumbling stomach drove her out of bed.

    As Elle went downstairs to get something to eat she relished the peace and quite. Everyone else had already left the house, so this morning she had the entire place to herself.

    Elle ate a light brunch; she didn''t dare eat anything too heavy. She was still concerned about the fit of the dress after last night. Once she finished eating Elle headed back upstairs to take a shower.

    Elle treated herself to a nice hot bath. She even added in lavender bath salts in an effort to help herself relax. It seemed to work. Once she was done Elle dried her hair and dressed herself in an oversized turtleneck sweater and a comfy pair of tights.

    By this time, it was only just past two in the afternoon. Adam had arranged for a car to come pick her up and take her to the venue to get ready, but that wouldn''t be until four.

    Elle tried to pass her time many ways. She read at first, but after reading the same page five times and still not registering any of the words she gave up on that. Next she tried browsing through her social media, but all anyone was talking about was MK''s event tonight. She tossed her phone aside with some frustration. Finally, she took out her laptop and starting watching a variety show. This seemed to do the trick. Elle didn''t give the show her full attention, but occasionally a topic would catch her attention. She even managed to laugh a few times. Before she knew it it was already four o''clock, and her phone started ringing.

    It was an unknown number. Elle went to the window and saw a town car parked outside. She quickly took the call.

    "Hello."

    "Hello miss. I''m here to pick you up."

    "I''ll be right down." Elle quickly grabbed her coat and headed downstairs. On her way out she passed the housekeeper and informed her she would be returning home late.

    The car brought her to the venue. As they arrived millions of flowers were being delivered and carried into the hall. An assistant rushed over and escorted Elle from the car to a dressing room.

    In her mind Elle had imagined that she would be getting ready with the other model''s, but the room she had was hers exclusively.

    It wasn''t a very big room, but it was plenty of space for a single person to get ready in. There was a vanity in one corner of the room, racks of clothing, spare shoes, and plenty of mirrors.

    "Someone will come in soon; you can take a seat for now." The assistant told her before leaving.

    Elle looked around the room. The only place for her to sit was at the vanity, so she sat there and waited. It wasn''t long before a girl came in. She looked quite young and shy as she approached Elle.

    "I''m here to paint your nails miss." She said. Even her voice was mousey.

    Elle quite liked her, but the girl was evidently determined to work in silence. She didn''t say another word as she painted Elle''s nails in a shimmering white colour. Once she was finished she left again quickly. Elle supposed everyone else was quite busy with preparations, so she felt sympathetic as she watched the girl pack up her things and hurry away.

    While she waited for the next step in her perpetrations Elle sat perfectly still. She didn''t dare move, worried that she might ruin her nails before they dried.

    A few minutes passed before three new women entered the room, this time to do her hair and makeup. They had Elle change into a white robe first, so that she wouldn''t get anything on her clothes. Then they pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail and set to work on her face.

    Elle tried to follow along as they worked, but there were too many different products, and she didn''t know what half of them were for. Elle quickly grew bored of trying to follow along so she leaned back in her seat and let the ladies poke and prod at her face till they were satisfied.

    Next was her hair. First they brushed through it and added some product to it until it was silky smooth. Then they partitioned her hair into different sections, twisting and turning it, even braiding some parts, before intricately weaving it all together into an elegant low bun.

    Once everything was perfect, with not even a strand was out of place, the entire thing was sprayed with a liberal coat of hairspray. Finally, tiny crystal pins were put into her hair. They were so small and clear that Elle felt they gave the appearance of dew drops in her hair.

    Elle was also given a set of earrings to put in: they were diamond studs with pear-shaped diamonds hanging from them. They were made using the same grey-blue diamonds that the necklace was made of.

    When Elle finally looked at herself in the mirror she didn''t recognize the girl on the other side. But this time instead of feeling uneasy she felt excited. This girl was a spitting image of herself; the same eyes, the same nose, the same hair. Only this girl''s features were all polished in a way Elle''s had never been. This girl could share a stage with a model without being out shined.

    The three ladies excused themselves, and Elle was alone again. She sat at the vanity, secretly admiring herself, until Will entered the room with her dress.

    Will was the first person that night to indulge in conversation. He greeted Elle warmly as he passed her the dress and a pair of heels.

    There was a partition in the room for Elle to change behind. This was the moment she was most nervous for. Elle prayed as stepped into the dress and pulled it up. Thankfully it slid onto her without any difficulties. Elle let out a sigh of relief as she realized last night''s dinner had no effect on the appearance of her stomach in the dress.

    Will looked pleased as she stepped out from behind the partition. It not only fit her perfectly, but it suited her well. The high waist had a slimming effect, and the satin skirt flowed out beautifully. Will had adjusted the train of the dress during the fittings so instead of dragging along the floor it draped it gracefully.

    Elle was looking at her reflection in one of the large floor to ceiling mirrors as Will was explaining that someone would be by shortly to give her her mask and the necklace. As he was explaining Elle heard the door open.

    "Speak of the devil." Will remarked as Adam entered the room.

 41 You Look Perfec

    Elle had her back to Adam, but she watched his reflection enter the room. He took a few steps and then paused as he saw her, their eyes met through the mirror.

    Adam was taken aback by her appearance. He had seen most of the elements separately, but with all of the alterations now complete, plus the hair and makeup done, Adam felt as if he was seeing it all for the first time.

    Elle''s makeup was done well, but it was made to look subtle. After all, they didn''t want to distract from the jewellery. So instead of having bold colours Elle''s makeup was done to outline her features. All her features looked more prominent; the straight bridge of her nose, her high cheek bones, and her dark brow.

    What caught Adam''s attention most were her eyes. A smoky brown eyeshadow had been applied, this along with the black eyeliner and her long thick lashes made Elle''s eyes appear wider than usual. The clarity of her eyes stood out now more than ever, and though he wouldn''t admit it out loud, Adam couldn''t help but notice that he liked those eyes of hers very much.

    This was also the first time Adam had seen the dress on her after the fittings. The very first time he had seen her in it was ruined by the fact that it didn''t fit her. Now she looked stunning in it.

    The sweetheart neckline and low back were designed to make the necklace stand out more, but the cut of the dress suited her. It showed off her slender shoulders and accentuated her chest while the billowing skirt highlighted her thin waist. The Elle in front of him didn''t look like the silly girl who he had teased last night, she looked elegant and beautiful.

    Everything detail about her was carefully planned. Even the stray strands of hair that fell loose were placed exactly right to curl and frame her face.

    Adam cleared his throat and then continued to approach her. In his hands he held a black box. Elle had already seen the necklace''s box and knew this wasn''t it, so she guessed this was her mask.

    "For security reasons the necklace will arrive just before you come out, but I''ve brought one final piece for you." As he spoke Adam opened the box to reveal the masquerade mask sitting inside.

    Elle hadn''t expected much regarding the mask, but now she realized she was wrong not to. Of course for MK even the standards for a simple mask would be high. This piece was far beyond her expectations.

    The colour of the mask shifted from a light blue at the corners into a shimmery white towards the centre. Along the border was braided silver and blue twine. Dark blue, black, and silver swirls decorated the surface of the mask along with little diamonds.

    Elle took the mask carefully out of its box and put it on. The underside was made out of a cushioned silk that felt incredibly soft. The mask fell comfortably into place where it covered most of the upper part of her face. Most of her forehead was covered, and the bottom part of the mask came down to about the bridge of her now. The hairstylist helped Elle carefully lace the ribbon under her hair so that it would be hidden underneath her bun, then she tied it tightly.

    Once it was secure Elle looked around. She had been slightly worried that the mask would impede her vision, but it didn''t. In fact, it was much more comfortable to wear then Elle had imagined.

    She turned around to face Adam. "How do I look?" She asked uneasily.

    Elle waited nervously as Adam looked at her. He had a look in his eyes that Elle didn''t recognize. She had never been so dressed up before, did he think it didn''t suit her?

    "You look perfect." he replied honestly. Elle smiled, feeling relieved.

    Adam still had a few things to check before the event started so he left first, Will followed close behind. The ladies who had worked on Elle''s hair and makeup did one final inspection of her before they left too.

    Elle was alone in the room again. She didn''t dare sit, lest she wrinkle the satin of her dress. Instead she slowly paced back and forth as she waited anxiously for the event to begin.

    When the necklace arrived Elle knew it was almost time. Like the last time, someone carefully draped the necklace on to her and made sure the clasp was secure. Elle had forgotten how heavy it was until she felt the weight of it on her chest. It was an unwanted reminder of how much such a necklace was worth.

    After the necklace was on Elle was finally escorted out of the room. As she walked Elle tried not to think about how much she was worth with diamonds in her hair, on her face, hanging around her neck. The dress was the only thing she wore that had no gems on it, and that was probably worth hundreds of dollars on its own.

    When she arrived at the backstage area Elle finally saw the four other girls for the first time, but she could barely take in their appearance before they were ushered into a line and led to a heavy black curtain that lead out onto the stage.

    As Elle waited anxiously she recalled the plans that Adam had shown her. Down the centre of the huge venue was a walkway. All Elle would have to do was walk down it as the MC spoke about the piece she was wearing. At the end would be a few steps that led into the crowd. As soon as she stepped down stairs she would be done. The rest of the night would just be spent walking amongst the guests.

    Elle could hear the muffled voice of the MC announcing them followed by applause. The curtain was pulled back and the first girl stepped out onto the walkway. Since she was wearing the main piece Elle was last in line. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as one by one the girls stepped out onto the stage. Finally one of the backstage workers signaled Elle that it was her turn. She took a hesitant step forward into the blinding light.

 42 Let The Night Begin

    Elle stepped out onto the walkway, taking long strides as her eyes slowly adjusted to the lights. Hanging above her head were hundreds of long strings of Wisteria flowers. Elle felt as if she had stepped out into some sort of magical garden. The entire room was dark, only the walkway was lit. This way Elle couldn''t see the faces of the hundreds of guests staring at her, she could imagine that it was just her in here.

    As she walked she recalled Adam''s coaching. Look straight forward, no smile, no expression. Just keep walking till you reach the end. There was light music playing, but Elle couldn''t hear it over the sound of her own pounding heart.

    As Adam had promised the end of the walkway came quickly. As Elle approached it she put all her focus into ensuring she wouldn''t trip as she carefully lifted her dress and stepped down the stairs.

    Only when her feet landed safely on the solid ground did Elle finally relax. She let out a shaky breath and only then did she register the faint music playing and the crowd of clapping people around her.

    Elle wasn''t to look around or acknowledge the guests. For the rest of the night all she had to do was walk around the venue and let people admire the beautiful craftsmanship of the items she wore.

    It was easier said then done. As she walked people blatantly stared at her. Some would whisper or point as she passed them by. It took everything she had to suppress the urge to look towards the noise when she heard them speak, or when she saw them point at her from the corner of her eye.

    It was also a strange and unusual feeling for Elle to be the center of attention. Elle usually strived her hardest to go unnoticed. She preferred to the peace and quite that came with keeping to herself. However, on this occasion she found that, although it was a foreign feeling, she didn''t mind it so much.

    Usually if she heard whispers she would feel paranoid, wondering what sort of remark people were making about her. Or when she was noticed she would feel obligated to start a conversation that she had no interest in. However tonight she was specifically told not to talk to anyone. And all the stares and whispers she knew were directed towards what she was wearing. No one knew who she was, when she was stared at it was stares of awe not judgement, and who could possibly have a bad thing to say about any of the pieces she had on tonight?

    So as Elle was taking a turn about the room she walked with a new found confidence. As she walked she was finally able to properly see the other four girls as they occasionally passed each other by.

    Each one of them had a completely different look and each look just as stunning as the last. The first model Elle noticed was wearing an off-white evening gown with a lace bodice. The necklace she wore was similar to a pearl string necklace, except instead of pearls it was made out of asymmetrical rows of diamonds and rounded crystal beads. The second model wore a grey chiffon gown with a thick diamond chocker. The bottom end of the of the chocker was tapered so instead of following a straight line across it formed a V-shape that went all the way down to her chest. The third had on a champagne coloured tulle gown paired with a beautiful necklace of intertwining vines that had diamonds arranged to look like flowers nestled between them. Finally, the last model wore a taupe coloured gown with a lattice work diamond necklace.

    All four girls wore different coloured dresses, and had completely different styled jewellery, and yet somehow the pieces all went together. You could still tell they belonged to the same collection despite all the differences.

    Elle also spotted Adam standing across the room speaking to a couple whom she recognized as the chairman and his wife: Adam''s parents. Elle stood and watched him for a moment. As she was watching Adam suddenly lifted his head and looked in her direction. He caught her eye from across the room. Adam held her gaze for a moment before Elle gave him a quick smile and continued about the room.

    Unbeknownst to Elle, as she continued to walk amongst the crowd she passed two people who''s faces didn''t stare with awe, but rather with annoyance.

    Emma and Suzy stood together watching Elle pass them by without so much as a glance. Although Emma hadn''t forgiven Suzy for leading her on about the event she had decided to come here with her tonight. A missed opportunity today could still lead to an opportunity with MK in the future, she decided she couldn''t through Suzy away yet.

    Suzy had a similar thought. She was glad Emma had agreed to come tonight because she believed she could still use Emma to help her in the future. The friendship was long gone, but neither girl realized she was only being used by the other. Unfortunately, after tonight one person''s usefulness would come to an end.

 43 Bad Intentions

    Emma watched Elle enviously. It should have been her in that dress. She imagined how nice she could have looked if she was in that sating evening gown, if she had hundreds of diamonds strung around her neck, and if she was the one everyone was admiring.

    ''This girl isn''t even a real model.'' Emma thought to herself resentfully. Anyone could tell. So what right did Elle have to be selected over her? The more Emma thought about it the more unacceptable the situation seemed.

    "We need to do something about this." Emma whispered to Suzy.

    "About what?" Suzy asked.

    "This girl isn''t even a model, it''s not right that she was selected."

    "Adam selected her himself. I''m sure she just made use of some sort of connection with him."

    "If Adam selected her himself for this event there''s nothing stopping him from selecting her again in the future. You promised me a chance to work with MK, you owe me Suzy."

    Suzy looked at the drink in her hand nervously. Emma was right. Adam had never used personal connections in the past, but if he had used them this time, and for such an important event, then nothing would stop him from using them again in the future.

    "What do you have in mind?" Suzy asked.

    "If we get this girl to make a mistake then MK will never use her again, no matter what Adam wants."

    "We can''t." Suzy said hesitantly. "This is my event. If she makes a mistake it will hurt MK''s reputation."

    "A small mistake then." Emma reasoned. "Something the public won''t care about but the company won''t forgive."

    "Her mask." Suzy said suddenly. "The masks were an idea that Adam requested himself. If her mask comes off she''ll get into trouble for sure."

    While Suzy and Emma were scheming, Elle had grown tired of walking around. She had finally found a spot against the wall to settle into, but even while standing there she couldn''t escape people''s notice. Elle stood quietly, sipping on a glass of champagne, and trying her best to ignore everyone else.

    While resting there she noticed Adam walking towards her. He didn''t slow down as he approached. For a second Elle thought he was going to walk straight past her, but he didn''t.

    He paused his step for only a brief moment when he reached her. Elle didn''t dare turn her head to look at him, but she felt his fingers brush gently against hers.

    "You did well." He murmured softly. And then he was gone.

    Elle knew she wasn''t supposed to, but she couldn''t help herself: she smiled and turned her head to watch his strong back walk away.

    Unbeknownst to Elle, while she was enjoying the night two people were plotting against her.

 44 Causing a Scene

    Emma and Suzy were still discussing what they could do to better their chances in the future. Emma liked the idea of having Elle''s mask come off. It wouldn''t cause a huge scene, but MK would still be very upset. It was the CEO''s idea after all, if she was proven to be incompetent they would never use Elle again. This would give Emma a better opportunity. But how could they get the mask to fall off naturally?

    Of course, while they were busy planning such an intricate scheme, they had no idea that Adam didn''t really care about the masks at all. The only reason he had come up with the idea was to make Elle more comfortable. Even if they succeeded it would make no impact on his impression of Elle.

    Suzy worked quickly to reassure Emma. "I designed the masks myself," she said, "It''s just a ribbon tie, surely it will come undone easily. Just walk past her and tug on the string."

    "But how do I make it look accidental?" Emma asked. "It''s not like I can just bump into her, it''ll be too obvious if I untie the ribbon."

    "She''s not allowed to speak. Just apologize and walk off. She won''t be able to confront you. There are a million people here, as long as she doesn''t get a good look at your face no one will ever know."

    Eventually they agreed on the plan. Emma approached Elle nervously. She held a glass of champagne in her hand, trying to look natural as she approached her. Thankfully Elle had stopped to take a rest so she was currently standing still.

    But as Emma got closer she clenched her jaw in frustration. There was no ribbon. They must have tied the ribbon under her hair Emma realized. Without the tie visible Emma wouldn''t be able to undo the mask. Emma was about to bail and head back to Suzy to regroup when Elle turned her head and happen to glance at Emma.

    Elle hadn''t realized anything was wrong yet. She spotted Emma walking towards her and looked at her, not with suspicion, but with admiration. Emma wore a stunning deep red mermaid gown. Her blonde hair contrasted nicely against the colour, and fell in large loose curls. Elle watched as she glided gently towards her. Emma was, after all, one of the more popular models at the moment.

    But this only cause Emma''s frustration grew. Elle had already spotted her approaching; it would be too awkward if she suddenly turned back now. Instead she recalled something Suzy had said. This girl wasn''t allowed to speak tonight. A new idea formed in Emma''s head.

    Emma walked up to Elle proudly. "Hello." She greeted.

    Elle looked back at her stunned. No one had addressed her that entire night. Everyone knew she wasn''t supposed to speak, so Elle was shocked that someone had actually come up to her so blatantly.

    "Aren''t you going to return my greeting?" Emma asked, annoyance seeping into her voice.

    Elle came back to her senses and gave to woman a simply smile before quickly turning away. However, before Elle could escape the encounter Emma grabbed her hand.

    "Where are you going? Won''t you stay and talk to me a while?" She asked with a wicked smile on her face.

    Elle looked back at her with wide eyes. Who was this woman?

    "Is this how MK treats their guests? Do you think so highly of yourself that you won''t even greet me?" Emma provoked, but Elle still did not reply. She didn''t dare.

    Elle''s silence only cause Emma to grow more agitated. Would this girl really not say anything? Emma continued to provoke Elle, but Elle didn''t make so much as a noise. She did try to step away several times, but Emma''s strong grip wouldn''t let her.

    No one around them had noticed the confrontation yet, Elle was eager to keep it that way. She tried her best to calm Emma down, but it was difficult to do so without speaking. Meanwhile it only made Emma''s temper grow.

    Watching the girl refuse to speak made something snap inside Emma. Suddenly she gave up on the provocation. A wild look overcame her eyes as Emma lifted her arm to spill her drink on the beautiful satin dress that should have been hers.

 45 A Turn of Events

    Elle felt as if she was witnessing everything in slow motion. She saw the agitated look in Emma''s eyes, and then the she saw the glass lift towards her. Horrified Elle realized what was going to happen; this woman was going to spill her drink on her.

    If even a drop of alcohol fell on the satin dress it would be ruined. Elle wasn''t about to let that happen so easily. She reacted quickly, reaching forward she grabbed Emma''s wrist. The glass was knocked out of Emma''s grasp. As it tipped backwards the content of the glass were spilled on Emma herself.

    The glass then fell to the floor, shattering into dozens of tiny pieces. The guests around them hadn''t noticed Emma''s earlier provocations, but the crisp sound of glass shattering against the floor drew their attention.

    Elle glanced down at her dress with dread, but thankfully none of the champagne had splashed onto her. The dress was still as perfect as when she put it on. Emma''s dress, on the other hand, had not faired so well.

    The top of her dress was soaked with alcohol. Emma could feel the cold and sticky alcohol slowly soaking into the bodice of her dress, staining it.

    While Emma assessed the damage to her dress Elle looked around and saw everyone staring at them. Elle felt her stomach drop. She wasn''t supposed to interact with anyone; MK hadn''t wanted their models to speak to anyone because they wanted the models to give off the feeling of a higher level of luxury. They were supposed unreachable entities, who couldn''t even be spoken to. But now Elle watched everyone stare at her as she grasped Emma''s wrist and broken glass lay around them both.

    Elle saw the looks in everyone''s eyes and knew she needed to salvage the situation quickly. She assumed a soft smile on her face and gently pulled Emma away from the broken glass. Elle then tapped the shoulder of a passing server and pointed at the broken glass on the floor.

    "I''ll get someone to clean it up right away miss."

    Elle nodded in thanks. She then looked back at Emma who was staring at her with confusion. Elle pointed at Emma''s dress with a sad look on her face. Emma stared back blankly.

    "Miss I think she means to ask about your dress. Do you have something to cover up with? Or perhaps a different dress to change into?" The server asked in Elle''s place.

    Around them the crowd started to murmur.

    "Look at that girl. Not only does she look gorgeous, she even acts so sweetly. She isn''t supposed to talk to the guest, but she still took the time to help."

    "Yes your right. It''s nice to see a model who isn''t so pretentious." Another said.

    "Hey isn''t that other girl the model Emma? I heard she was turned down for a chance to model for MK tonight. Yet she showed up and got drunk and made a scene." One person said with a snicker.

    Of course, even though they were speaking amongst each other Emma and Elle could still clearly hear what they were saying. Suzy, who was standing to the side also heard it all.

    Emma heard the remarks and then looked to Elle who was still smiling innocently, but had a mocking look in her eyes. All Emma''s confusion vanished.

    She realized Elle had purposely made herself look like an angel. Instead of everyone thinking badly of her for interacting with the guests when she wasn''t supposed to everyone now thought of her as a saint for being so kind and considerate.

    Emma clenched her jaw in frustration and looked to Suzy, her eyes pleading for Suzy to come save her from this mess.

    Suzy saw the look of desperation and unwittingly tightened her grip on the wine glass in her hand. She realized she had misjudged Emma; this girl wouldn''t be any use to her at all. So instead of answering Emma''s silent call for help Suzy took a step back and walked away from the mess.

    Emma watched with a coldness in her eyes. Elle gently placed her hand on Emma''s shoulder and pointed to her dress again.

    "It''s fine." Emma said through gritted teeth. Of course she wanted to tell Elle off, or call her out for her fake kindness, but to do so would be to risk her own reputation. She had done enough of that tonight. So instead she pretended to assure Elle. "I have another dress I can change into."

    Elle gave her a sweet smile, bowed her head, and then walked off. Everyone was silently praising her. Even David, who had seen the whole thing unfurl.

 46 The Most Capable Man In the World

    David had been speaking to a few important guests when he noticed Emma approaching Elle. Of course Elle had no idea who Emma was, so she watched her approach unsuspectingly. But David, who had been in all the meetings and knew that Emma was turned down for the opportunity, watched warily.

    Sure enough Emma began provoking Elle. David looked around and realized no one else had noticed anything was wrong yet. David quickly excused himself from his conversation and began discretely making his way towards Elle, trying to be careful not to draw any unwanted attention.

    He was still weaving his way through the crowd when he saw Emma lift her glass. David''s stomach dropped as he realized what her intentions were. Adam would be sure to give everyone hell tomorrow if such a mistake were to happen. Especially to this girl whom he obviously had taken a liking too. David''s face paled as he watched; he was still too far, there was nothing he could do. But Elle stopped the glass.

    David watched with surprise as Elle not only avoided the calamity but even smoothed the situation over. Even though she was interacting with people her actions were graceful and true to the image MK wanted her to portray.

    Once David was sure Elle was in no danger he spoke to a security guard and had them discretely escort Emma out of the venue. Emma was desperate not to try to salvage the situation and so she complied.

    Once that was taken care of David check in on Elle. He signaled to her and led her into a quite corner in the venue where no one would notice them.

    "Are you okay?" He asked once he was sure no one was looking their way.

    Keeping true to her act Elle didn''t say a word. She simply gave David a thankful smile and a reassuring nod of her head.

    "Are you sure?" David asked. Elle insisted she was. "If there are any more issues come find me right away."

    David watched Elle rejoin the party with a knot in his stomach. The only thing left to do was inform Adam of what had transpired. David felt bad for on the model''s behalf. But then again she should have known better then try to make a scene at MK''s event.

    David found Adam speaking to his parents. He approached them and whispered something in his boss''s ear.

    "Excuse me for a moment." Adam said to his parents with a frown before leading David backstage.

    There David told Adam all the details of what had transpired. Adam kept a straight face through the entire briefing, only his eyes reflected his feelings as they darkened at the mention of the shattered glass.

    Adam listened intently. He had expected some problems to occur tonight, but he hadn''t expected someone to dare act of their own accord from within the company. Finally, David was finished, he looked to his boss for instruction.

    "I don''t want to see that models face again." Adam said coldly.

    David understood the implied meaning. "Yes, sir." He was about to step away to take care of the situation, when Adam said something further.

    "Give Director Shaw a warning too. I don''t think I need to tell you how to deal with people who don''t learn their lesson."

    "Yes, sir." David said more firmly.

    David set off to follow his instructions, and Adam re-entered the venue. Instead of returning to his parent''s side immediately he walked around the venue till he spotted Elle.

    He was worried the she would be feeling distressed, but she seemed undisturbed by the events that had transpired. Elle was looking at the flowers hanging about her with a child-like joy. Adam felt at easy when he saw her clear eyes, he knew he could trust the emotion reflected in them. Once he was satisfied that she was okay he returned to his parent''s side.

    "Is something wrong?" His father asked gravely.

    "Not at all." Adam said.

    His father gave him a suspecting look.

    "I told you I would be successful. The model is here, and everything is running smoothly. Are you satisfied now Father?" Adam asked with a smirk.

    His father grunted his approval while his mother praised him.

    "I knew there would be no woman on Earth who could refuse my son." She teased.

    ~~

    Hours passed and eventually it was time for the event to come to a close. Elle was thankful when the MC finally announced the closing.

    It was great fun to have been able to get all dressed up. Elle was surprised that she enjoyed it so much, but she felt like a princess, and the decorations were so beautiful. She especially loved the hanging Wisteria flowers. It truly was like being in a fairytale. Her only complaint was that after hours of walking around her poor feet were tired and sore.

    The MC announced that Adam would give a few closing remarks. Elle watched attentively as Adam took the stage. He looked especially handsome tonight. He wore a black tuxedo that showed off his well-built stature. Adam took long, effortless, strides onto the stage. His defined features and porcelain skin under the bright lights exuded elegance.

    But what was more captivating then his charming looks were his abilities. Elle watched with admiration as he held the attention of every person in the room as he spoke. Adam was only giving a few closing remarks and yet no one dared do anything but listen while he spoke. In that moment Elle truly believed he was the most capable man in the world.

    Adam quickly finished speaking and returned the microphone to the MC who thanked everyone for coming. All too soon the event was over.

 47 A Beautiful Nigh

    An assistant lead Elle backstage back towards the dressing room where she had gotten ready. On the way there she bumped into Adam. They were walking in opposite directions; the assistant leading her to her room and Adam leading his parents out.

    Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, but Elle could have sworn Adam''s eyes seemed to light up when he saw her walking towards them. He stopped to speak to her.

    "Good work today." He complimented.

    "Thank you, sir." Elle replied graciously. She was on her best behaviour in front of his parents. It seemed inappropriate to act too familiar with their son while she was working for them.

    "Let me introduce you." Adam said suddenly remembering his parents.

    "Chairman, madam." Elle greeted respectfully.

    The chairman didn''t seem to care much for the interaction, but Adam''s mother smiled warmly.

    "You did well tonight." She praised. "You look so beautiful too, like a princess."

    "Thank you, madam." Elle said, bowing her head gracefully.

    "I can see why Adam selected you. You sure have an eye for them son. If only you could pick a girlfriend for yourself too." Mrs. Hayes said with a sigh.

    Elle tried to suppress her laugh and looked away awkwardly. Adam cleared his throat, a clear warning for his mother not to say anymore.

    "We better be off. Mother you seem tired." Adam said strictly.

    His mother laughed and continued walking with Adam''s father in tow. Adam stayed back for a brief moment.

    "I''m just walking my parents out. Wait for me in your room." He whispered to her. His parents, who were a few steps ahead didn''t notice anything.

    "Okay." Elle breathed. She turned to watch Adam catch up to his family, then she turned around and continued down the hallway to her dressing room.

    Adam saw his parents into a car and then watched as a driver took off to take them home. Once the car was out of sight he returned indoors, and made his way to Elle''s dressing room. He was about to knock at the door when he realized it was open a crack. He slowly opened the door. As he looked inside he felt a smile creep onto his face. What he saw in that moment tugged at his heart.

    Elle stood in front of the large floor-to-ceiling mirror and admired herself. Spinning this way and that to get a better look. She would occasionally do a twirl and watch the way the skirt billow and flare around her. Elle''s eyes shone brightly, and there was a smile on her lips. She looked radiating.

    Adam chuckled to himself as he watched her. "Enjoying yourself?" He teased.

    Elle jumped at the sound of his voice. She turned around and found him leaning against the doorway. She was thoroughly embarrassed.

    "I was just admiring the dress, that''s all." She insisted.

    "Oh really? It looked like you were having a great deal of fun."

    "Who said you could come in anyway?" Elle shot back. "Shouldn''t you knock before you enter a ladies dressing room?"

    "The door way open." Adam said in his defence. "It''s getting late; you should quickly change. I''ll drive you back."

    "Okay." Elle replied.

    It took a long time to change back. She carefully took the dress off, it was collected by Will, and then she changed back into her normal clothes. Then someone came by with a security guard to collect the necklace. One of the hair and makeup ladies returned to help her take all her make up off. They also collected the mask and crystal pins from her hair.

    All the while Adam sat in the back of the room watching as Elle slowly transformed back into herself. By the end of it Elle felt twice as tired as when she started, and about twenty pounds lighter. It felt odd to look at herself in the mirror again. With the heavy weight of the dress and necklace gone she felt something was missing.

    "Is something wrong?" Adam asked as he watched Elle stare at her reflection pensively.

    "Nothing''s wrong. It just feels weird for everything to be back to normal. I feel like I''ve woken up from a dream."

    "If you miss the dream I can always arrange for you to do it again."

    Elle turned around and gave Adam a smile. "It''s fine. One perfect dream is more then enough."

    "Well Cinderella, it''s almost midnight. You really should be getting back." Adam teased as he extended his arm to her.

    Elle hesitated for a second before gently placing her hand in his arm. Adam helped her into his car and then set off. As always the car ride back was quite. At one point Adam glanced over at her to realize Elle had fallen asleep. Her head was resting against the window and her chest rose and fell with her long even breaths.

    Adam felt that in that moment she looked every bit as radiating as she had in the dressing room when she had been wearing thousands of dollars'' worth of jewels and gowns.

    Eventually he reached her house. He parked the car outside for a minute, hesitant to wake her up, but after a moment he gentle roused her from her sleep. They bid goodbye and both returned to their respective homes. That night they both had incredibly peaceful dreams.

 48 The Morning After

    The next morning news of MK''s event dominated the media. News reports all discussed how successful the event was, and social media was buzzing with positive comments. Reporters weren''t allowed inside the event, so the only information anyone had to go off of were the remarks of MK''s guests last night; which were all glowing. Of course, although there was no mention in the news about the incident involving Emma, the damage was done. That morning her agent received dozens of calls cancelling all of Emma''s upcoming events.

    "What did you do to offend MK?" Her manager asked incredulously. Last night was the prefect chance for Emma to make new contacts and elevate herself, but instead she was blacklisted. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly? All Emma could do was watch as her career died in front of her.

    Meanwhile Elle was still in bed, blissfully unaware of the misfortune that had befallen Emma. The entire incident was long forgotten for Elle. Elle had woken up over an hour ago, but she still laid in bed scrolling through different platforms, reading peoples comments about the event.

    As she read the smile on her face grew bigger and bigger. Even though it wasn''t her event Elle felt more invested in the results of this then she had for any of Tae''s events. It pleased her to be part of such a huge event, and pleased her even more that it had gone so well.

    Even though the event had only taken place a few hours ago, to Elle it felt like an entire lifetime ago. It was like a far away dream. It was better than a dream. She was still in bed reminiscing when her stomach made a loud noise. It was only then that she realized that she hadn''t eaten anything since yesterday''s lunch.

    Elle felt as light as a feather as she went down to the kitchen to get something to eat. On her way down she passed her father.

    "In a good mood?" He asked as he watched her glide past him. It had been a long time since he had seen such pure smile on his daughter''s face.

    "I suppose." Elle replied as she walked past him.

    Since it was a Saturday no one had gone into work. Even at MK the employees got to enjoy their weekend now that the event had successfully passed. Only Adam and a few higher ups were there; they had a quick meeting that morning to review how the event had gone.

    Once the briefing was over everyone returned to their offices. Adam sat at his desk scrolling through photographs.

    In the afternoon MK would release an official statement about the event along with a few images from last night. Adam was tasked with selecting the images from the wide array of photos MK''s professional photographers had taken.

    Adam flipped through the photos, scrutinizing them mechanically. It was only when he got to a batch of photos of Elle that he slowed down, smiling, as he went through them. One picture in particular caught his eye.

    It was a side profile of Elle looking up at the Wisteria flowers. Adam remembered the moment well. As he looked at the photo je couldn''t help but think the photographer had done a good job of capturing the joy in her eyes.

    Adam was about to click to the next photo when an idea suddenly came into his mind. Adam saved the photo to his phone and made a quick call.

 49 Incomplete Chapter #49 Will Be Updated!!!

    While Adam returned to his office, David made his way down to the design department. Suzy sat at her desk with the door ajar.

    David stood in the doorway and knocked against the frame.

    "Can I come in?" He asked.

    Suzy looked up from her work in surprise. She had no idea what had happened with Emma afterwards, so she had no idea that they had been caught.

    She smiled warmly at David. "Of course, come in."

    David went in and stood in front of Suzy''s desk.

    "Please, sit down." She insisted. She always did her best to treat David will, only because he was Adam''s secretary.

    "That''s okay Director Shaw, I have no intention of stay long." David said coolly. Only when she took in the tone of his voice did Suzy begin to get the sinking feeling that something was wrong.

    "Is there something I can help you with?" She asked nervously.

    "I''ve come to give you a warning." David said sternly.

    "I''m not sure I know what you''re talking about." Suzy replied with a quivering voice. What had gone wrong? How much had been discovered? She wondered fearfully.

    "It''s true that there''s no proof that you had anything to do with your friend''s actions last night so the president is willing to look away this time, but I''ll only warn you once; stop doing things you ought to not be doing. Only focus on doing your job here well."

    Suzy''s jaw clenched with frustration. She was supposed to be the star today. Months and months of hard work ruined by a single useless model. But what could she say? Suzy could only sit in silence and listen to David''s warning.

    David took her silence as acknowledgment and started to leave, but stopped in the doorway.

    "One more thing." He said, looking back at her. "Be more careful going forward. You know what Adam is like, there will not be a second chance."

    "Yes, sir." Suzy replied through gritted teeth. David couldn''t see, but under her desk Suzy had clenched her hands into fists, her long nails digging into the palms of her hand.

 49 A Pleasant Surprise

    While Adam returned to his office, David made his way down to the design department. Suzy sat at her desk with the door ajar.

    David stood in the doorway and knocked against the frame.

    "Can I come in?" He asked.

    Suzy looked up from her work in surprise. She had no idea what had happened with Emma afterwards, so she had no idea that they had been caught.

    She smiled warmly at David. "Of course, come in."

    David went in and stood in front of Suzy''s desk.

    "Please, sit down." She insisted. She always did her best to treat David will, only because he was Adam''s secretary.

    "That''s okay Director Shaw, I have no intention of stay long." David said coolly. Only when she took in the tone of his voice did Suzy begin to get the sinking feeling that something was wrong.

    "Is there something I can help you with?" She asked nervously.

    "I''ve come to give you a warning." David said sternly.

    "I''m not sure I know what you''re talking about." Suzy replied with a quivering voice. What had gone wrong? How much had been discovered? She wondered fearfully.

    "It''s true that there''s no proof that you had anything to do with your friend''s actions last night so the president is willing to look away this time, but I''ll only warn you once; stop doing things you ought to not be doing. Only focus on doing your job here well."

    Suzy''s jaw clenched with frustration. She was supposed to be the star today. Months and months of hard work ruined by a single useless model. But what could she say? Suzy could only sit in silence and listen to David''s warning.

    David took her silence as acknowledgment and started to leave, but stopped in the doorway.

    "One more thing." He said, looking back at her. "Be more careful going forward. You know what Adam is like, there will not be a second chance."

    "Yes, sir." Suzy replied through gritted teeth. David couldn''t see, but under her desk Suzy had clenched her hands into fists, her long nails digging into the palms of her hand.

    ~~

    On the other side of town Elle had just finished eating breakfast, despite the fact that it was approaching noon. Elle heard the doorbell right but paid no mind to it. She was scrolling through her phone when she heard the front door open, there was a pause, and then she heard her father shout her name.

    "Elle," He called out, "It''s for you."

    Elle got up with a frown. She wasn''t expecting anyone, who could it be? She wondered curiously. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw what, rather than who, was waiting for her.

    At the door was a delivery boy from a local flower shop, and in his arms was a beautiful bouquet made up of the same white wisteria flowers from last night, paired with pale blue roses. A huge grin slowly crept onto her face as Elle accepted the flowers.

    Her father stood to the side, watching with a grimace as his daughter accepted the beautiful bouquet.

    "A secret admirer?" Her father asked.

    "No." Elle said, paying no attention to him.

    "A boyfriend perhaps?" He asked playfully, but Elle could hear the tension in his voice.

    "You don''t have to worry, they''re just from a friend." Elle said to placate him. "I did them a favour recently; I suspect this is a ''thank you'' gift."

    "I see." Elle''s father walked away, but he couldn''t deny that the idea of his only daughter having a boyfriend bothered him. It wasn''t something he had prepared himself for yet, despite the fact that she was in her twenties.

    While her father was busy contemplating Elle quickly took the flowers up to her room and set them down on her desk. As she admired them she realized there was a folded card nestled between the flowers.

    Elle opened the note, all that was inside was the sentence ''Since you seemed to like them so much.'', written in the neat, even script of Adam''s handwriting.

    Elle carefully plucked a few petals from the bouquet and pressed them into the card, which she then pressed between two thick books laying on her desk. She then took out her phone and sent Adam a text message.

    First she sent a picture of the beautiful arrangement. Then she wrote, "Thank you for the flowers. How did you know I liked them so much?"

    Adam simply replied with a picture of his own. Elle opened it and realized it was a photo of herself from the previous night, looking up at the flowers. Elle was speechless.

    The photo was breathtaking; she could hardly believe the girl in the photo was her. But more than that, she couldn''t believe that a man who was infamous for being strict and uncaring could be so thoughtful.

    After a moment Adam sent a few more photo''s. They weren''t all of her, but the majority were.

    "I thought you might like to have some photos for the memory, but be careful with them. You''re the only person with a copy." Adam wrote.

    As Elle was flipping through the photo''s Adam had sent her she received another text message. This time it was from Abby.

    "Hey there, long time no see!" Abby wrote. "Are you free today? Can I come over?"

    Elle glanced at the time. Usually she liked to spend her weekends alone, but today she was in an exceptionally good mood.

    "Okay." Elle replied. "Come over."

 50 Secrets

    About an hour later Elle opened to door to see Abby standing in the doorway bundled up from head to toe.

    "I take it you''re not enjoying the autumn weather?" Elle asked with a laugh as Abby came in.

    "It''s way too cold." Abby grumbled. "Winter hasn''t even started yet and I''m already over it."

    "Let me warm you up then." Elle said, she suddenly hugged Abby from behind, throwing her full weight onto her friend. The two girls went tumbling forwards. They didn''t hit the ground, but only because Jacob happened to be there to break their fall.

    Abby began apologizing profusely. "Look what you''ve done now." She said, smacking Elle on the arm. "How embarrassing."

    "You don''t need to feel embarrassed in front of him." Elle said passively. "His opinion is of little concern."

    "Be careful while you''re here. You may pick up a few bad habits in her company." Jacob said to Abby with a wink.

    "Come on, let''s go." Elle said, taking Abby by the hand and leading her away. Abby followed awkwardly.

    They went into the lounge where they began catching up. Elle made no mention of what had happened with MK or with Adam. She felt bad keeping a secret from her best friend, but she didn''t want to share what had happened with anyone. For some reason Elle felt it was too intimate and personal to share; it was a private memory for only her to keep.

    A few minutes passed but Abby still seemed to be shivering so Elle left to go get some tea and snacks for them to share. While she was gone Abby pulled out her phone and saw that MK had made their press release. When Elle re-entered the room Abby was practically bouncing out of her seat.

    "Elle MK had their press release let''s watch it together!" She said excitedly.

    "Can''t you just look at it on your phone?" Elle asked apprehensively.

    "It''s not the same. The pictures are meant to be seen on a big screen, my tiny phone won''t do them justice." Abby pleaded.

    Elle suddenly felt nervous, what would happen if Abby recognized her? Or anyone for that matter. But she had no reason to decline, so she hesitantly turned the television on.

    The release had just happened, and all the news channels seemed to be covering it. MK had released a simple statement describing their delight at the success of the event which was accompanied by several photos from the event for the public to view.

    Thankfully the collection only contained two photos of Elle. One was a side profile, so her face wasn''t visible. The other was a front profile, but with the mask and with all the makeup Abby didn''t seem to notice that the girl on the screen was the same girl sitting beside her.

    "I''m so jealous." Abby said with a sigh. "That girl looks so beautiful; I wish I was her."

    Elle, who happened to be taking a sip of tea, started chocking on her drink. Abby looked at her in surprise.

    "Are you okay?" She asked.

    "I''m fine." Elle said. "I just¡­I just suddenly remembered, didn''t you ask to borrow a book from me? Let me give it to you now before I forget."

    "But they''re still talking about MK." Abby said looking back at the television.

    "They''ll run that story a million times today, you can watch it again later. Come on."

    Abby hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed and followed Elle to her room. Elle went to the bookshelf to look for the book while Abby casually wandered around the room. The bouquet immediately caught her eye.

    "What is this?!" Abby exclaimed as she examined the flowers. "Who got them for you?"

    Elle felt the blood rush to her cheeks, she had completely forgotten about the flowers. Thankfully the card was already hidden away.

    "It''s nothing, they were just a thank you gift." Elle said. She couldn''t exactly say they were from Adam Hayes.

    "Is that so?" Abby said. She could tell that Elle had just diverted the question, but Abby let the topic fall.

    Abby felt her chest tighten as she realized that, for the first time, her friend was keeping something from her.

 51 Drifting

    For most of the afternoon both girls sat in the lounge both doing their own things. It was a something that they had often done in high school; they would both be in the same room but studying different subjects or reading different books. Elle had always found it comforting to quietly pass the time in each other''s company this way.

    Abby was back on her phone, still looking through at the news of MK''s event last night. Occasionally she would comment on something aloud to Elle who would absentmindedly give a generic response.

    Elle had gotten her laptop from her bedroom and was finally taking a moment to get back to her writing. The past few weeks had been full of work; work for Tae''s new product launch as well as work preparing for MK''s event. Things in her novel had left off at the introduction of a new potential male lead. As Elle went through the comments she was amazed. She thought her novel was popular before, but her views had skyrocketed since introducing a potential love interest.

    Comments were pouring in about wanting more, so Elle threw herself into her writing. She carefully planned what sort of character to make the male lead, and the details of how the relationship should progress going forward. When she left off Rina had started working on the set of a new movie with James, the new potential love interest.

    Elle poured her own emotions into her story ¨C it was the only way she knew how to write. At the time Adam had just invited her to model for MK and she had been feeling insufficient, so in her writing Rina had been feeling insufficient with her acting. But today Elle felt confident. Everything had gone better then she ever hoped for last night, she wasn''t in the mood to write anything negative today, so she decided things should finally turn around for her character.

    Since her chapters were made to be written as diary entries of the main character a lot of the updates could be short, Elle ended up writing several entries; James helped Rina practice her lines again and again, in the end the new movie was a great success.

    Elle was in her own world; she was so caught up with her writing that she didn''t notice Abby watching her with a perplexed look on her face.

    "I''m going to get a glass of water." Abby said finally.

    "Mhmm." Elle mumbled absentmindedly.

    As Abby entered the kitchen she saw Jacob again.

    "Hello." She greeted him, still feeling some embarrassment from earlier.

    "Hello again. Having fun?" Jacob asked mildly.

    "Yea." Abby replied, but she was unenthusiastic and Jacob picked up on it.

    "Is something wrong?"

    "No, it''s nothing."

    "It doesn''t look like nothing."

    "Well¡­" Abby said hesitantly. "Nothing''s wrong, I just feel like something''s different about Elle today."

    "How do you mean?" Jacob asked.

    "I have the feeling that she''s keeping something from me." Abby confessed.

    "Is that all?" Jacob said with a chuckle.

    "I told you it was nothing." Abby mumbled. "It''s just that it isn''t like her to be keeping things to herself."

    "You clearly don''t know her that well then. She''s always like that." Jacob said lightly. He then took his things and left the kitchen.

    Abby suddenly felt very silly. It was true that Elle had never kept a secret from her before, so it had bothered Abby when Elle had very obviously avoided talking about the flowers she had received, but wasn''t it normal for everyone to have a secret or two? She still hadn''t shared her own secret with Elle yet, so it didn''t make much sense to get all worked up.

    Having made up her mind to not let it bother her anymore Abby returned to the lounge.

    "Hey Elle," She said as she entered, "I actually have some news I want to share with you."

    Elle looked up from her writing. "What is it?"

    "I didn''t say anything earlier because I wanted to be certain before I shared the news, I''ve actually finished enough credits to graduate early. One of my professors recommended me to be a teaching assistant at an arts college here and I got the job."

    Elle suddenly shut her laptop screen and sat up excitedly. "Congratulations! That''s great news."

    "Thanks Elle." Abby said with a smile.

    "I can''t believe you managed to be quite about it for so long. You were always terrible at keeping secrets."

    "That''s not fair, I just get excited easily. Besides it wasn''t really a secret, I just wanted it to be a surprise." Abby pouted.

    Elle laughed. "When are you moving back?"

    "I''ll be staying with my parents for now while I get settled into my work. After the holiday''s I''ll probably go back once or twice to pack my things."

    "That''s great, really." Elle congratulated her again. "I''m so happy for you."

    The girls talked for a little while longer before Abby had to leave. Elle got up to see her friend out, but first went back to her room to quickly put her laptop away. As Abby stood in the doorway she saw the flowers again and couldn''t help but feel doubt creeping back into her. Abby had been overseas for almost three years now. It was only natural that things might have changed while she was gone. This left Abby to wonder exactly how well she knew her friend.

 52 The Holiday Rush

    Another week passed by in the blink of an eye. Both Adam and Elle were caught up with their work. They only spoke once during the week. Adam had contacted Elle to let her know that MK had deposited her pay for her modelling.

    Elle opened her bank information and stared in shock at how many digits were in the deposited amount. It was agreed upon in the contract, but now that the event had come and gone she no longer felt like she deserved it. That night didn''t feel like work. Feeling uneasy, Elle gave Adam a call.

    He picked up quickly, "Is something wrong?" He asked as he answered the call.

    "No, nothing''s wrong. It''s just that the amount deposited¡­" Elle trailed off.

    "Is it not enough?" Adam asked lightly.

    "No, no, no," Elle said quickly, "I just feel wrong accepting it."

    "Why?"

    "You''ve done so much for me. To me that night was a gift, it feels wrong for me to accept pay for it."

    Adam chuckled. "Keep it, you''ve earned it. Besides, I''ve seen the media reactions; it''s been a week and you''re still in the top five trending topics."

    "That''s because of the necklace. It was such a gorgeous piece, it''s only natural that people are still talking about it." Elle deflected.

    "That''s not true, they''re talking about you. Everyday MK receives inquisitions asking who our mystery model was that night. You captivated everyone, not the necklace. You did well."

    On the other side of the phone Elle blushed as she heard Adam''s compliment. "Thank you." She mumbled.

    Elle heard the sound of a door open on through the phone, and then a third person''s muffled voice.

    "Ah, I have to go." Adam said suddenly. "I''m being called into a meeting, but if you require anything further just let me know."

    "Okay." Elle said softly. "Thank you."

    Once she hung up the call Elle went back to her work as well. There was just one more week before Tae would be launching their perfume for the holiday''s. It wasn''t going to be a large elaborate event like MK''s jewellery launch, but as the marketing director Elle still had a lot of preparations to complete for the launch.

    By the time Elle finished her work for the day and packed up to go home it was already pitch black outside. Elle bundled up and then headed outside to realize that it was snowing heavily. It had already snowed once or twice so far, but this was the first time the snow had begun to pile up on the ground. Elle had to trudge through the snow to get to her car.

    Most people didn''t appreciate the snow, and Elle could imagine what a pain it would be to shovel the next morning, but she couldn''t help but enjoy it as she drove home. The big, fluffy, pieces were floating down gently. It was late and hardly anyone was outside. In that moment the world seemed peaceful and quite, just how Elle liked it.

    The snow also reminded Elle that Christmas was coming, which reminded her that she hadn''t done any of her holiday shopping yet. So when the weekend finally arrived Elle woke up early and headed to the mall to get her shopping done.

    The mall had only just opened when Elle arrived. She was able to shop in peace for a few hours before the place started getting crowded. Two hours later Elle was exhausted, and taking a break in a coffee shop. She sat at one side of a table and her bags sat in a chair on the other side of it as she enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate.

    One of her bags was fully to the brim with boxes of chocolates that Elle found particularly tempting, but she restrained herself somehow, settling for the hot chocolate instead.

    In addition to the chocolates she had gotten gifts for the members of her department as well as a few of the higher-ups, and a few other mandatory gifts, like ones for her aunts and uncles.

    Elle only had two more people left on her list ¨C her father and Abby.

    After much thought Elle decided to buy Abby one of the necklaces from the retail line of MK''s recent jewellery launch. Abby had always been interested in entertainment related news, even back in high school. She was currently still obsessed with MK''s event, even one week later. Elle knew that Abby would never purchase such an expensive item for herself, so she decided to get it for her.

    For her father Elle had been undecided for a long time. At first she wasn''t sure if she would get him anything at all, after all, things had been so strained between them recently. Elle deliberated for a few days, and for a while she was determined to not get him anything simply out of spite, but after another day or two she finally decided to get him something.

    It was true that things between them were complicated right now, but for the past twenty-four years of her life Elle had thought fondly of him. It was hard to erase all the love she had felt for him, even though sometimes she really wanted to. So in the end she decided to buy some herbal teas for him. It was the cold season after all.

    Elle still had to get the two gifts so after she finished her drink Elle collected all her bags and went back out to the crowded mall.

 53 The Holiday Rush 2

    Elle ventured back out into the crowded mall, eager to finish her shopping and get home quickly. MK Jewellery was just a few shops down, so she headed in that direction. When she approached the store Elle was stunned to see how large the crowd waiting there was.

    Elle knew that the new line of products were popular, and the event had been a huge success, but she hadn''t expected things to be this busy for them. There was a line of people waiting just to enter the store. Elle laughed to herself when she realized that most of the people in line were men, and many of them looked like they were there begrudgingly. Elle assumed most of them were there to buy presents for their significant others.

    Elle debated whether she wanted to get in the line or not. She knew Abby would be pleased by the gift, but she was reluctant to stand in that line. The bags she was already carrying weren''t getting any lighter either. In the end Elle decided to go buy the tea for her father first, then go drop her bags off in her car, and then return for the necklace. Hopefully by then the line would dissipate a bit. Even if it didn''t, at the very least, Elle wouldn''t have to keep carrying the heavy bags as she waited.

    Elle went to a specialty tea store that sold hundreds of varieties of teas. Again Elle was tempted to buy something for herself, but with great restraint she managed to focus on the gift for her father. After speaking to one of the workers Elle finally decided on an herbal tea that contained a blend of ginger, orange, and a few other ingredients that was supposed to be highly effective on colds. It was a gift for her father, but Elle was secretly excited to be able to try it.

    Once she finished purchasing the gift she went out to her car and carefully put the bags away in her trunk. Elle glanced at the time as she re-entered the mall. It was already one in the afternoon.

    ''Just a little longer.'' She told herself as she returned to MK Jewellery. The line hadn''t gotten much shorter in the time she was gone, but it hadn''t gotten any longer either. Elle joined the end of the line thinking that Abby had better love the present.

    Slowly Elle got closer and closer to the front of the line until she was finally able to enter the store. Elle already knew exactly which necklace she was going to get; it was one made out of white gold with a circle made up of diamonds in the centre.

    Elle thought she could be in and out of the store quickly, but she stopped short in surprise as she entered.

    The store front was made up entirely of glass, but hanging on the other three walls were giant blown up pictures of the models of MK''s luxury line. This, of course, included Elle.

    The portraits were cropped to highlight the jewellery, so the top of the photo began below her eye line and the bottom cut off at her waist. Her eyes weren''t visible at all, and because of the mask neither were her nose or her cheekbones. As a result, no one seemed to notice that the girl in the photo and the girl standing in front of it were the same person. However, this didn''t stop Elle from feeling embarrassed as she glanced at the giant portrait.

    Elle made her purchase quickly, suddenly eager to be out of the store. She bought the necklace and with that she was finally done all her shopping. Elle couldn''t wait to just get back home and plop down; after close to three hours of shopping she was exhausted.

    On her way out, however, she passed a store with a pair of cufflinks in the display window that happen to catch her eye. As she glanced at them an idea suddenly came to mind. Elle slipped into the store to make one last purchase before she finally got back into her car and returned home.

 54 Celebrations

    It was finally the week of Tae''s product launch. After weeks of endless work Elle could finally see the finish line. Tae had filmed a series of commercials to begin airing starting on the actual day of the launch, but part of Elle''s idea had been to use influencers to promote the product the four days leading up to the launch. Tae had sent out a free bottle of the perfume to four different popular figures. One was a model, another an actress, one was a t.v. personality, and finally the last one was simply a socialite with a large circle of connections.

    Each day leading up to the launch a different influencer would promote the perfume on their platform. This meant each day the marketing department was running wild tracking posts and reactions, and ensuring everything ran perfectly.

    Elle got to work at eight every morning, and didn''t leave again until eight at night. One day the actress they had sent the bottle to wore the perfume to her movie release. Since the event took place a night Elle monitored the media reaction from home, working late into the night.

    Unbeknownst to Elle, Adam was also gauging the media''s reaction. He knew that Tae would be releasing their new scent at the end of the week, and he knew that as the marketing director this was Elle''s project. So everyday he took a minute or two to check in on the progress. Things seemed to be going well, pre-orders began being placed on Monday ahead of the release on Friday.

    The pre-orders were a good way to measure how successful their marketing tactic was, but Elle didn''t once look at the numbers during the week. As a tradition the marketing department would hold off on checking the number of pre-orders until the official launch happened. They would all stay late the night of the launch and receive the results together.

    Finally, after a long and tiring week, Friday arrived. Elle and her team were in one of the conference rooms anxiously awaiting the results. The official product launch took place at noon, but it was already approaching six in the evening. They had to wait for the sales department to finalize the numbers.

    As they waited most of Elle''s team members were talking to each other, though they were anxious most of them were optimistic about the results. Things in the conference room were lively as the department tried to pass the time. Elle, however, sat alone at the head of the table. She tapped her fingers against the desk as she nervously waited.

    They had gotten both good and bad results in the past, but Elle had never felt as tense as she did now. This was the first time in a long time that she had put so much thought and effort into a project; she couldn''t bare the thought of things going poorly after all the work that had been put into it.

    After what felt like an eternity Elle finally saw the sales department head and three other members approach the conference room. The lively room was quiet in an instant as the sales team entered the room.

    "So?" Elle asked as they walked in. "How is it?"

    The sales members all had straight looks on their faces, Elle couldn''t gather anything from their expression, but her hopes for high numbers began to fade.

    "Tae''s previous record for the number of pre-orders was 100,000. Today we performed a count and the total number of pre-orders was¡­350,000!"

    Elle felt a huge weight lift from her chest. She took in a deep breath of relief as the rest of her team members began cheering.

    "Good work everyone." The sales department congratulated them.

    Everyone was wild with celebration but Elle was still sitting, shocked. 350,000? That was more than triple their previous record. It was a number beyond her wildest expectations.

    The sound of a champagne bottle popping brought Elle out of her thoughts, and she finally joined in on the festivities as her team poured her a glass. It really was quite the accomplishment, all the long hours and restless nights suddenly seemed worth it.

    "I don''t want to see any of you in until Monday afternoon." Elle announced as she shared a glass with her department.

    "Are you sure director? There are still a lot of reports to make."

    "I''m sure. You''ve all worked very hard these past few weeks. Go home and sleep until Monday."

    Everyone cheered and thanked her. Elle knew she would have to come in early on Monday to compensate for the lost time, but she felt it was worth it when she saw the smiles on everyone''s faces. Afterwards everyone wanted to go out to continue the celebrations, Elle was invited of course, but she declined. She was eager to go home.

    Elle ended up leaving first, she walked out into the cold winter air feeling tired but happy. As she made her way out Elle was surprised to see a familiar black car parked in front of the building. Elle had no idea how long Adam was waiting for, but his dark hair had beet tousled by the wind, and his nose was red from the frosty air. Adam leaned against the car casually, but straightened up once he saw Elle approaching.

    "What are you doing here?" Elle asked with a smile.

    "I came to congratulate you."

    "You know?"

    "I do."

    "How can you possibly know the launch was successful? Even I only just found out." Elle asked in disbelief.

    "If I want to know something there''s no way I can''t find out." Adam said proudly. "The launch was well done. Congratulations Director Shaw."

    "Thank you." Elle was grinning from ear to ear. Adam''s congratulations were more rewarding than the champagne.

    "How are you feeling? Excited? Proud?"

    "Exhausted and hungry mostly." Elle said with laugh.

    "Get in. I''ll treat you to dinner." Adam said as he opened the passenger door. "You can sleep in the car on the way back like you did last time. I don''t mind, even if you do snore." He teased.

    "I don''t snore." Elle grumbled, but she got into the passenger seat anyway.

    Adam chuckled and closed the door behind her.

 55 A Little Closer

    That night Adam took her to a nearby Italian restaurant. When they got inside Elle ordered quickly, barely looking at the menu. Thing''s had been so busy at Tae that she hadn''t eaten well in the past week. Elle was eager to eat a nice hot meal for once. When the food came she dove in.

    "Eat slowly." Adam chided. "You''ll have an upset stomach later.

    "I don''t know how you do it." Elle said sympathetically. "MK must have hundreds of projects going on. Just this one nearly killed me, I have no idea how you manage so many."

    "Well that''s what capable marketing directors are for." Adam said with a smile. "Your father must be pleased with the results."

    "I''m sure he will be."

    "He doesn''t know yet?" Adam asked with a frown.

    "I''m not sure. I haven''t seen him much over the past week or two. I didn''t see him at all today." Elle said casually.

    "Are things not well between you two?" Adam asked before suddenly remembering himself. "Never mind, you don''t need to answer. It''s none of my business."

    "It''s okay." Elle said with a smile. "We''re not estranged; things are just a bit complicated right now. You see he was always strict with me, and we would fight from time to time, but I didn''t mind it when I was growing up. He was strict, but he was mine. I was the only one in the world who understood him. But then my mother passed away three years ago and my father suddenly remarried this year without telling me about it."

    "You didn''t know he was seeing someone?"

    "I had no idea. I don''t even know how they met. One day he just showed up at home with them, told me they had gotten married. He''s just as strict as he always was but suddenly I mind it very much."

    "You don''t like your new family I take it."

    "It''s true that I don''t like them, but I don''t know them. I''ve barely spoken a word to any of them. They don''t mistreat me, but they''re strangers. Before I didn''t mind the way my father treated me because I understood him. Now I see him being kind to strangers and I feel like I don''t know him at all. Sometimes I can''t help but wonder why¡­" Elle trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

    "Why he''s kind to them but not to you." Adam finished for her. Elle nodded.

    "I''m so sorry. I should never have brought it up." Adam said sullenly.

    "That''s okay," She said swallowing the lump in her throat, "Tonight I''ll forgive you. Tonight not even my father can ruin my good mood." Elle said with a reassuring grin.

    Adam returned her smile with one of his own. "That''s good. Smiling becomes you."

    Elle nearly chocked on her wine when she heard his words. She looked up at him, but he acted normally and continued eating his food as if he hadn''t just said something outrageous. Elle looked back down at her own plate, blushing furiously.

    "What about you?" She asked.

    "Hmm?"

    "What is your family like."

    "Painfully mundane. My mother is overbearing and my father treats the company like his first born."

    "You''re right, they''re not nearly as exciting as mine." Elle teased.

    While they enjoyed their meal they had no idea that a few tables away from them sat a group of friends that had recognized Adam. Elle and Adam were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn''t notice the flash of the camera either.

 56 Scandal

    Adam dropped Elle off at home after dinner. The weekend passed by uneventfully. Elle rested in her bed the entire weekend, only leaving her room to make quick trips to the kitchen for food. It had been a long time since she had such a relaxing weekend.

    On Monday Elle woke up feeling well rested but also resentful. She had given her department the morning off, but as a result she went in an hour early to try to make up for the lost time. Although she wasn''t happy about having to go in so early something about the empty desks made Elle smile. She got into her office and sat down behind the stacks of paperwork thinking that her team members better thoroughly enjoy their morning off.

    Elle settled in quickly and got to work, slowly hacking away at the mountain of paper. There were dozens of reports to read, even more to write. Not having anyone else in the department meant there was no one to help her, but no one to distract her either. Taking advantage of the few quite hours she would have, Elle quickly lost herself in her work. She was so focused that she didn''t notice the time go by. So focused that when her phone pinged the noise startled her.

    She jumped in her seat as the sound of her phone broke through the silence. It was a text message from Adam.

    "I''m not sure if you''ve seen the news yet," He wrote. "Ignore it when you do."

    Elle frowned. "What news?" She asked.

    "It''s nothing important but I thought it might worry you. I''m just letting you know now that there''s no reason that it should."

    It was too late; Elle''s curiosity was piqued. She opened a popular social media site on her phone and sure enough all anyone was talking about was Adam. At first Elle was mortified to see the photo. It was a photo of them from dinner on Friday night. Elle recognized the intimate decor of the restaurant. The photo was taken from behind her, so all that was visible was the back of her, but still everyone had recognized her as the model from MK''s event. More importantly, Adam''s face could be seen as clear as day.

    As Elle read the article her mortification quickly turned to amusement.

    The article suggested that Adam Hayes had been ''seduced'' by the mystery model from MK''s event, and that the two were now dating which is why MK wouldn''t release her name.

    Elle had to force herself to not laugh. The idea of anyone managing to seduce Adam Hayes was hysterical, never mind the fact that Adam would never compromise his or the company''s integrity for a woman.

    "I saw the photo." Elle wrote to Adam.

    "I told you it''s nothing."

    "It''s not nothing." She wrote back.

    "Are you upset?" Adam was worried about how she was feeling. Elle specifically wanted to be kept out of the media after all. "Do you need me to come see you?" He asked.

    "Aren''t you worried that if you come over I''ll use my powers of seduction to get you to transfer some of MK''s shares to me?"

    Adam let out a breath of relief when he read the text. If she was teasing him it meant she didn''t mind, right?

    "Very funny." He wrote back. "You''re not upset?"

    "There''s nothing for me to be upset over. No one knows it was me, they just know it was MK''s model. I''m just sorry you were implicated in such a way because of me."

    "Don''t worry about it. In a few days everyone will forget all about it."

    "If you say so." Elle replied. There wasn''t much she could do anyway, if Adam said it was fine all she could do was go along with him.

    Of course, at the time Adam truly believed it would be fine. MK would probably do some PR work, and after a few days everyone would forget all about it as they moved on to the next scandal. Unbeknownst to Adam things wouldn''t tide over that smoothly.

    Mrs. Hayes had already seen the photo, and she didn''t intend for Adam to worm his way out of this one so easily. But she would bide her time, for now.

 57 He Loved Her

    Elle returned to her work, around one in the afternoon everyone else in the department finally came in to work. They were all still wearing the big grins they had worn on Friday night.

    Although there was a ton of work to be done they were all in great spirits, Elle included. Everyone managed to work diligently for two or three hours before the president distracted them. It was almost closing time when Elle''s father walked into the department and headed straight to Elle''s office. The marketing team whispered excitedly amongst themselves. What was he here for? Was he here to congratulate them?

    Elle hadn''t noticed the commotion outside and was still focused on her work when she heard the knock at her door.

    "Come in." She called out without bothering to look up. She recognized the three quick taps of her father''s knock.

    Elle felt her heartbeat pick up as she wondered the same thing as everyone outside her office. She hadn''t spoken to her father over the weekend, was he here to congratulate her now?

    But Elle''s excitement quickly vanished, her stomach dropped as she watched her father enter the room with Jacob following closely behind. But Elle hid her disappointment behind a perfect smile.

    "What can I do for you, sir?" She asked politely.

    "I''m just showing Jacob around the company today. I''ve decided to have him join the sales department in the new year." Her father announced.

    Elle kept the smile on her face but her hand tightened into a fist under the table. The sales department was one of the biggest departments in the company, they were responsible for all of Tae''s store locations. It was also the department with the most opportunities for promotion.

    Elle could see what her dad was doing clearly, he intended to drop Jacob in the sales department so that he could climb in rank quickly. Within the year he would probably be promoted to a manager status, another year to senior management. Soon enough he would be a department head as well.

    Of course Elle had progressed quickly in the marketing department as well, but it was much harder to gain that title. She managed to rise up quickly because her work spoke for itself.

    Elle had known this was coming, after all she had overheard their conversation that day. She knew her father would bring Jacob into the company, and yet she hadn''t been ready for it. Work was her only place of solitude, the only place where she didn''t have to walk on eggshells, wondering if she would have to see them.

    "Welcome to the company." Elle said with as much fake enthusiasm as she could muster.

    "Take care of him in the new year." Her father instructed.

    "Yes sir."

    Her father left soon after and Jacob followed, not saying a word the entire time. As they watched the president leave, Elle''s team members came running to her door.

    "What was the president here for? Did he applaud us for our good numbers?"

    Elle hesitated for a moment as she looked at all their happy faces. "Yes," she lied. "Something like that."

    Elle wanted to believe that she was only upset because she was about to lose her quiet paradise, but she knew there was more to it then that.

    Once again, she had worked so hard for her position in the company, and yet Jacob was about to get a free pass. Just like he got a free pass into her family. Elle felt a familiar loneliness creep into her heart.

    On an impulse she pulled out her phone and sent Adam a text message.

    "I change my mind." She wrote. "I want to see you after all. Can you drive me home?"

    "I''ll be there in ten minutes."

    "That''s okay, take your time." Elle sent, feeling guilty that she was interrupting his work.

    "Its fine. I''ll be there in ten."

    Elle packed up and bid her team a good night. She went downstairs and waited in the warmth of the lobby until she saw Adam''s car pull up in front of the building.

    "What''s wrong?" Adam asked as he got out of the car to meet her.

    Elle quickly looked around. "You shouldn''t get out. It''ll be bad if you''re seen with me. Especially with the rumours already going around."

    "Never mind that." Adam said. As he approached her he saw the red tinge in Elle''s eyes. "Have you been crying?" He asked softly.

    Elle hadn''t cried yet that day. In fact, she hadn''t cried in a long time. But when Elle heard his soft and low voice it was as if a dam had suddenly broken. Her tears began to fall endlessly.

    Adam pulled her into his embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around her. In the safety of his strong arms Elle cried to her hearts content. She buried her face into his warm chest, which muffled the sound of her soft sobs.

    Elle didn''t know how long they were out there for. Adam didn''t say a word, he just held her tightly and slowly stroked her back until she finally calmed down. The tears stopped and Adam gently helped her into the car.

    After driving for a few minutes Elle finally broke the silence.

    "I''m sorry I cried." She whispered, afraid that if she spoke any louder her voice would crack.

    "You don''t need to be sorry for that." Adam said reassuringly. His kindness only pulled at Elle''s raw heart.

    Eventually they pulled into her neighbourhood, and Adam unwillingly dropped her off at home. He had no idea what had happened, but he could guess who had made her cry.

    "Are you sure you don''t want me to take you somewhere else?" He asked as he parked outside her house.

    "I''m sure. I''m okay now."

    Adam gave her a look that told her he was unconvinced.

    "It''s true, everything''s okay now." Elle assured him. Adam had no choice but to watch her get out of the car and return home.

    As he watched her walk away Adam couldn''t get the image of her crying out of his mind. He could feel her trembling as he held her in his arms. She felt so small and fragile. Adam looked back towards the house, just in time to catch a glimpse of Elle before she disappeared behind the door.

    Adam had a sudden realization; he didn''t even want to see this girl cry again, he didn''t want anything to ever hurt her, and it could only be because he loved her.

 58 Holiday Spiri

    The next morning Elle got out of bed and straight into the shower. Just as she was finishing she heard her phone ping, she reached over to get it from the counter. It was a message from Adam.

    "I''m outside your house, I''ll drop you off this morning."

    Elle felt her heart drop. She jumped out of the shower and rushed to get dressed and gather her things. About fifteen minutes later she was practically running out of the house and into his car.

    Adam looked at her in surprise as she quickly clambered into the car, her clothes were unkempt and her hair was tousled.

    Elle turned to look at Adam and saw the smirk on his face.

    "What?" She asked, trying her best to hide her panting.

    "Were you still asleep?" Adam asked, Elle could hear the humour in his voice.

    "No." She said matter-of-factly.

    "Really? You seem like you got ready in a rush."

    "Well I didn''t." Elle said pointedly.

    "Is that why your shirt is on backward?" Adam asked as he started the car.

    Elle looked down, and sure enough her sweater was on backwards.

    "It''s a casual dress day at work." She said, refusing to admit that she had been in a rush.

    "Is that so?" Adam said with a laugh. "You could have told me you were running late; I would have waited. Next time I''ll text you sooner, I didn''t consider that you might be sleeping in." Adam said considerately.

    Two questions immediately came to Elle''s mind. First, did he consider waking up at seven in the morning sleeping in? and secondly, he had said ''next time''. Would there be a next time?

    But Elle didn''t have the nerve to ask either.

    "The tea is yours by the way." Adam said, gesturing to a cup in one of the holders of the car. "I wasn''t sure, but you seem to prefer tea to coffee."

    In an instant all his teasing was forgiven as Elle took the hot cup in her hands.

    "I do like tea." She assured him. "Thank you."

    "It''s nothing."

    "I''m fine you know." Elle said somberly. "You don''t have to worry about me."

    Adam looked at her, her eyes were crystal clear, just like they had been when he first met her. She really did seem to be in good spirits.

    "I''m not worried about you." Adam lied. "I just thought you might have left your car at work yesterday since I drove you home. It wouldn''t be polite to let you take a cab to work."

    "Is that so?" Elle smiled. She knew he was lying, anyone would worry if someone had cried in front of them, but she also knew he was lying for her sake. He didn''t want her to feel awkward so he acted like nothing had happened.

    Soon after Adam pulled up in front of Tae and Elle started to get out of the car, but she hesitated with one hand on the door.

    "Hey do you want to go out for lunch?" She asked quickly. Adam looked at her inquisitively.

    "I want to treat you to something." Elle said awkwardly. "If you''re too busy that''s fine. I just thought lunch would be better then dinner. Because of the rumours."

    Adam watched with a smile on his face as Elle became flustered."Lunch sounds nice. I''ll come pick you up at noon?"

    "Okay."

    That morning Elle used her newfound happiness to power through her work. She looked up at the clock every fifteen minutes, waiting impatiently for lunch to arrive.

    At exactly noon Elle received Adam''s text that he was waiting downstairs. As Elle made her way outside she bumped into Abby.

    "I was just on my way to see you." Abby said cheerfully. "I was going to ask if you wanted to go out for lunch."

    "Ah." Elle''s smile dropped a little, feeling guilty for the lie she was about to tell. "Sorry Abby, I have a lunch meeting today. Maybe next time."

    "Oh. Okay sure." Abby said, trying to hide her disappointment.

    "Sorry." Elle said before rushing off.

    Neither girl''s noticed that, just a few steps away, Jacob had overheard the entire conversation.

    Elle enjoyed a nice meal with Adam. When the bill came he reached for his wallet, habitually, but Elle stopped him.

    "It''s my treat today." She insisted.

    She seemed so happy that Adam couldn''t refuse her, so he watched her as she pulled out her credit card with a gentle smile on her face. Afterwards he dropped her back off at Tae before returning to his own office.

    David was puzzled as he noticed Adam return in a good mood. It was such a rare occurrence, yet it happened three or four times in the past two months. But David had no idea that Adam had seen Elle. He just assumed it was the holiday season that had his boss in a good mood.

 59 Chapter 59 To be updated!!!

    Hello everyone! This is a little odd, I know, but I just finished writing my last exam an hour ago so please forgive my unconventional post. I planned to update yesterday, but I got caught up studying and wasn''t able to write it. I intended to write it and post it today instead, but I''m exhausted. So instead I''ve decided to post a rough outline of what I intend for the chapter to include so everyone can get a little sneak peak, because I really don''t want to go two days without any posts.

    Tomorrow will have at least two chapter updates, hopefully three. Sorry for the irregular posting these past few days. I''ll rest up tonight so that I can give you guys your mass release soon!

    As always, thanks for reading and staying with this novel.

    Chapter 59 Rough Sketch:

    It was already late into December, before they knew it December 23rd had arrived. There were only two more days until Christmas.

    It was a Friday, and usually Elle would have been at her office, but today her dad had pulled her out of work in order to visit some relatives.

    It was tradition for them. Elle''s father disliked parties and social gatherings, so he avoided ever visiting people on christmas eve or christmas day. Instead he would visit them on the 23rd so he could fulfil his obligation without having to spend too much time at each house.

    Elle tagged along every year as they visited relative after relative. This year was no exception. Elle didn''t enjoy family visits as well, mostly because they were boring and only ever asked the same questions; how was work? was she seeing anyone?

    Elle thought this year would add the discomfort of being in close quarters with Jacob the entire day, but to her surprise Jacob was no where to be seen as she got into the car.

    "You ready?" Her father asked.

    "Yea, sure."

    [Visiting families]

    [Adam on the phone with his mother]

    [To her surprise Elle has a good time out]

 59 Seasons Obligations

    It was already late into December and before Elle knew it December 23rd had arrived. There were only two more days until Christmas.

    Elle''s past few days had been blissfully quite and simple. Work was going smoothly, thing''s had quieted down since the release. Elle also had time to work on her novel again. It had been a few weeks since she last posted, her fans were happy to have updates going again. Things with Adam were also going well.

    Elle had no idea exactly what their relationship was. They were no longer boss and employee, and she wouldn''t say they were friends either. They occasionally shared a meal and sometimes Adam would give her rides, but that was the extent of things. Elle wasn''t sure exactly what to call the relationship, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. There was something comforting about Adam''s quiet company.

    It was a sort of company she was sure to miss today. It was a Friday, and usually Elle would be in her office trying to finish all her work before the holiday break, but today her father had pulled her out of work in order to visit some relatives. It was tradition for them.

    Elle''s father disliked parties and social gatherings, and he didn''t often visit any of his relatives during the year. Instead they would visit all their close relatives on the 23rd so they could fulfil their social obligations all in one day.

    Elle tagged along every year as they visited relative after relative. This year was no exception. Elle didn''t enjoy the family visits either, mostly because they were boring and everyone only ever asked her the same questions; How was her work? Was she seeing anyone? Would she be interested in meeting the successful young boy they knew?

    Elle assumed this year would bring the additional discomfort of having to be in close quarters with Jacob for the entire day, but to her surprise Jacob was nowhere to be seen as Elle got into the car.

    "You ready?" Her father asked.

    "Yea, sure." Elle quickly stuffed all the gift bags into the back of the car before hopping in.

    "I can''t wait for this to be over." Her father muttered as they set off to their first stop.

    Elle smirked. "Let''s just try to get through it as fast as possible. If we end up staying at a house for too long I''ll text you and you can pretend we got called back to the company or something."

    "How cunning. Putting that education to good use I see." Her father teased.

    "What''s the point of being clever if I can''t use it to get out of visiting relatives I have no interest in seeing?"

    "Since when have you been so disparaging?"

    "Since always. Must be genetic." Elle said with a smirk.

    "Hey." Her father said, pretending to be hurt by her comment. "I''m not disparaging."

    "Oh please, father. The only person who hates these visits more than me is you."

    "That''s true, but it''s not like I hate our relatives. I just think it''s a waste of time."

    "See, I told you it''s genetic."

    As Elle expected, the day went by slowly. They visited house after house with the same routine. Giving them gifts and answering the same routine questions with the same routine answers; how was work? Fine. Are you seeing anyone? No. If you want I can introduce you this nice young boy. Laugh awkwardly and avoid answering. Everything was just the same as every year.

    While Elle was busy visiting family Adam was busy avoiding his. His mother had called twice that morning and Adam hadn''t answered the call either time. He could think of a few reasons for her calls, and none of them were discussions he wanted to have right now.

    Adam assumed eventually she would get the hint, but her calls persisted. Finally, after the sixth time, Adam picked up the call.

    "What is it?" He asked with irritation seeping into his voice.

    "Is that how you greet your mother?" She scolded. "How many times do I have to call to speak to my own son anyway?"

    "Six evidently." Adam said sarcastically. "I''m busy, if this isn''t important I''ll call you after work."

    "Are you returning home tomorrow?"

    "No." Adam replied instantly.

    "Why not? I wanted us to all have dinner here, you could stay over for the night and we could all have breakfast together on Christmas day."

    Adam chuckled. "I''m not a small boy anymore you know. Besides I still have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

    "Your father is no fun at all." His mother grumbled. "I thought at least you would come over and keep me company."

    Adam let out a sigh. "I really can''t make it tomorrow but I''ll come over for breakfast the next day, okay?"

    "Okay." His mother replied cheerfully. She then quickly made a few calls, making arrangements for their annual holiday party. Adam went back to his work. Little did he know that his mother had a surprise attack planned.

 60 A Starry Sky

    A few hours later Elle and het father were finally finishing up their visits. They were now at her father''s older brother''s home. It was perhaps the only visit Elle didn''t mind making. Elle''s aunt would ask about how Elle was doing, just like everybody else, but she was the only one who actually seemed to care about the answer.

    Tonight her aunt had made a nice large dinner, so they all sat around the table eating. Elle got to enjoy her meal in peace, and quietly listened in on the conversation as everyone else spoke.

    "How is Elle''s work going?" Her aunt finally asked.

    "It''s going well." Elle replied.

    "Her marketing department did really well on a recent project. They broke our old sales record." Her father said. Elle looked up in surprise. She thought she had heard it in his voice, she wasn''t sure, but when she looked at his face she saw it clear as day. Pride. He was proud of her.

    "Is that true?" Her uncle asked. "Good work Elle."

    "Thank you." Elle said modestly.

    Her father reached over and ruffled her hair, as he often did before the marriage. "It really is. I was so busy I didn''t have a chance to see the report until yesterday. You should have told me; I would have taken you out to celebrate on Friday."

    "That''s okay." Elle said, unsure of what to feel. Pride was an emotion she rarely saw from him, even before the marriage. "I went out to celebrate with a friend."

    "Is that so?"

    Just then Elle felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. The conversation at the dinner table continued, but Elle was no longer paying attention. Adam had just texted her.

    "Where are you? Have you left work?"

    "I didn''t go in today. I''m at my uncle''s home." She replied.

    "Having fun?" Adam asked.

    Elle paused for a moment, looking over at her dad. It''s true that things were different now, and that she didn''t particularly like the way they were, but tonight she didn''t hate him so much. Today she might even be having fun with him, joking around like they used to.

    "I think I am." She wrote back.

    "You think?"

    Elle smiled, it was only a text message but she could hear the teasing in his words even through the screen.

    "I''m so full it''s hard to tell." She wrote back. "I need to go for a walk tonight to burn off all this food."

    "When will you get home?" Adam asked.

    Elle glanced at the time. It was already past seven at night. Knowing her father there was no way he would stay past eight.

    "Probably in an hour." She said.

    "Let me know when you get back. I''ll come pick you up."

    Elle looked at the words in surprise. "Pick me up for what?"

    "For that walk. You shouldn''t walk alone so late at night."

    Elle was about to tell him that there was no need, that she had only been joking, but something made her hesitate. Instead she sent back a single word.

    "Okay."

    Sure enough, just before eight, her father announced that they should be leaving. Everyone said their goodbyes before getting in the car and driving back home.

    "So how was it?" Her father asked. "Was it every bit as awful as you thought it would be?"

    "Not really. It wasn''t so bad." Elle said lightly.

    "I suppose not, but you have to admit that soup your cousin made for lunch was dreadful."

    Elle couldn''t help herself, she let out a laugh. "It wasn''t as bad as that one time you made cookies and accidentally put in salt instead of sugar."

    "You were five. How long are you going to remember that for?" Her father grumbled.

    "Forever." Elle announced happily. "I thought that sort of thing only happened in comics. You should consider it a great achievement to have made such an error."

    Elle was still teasing her father as they walked into their house.

    "Father." Jacob''s voice called out suddenly. "There you are. I was trying to get a hold of you earlier."

    And there it was. In that one second, with that one word, Elle''s heart froze over. What right did this stranger have to call her father his? But what would have usually upset her only mildly irritated her tonight. Because she was already used to this. It also didn''t hurt that across the street Adam was already waiting for her.

    "Hey," Elle''s father called out to her. "Why don''t we open some wine to celebrate your project tonight?"

    "Maybe tomorrow." Elle said with a smile. "I''m going to go out on a walk with a friend tonight."

    "Okay tomorrow then."

    Elle quickly rushed out to meet Adam. He drove her to the same quite park that he had taken her to the night before MK''s event. They had made light conversation in the car, but Adam seemed even less talkative than usual. Which was okay because it suited Elle just fine tonight. At the park Adam barely said a work, he just quietly walked by her side.

    He only spoke once. Elle was lost in thought and had fallen a few steps behind Adam. When he noticed he turned around and waited for her, pinching her red cheeks as she caught up.

    "Your face is cold." He murmured.

    Elle didn''t say anything, she just pulled her coat tighter around her. It was true, she did feel a kind of cold, but it was a coldness in her heart.

    "It''s already late December, the nights are cold." Elle mumbled.

    "That''s true." Adam said, tilting his head up towards the sky. "But the cold, crisp air makes the stars shine brighter don''t you think?"

    Elle looked up at the sky as well, sure enough a million stars were glittering in the sky.

    "It does." Elle agreed softly. A genuine smile snuck its way onto her face.

 61 Christmas Eve

    The 24th of December passed by quietly. It was Christmas Eve but Adam was in his office occupied for most of the day, trying to catch up on all his work before the holiday came. By the time he left the office it was already dark out, and a light snow had started to fall. Instead of going straight home Adam made a stop at MK''s manufacturing facility. They had been working on a new project and Adam stopped by to examine the final products before finally returning to his condo.

    Meanwhile, Elle had spent her entire day decorating her home. Her father was hosting a dinner party for a few people who were close to the family; some of his friends, a few close relatives, and some of his colleagues from work would be there. As usual, he left Elle to take care of the decorating, it was a tedious task but it was one she enjoyed. Elle found there was something soothing and cathartic about hanging decorations. She could be alone in her thoughts with no one there to bother her. Elle even had Christmas music playing lightly in the background.

    She had been so busy with her work that December had passed in the blink of an eye. Elle wasn''t able to appreciate all the little things that occurred leading up to Christmas; the decorations in people''s yards, the cute shop displays, the holiday music playing on the radio. She had missed it all. Today was her last chance to enjoy the festive season before it was over, and she intended too.

    By the time Elle was finished, and satisfied with her work, it was almost time for dinner. Her father had said he wanted to have a family dinner that night, with all four of them present. Usually Elle would have found an excuse to get herself out of it, but tonight she didn''t bother with excuses. She didn''t care if she had dinner with them or not. Elle decided to just go along with her father this time since it was more work to try to come up with an excuse and then to avoid them for the entire night.

    She quickly freshened up before sitting down at the table. As she sat there she realized it no longer hurt her to sit in the company of these people. Perhaps the holidays had her in a tolerant mood.

    Finally, dinner was served. Elle ignored the conversations happening around her for the most part. As she quietly ate her food she ran through a mental checklist, making sure everything was finished and ready for the next day.

    Halfway through the meal Elle''s father had an expensive bottle of wine brought out.

    "What''s this for?" The new wife asked.

    "To celebrate." Her father said as he popped the cork. "Elle''s marketing project was a great success for the company. The results were better than anyone would have predicted."

    Elle could hear that rare sound of pride in his voice again, but the truth was she didn''t care. It was kind of her father to try to celebrate, but the accomplishment was long forgotten for Elle. It was true that at a few years ago she would have done anything to hear her father be proud of her, but she had grown up. She was no longer a young girl chasing after her father''s praise.

    Besides, this time Adam had been the one to celebrate with her. Elle found that she cared more about Adam''s praise than her father''s.

    "To my darling daughter," her father said, raising his glass to toast her.

    Elle was disinterested, but she said she would go along with her father tonight, and so she did. She raised her glass and drank apathetically. She was so indifferent to the whole affair that she didn''t notice that across the table Jacob was gripping his glass so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. He was feeling spiteful, but he didn''t dare act out in front of his father, so he bitterly raised his glass and drank.

    While Elle was passively having dinner with her family Adam had finally returned home. He had brought a small box from the manufacturing facility home with him and he carefully put it away in his bedside table before sitting down for dinner for himself.

    That night everyone slept peacefully, each excited for Christmas to arrive for their own reasons. They had a long day ahead of them, but each had something to look forward to.

 62 Christmas Morning 1

    Elle awoke the next morning feeling excited and cheerful. She wasn''t a child anymore but there was still something magical to her about Christmas day. It was a day full of festivity and good cheer, nothing could ruin her good mood today.

    Elle was the first to be awake in her home, everyone else seemed to be sleeping in. Elle took the opportunity to enjoy eating breakfast alone. She sat at the table smiling to herself as she looked at the soft yellow fairy lights she had hung all over the home yesterday. There were lights and glitter all over the house, it was a pain to set up and it would probably be even worse to clean up, but it was worth it for this one moment of happiness.

    Adam had woken up early as well that morning. He went out for a morning run as usual before washing up and heading over to the family home for breakfast as promised.

    "Adam!" His mother greeted excitedly as she rushed to the entrance. "Merry Christmas."

    "Merry Christmas mother."

    Adam''s mother quickly pulled him into the dinning room where she had laid out an enormous breakfast.

    "Don''t you think this is too much food?"Adam''s father grumbled as he sat down.

    "Don''t eat then." His mother snapped as she piled food onto her son''s plate.

    Adam didn''t often feel obligated, but today he did. It was true that he hardly visited his parents. In general he didn''t pay much attention to his mother other then to make sure she was in good health. Today Adam had decided to go along with all his mother''s whims. Just for this one day he would let her have her way. So he didn''t complain as she filled up his plate.

    As he ate Adam noticed her looking up at him every minute or so. This would be harder than he thought.

    "What is it?" Adam finally asked, without looking up from his plate.

    "Nothing." His mother said, quickly looking away. She was obviously up to something but Adam didn''t press her any further.

    After breakfast Adam accompanied his father to his study where he endured the usually bout of questions about how the company was doing.

    "I heard there will be a second round of production for the new jewelry line."

    "There will be. Sales will start next week." Adam smirked. "I told you I would give you satisfactory results."

    "You did well." His father said as he poured two drinks. He handed one to Adam and took the other for himself.

    "I thought you said you would cut down on your drinking." Adam said, taking a sip from his glass.

    "I did cut down. It''s just for today. Since it''s a holiday, and since your project was a huge success."

    "Liar." Adam said.

    While the two men were upstairs drinking Mrs. Hayes was downstairs double checking that all the preparations were complete. She whistled a happy tune while she walked around making sure everything was perfect.

 63 Christmas Morning 2

    On the other side of town Abby had just arrived at Elle''s home. It was still early in the afternoon. Abby would be attending the party at the Shaw residence with her parents that night, but the girls had decided to meet earlier so they could exchange their gifts and then get dressed for the party together.

    When Abby arrived Elle to her straight upstairs to her bedroom. The two girls sat on the floor catching up first. Elle told Abby about her recent projects at work, and Abby talked about her move. After a few minutes Elle got up and crossed the room to her desk. She pulled out a gold jewellery box from one of the drawers and handed it to Abby.

    "Merry Christmas." Elle said with a smile.

    Abby''s jaw dropped as she took the box and saw MK''s logo etched into the lid.

    "You didn''t!" She gasped.

    "Open it and find out." Elle laughed.

    Abby gingerly untied the ribbon and opened the box. Nestled inside was the necklace from MK''s recent line, the necklace that Abby had fallen in love with at first sight.

    "Thank you." Abby said, sounding as if she was on the verge of tears.

    "Don''t cry, it''s just a necklace." Elle teased.

    "It''s beautiful. I love it."

    "You''re very welcome." Elle said with a huge grin on her face.

    "Here, your turn." Abby said as she handed a gift bag to Elle.

    Inside was a beautiful wooden box engraved with entwining vines and blooming flowers. The box itself was a work of art, but sitting inside were various glass bottles filled with bath oils.

    "This is wonderful." Elle said, looking in awe at the craftsmanship. "Thank you."

    "You''re welcome." Abby said with a smile of her own. "I know work has been busy for you, hopefully this can help you relax."

    "Thanks." Elle said reaching over to give her friend a warm hug.

    "Did you give your father his gift yet?" Abby asked.

    "Yea I gave it to him this morning. He''s surprisingly picky when it comes to gifts but he seemed to like it." Elle said mildly.

    Her father hadn''t gifted her anything in return, but Elle hadn''t expected him to. It was tradition for him to give her cash for her birthday but, for as long as Elle could remember, her father had never gifted anyone anything for Christmas.

    "Then who is that for?" Abby asked, gesturing to Elle''s desk where a small box sat, wrapped in ribbon.

    Elle felt a slight blush creep up her cheeks. "It''s just for a colleague." Elle said, quickly getting up and shoving the box into a drawer.

    When she looked back up she noticed that outside the window it had begun to snow. It was a proper snowfall, with huge, fluffy, clumps of snow gently falling to the ground.

    "It''s a white Christmas." Elle said with a smile.

    "You''re right. It''s beautiful isn''t it." Abby said, getting up to join her at the window.

    There was something magical about watching the snow fall. Everything seemed so peaceful and quiet. For Elle the magic of the day was just beginning.

 64 A Perfect Night 1

    It was around five in the afternoon when Abby and Elle began getting ready together. Abby wore a short red lace dress, it was sleeveless with a high collar and a chiffon skirt. The dark red of her dress brought out the auburn in her hair. Abby lined her eyes with black, and applied a festive gold eyeshadow, some bronzer, and finally, she finished her look with a dark plum coloured lipstick.

    Elle had gone for a softer look. She work a short, pale blue chiffon dress with silver embellishments. It had a sweetheart neckline that outlined her strong collarbone and long sleeves. The skirt flowed out softly, and ended just above her knees. Her makeup was much lighter too. She didn''t bother with eyeliner, and simply applied a soft brown eyeshadow with a pale pink lipstick. Abby had tried to convince Elle to at least wear some blush, arguing that her look made her look too pale, but Elle knew herself well. She was bound to be blushing after a drink or two in the hot, crowded room anyway.

    Finally, the two girls took turns helping each other style their hair. Elle fashioned Abby''s thick hair into a messy bun that rested softly against the nape of her neck. When it was her turn, Abby carefully helped Elle curl her hair so it fell into large, loose curls.

    Elle smiled as she watched Abby put on the necklace she had gifted her earlier that day. Elle lent her some earrings to match, and then put on a pair of diamond earrings herself before the two girls finally headed downstairs.

    By the time they got downstairs it was already well past six, and guests were slowly starting to trickle in. Abby and Elle took a turn about the room together before Elle left to find her father and stand by his side as he greeted the guests as they came in one by one.

    It was a long and tedious process, but after a while everyone seemed to be in attendance. There were no more guests to greet, and Elle was finally free to go enjoy the party for herself. She let out a tired sigh as she picked up a glass of champagne. It had been a while since Elle had last seen Abby, her friend was most likely with her parents making their own round of greetings.

    Elle took this chance to mindlessly wander around the house, lightly sipping on her champagne, and enjoying the beauty of the decorations while they lasted. In another day or two they would all be coming down, but for now they filled every nook and cranny of the house.

    Green garlands decorated each doorway, speckled with gold sparkles and dark red berries. In the main room a giant green pine tree stood proudly. Elle had spent the better part of two hours decorating it herself. She had hung intricate glass ornaments and wrapped it with sparkling white ribbon and lights. The lights were perhaps Elle''s favourite decoration, she had lined all the rooms with them. The entire house was dark with hundreds of soft fairy lights hanging from the ceiling, lighting the party. It was as if hundreds of little stars were hanging above them.

    In the background piano music was softly playing. Elle somehow managed to ignore everyone, focusing instead on the ambiance of the room. In her world nothing existed but her, the lights, and the snow.

    One of the rooms of the house had large glass double-doors that led out to the back garden. Elle stood by the doors, not even noticing the cold draft. Outside, ten centimeters of snow had already fallen, and the snow showed no sign of stopping anytime soon. Since they were already well into winter, the sun set early. The sky was already pitch black, but the moon was bright. The snow sparkled softly in a moonlight, a perfect, undisturbed blanket covered the whole world in white.

    When Elle looked outside she felt at peace. Like everything in the entire world was silent and perfect in that moment.

 65 A Perfect Night 2

    Meanwhile, at the Hayes family house, guests were pouring in for the annual party. Adam had changed out of the casual clothes he had arrived in that morning and into a a pair of black dress pants, a white button up shirt, and a fitted black waistcoat.

    He walked around the room in an almost mechanical way as he routinely greeted his relatives and some of the more important guests. As he was making his rounds Adam realized that there were far more females present than there usually were in his parent''s circle. Almost half the party seemed to consist of young girls who were only distant relatives or family friends of the invited guests. After speaking to a few of them it became clear to Adam what his mother had done.

    Adam let out a sigh, but he didn''t go hunting down his mother just yet. He played the role of the perfect son first; finishing his greetings and the mandatory conversations that came with them before finally going off in search of her.

    Mrs. Hayes had been in the kitchen checking on the staff and the food, away from the bustle of the party. Just as she was rejoining the party Adam managed to corner her. He stopped her by a far wall, well out of earshot of the guests. As her son approached her, Mrs. Hayes visibly tensed up.

    "So, this is your master plan?" Adam asked under his breath as he came to stand beside his mother.

    Mrs. Hayes took a sip from the wine glass in her hand. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." She said pointedly.

    "You''re a bad liar mother."

    "Well what am I supposed to do?" She huffed. "You never let me intervene, you never go on dates. This time you even ended up being gossiped about in some third rate tabloid while in the company of some obscure model. I want to at least see my grandchild before I die."

    "We agreed you wouldn''t interfere." Adam reminded her.

    "That''s because I thought you would handle things in your own time."

    "And I will."

    Adam''s mother scoffed. "Every eligible girl in the city is here tonight. Just go have a few conversations. There must be at least one woman in this crowd who meets your strict expectations, whatever they are."

    "I''m not interested." Adam said mildly.

    His mother looked at him in surprise. Usually he would go along with her just to placate her, or he would scold her. Right now he seemed to be acting strangely. Almost as if he was deflecting.

    "You''re not actually seeing that model are you?" His mother asked incredulously.

    "I''m not seeing anyone." Adam said sternly. "Either way it''s none of your business. Don''t do something like this again." He warned.

    "Fine." Mrs. Hayes muttered into her glass. She was afraid to push any harder than this. Her son was fairly mild mannered but his temper, when set off, was impossible to handle.

    Adam was satisfied with his mother''s reply and rejoined the party.

    Mrs. Hayes kept a careful eye on her son for the rest of the evening but to her disappointment Adam really didn''t seem to be interested by any of the young girls. He barely spoke to a single one of them for more than a minute or two.

    But as she watched, Mrs. Hayes began to notice that Adam seemed to be distracted. He hid it well, but the repeated checking of his watch and the occasional glance out the window gave him away. It was rare for Adam to be distracted, especially at an event like this which he considered to be akin to work.

    Was he waiting for something? Mrs. Hayes wondered curiously.

    Meanwhile, Elle had also been distracted from her party. She had run upstairs to quickly get something from her desk, but her task was quickly forgotten as she opened the drawer. Elle looked regretfully at the small black box inside, wrapped in gold ribbon.

    Elle had bought the present on a whim, but who knew when she would even be able to see him next? Would she ever be able to pass it along to him?

    As if he could hear her thoughts, a text message from Adam suddenly popped up on her phone. Elle smiled as she read the words on her screen. She quickly put the black box into her dress pocket before heading back downstairs.

 66 A Perfect Night 3

    Adam felt exhausted, he had spent more than two hours socializing with his parents guests. Finally Adam was certain that he had spoken to everyone at the party. He was confident that no one would notice him missing if he were to sneak out for a few minutes.

    Adam quickly went upstairs to retrieve his keys, informed the housekeeper that he was stepping out for a moment, then quietly made his escape. As if he was a teenager again Adam snuck out of the house and into his car. Once he was in the safety of his car he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Elle.

    "I''m fifteen minutes away from your home." He wrote. "Do you think I can steal a moment of your time?"

    Elle''s reply came quickly. "My father is hosting a party right now, I can come out and meet you in the driveway."

    Adam slipped a small box into his coat pocket, the same box he had brought home from MK''s manufacturing facility, before starting the engine of his car.

    Elle slipped a similar sized box into her own dress pocket before heading downstairs. She waited anxiously as the time ticked by. Each minute seemed to last an eternity. Eventually she could bare to wait no more. It was close enough to fifteen minutes, Elle figured she would go out to the driveway first. Under the cover of so many cars no one was bound to notice him, but Elle still didn''t want to risk the chance that someone at the party would recognize Adam. After all, most of them were all in the same industry.

    So Elle carefully created her exit plan. If she left through the front doors she would pass almost everyone in the house, and at least one person was bound to be curious as to where she was going. Instead Elle snuck into the parlour at the back of the house where glass double doors led out into the backyard.

    Elle took big hops as she wadded through the snow towards the front of the house. Fortunately Elle was wearing a pair of heeled ankle boots, which somewhat protected her from the cold chill, but in her excitement she had left her jacket behind. Perhaps it was due to the drinks, or perhaps it was because of her anticipation and worry, but Elle didn''t seem to feel the cold at all as she waited outside in nothing but her thin chiffon dress.

    Adam didn''t keep her waiting long. Only a minute or two passed before Elle spotted the familiar black car pull into the long driveway.

    Adam quickly rolled down the window. "You must be freezing." He said with worry in his voice. "Get inside."

    "I''m fine. It''s a shame to be stuck inside, it''s beautiful night." Elle reassured him.

    Adam tried to insist that she get into the warmth of his car, or that she at least take his coat, but Elle refused. Adam reluctantly climbed out of his car to join her in the crisp air of the cold December night.

 67 A Perfect Night 4

    Adam and Elle stood in the cover of darkness for a silent moment. Elle eventually broke the silence.

    "I have something for you." She said shyly as she reached into her pocket. "It''s not much, I bought it on a whim, but I wanted to get you something to thank you for everything you''ve done for me."

    Adam was stunned for a moment, but then reached out to take the small box from her. He hadn''t expected to receive a gift from Elle. He was surprised, but also secretly pleased.

    Adam carefully undid the ribbon and opened the box. Inside were a pair of gunmetal cufflinks with some sort of symbol engraved into them.

    "It''s supposed to be a symbol for good health." Elle said faintly.

    "Thank you." Adam said, carefully putting the links back into their box. "It''s funny, I came over because I have a gift to pass on to you as well."

    "Really?" Elle asked. Just like Adam, she was surprised but also secretly pleased, even if she wouldn''t admit to it.

    Adam took out the slim velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her. "It isn''t much. Not nearly as thoughtful as the gift you got me."

    Elle gingerly opened the box. Inside, resting on a bed of black satin, laid a necklace. It was a thin and delicate chain made out of white gold, with a small bluebird charm hanging from it. The bluebird was made out of the same greyish blue diamonds that Elle had worn in her necklace at MK''s event last month. She recognized the stone in an instant.

    "It''s beautiful." She breathed, captivated by its simple elegance.

    "The sales for the recent line were better than expected. It was so successful that MK decided to have a second round of production." Adam explained. "Of course the jewellery you wore that night was a hot topic for weeks. It was decided that we would create an additional limited edition piece out of the same stones you wore and add it to the collection. The necklace won''t be released until the new year, but production finished the other day. There are only ten of these necklaces in existence, and this one is for you."

    "Is it really okay for me to accept?" Elle asked hesitantly. Adam acted so nonchalantly about it but a limited edition MK piece like this must cost hundreds of dollars.

    "Of course it is. It was only created because of you."

    Elle glanced back down at the necklace, her finger gently running over the little bluebird. Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was just coincidence, but Elle suddenly realized that the blue diamond matched her dress that evening perfectly.

    "Will you help me put it on?" She asked. Elle hadn''t worn a necklace that night. It was as if she had somehow unconsciously kept her neck bare for Adam''s gift.

    "Of course." Adam took the necklace from it''s box and draped it around Elle''s neck. He then carefully secured the clasp.

    While he gently put the necklace on for her, Elle was overcome by how lovely this moment was. It was as if she had a sudden epiphany. Elle looked up at the bright stars, sparkling in the sky, and at the snow softly falling, glittering under the lights. The muffled sound of the piano could be heard from inside the house, filling the silence.

    In front of her stood a handsome man. His gentle eyes held hers and she couldn''t seem to look away from him. In that one moment everything, everything in the entire world, was perfect.

    "It''s cold." Adam said gently, taking a step towards her.

    "It is." Elle said.

    "You should go back inside."

    "I should." Elle breathed, but she didn''t move.

    Adam took another step forwards. Elle could feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest. Adam was so close that Elle could feel the warmth radiating from him. His fingers brushed against hers ever so slightly, sending a jolt of electricity through her body.

    Elle instinctively closed her eyes. She didn''t see, but she could feel the soft brush of his lips against her skin as Adam pressed a kiss to her forehead.

    "Merry Christmas Elle Shaw." He murmured.

    "Merry Christmas." She whispered.

    The stood in silence for a moment longer before Adam finally took a step back towards his car.

    "You''re going to freeze out here. Go back inside quickly."

    "Okay. Drive home safe."

    "I will."

    Elle hesitated for a moment before turning around and heading back inside. Adam watched her go before getting into his car. He sat there for a long moment before finally heading back home. He couldn''t seem to wipe the smile from his face.

    Elle entered the house back through the way she came. The party was still in full swing but no one noticed as she quietly re-entered the house. Elle was too distracted to notice any of them either.

    Her nose was red, and her fingers and toes were numb from the cold, yet Elle didn''t feel cold at all. Her entire body felt light and full of warmth.

    Elle turned around to look back outside the glass door. The world outside was silent and still. Her entire world was just shaken up, but everything looked exactly as it had earlier tonight. It was as if nothing had happened. The only difference was that the glistening blanket of snow now had her footsteps ruining it.

    For the rest of the evening Elle couldn''t stop smiling. A huge, silly, grin was painted on her face. It was the best Christmas ever.

 68 Secret Encounter

    The next morning Elle awoke feeling as light as a feather. She woke up with the smile still on her face from the previous night. Unlike her usual routine she got out of bed early and padded across the floor towards the bathroom. Her footsteps slowed as she passed the vanity on her way. The necklace she had received last night was on display there; hanging gently from a jewellery rack. Elle''s smile grew as she brushed her finger across the little bird. She then quickly hopped into the shower before heading downstairs for breakfast.

    Elle ate a light breakfast of toast and fruit. She had made plans to go out for lunch today with Abby as well as Anna and Milly whom were old friends from the same high school. Abby and Elle had kept in touch and saw each other regularly, even more so now that Abby had moved back. On the other hand Anna and Milly were also closer with each other than either Abby or Elle, but all four girls had had classes together, and would occasionally eat together back in their high school days. After graduation they hadn''t seen each other often, but they would still meet up together once or twice a year.

    Around noon Elle changed into a simple white sweater paired with a navy blue skirt before heading out.

    The temperature had dropped significantly compared to the previous week. Just walking from her front door to her car was enough to have Elle blowing hot air into her hands and rubbing them together, trying to chase the chill from them. Elle made a mental reminder to wear mittens to work the next day.

    As she drove to the restaurant Elle smiled to see that most Christmas decorations were still up. It was true that Christmas was over, but she didn''t want to see the beautiful decorations go just yet.

    Elle arrived at the restaurant some time later. She stepped inside with wide eyes, in awe of the extravagant holiday decorations they had inside. The restaurant was actually a high class Italian restaurant that was owned by Abby''s parents. Elle immediately knew who was responsible for the grand display.

    "Elle over here!" she heard someone call from across the room. Elle looked to see that the other three girls had already arrived and were seated, Elle quickly joined them.

    As she sat down Abby started flipping through the menus. "You''re finally here. Let''s order something to eat first, I''m starving."

    The girls put in their orders and then went through their usual catching up conversations. They discussed progress in their jobs, relationships, etc. Abby excitedly bragged about her new position and complained about the pains of moving between countries.

    Milly worked as a secretary for the vice president of a big corporation so she always had interesting gossip to share. Anna was the daughter of an affluential family and so she had the liberty to play around with her career more. After high school she had tried modelling and quickly found that to be unsuccessful, but, that had led her to try her hand at fashion design. That took up a year or so of her time before she hit a wall. There was a period where Anna had worked odd jobs in all sorts of fields before she finally settled as a store manager with MK fashion.

    The girls continued to talk and eat, they decided to also get dessert once they had finished their meals. But while three of the girls conversed excitedly, Elle was barely paying attention. She had been fine earlier that morning, but with the topic of relationships, and as more time passed, she became more and more distracted.

    She kept glancing at her phone. Once or twice she swiped the screen open to send a message to Adam, but each time she quickly changed her mind and put her phone away.

    "Is something wrong?" Anna asked, noticing Elle''s restlessness.

    "It''s nothing." Elle said at first.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Well actually..." She said hesitantly. "You see I have a coworker who asked me for advice but I don''t know what to say." Elle lied.

    Abby put down her fork excitedly. "Well tell us maybe we can help."

    "She says she has a relationship with a guy. They started out as coworkers but even after their work term ended they continued seeing each other. For Christmas he got her an expensive necklace, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. What does that mean?"

    "Well obviously he likes her." Milly snorted.

    "But what if she''s just overthinking things. He''s in a higher position than her, wouldn''t it be embarrassing to presume he liked her when he doesn''t?"

    "If he''s gifting expensive jewellery he''s definitely interested." Anna chimed in. "Speaking of which..." She trailed off into another story about her coworkers.

    Just then a waitress arrived with their desserts. She carefully placed the plates in front of them before walking off to give the bill to another table. Elle watched her walk to a table of five men, all in suits, who looked like they had been discussing something important. It was most likely just a business lunch, but that wasn''t what caught Elle''s attention. One of the men was sitting with his back to Elle, but Elle could have sworn that that back looked an awful lot like Adam''s.

    She quickly dismissed the thought, criticizing herself for having it in the first place.

    ''Silly girl,'' she thought to herself, ''you thought about him so much last night that now you''re imagining him in strangers.''

    At the same time the table of five men seemed to have finished. They thanked the waitress and then got up to leave. As they started walking out Elle realized that it was in fact Adam who had been sitting with his back to her. As he stood up he recognized Elle as well.

    In that moment they had both caught each other''s eye. Adam''s face had been stern, but it was quickly replaced by a brief look of surprise, followed by a wink and a cheeky smile.

    The other girls noticed Elle staring at something, so they followed her gaze and quickly recognized Adam among the group of businessmen. Luckily the smile was already gone from his face and the stern look returned just as quickly as it left.

    While the girls excitedly talked about Adam Hayes, about how handsome and how capable her was, Elle quietly ate her dessert with all the focus in the world. She had her head faced down so that her long silky hair shielded her from her friends.

    Elle had no idea what sort of expression she had on her face right now, but she was confident it was one that gave away her feelings. She wasn''t quite sure what those feelings were, but she knew it was something she wasn''t prepared to do just yet.

 69 Endless Celebration

    The following week passed by quickly and quietly. Neither Elle or Adam noticed as the week raced past them, their time was occupied by paperwork and meetings. The end of the year was a busy season for businesses. In addition, Adam also had MK''s annual reception to plan. In the blink of an eye new years eve had arrived.

    Both Adam and Elle went to work that morning, but they had a short day, and left early in the afternoon to go enjoy the holiday.

    Elle rushed home so that she could have some much desired rest before getting ready for her night out. Abby had invited her to go partying with her that night. It was the first time Abby had spent new years eve in the city in a long while, so she had excitedly booked a private room and invited a bunch of people in her circle. Among them were Anna and Milly, along with a few other mutual friends.

    Time passed quickly, Elle had been immersed in a book and lost track of time. As the time of the meeting approach Elle rushed to quickly shower and get dressed. In a rare occurrence Elle had raided her closet and eventually settled on a quite bold outfit.

    She wore a short, fitted, black dress that was decorated with a glittering golden sash tied around the waist. It was a flattering dress that showed off her fit physique and accented her pale complexion, but it was far outside her usual subtle and soft style. It was new years eve though and the typical styles were either black or something sparkly covered in sequins. While the fitted black dress didn''t adhere to her usual style it suited her well.

    Feeling adventurous Elle decided to be more bold in her makeup application as well. As usual she kept it light, but she opted for a dark brown eye shadow that made her big doe-eyes pop, and a dark red lipstick.

    Elle was still sitting in front of the vanity when she glanced at the time and realized how late it had gotten. The taxi she requested would be there in any moment. Elle quickly slipped into a pair of gold heels and grabbed her black cotton trench coat before rushing out of the house just as her taxi was pulling up.

    On her way to the meet-up Elle realized realized she had forgotten the cotton wrap she had left out for herself. Her dress only had two thin straps, which was fine in the summer, but would leave her freezing in the winter. Elle considered going back for it, but then she thought about how hot the crowded room was bound to be and decided against it.

    The taxi dropped Elle off at the nightclub where everyone had planned to meet. It was a high-end club, most of its guests belonged to auspicious and well known families. The lower level of the building served as a bar while the second floor was sectioned off into several private rooms, one of which had been reserved by Abby.

    Elle made her way to the room number Abby had sent her. Only about half the girls had arrived so far. They all welcomed Elle warmly and offered her a drink as she took a seat. Elle joined the conversation with a smile, she knew all the girls there through social circles even if she wasn''t particularly close to many of them. They all seemed eager to enjoy the night. Elle''s smile faltered as she watched all the girls down their glasses in one shot. Elle looked down at her own half-full glass and realized she would need to decide very quickly if she was going to bother keeping up with everyone or not.

    Milly saw Elle''s glass and encouraged her to finish her drink as well. Abby came to her defence, telling her not to force herself. Elle contemplated for only a second before throwing caution to the wind and downing the glass. It was new years eve after all.

    The remaining few girls soon joined them, completing the group. Once they had a full party the atmosphere in the room was lively and full of laughter. After a little over an hour of laughing and drinking Elle excused herself to go to the bathroom. It had been a long time since she had let loose like this, it was a welcome change of pace.

    As Elle made her way down the corridor she noticed a group of three men in the hallway talking.

    ''You''ve got to be kidding me.'' Elle thought to herself as she realized she recognized two of the three.

    Adam wore a pair of fitted black dress pants paired with a grey button-up shirt. He had rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, his hair was tousled, and he wore a boyish grin on his face. Elle was taken aback by how handsome he looked. Even in his relaxed state he was oozing with charm. Beside him stood David, whom Elle recognized as the designer who had made her dress.

    By chance Adam looked up in her direction, but Elle had already disappeared around the corner. Once she was in the safety of the women''s bathroom Elle looked in the mirror at her own dishevelled appearance and prayed that Adam hadn''t seen her.

 70 The More The Merrier

    Elle pushed her flustered feelings aside and worked quickly to try to straighten out her appearance. She touched up her makeup in the bathroom mirror and brushed her fingers through her long straight hair. Once she was satisfied she ventured back out into the corridor.

    Elle assumed Adam hadn''t seen her and guessed that they might bump into each other again some time throughout the night since they were both at the same club but, to her surprise, she opened the door of the women''s restroom to find Adam leaning against the wall in front of her.

    "There you are." He said as he saw her emerge. "I was beginning to worry what others would think, watching me stand outside the women''s restroom for so long."

    Elle was stunned into silence. "What are you doing outside the women''s restroom?" She asked finally.

    "You seemed to be avoiding me."

    "I didn''t realize you were here." Elle lied confidently.

    "Is that so?" Adam asked with a smirk. "I''m relieved. You ducked into the corner so swiftly; I thought you were avoiding me for sure."

    Elle flushed. "Not at all." She mumbled.

    The conversation trailed off and a silence settled between the two.

    "You''re not wearing the necklace." Adam commented eventually. "Did you not like it?"

    "Ah," Elle''s hand reflexively went to her neck. "It''s not that. I just thought it might be problematic for you if I wear it out before it officially launches."

    Elle noticed a change in Adam''s expression as she explained herself. Was that relief she saw in his eyes?

    "I don''t mind if you trouble me." He murmured. "In the future wear it when you want to. You don''t have to worry about the implications."

    "Okay." Elle said timidly, looking down to hide the smile on her face.

    The conversation between them continued for a little longer, both of them made polite small talk before returning to their respective group of friends. To avoid suspicion Elle walked a few steps in front of Adam. As she made her way back to the room she was lost in thought.

    Elle couldn''t decide if she was cursed or blessed to keep bumping into Adam like this. How many times had they coincidentally met now?

    Elle turned the corner first, with Adam close behind. As she approached the room her friends were in she saw that a few of them were standing outside the door talking amongst themselves.

    Anna practically squealed with excitement as she saw Adam turn the corner. The conversation fell as all the girls turned their attention to Adam. Elle rejoined her friends acting oblivious to Adam''s presence.

    "I can''t believe it!" Anna exclaimed. "This is the second time I''ve seen him in one week."

    "If you''re not careful he''s going to think you''re stalking him." Abby teased.

    "It must be fate." Anna said dreamily, pointedly ignoring Abby''s comment.

    Her friends all scoffed but Elle paled. They met coincidentally, he wouldn''t mistakenly think she was stalking him right?

    "You know what they say," Anna continued, "Once is an accident, twice is coincidence, but three times is destiny."

    "Who says that?" Milly ridiculed.

    Elle coughed and looked down at her hands, secretly counting on her fingers the number of times Adam and her had run into each other purely by chance.

    "You guys don''t believe in me now, don''t be angry when I don''t invite you to the wedding." Anna rebuffed.

    "He doesn''t even know you exist." Abby said while rolling her eyes.

    "Not yet." Anna corrected. She then boldly approached the group of men while her friends watched in disbelief.

    The guys looked up as they saw her approach. Adam''s eyes, however, looked past her and straight to Elle who stood shocked along with the rest of her friends. Elle met Adam''s eye for a second before quickly looking away, but even as she looked down at her shoes Elle could feel his burning gaze on her.

    As it turned out, Anna actually knew the third friend whom Elle had not recognized. Anna greeted him and they talked for a moment before she innocently suggesting that the two groups of friends should merge their parties into one.

    Adam''s friends knew his temperament well. They also knew how much he hated overreaching women, so the friend immediately began gently turning her down. Will watched with indifference before suddenly recognizing Elle standing amongst the group of friends. Will turned back to look at Adam, who was still looking at Elle. A wicked smile turned up the corner of his lips as he quickly intervened.

    "It''s fine, you should come join us." Will said to Anna. The friend gave him a wary look but Will reassured him. "The more the merrier." He insisted.

    Anna turned around and quickly gestured that her friends should join her while Will turned around and gave Adam a cheeky wink.

 71 A Happy New Year 1

    Elle awkwardly followed her friends into the private room Adam and his friends had booked. Drinks were poured and introductions were made but Elle was too distracted by Adam, who was sitting directly beside her on the leather couch, to pay attention to the rest of the group.

    Adam, in turn, couldn''t help but steal glances at the striking girl sitting next to him. She usually dressed in a comfortable and soft style, he wasn''t used to her bold and demanding appearance. He thought she looked beautiful, but Adam couldn''t help but frown at her exposed arms.

    "Aren''t you cold?" Adam asked in a worried whisper.

    "Not at all." Elle replied, trying hard to keep her voice even. How could she feel cold when Adam was sitting so close to her that she could feel the warmth radiating off his body?

    Of course she couldn''t tell him that.

    The party was slow at first, but the large group very quickly became comfortable with each other.

    Anna had originally been eager when they first merged the parties, "I''m not going to let this opportunity pass." She insisted to her friends. But two hours later she was having such a good time that Adam was forgotten in her quest to enjoy herself.

    Indeed, the group of friends all seemed to be enjoying themselves well, maybe too well. Drink after drink was poured. Eventually Elle couldn''t bring herself to keep up with them anymore. She was content watching everyone else be full of excitement and good cheer around her. Elle watched them fool around with a grin on her face. Something she had yet to see Adam do that night.

    He smiled so often around her, was he in a bad mood tonight? Elle wondered. She was still amongst her thoughts when Will placed a drink in front of her.

    "To a good year to come," he toasted, raising his own glass to drink with her.

    Elle hesitated for a moment, she didn''t intend to drink any more that night but it would be rude for her to refuse Will''s drink.

    She reached for her glass, but Adam moved faster. He quickly took the cup from in front of her and replaced it with a glass of water.

    "She already stopped drinking for the night, I''ll drink it for her." He announced. Adam clinked the glass with Will''s before downing the contents in a smooth motion.

    "Don''t force yourself." He then said to Elle softly. She smiled warmly in response. Even if he didn''t smile, everything he did screamed tenderness. Elle was more than content with that.

    Adam noticed her staring and raised his eyebrow at her.

    "I was just wondering how you could possibly drink so much and still be in good shape." Elle mumbled as an excuse.

    Adam''s eyes seemed to flicker with amusement, but he didn''t say anything.

    The hours flew by. The room was full of laughter, everyone took turns telling stories and playing games. Before they knew it there were just a few minutes left before it would be the new year.

    "It''s almost midnight!" One of the girls exclaimed as she realized what time it was.

    "It''s too bad we''re inside, it would be nice to be able to see fireworks at midnight." Another chimed in.

    "The city is hosting fireworks by the lake. I bet we could see them from the roof." One of the guys from Adam''s group said.

    "Fireworks?" Elle''s interest was piqued.

    "Are we allowed to access the roof?"

    "Adam is friends with the owner, I''m sure if he asked we would be allowed." Will said mischievously.

    Adam flashed a scowl at Will, but he was helpless to the look of excitement in Elle''s eyes at the mention of fireworks.

    "Fine." He said indifferently as he got up to go find the owner of the club.

    "Hurry up!" One of his friends called after him. "There''s not much time left!"

    The power of Adam Hayes'' connections was strong indeed, just a minute or two later an employee was opening the door to the roof. The group hurriedly rushed out to try to catch the start of the fireworks display.

    It was a cloudy night, there were no moon or stars to light the dark roof. Luckily there was no wind either, just a frosty chill in the air. No one seemed to mind however, either because the alcohol or the excitement coursing through them warmed them enough.

    Elle could feel Adam standing close to her as the others all walked towards the edge of the building to get a better view. Her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and she could make out Adam''s tall figure once more.

    The others began counting down excitedly, "10, 9, 8, 7.." they chanted. But Adam had gone quite and was staring at her, Elle was silent under his gaze, unable to look away.

    Even in the darkness she could make out his muscular build which seemed to entrap her, and the soft curve of his lips which were currently enticing her. Adam drew closer to her, with every second that passed he inched forward hesitantly, as if testing to see how far she would let him go.

    Elle could feel her heart pound against her chest as Adam''s presence engulfed her. All she could feel was the warmth of his strong arms, all she could smell was the scent of his cologne. All she could see was him.

    Midnight struck and all their friends began cheering around them as the fireworks began to illuminate the sky. For a moment Elle thought Adam would pull away from her, but instead Adam took advantage of the fact that no one was looking their way to pull the girl he loved into his embrace and cover her lips with a gentle kiss.

 72 A Happy New Year 2

    Elle was stiff with surprise for a moment before loosing herself to Adam. His lips were warm against hers, and softer than she could have ever imagined.

    Adam''s kisses were gentle at first but quickly turned into hurried and intense kisses that made her cling to him; the only solid thing in a dizzying world. The moment was so sudden and overwhelming that Elle could barely keep her head straight but her fingers managed to grip Adam''s shoulders, pulling him closer as she kissed him back.

    She felt a rush of helplessness, and a surge of warmth. In the back of her mind Elle wondered if Adam''s heart was beating as fast as hers.

    Then suddenly it was over.

    Adam pulled back first, Elle thanked the darkness for hiding the expression on her face. She didn''t know what kind of face she was making but she could only assume it was an embarrassing one.

    They both took a step away, and to Elle''s relief no one noticed the intimate moment that had just taken place.

    Elle and Adam rejoined their friends and stood side by side as they watched the rest of the fireworks show. The entire time Elle''s hand was encased in Adam''s. She didn''t dare look up at him, but she could feel his tenderness even through that simple touch.

    After a few minutes the show ended and everyone made their way back inside. They hung around for a little while longer but as it neared one in the morning the party began to disperse.

    Anna and Milly left first followed by a few of the guys. Abby was about to call a taxi to take her home as well.

    "Do you want to share a cab?" Abby asked Elle.

    "That''s okay, we live in opposite directions I''ll get my own." Elle politely declined.

    She was about to go out to the hallway to do just that, but Adam intercepted her before she could.

    "I''ll drop you at home." He said. Elle was docilely went along with him.

    In the chaos of everyone leaving no one seemed to notice Adam and Elle leaving the party together. A few minutes later they were making their way outside the club where Adam''s assistant, David, was waiting in a car to drive them home.

    David couldn''t say he wasn''t surprised to see Adam escorting Elle, but this time he was neither shocked nor amazed. Instead he finally received the answer to his unasked question. David finally understood why his boss had been in such a good mood the past few weeks.

    Adam opened the back door and helped Elle in before going around the back of the car and getting into the seat next to her. It was the first time they had been in such an intimate atmosphere; in the club and when they went out for dinner they were in the presence of dozens of people and when he would take her home Adam would be focused on driving. Now it was just the two of them, no distractions and no interruptions.

    Elle could feel Adam''s eyes on her before he shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her lap so that it covered her exposed legs like a blanket.

    "Thank you." Elle said softly.

    She hadn''t thought she was cold before but she must have been since she could feel the warmth that lingered in Adam''s jacket slowly spreading through her.

    David looked straight ahead as he drove, Elle shyly looked down at her lap, and Adam rested his head against his hand and looked out the window; evidently content to ride back in silence.

    When they finally arrived at her home, before Elle could move, Adam swiftly got out of the vehicle and rounded the car to Elle''s side. He opened her door and extended his hand to her. Elle took it and gracefully got out of the car.

    She returned Adam''s jacket to him. "Thank you." She said as she handed it back. "And thank you for the ride home."

    "Your welcome." Adam''s voice was deep and sweet. Perhaps it was just because of the alcohol, but in that moment Elle fell in love with the rich tone of Adam''s voice.

    The young couple lingered in the driveway. Elle had a lot of things she wanted to ask, but she glanced back at the car and saw David waiting in the driver''s seat and knew it wasn''t the right time. Even if it was, she didn''t want to ruin the mood of such a wonderful night.

    "I should get inside." She eventually said. "Happy new year Adam."

    Adam smiled. This was the first time she had addressed him so casually. He couldn''t help but enjoy the sound of his name on her lips.

    "Happy new year."

 73 A Winter Slump

    Winter hit the city with full force in the days following the new year. Every day brought snowfalls, cold winds, and occasionally ice. The new year was already proving to be beautiful yet harsh.

    Adam grew busier with each passing day as MK''s annual reception drew near. Elle understood but couldn''t help feeling disappointed. Two weeks had passed without her being able to see Adam. He would occasionally send her messages, asking about how her day was or telling her to keep warm. Those messages were what kept her going. Elle knew how incredibly busy Adam was during this time of year but he still thought of her enough to send her messages and check up on her. It only made her heart grow fonder.

    Elle thought it would be enough to keep her going, but the more time that passed the more Elle questioned the events of the new year''s eve party. Had it simply been an impulse? Or perhaps a drunken mistake? Did he have feelings for her at all?

    Elle was up late one night, trying, and failing, to not overthink it when she heard the front door open. Elle glanced at the time, it was already past ten at night. She let out a heavy sigh and made her way to the entrance.

    "Just getting in?" She called out as she approached the door.

    "Yes." Her father replied tiredly, already slumped into a chair in the sitting room.

    "Don''t sleep here, go up to bed." Elle scolded before helping him out of his jacket.

    "Okay." Her father slurred. He dragged himself off the comfy seat and up the stairs, presumably to do as his daughter told him.

    Just like Adam, her father was currently bombarded with work as Tae underwent their year end procedures. Tae''s annual reception would be held that weekend which only added more work to her father''s plate.

    Elle watched him climb the stairs with a frown on her face. She hadn''t wanted to show him any kindness or consideration but these past two weeks he seemed old and worn out, and Elle couldn''t help but find him pitiable. She hadn''t seen Jacob or his mother show her father any extra care or consideration either, so Elle reluctantly ended up waiting up for him every night to ensure he made it into bed.

    Between Adam and her father Elle didn''t know which relationship she found more complicated. She gave up bothering to even try to understand them and simply went to bed herself.

    The next morning Elle awoke to a fresh snowfall. Now that the holidays had passed she no longer found the white blanket of snow to be magical or beautiful. Instead it was just a nuisance, a cold and damp reminder of what was to come for the next two or three months. Her phone had a new message from Adam that morning as well.

    ''It''s cold this morning, make sure you bundle up.'' He wrote.

    Elle was tired of his texts too. Was he her mother? She wondered, but then she immediately felt guilty for her thoughts. Elle blamed her temper on the bad weather, it had her in a winter slump.

    She dragged herself to the shower and then dragged herself to work. As she entered the lobby of Tae she rolled her eyes as she encountered another annoyance.

    Jacob stood in the lobby happily chatting to the receptionist. He had started coming in to work after the new year.

    Elle didn''t know how his work was going, nor did she bother to ask about it, bust from what she noticed Jacob seemed to be more eager to have conversations and be social than to sit at his desk and work. Elle could only assume it was because he was trying to make a good impression as her father''s son, and was trying to establish as many connections as possible. Elle rolled her eyes and got into the elevator, thankful that, at the very least, their departments were on separate floors.

    Elle''s day turned around in the afternoon and she was finally given a reason to smile. She received a notification that the dress that she had ordered to wear at Tae''s reception had finally arrived. Elle didn''t often buy fancy new dresses but when she saw this dress she couldn''t resist.

    It was a dusty blue coloured short dress with a lace bodice and a soft tulle skirt. The lace work was intricate and the colour was beautiful, but more importantly, Elle knew exactly which accessory would pair with the dress perfectly.

    When the weekend finally arrived Elle put on the stunning dress and admired its reflection in the mirror. The lace was like a work of art. Elle had already done her hair and makeup, the only thing left to do was to carefully clasp the little bluebird around her neck.

    By this time MK had announced that the necklace would be a new piece in their line but it hadn''t officially launched yet. For now Elle was still the only person in the world to have it.

    She was still admiring the necklace, and the contrast between the baby blue coloured bird and the dusty blue of her dress, when her father''s voice pulled her out of her daze. They were about to leave.

    Elle quickly grabbed her coat and went downstairs, hoping that her happiness would be great enough to make her care about the fact that she would have to endure a car ride, and an entire night, with her father''s other family members.

 74 Always Stay By My Side

    As Elle entered the hotel where Tae was holding their reception, just five minutes away, Adam was doing the same. Unbeknownst to the pair, both of their companies were holding their annual party on the same night.

    While Elle entered the venue looking youthful and beautiful, Adam looked handsome yet stern. On the outside he maintained a professional and strict appearance but on the inside he was on the verge of exhaustion. Adam couldn''t remember the last time he had gotten a good night''s rest. The past few days had gone by in a blur. He also felt a pang of guilt.

    He hadn''t been able to see Elle at all in the past few days. He wanted to meet her in person, and didn''t want to discuss their relationship over the phone, but before he knew it weeks had gone by and he had yet to see her. She was bound to be mad at him; he was mad with himself.

    Adam mechanically greeted various important guests at the banquet hall where MK''s annual reception was being held. This was the last party of the season for both him and his company. As long as he could get through tonight he would finally have the opportunity to go see Elle. With that thought in mind Adam powered through his fatigue.

    ~~

    A few hours passed and both events were going well. After an hour or so of tedious socializing the regular dull speeches were made. During most of the event Elle sat at a table stuck in a discussion with one of the board members of the company. At first Elle thought it was a breath of fresh air to be out of the awkward atmosphere surrounding her family, but after listening to the old man drone on for over half an hour Elle was starting to get a headache. Finally, the food was served and Elle was given a reason to rejoin her father''s table.

    "It''s been an interesting discussion Mr. Wilson. You''ve given me a lot to think about but I should rejoin my family now." Elle said, politely excusing herself.

    "Yes of course, you should go, we can discuss later." Elle gave him a warm smile, trying her best to contain her dread.

    She made her way back to her family''s table but stopped short. Elle''s heart dropped to her stomach. In front of her the father she loved so dearly when she was younger, the father she had waited up for every night for the past few days, was happily enjoying a meal with his new wife and son.

    Elle was reminded of the stabbing pain she would feel when her father first brought his new family to the house. Of course he was allowed to be happy, but could he not be happy with her? Could he not even wait for her to begin their meal? Did he not notice her absence at all?

    Elle was standing just a few feet away from the table. Her father was looking at Jacob, but if he turned his head just slightly he would surely notice her.

    ''Just one look.'' Elle thought to herself. ''Just a single glance and I will forgive everything. I''ll call you father and give you all my love if you just give me one hint that you care.''

    But he didn''t look at her. Elle watched as he laughed with his family, never once noticing her.

    ''I really am a fool.'' She thought to herself miserably, willing her tears not to fall lest one of the guests noticed.

    Every time she told herself not to trust in her father and yet she would eventually fold and believe in him just to be let down again and again. She was a fool, a fool who never learned her lesson. But tonight she did. She had finally had enough. Elle turned around and made her way to the restrooms to freshen up. As she did she made a promise, from this moment on she would only trust in herself.

    Elle stood in front of a mirror in the restrooms. The girl in the reflection looked lost; her wide eyes had no emotion reflected in them. Elle took deep even breaths and then put on the best smile she could muster before returning to the hall. She didn''t dare more a muscle in her face, she had thestrange feeling that if she let go of her smile now she wouldn''t be able to find it again.

    She sat at her father''s table, not bothering to look up at him as she joined them. She focused on the plate of food in front of her instead, keeping her smile on even as she ate. After a few minutes her cheeks and jaw began to ache from holding her face in such a stiff position, but even then Elle continued to smile, simply ignoring the pain both in her sore cheeks and in her heart.

    After the meal was over the guests continued to socialize while they waited for Elle''s father to make the announcements of what was to come for the company. Elle looked around the room at all the guests and knew she couldn''t endure another round of mindless socializing. She had to get out of there.

    Elle discretely gathered her things and slipped out into the hotel lobby. As she sat down in the lobby''s seating area Elle hesitated for a moment before boldly making a phone call.

    "Hello." A familiar gruff voice answered.

    "Hey." Elle greeted tiredly. "I know you''re busy but I wondered if I could see you tonight."

    "What''s wrong?" Adam asked, sensing her mood through her voice.

    "I''m just a bit tired. Tae is having their annual party tonight but I really want to get out of here."

    "Where are you right now?" Adam glanced down at his watch and then at the hundreds of guests in front of him. He had completely forgotten that Tae was having their party that night too.

    Elle gave him the name of the hotel she was at. "I''ll be there in ten minutes." Adam said. He then made his way to his parents and silently informed them he would be leaving.

    "Where are you going?" His father asked sternly. "You still have to speak."

    "Something more important came up. You can handle the announcements between you and David." Adam spoke and then left before his father could complain.

    About ten minutes later Elle saw a pair of headlights pull into the hotel and Adam''s familiar black Maybach waiting outside the doors for her.

    She got into the car, surprised to find Adam in a tuxedo. Only then did she realize that MK must have been holding their event the same night. Since it wasn''t announced to the public Elle hadn''t realized they were on the same days.

    "I''m so sorry." She whispered, her stomach sank from the feeling of guilt.

    "Don''t be." Adam said as he pulled out onto the streets. "Our event was practically over anyway." He lied.

    Elle was tense at first, still anxious and upset over the events of that night. She thought Adam would just take her home but she soon realized that he was just driving aimlessly. Elle appreciated the silence and enjoyed the view of the streetlights against the night sky.

    "Feeling better?" Adam asked when he noticed her finally relax.

    "I don''t know why, but when I''m with you everything else seems to just fade away. All my anger and my grief melts away to nothing." Elle answered with a melancholy tone.

    "Then always stay by my side." Adam said in a low voice. Elle looked over at him with her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted with surprise. "I''ll protect you, I''ll do whatever it takes to make you happy, so be mine."

 75 Isll Prove I

    Time seemed to have stopped for Elle and that moment felt as if it would last forever. Adam continued to drive but after a few moments the silence began to worry him. He glanced over at Elle, a smile crept onto his face in response to the silly look of shock on her''s.

    "You don''t need to give me a reply right away." He said softly, trying to be sensitive to her presumably muddled feelings.

    Elle wanted to give him a reply, any reply, but she had seemingly lost the ability to speak. She just continued to stare blankly. Had Adam Hayes just asked her out or had the past three months all been part of some vivid dream? Elle had deliberated a lot over the past two weeks, but she hadn''t once imagined this outcome.

    Her brain was struggling to process what had just happened. Instead of trying to make sense of the situation Elle decided to take Adam up on his offer. It wasn''t a decision she should make hastily after all. As her thoughts continued to swarm her mind Elle happened to glance down and catch the glint of a familiar pair of cufflinks poking out of Adam''s suit jacket. A very simple thought broke through the mess of Elle''s mind.

    "You''re wearing the cufflinks I bought." She said with a hint of disbelief in her voice.

    Adam looked down at his wrists. "They''re for good health right? It seemed like a good way to start off the new year."

    "You''re wearing the necklace too." He noted, quickly glancing at her. "You look beautiful tonight." He added.

    "That''s cheating." Elle mumbled lamely. She turned to look out the window to hide the look of embarrassment on her face.

    Of course she didn''t know that Adam was actually going easy on her. He didn''t want to frighten her away, but the phrase ''you look beautiful tonight'' barely began to cover the feelings he had. The truth was he didn''t just find her beautiful; that night he thought that she must be the most beautiful woman on the planet. When he first saw her walking out of the hotel he fell in love with her again.

    Adam had a million things he wanted to say. He wanted to apologize for not meeting her properly since new year''s eve. He wanted to tell her how enamoured with her he was. He wanted her to know that she had enchanted him from the moment he first met her. But consideration stopped him from saying anything. Adam knew she had been upset earlier and she already seemed to be overwhelmed, so instead he drove her back home in silence.

    Neither of the two said a word and before Elle knew it they were already pulling into her driveway. To her relief it was empty, which meant her father hadn''t come back home yet. She shyly bid Adam a good night and then got out of the car. She was about halfway to her front door when Adam lowered the window and called out to her.

    "It''s okay if you don''t believe in me now." He said boldly. "Whether it takes one year or ten years, I''ll prove that I love you."

    Elle felt a blush creep up her cheeks. She didn''t know what to say so she quickly nodded and ran into her home, where she would be safe from any sudden confessions of love.

    Adam lingered in the driveway for a few moments before driving back to his condo. His phone, which was switched off, was quietly filling up with missed calls and messages from his angry father and his worried assistant but that didn''t matter. Adam often smiled when he was with Elle but he hardly ever smiled otherwise. He was bound to get an earful from his father tomorrow, but that night, as he drove back, the corners of his lips were pulled up in a rare smile.

 76 One Last Time

    The following day was a Sunday which meant Elle could and would stay in her room all day long. Unlike before she didn''t fantasize or let her mind run wild in response to Adam''s confession. Instead, she properly considered his words, and spent all morning trying to decipher her own complicated feelings.

    The night before Elle texted her father and claimed to be feeling mildly ill as her excuse for having left the party early. Fortunately, it gave her an excuse to lock herself up that day as well. The entire house left her to rest, giving Elle the silence she desired. She sat at her desk with her legs pulled up against her chest and looked out the window at the grey sky as she earnestly considered what to do.

    Of course she had feelings for Adam, Elle was doubtful that there was any woman who wouldn''t if they were in her shoes, but there were many other factors to consider. Her life was complicated and she had yet to gain her bearings after her father''s remarriage. She also had to take into consideration that Adam wasn''t a simple man. He was constantly in the spotlight; if they were to date she couldn''t be careless. It wouldn''t be an easy relationship.

    Hours passed but Elle was getting no where with her decision. The more she thought about it the more uncertain she became. Before she knew it it was already late in the afternoon and she had made no progress at all. Feeling fed up and more frustrated than ever, Elle took out her phone and did what she knew best. She wrote.

    It had been a while since she last updated her story and her fans had been pleading for more. It was the perfect chance to give them what they wanted and to also get some feedback for herself.

    Since the story was in the format of a diary Elle used the female lead to voice her own uncertainty.

    ''He confessed to me today,'' Elle wrote, making up the imaginary details of a fake confession, ''I like him. I really like him. But the truth is that I''m too afraid to say yes. I''ve already sworn not to rely on anyone, not to be let down again.''

    She poured her heart out into the post. It felt cathartic; Elle was finally able to voice every doubt and every insecurity she felt. When she was finished she was still unsure but she felt lighter, as if a great weight had been lifted from her. Elle made the update and then put aside her phone, waiting for the comments to start rolling in.

    Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Adam was busy facing the repercussions of his sudden disappearance the night before. His father had called him back to the main house while his mother was out visiting friends, and had been giving him a stern lecture for some time now.

    His father was busy scolding him, but Adam was barely listening. Instead he was absentmindedly staring out the window when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Adam glanced down at it and saw that he received a notification because Elle had updated her story. Before Adam would have immediately read the update but this time he hesitated. Knowing her habit of updating the story to reflect her life Adam correct assumed that Elle''s latest update regarded him. He felt as if reading her personal thoughts without her knowing was an unfair advantage. Of course he could use the information to try to sway her opinion, but he didn''t want to do so this time. So instead of reading it Adam slipped the phone back into his pocket.

    Adam then stood up suddenly, starling his father. "If that''s all, I''ll be leaving now." He said as he put his coat back on.

    "Have you not reflected at all?" His father grumbled.

    "There was no issue, everything carried on perfectly last night." Adam replied calmly. "I had a more important matter to take care of; there''s nothing to reflect on."

    "Last night was an important night for the investors. Don''t let it happen again." His father said firmly.

    Adam agreed indifferently before quickly escaping the house. Luckily for him his mother had yet to return so she wasn''t there to perform a secondary interrogation. Adam hurried back to the peace and quite of his own condo.

    Once he returned home he fixed a meal for himself, washed up, and then got into bed. Surprisingly, he struggled to fall asleep. The truth was he felt more anxious than he had in a long time. Part of him regretted giving her time to think about her reply. Adam wasn''t sure how much longer he could hold out.

    Meanwhile, Elle was struggling to fall asleep as well. She lay in her own bed, facing her own jumbled thoughts. She had hoped her readers would have some insights to help her make a decision, but everyone seemed so excited about the romantic progress that none of their comments were helpful. She was still stuck at square one.

    Elle tossed and turned for a long time that night, and finally, she felt she was able to come to a decision. Getting out of bed, Elle decided to quickly update another short entry to her story before getting back into bed and finally falling asleep.

    ''Is it okay to trust that this happiness can last? Is it okay to trust in someone else''s words just this one last time?''

 77 Surrender

    Everyone returned to work the next day. Early that morning Abby, Elle, Adam, and Jacob all made their way to their respective offices, each feeling a different type of worry. Jacob and Abby were both new at their positions and each worried if they would be able to do their job well, but Adam''s and Elle''s thoughts were full of only each other.

    Elle stared at her phone all morning but no messages came. Adam hadn''t texted her at all the day before either. He seemed to be properly giving her time and space to make her decision. Around noon Elle decided she couldn''t wait on him to contact her any longer and she took the initiative to contact him first.

    ''Can we meet for dinner tonight?'' She asked politely.

    Adam''s reply came quickly. ''Of course, let me know when you''re finished work and I''ll come pick you up.''

    ''If possible I''d like to make a reservation for a private room this time.'' Elle added. It was a selfish request to make but she wanted to be more cautious since they had previously been photographed having dinner together. The situation from the last time had quickly blown over but Elle wanted to be careful not to cause trouble for him.

    She had originally been worried that her tension and anticipation would make the time go by slowly, and insufferably, but to her surprise the minutes ended up going by too fast. Before she knew it, it was already six in the evening and she was climbing into Adam''s car.

    Her heart thumped as Elle scrambled trying to gather her thoughts. She had boldly asked him out for dinner but she hadn''t even thought about what she would say. Everything was going by too quickly. The drive was short, and then they were making their way into the back of a restaurant where a private room was intimately decorated with flowers and booth seating. Elle ordered something off the menu at random, not daring to look up at Adam who was seated across from her. Eventually their food came and the two hadn''t said anything apart from the usual small talk.

    "You seem nervous." Adam said as he watched Elle poke at her food.

    "Of course I am." Elle mumbled.

    "You don''t have to be." Adam encouraged her. "You can say what you want."

    Elle hesitated for a moment but the question she had been wanting the answer to slowly made it''s way out of her. "What do you like about me?" She finally asked.

    "Everything." He answered immediately, but Elle seemed unconvinced by that answer. "You''re like a breath of fresh air in my life. When I''m with you I feel at ease. Before I knew it I wanted to see you more and more, and when I did I couldn''t help myself, I fell in love with you."

    Elle was rendered speechless. Was there really no fault with this man? Even his words were eloquent. Adam obviously noticed her hesitation.

    "What are you scared of?" He asked gently. Elle bit her lip and looked down at her food. "You don''t believe that I love you?" He questioned.

    "Why should you?" She finally said. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Even my own father doesn''t love me, why should you?" Adam''s heart ached for her.

    "Besides, I''m not good enough for you." She added.

    "You don''t have to concern yourself with that. It only matters if you think I''m good enough for you."

    "But ¨C" She started, however Adam interrupted her.

    "Don''t push me away anymore." He said as he got up and slid into the booth beside her.

    "No." She said stubbornly.

    "Don''t be stubborn. Just say yes." He murmured, leaning in closer.

    Elle gave up. "Okay." She whispered.

    Adam closed the small gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. Unlike their first kiss which was gentle yet short and hurried, this one seemed to last forever. He kissed her once, twice. Elle hooked her arms around him, perfectly content for that moment to last forever. Of course it didn''t, but her happiness lingered long after the kiss had ended.

    That night, as he drove her home, Adam kept one hand on the wheel and the other in Elle''s soft grip. He held her hand the entire way back, not saying a word, just wearing a simple smile on his face.

    Elle thought he looked especially handsome that night. His eyes were warm, and his expression was one of pure happiness. Even the moonlight seemed to favour him; lighting his face in such a way that it enhanced his strong bone structure. Elle looked at his large hand held in both of hers, and in that moment she knew she had chosen correctly. She had finally found one for herself; a man who was gentle only to her.

 78 First Date

    In the following days Elle felt like a teenager again. She felt young, and foolish, and silly in love. She also felt happier than she had in a very long time. Over the next few days Elle and Adam spoke to each other every day, and managed to make time to meet almost every day as well.

    Adam would send Elle a message early every morning to wish her a good morning and tell her to have a good day. Elle tried waking up earlier and earlier, but no matter how early she woke she didn''t manage to beat him and send a message first. Elle would usually take the initiative to message Adam early in the afternoon to ask him how is day was going and if he ate. In the evenings, if they were lucky, they would go out for dinner together. Adam always treated her well when they went out together, making sure she ate well, paying for the meal, even opening and closing the car door for her before driving her home. Even on the nights where they couldn''t see each other they would end up calling each other over the phone.

    Two weeks went by in that manner. Finally, on a cold Saturday, they had their first official date. They had gone out for dinner a few times since becoming a couple but they would speak mostly about work and the dinners would be brief. Elle didn''t count them as dates. Today Adam had promised Elle his entire day.

    Elle was excited and anxious for the date. It was her first time in a long time, and to make matters worse it was a date with Adam Hayes, who probably had a long record of dates with beautiful women. Even if she didn''t compare herself to her imaginary competition she still wanted to do her best. Elle even went so far as to raid her closet the night before, looking for the perfect outfit. In the end she settled for a white fuzzy sweater, light blue jeans and knee-high black suede boots.

    She arranged her hair into an intricate French braid that took her the better part of thirty minutes to concoct; bending and weaving the strands of her hair, testing her dexterity as she went. Finally, once she was satisfied with her hair and outfit, she applied a light shade of lipstick and put on a pair of pearl earrings and her little bluebird.

    Once she was ready Elle went downstairs to wait for Adam. He usually drove to her house at night where they were hidden under the cover of darkness and everyone in the house was getting ready to go to bed if not already there. This time, however, it was bright and still quite early, and Elle didn''t want Adam to be seen by her family. It would only end up causing more trouble than it was worth, so she waited impatiently at the door so she could run out before anyone saw them.

    Adam arrived, not much later, at exactly eleven as planned. Elle made a mental note to herself to be careful to never be running late with him. As she got into the car Elle noticed a strange look on Adam''s face.

    "Is it really okay for me not to greet your father?" Adam asked.

    "It''s fine." Elle said calmly, not feeling any of her usual bitterness at the mention of her father. She had Adam''s love now and her father''s love couldn''t hold a candle to it. She had discovered over the past two weeks that her father''s love at it''s best couldn''t compare to Adam''s love even at it''s worst.

    Adam accepted her answer, his only concern and consideration was for her after all. They set off to an unknown destination.

    Elle had originally tried to plan the date. She spent a lot of time and effort trying to come up with something. It was risky to do something simple, like go out to a movie, in the middle of the day because it was so public. She also avoided outdoor activities since the weather was so cold. After trying, and failing, to come up with something to do Elle pinned the responsibility on Adam. As a result, she had no idea where they were going or what he had planned for them.

    Adam had originally been worried that Elle may not enjoy what he had planned for them that day, but as he looked towards the passenger seat and saw her looking out the window with such a peaceful smile he was reassured by the fact that she seemed to be content with anything.

 79 Change of Plans

    After driving for a few minutes they arrived at a surprising location. Adam pulling up in front of a storefront that was still under construction. The entire storefront was covered and a sign read that the store was still under construction. At first Elle thought perhaps Adam had only parked here and that they were actually going to one of the neighbouring buildings, but he helped her out of the car and headed towards the building. To Elle''s surprise Adam opened the door and led her past the blocked off exterior.

    The inside of the store looked no better, the concrete floor was exposed and the drywall hadn''t been painted over yet in what looked like a large empty room.

    "Is it really okay to be inside here?" Elle asked apprehensively.

    "It doesn''t look like much but this is actually going to be Chef Alton''s newest restaurant."

    Elle looked at Adam with wide eyes. She knew Chef Alton of course, he was a famous celebrity chef who also owned several five-star restaurants throughout the country and even abroad. Adam continued to lead Elle through the building while she looked around with a new found interest.

    They reached the kitchen and Elle had to stop herself from making an audible gasp at the site of the famous chef himself. Adam stepped forward and greeted him as if he were an old friend.

    "Elle this is Alton, he and I are old acquaintances. We met when I had just started at MK." Adam explained. "Alton this is Elle." He then introduced. Elle greeted the chef politely, in the back of the mind she secretly wondered if there was no connection in this world that Adam had failed to make.

    The front of the restaurant was going to be transformed into a lounge area, Elle and Adam were led into a separate area; an already completed dining area. They took a seat before the chef left them, presumably to go cook their meal.

    "Once this place officially opens it''s sure to be crowded, I thought it might be nice to enjoy the food before anyone else." Adam said.

    "Being with you sure has its perks." Elle teased. "I get to experience many things before the general public." She added, reaching one hand up to graze the necklace.

    "What are the other perks of dating me?" Adam asked with a smirk. Elle kicked him lightly under the table which only made Adam laughed in response.

    The couple enjoyed a nice meal. First they were served a plate of grilled vegetables and cold cuts. That was followed by an entr¨¦e of fresh pasta. Finally, he brought out a refreshing sorbet topped with fresh berries in a dessert glass. Everything about the meal was simple yet perfect. However, their time at the restaurant was cut short by a sudden call.

    Adam looked at his phone with a frown before taking the call. Elle didn''t pay much attention and continued enjoying her dessert, but once the call ended Adam looked at her regretfully.

    "Something urgent came up, I need to return to the office." He said apologetically.

    Elle couldn''t deny she wasn''t disappointed, but she had already prepared herself for this type of scenario. It was bound to happen more often then not since she was dating someone so high up in the business world. She had already been able to enjoy a lovely meal out with him, she couldn''t be greedy.

    "That''s fine." She said with a smile, quickly finishing off the last bit of her dessert.

    Adam seemed hesitant, "It shouldn''t take too long, I just need to go clarify some information. If you don''t mind you can come with me." He suggested.

    "Is it really alright for me to come along?" Elle asked, surprised that he had suggested it.

    "Of course. It''s a Saturday so not many people will be at the company. Even then, no one would dare spread gossip about the boss."

    Elle didn''t have any plans for the rest of the day, even if it was just for a few minutes longer she wanted to spend more time with him. She couldn''t seem the harm in what he had proposed so she happily accepted.

 80 In Order To Meet Him

    Adam quickly returned to MK. Elle followed close behind him as they entered the towering building. Despite Adam''s reassurance, she had been worried about what others might think if they saw them walking together, but just as Adam said, almost no one was there. The only person they passed was the receptionist who bowed respectfully as Adam walked past.

    Well, they saw one more person. David was waiting for them just outside Adam''s office. His eyebrows raised ever so slightly at the sight of Elle shyly walking behind Adam. David immediately understood the nature of the relationship between the two. If it was just the fact that they were together he could only suspect that they were dating, but he saw the necklace hanging around Elle''s neck and he knew.

    David suddenly understood many of his bosses recent unexpected actions. The reason he was so strict and involved with the production of the necklace, the reason he left the annual party early, surely it was all for her.

    "I''ve prepared the reports sir." David said, handing Adam a file.

    Adam opened the door to his office. It had been a while since Elle had last been there; She forgot how beautiful it was. Natural light flooded in through the glass wall. Elle approached the glass, her stomach felt queasy as she saw how high up they were. It was unnerving and thrilling at the same time.

    "Bring in some tea." Adam instructed David, who happily obliged. Elle thanked him as she received the steaming cup. Once he was satisfied that she was comfortable, Adam took a seat at his desk and quickly set to work.

    At first Elle was satisfied just enjoying the view from his office, after a while she entertained herself by watching Adam work. He typed quickly, faster then most, with a stern expression on his face. His brow was ever-so-slightly furrowed from the force of his concentration.

    Elle thought he seemed especially handsome when he was focused and hard at work. She enjoyed it for some time, but soon Elle''s attention shifted to two giant bookcases which were stocked with books. She walked over to examine it closer. Elle ran her finger along their spines as she walked the length of the shelves. Most of the books were business related, but as she walked a certain book caught her attention. It was a special edition of Homer''s Odyssey.

    Elle looked back towards Adam who was still engrossed in his computer''s screen; surely he wouldn''t mind her borrowing it. She plucked the book off the shelf, sat down on one of the leather sofa''s, and began reading.

    Elle couldn''t recall when she fell asleep, but some time later she was waking up. She lazily rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she looked around. It was only just past five in the evening but the sun was already low in the sky, the room was only dimly lit by the little sunlight that remained. Adam was in the exact same position as he was a few hours ago, the silent room was filled by the sound of clicking keys as he typed away at his computer.

    Elle looked down and realized someone had removed her shoes and covered her with a soft woolen blanket. Of course his consideration would go this far; not only had he got her a blanket and let her sleep in peace, but he even worked in the dim light instead of turning on the bright, florescent, office lights.

    She slowly got up off the couch, still wrapped in the blanket, and padded across the floor towards Adam''s desk. She came up behind him and gently put one hand on his shoulder.

    "You''re still working?"

    Adam stopped typing and stretched his arms out, letting out a sigh as he did. "There are just a few more loose ends to type up." He said, turning his chair to face her. One of his hands gently rested against her lower back.

    "Did you sleep well?" He asked softly.

    "Sorry." She mumbled. "I didn''t mean to."

    "That''s fine." Adam said, slowly pulling her into his lap. "I''m sorry too. I''m sure this wasn''t your idea of an ideal date."

    Elle smiled. "I think it''s been quite nice."

    "I''m almost finished, just give me a few more minutes, I''ll take you somewhere once I''m done. I want to at least end the day well." Elle sat comfortably in his arms as he finished his work she looked out at the purple and pink sky.

    Just fifteen minutes later Adam had finished and was driving them out of the city. Elle curiously wondered where they were going. A few more minutes passed and the two ended up at a viewing platform on a hilltop. They could see the entire city from there. Thousands of lights glowed in the distance.

    Elle pulled her coat tighter around her as a cool evening breeze blew. "What a beautiful view." She murmured.

    "It is." Adam said, not taking his eyes off her. Elle met his eyes, and she could see his love reflected in them.

    Elle reflected on her life up until this moment and as she did she felt as if she finally had the answer to an unspoken question. Now she knew. She had to endure all her heartbreaks and embrace all those nights filled with endless tears in order to meet him.

    "What is it?" Adam asked, realizing that she had been staring at him.

    "I''m really happy." Elle whispered, before leaning to kiss him. To her it really was a perfect day.

 81 A New Year

    Almost a month passed since Jacob had started working at Tae. He had been placed in the sales department which meant his main task was to track the company''s sales, both for individual store locations as well as online sales. Things had been going smoothly so far, Jacob was getting along well with his coworkers, but he was slow in his work.

    While he hadn''t made any mistakes in the month that he had been there, he also hadn''t done anything note-worthy. Their father was unimpressed when he inquired about Jacob''s progress, but after some thought he decided to give him some more time to show his strengths. He continued to encourage his adopted son.

    Even though he was the president of the company and had a lot of work to attend to, their father still took time to visit Jacob at his department once or twice a week. He would even occasionally take his son along with him during business lunches, and introduce him to various connections that way.

    Elle knew about it of course. When she first started at the company she had been a few years younger than Jacob was now, and her father hadn''t showed her much support. He left her to fend for herself, and she did. Elle quickly made her way up the ranks to the director position she held now. One might think it was unfair for her father to give Jacob so much extra support, some employees even whispered about it behind closed doors, but Elle hardly gave it any thought. It didn''t bother her in the slightest, for while her father and Jacob were out at their fancy business lunches she was out for lunch with Adam, and there was no better connection they could make than that.

    Abby had just started at her new job as well. Expectations weren''t so high for her, but she still faced the same struggles and fears as everyone else; could she do her work well, would she get along with everyone, etc. The one benefit was that she was now living in the same city as her best friend. One day she was feeling particularly stressed so she messaged Elle and invited her out to lunch.

    Elle happily agreed, she was also enjoying the benefits of having a close friend return from overseas.

    "Sorry I''m late!" Abby apologized as she sat down at the table where Elle had been waiting.

    "That''s alright, I haven''t been waiting long." Elle said. The truth was that she had only just arrived as well, she hadn''t even taken her coat off yet. As she did Abby let out a scream.

    Elle stared at her with bewilderment, awkwardly looking around to see if any of the other patrons were staring at them. "What is it?" Elle asked in a hushed voice.

    "Your necklace!" Abby exclaimed. "How did you get that?!"

    Elle looked down and realized she was wearing the limited edition necklace Adam had gifted her. She had been wearing it more and more often now that it had officially launched to the public.

    Elle should have realized that Abby, the girl who had been obsessed with MK''s launch event, would recognized the necklace immediately.

    "I got it as a gift." Elle said, averting her eyes from Abby''s sharp glare.

    That answer only spurred a million more questions. To her credit, Elle managed to deflect them all.

    The girls had an enjoyable lunch, it was a nice break for Abby as well. She was able to escape the pressures of her job as well.

    When they were finished lunch Abby drove Elle, who had walked to the restaurant, back to Tae. It was only a short walk back but Abby insisted. She even walked Elle back to her office, only taking a small detour before returning to her own workplace.

 82 Inspection

    Early one morning Jacob was nervously getting dressed for work, putting more effort into his appearance than usual. He was going to be going on his first unsupervised store inspection that morning. Usually employees in the sales department would have to be promoted to a senior position before they''d be allowed to go on an inspection alone, but his father, who was eager to give Jacob an opportunity to stand out, arranged for him to go alone. Almost alone. Just to be safe he had Elle tag along with her step-brother.

    Elle had been reluctant to go along at first, after all she had her own work to take care of. The task also felt dangerously close to baby sitting. However, after some persuasion from her father and some deliberating on her own part she realized it wouldn''t be so awful to get an entire day off work just to follow Jacob on his excursion. Elle''s department was still in their slow period, so Elle decided to go ahead and enjoy herself today.

    Jacob drove them to the store he was assigned to in silence. They were parked outside the store, and Elle watched with a faint sense of humour as Jacob double check all his paperwork before confidently entering the store. Elle pulled out a book and reclined her seat, content to pass her time in an uneventful way.

    Inside the store Jacob was shown to a waiting area where he waited for the store manager to arrive. As he waited he tried his best to shove the butterflies in his stomach down. After a few minutes the store manager finally arrived, apologizing for the delay as he approached.

    Jacob was surprised by his appearance, but managed to not let it show. The manager was young, and dressed smartly in a fitted suit. He looked to be about the same age as Jacob, perhaps a year younger even. It was uncommon to find a manager so young.

    "Thanks for waiting, I''m Michael Davis." The manager said, introducing himself.

    "You can just call me Jacob." Jacob said politely in return.

    The inspection went on smoothly. Jacob carefully inspected invoices, shipping documents, and sales receipts before doing a physical count of the inventory. He double checked, and triple checked all the numbers, desperate to not make a mistake.

    The time went by quickly, before he knew it three hours had passed, but he was finally done. The only thing left to do was to review with the manager before he left.

    "Mr. Davis, I just need you to sign off on these documents." Jacob said, handing the paperwork over.

    "Just call me Michael." He insisted. "It feels strange to be referred to so politely by someone so young."

    "I was thinking the same thing." Jacob said with a laugh. "You must have done well for yourself, to be in a management position position at such a young age."

    "I can say the same for you." Michael commented. "You''re already in the senior sales department."

    Jacob''s smile faltered. "Ah, no I actually didn''t start that long ago."

    "Oh that''s right! I remember hearing about it. You''re actually the president''s son right?"

    "That''s right."

    "It''s still an impressive feat. He wouldn''t put you in this position unless he was confident in you."

    Jacob hadn''t thought of it that way before. A small sense of pride tugged at his heart. "I''m glad I got to come. It''s a nice change of pace to get to interact with someone in my own age group." Jacob joked.

    "Well you know there''s a circle of guys, mostly store employees, who all get together from time to time. You should join us."

    "Really?"

    "Sure! We''re actually going out for drinks this weekend, if you''re free you should come along."

    Jacob happily exchanged his contact information with Michael. He had been so nervous about the inspection today; who would have guessed that he would make an unexpected friend.

 83 Shopping Spree

    Elle thought she could have an enjoyable time by herself, but she quickly found herself bored of reading. She put her book away and decided to write instead, but as more time passed she was just left feeling bored and cold. Elle had told Jacob she would wait in the car, but perhaps she would go in, at least to stay warm.

    Luckily for Elle, she didn''t have to decide. At that moment she received a text message from Abby.

    ''I need to buy a new outfit for an important dinner tonight. Do you think you could spare an hour to come help me shop?'' Abby asked.

    Elle grinned, looking up at the mall they were parked at. ''I''m already here.'' Elle said, sending Abby the address of the mall she was at. ''I have a few hours to spare, I''ll shop around inside, let me know when you arrive.''

    Elle eagerly went inside, sending a text message to Jacob to let him know in case he needed her. She went straight to the closest coffee shop first, getting herself a nice hot cup of tea to warm herself up with. Elle held the cup with both hands, letting it warm her fingers, and she let out a hum of satisfaction as she took her first sip and felt the hot beverage burn its way down her throat, leaving a gratifying warmth in its wake.

    While she waited Elle casually strolled around the mall, glancing at the window displays as she did. Abby arrived quickly, barely a half hour later the two girls were greeting each other with a hug.

    "I hope I didn''t pull you from something important." Abby asked nervously as they made their way to one of Abby''s favourite stores.

    "It''s fine, I was just accompanying Jacob." Elle explained. "He''s on his first solo store inspection."

    "Is it fine that you left him on his own?"

    "It''s fine. I don''t need to take part I only need to review his results. Today I''m basically just playing the part of a glorified babysitter." Elle said with a roll of her eyes.

    Abby laughed. "Then I''m glad I was able to save you from such a boring job."

    At the first store they went to Abby picked out three dresses. The first was a woolen sweater dress that Elle thought looked nice, but Abby deemed too casual. The second was a boxy mid-length dress that Elle agreed looked too bland and professional for a dinner. The third was a flouncy red-dress which Elle found quite fun, but Abby put that back too, claiming it wasn''t professional enough.

    They went to multiple stores, and Elle helped Abby pick out many things. She tried on dresses, jumpsuits, skirts, and pants, but none of them were able to satisfy Abby. Each time she emerged from the dressing rooms she was displeased with her outfits. Be it because they were too formal, not formal enough, not suitable for the weather, or not suitable for her complexion, Abby found a reason to put each outfit back on the rack.

    After visiting their third store and failing to find an outfit that Abby was content with Elle let out a tired huff. Abby was usually very lighthearted, shopping with her was supposed to rid Elle of her boredom, not add to it.

    "What are you doing tonight that is so important that you can''t decide on single piece of clothing?" Elle asked, her annoyance seeped into her voice.

    "Sorry," Abby said, looking pitifully at Elle, "I''m being really picky today aren''t I?"

    Elle''s frustration immediately left her. "No, that''s alright." She reassured Abby, feeling guilty that she said anything in the first place. "Everyone has an off day from time to time. Why don''t we take a break for lunch before continuing?"

    "That sounds good." Abby agreed.

    A hot meal seemed to do the trick. After enjoying a quick trip to the food court both girls went back out in search of the perfect outfit with a new found energy and determination.

 84 Shopping Spree 2

    Finally, at the fourth store they went to that day, they finally managed to find something. The outfit was comprised of black fitted pants, an oversized knit sweater, tied together with a pair of heeled ankle boots. It was cute and cozy, not too formal, and still not too casual. It was perfect. The outfit showed off Abby''s slim physique and brought out the warmth in her complexion.

    A sales attendant had got to wrap up the outfit while Elle and Abby continued to browse the store. While casually looking around Elle happen to stumble upon a dress. It was a short, olive green, satin dress. As soon as she saw it she was reminded of the extravagant satin dress she once wore. Her hands gently ran over the smooth silky material.

    Abby noticed her interest in the dress and insisted she try it on. "It''s a gorgeous dress, and I''m sure it''ll look amazing on you." she said in an effort to convince Elle. "You haven''t tried on a single thing all day; it would be a waste of a trip if you don''t."

    Elle hesitated for a moment but eventually gave in and took the dress to the back to try it on. The truth was, even without Abby''s insistence she would have tried it on. It was a beautiful dress and Elle couldn''t resist.

    Once she had it on she stepped out of the dressing rooms and went out into the store to go show Abby. Elle found her at the front of the store looking at a dress on display. Abby gasped as Elle approached.

    "That looks great on you." She exclaimed. "You look like a model."

    Elle laughed at the obvious flattery, and turned to look at her own reflection in a nearby mirror. She didn''t know about model, but the dress did look nice. Elle turned this way and that, trying to examine the dress at different angles.

    She didn''t often shop for herself, and she wasn''t really in need of a dress, Elle couldn''t decide if she should get it or not. While she was still deliberating her phone dinged, suggesting she received a text message.

    Abby had been holding her purse for her, and handed Elle her phone. Elle took it quickly, worried that it was Jacob, but when she looked at the message she was stunned.

    ''You look beautiful. You should get the dress.'' Adam wrote.

    Elle looked up in surprise. She glanced around the store, and even out into the mall, but no matter which way she turned she couldn''t spot Adam anywhere.

    ''Where are you?'' Elle asked.

    Adam leaned against the railing of a reinforced glass barrier, trying to suppress his laughter. One floor below him he could see his girl standing near the front of a store. Adam''s eyes were filled with adoration as he watched her look around with confusion. Elle''s phone started ringing. She quickly excused herself, taking a few steps away from Abby before she took the call.

    "Look up." Adam''s deep and gentle voice filled her ear, finally putting her out of her misery. Elle looked up and saw Adam peering down at her, clearly amused.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked.

    "There was an issue at our store, I''m here to resolve it. What about you?"

    "Jacob is doing an inspection of our store, I was sent here with him. While I was waiting Abby invited me to go shopping so I''m with her while I wait for him to finish."

    In the background Elle could hear someone call for Adam. "I have to go." He said suddenly. "Let me know when you''re finished, we can go get dinner together."

    "Okay." The call ended and she headed back to Abby.

    "Who was that?" Abby asked.

    "Just work." Elle said, lying easily.

    When the sales attendant returned they had her wrap up the dress as well. Both girls made their purchases and then continued to walk around the mall until Jacob finally contacted Elle to let her know he was finished. The two friends parted ways and Elle went back out to the car where Jacob was waiting.

    "Here hold this." She said, handing him her bags and taking the inspection papers in return.

    "Don''t you at least want to sit down?" Jacob inquired as he watched her stand in the cold, flipping through the papers.

    Elle ignored him, putting her full concentration on the work in front of her. She went through each page carefully and could find no errors.

    "Congratulations." She finally said in a monotone voice. "You didn''t forget anything." Elle took her bags back and handed the thick stack of papers back to him. "I''m going to meet up with someone so you can head back first."

    "Okay." Jacob didn''t bother to ask questions. He simply took back his work before heading back to the company. A little while later Elle was meeting up with Adam at his car.

    "Did you get the dress?" Adam asked as she approached.

    "Yup." Elle held up the bag as proof.

    "Good." He said with a smile before helping her into the car. It was still early but the two headed out for dinner. They both had an enjoyable time. Adam cracked up as he recounted her looking around for him at the mall. Elle playfully smacked him, muttering under her breath as she did.

    Meanwhile, Abby had arrived at a restaurant for her dinner. She was the first to arrive so she sat down at a booth and quickly pulled out a compact mirror. The wind had blown a few strands out of place, which she quickly straightened out, but other than that she was satisfied with her appearance. Abby absentmindedly looked through the menu as she waited.

    "I hope you haven''t been waiting long." A strong voice called out.

    Abby looked up to see Jacob approaching. "Not at all." She said with a smile.

 85 First Date

    Abby looked up at Jacob nervously. It wasn''t their first time spending time together alone, they had slowly gotten to know each other over the past few months, but tonight was their first real date.

    "You look very nice tonight." He said politely.

    Abby smiled proudly, "I went shopping with your sister today."

    "I was wondering where she ran off to." Jacob murmured. "Are you sure it''s alright not to tell her?"

    Abby hesitated. The truth was that she felt very guilty towards Elle. "Well she is your sister. What do you think?"

    Jacob scoffed. "She''s my sister only by law. Everyone can tell how much she dislikes me. You two are the ones who are close, you should decide."

    "I don''t want to hide it from her, but I don''t want to tell her just yet either." Abby finally decided.

    The relationship was too new. Abby wanted to at least see if things were serious before telling Elle, whom she knew wouldn''t like the match. To Elle Jacob was an outsider who disrupted her family, but to Abby Jacob was the only one who understood her.

    Abby had only just moved back, everything was strange to her and she hadn''t been able to adapt quickly despite living in this city for the majority of her life. She was surrounded by new people and thrust into a new job. Elle was sweet, but she was also very busy. Recently Jacob had been the one to give her encouragement and listen to her worries. Because, just like her, Jacob had also been thrust into a new world. A new house, a new family, and a new job. Elle wasn''t sympathetic to his simple troubles, but Abby could understand them all too well.

    "How did the inspection go?" Abby asked, forcefully changing the subject.

    "It went well." Jacob replied, equally eager to let the topic of his stepsister fall.

    "Hopefully with this your father will stop nagging you."

    "What about you?" Jacob asked. "How was your day?"

    Abby recounted her day out shopping with Elle, conveniently leaving out exactly how many stores they went to.

    "Elle wore her pretty necklace again, I''m so jealous of her." Abby said with a dreamy sigh.

    "That bluebird necklace?" Jacob asked. She wore it so often that he had begun to notice it but he hadn''t realized it was anything special.

    "That''s right. It''s a limited edition release from MK so there are only ten in the world. I have no idea how she was lucky enough to get her hands on one." Abby continued.

    Jacob''s eyebrows knit together as he wondered the same, but he quickly let the thought go. "You like MK a lot don''t you. You also wear that necklace of theirs quite often." He said nodding at the necklace around her neck.

    "Ah, this." Abby said, subconsciously reaching up to touch it, "It was actually a Christmas gift from Elle."

    "I see." Jacob said, looking down at his food. Abby silently cursed. Elle wasn''t even there yet she ended up bringing her up so much. The conversation always seemed to lead back to her.

    Abby made a mental note to not bring up Elle for the rest of the night. It seemed to work, the rest of the night went well. The, not official, couple enjoyed a nice meal while exchanging casual conversation.

    Abby had driven to the restaurant herself so at the end of the night Jacob simply walked her back to her car. Abby was a little regretful that the night ended on such a dull note, but Jacob brightened her spirits by asking her out again for dinner next week. Abby ended up driving back home with a smile.

    Meanwhile, Elle and Adam were still out together. They were enjoying each other''s company too much; they were slow to return home that night. Even when Elle finally returned home and went to bed her dreams were full of Adam.

 86 Cheers To Tha

    Friday finally arrived. Jacob, who had been eagerly waiting for today, powered through his work that day. Michael had invited him to have dinner and drinks with a few of the younger employees that night. Jacob didn''t dislike his colleagues, but after spending the past month doing nothing but socialize with the older employees so he was excited to get the chance to hang out with colleagues his own age. He also got the feeling that some of the older employees disliked the fact that he was the boss''s son. No one said anything to his face, obviously, but he would catch them whispering sometimes.

    The hours passed slowly, but finally, the end of the work day arrived. Jacob didn''t want to seem to eager so he waited for a few minutes to pass before taking a cab to the bar that everyone had arranged to meet at. As expected, almost everyone had already arrived by the time he got there. Many of them seemed to have already started drinking as well.

    "Jacob!" Michael greeted excitedly when he spotted him in the crowded place. He ushered him over to their table and made all the introductions. There were a total of ten guys there, including Jacob, and two more who arrive after to make a large group of twelve.

    Jacob had originally lived in a smaller city, a few hours away from where he lived now. He had happily followed his mother to their new home, but it meant leaving his old life, and friends, behind him. He still occasionally contacted a few of them but he had missed having get-togethers like this.

    Two hours of drinking and eating and more drinking passed. Jacob was enjoying himself, it had been a long time since he had felt this relaxed. In fact, everyone seemed to be having a grand time.

    "So Jacob," One of the men started, "I heard you''re the boss''s son. That means you live with Elle right?"

    Jacob''s face scrunched up. "I do." He said curtly.

    "Isn''t that tempting?" The man said, slightly slurring his words.

    "Why would it be?" Jacob countered.

    "Because she''s beautiful."

    "And talented." Another chimed in.

    "Is she?" Jacob asked, trying to hide his irritation. Michael noticed his tension and patted his shoulder.

    "Alright, that''s enough guys." He said, leading Jacob back to the bar counter and away from the rest of the guys.

    "Was the inspection successful?" Michael asked while they waited for their drinks.

    "It was." Jacob replied proudly. His first solo inspection had gone without a hitch.

    "That''s great." Michael said as he received their drinks. "Cheers to that."

    Jacob''s earlier annoyance quickly vanished as he and the rest of the boys continued to enjoy themselves well into the night.

    It was almost midnight when Adam dropped Elle off. They had gone for dinner again that night where Elle had teased that she would gain too much weight from dating him since they ended up eating out together two or three times a week. Adam had taken her out for a late night stroll after, neither of them noticed the hours pass, so they were late getting back.

    As they arrived Elle looked out the car window, surprised to see Jacob standing with his back to them at the front door.

    "I better go." Elle said to Adam. She quickly leaned over to give him a kiss on his cheek and bid him a good night. As she approached the front door Elle realized that Jacob was struggling to get the key into the lock, mumbling under his breath as he missed and then missed again.

    "Are you drunk?" Elle asked incredulously.

    Jacob looked up, surprised by her sudden appearance for a moment, then a huge grin spread on his face. "I am." He said matter-of-factly.

    Elle rolled her eyes and then took the keys from him, easily opening the door before shoving them back into his hands. "You better go to your room before anyone sees you." She warned. Her father would surely be livid to see him stumble home this drunk.

    Jacob gave her a salute. "Yes, ma''am." He teased.

    Elle had never seen him like this before. Part of her wondered if she should help him to bed, she was worried he wouldn''t be able to make it up the stairs. The other half of her was petty, telling herself that he was safe enough now that he was inside and that she ought to leave him to fend for himself. The later half won when Jacob made a noise as if he might throw up.

    Elle quickly went up the stairs to her own room. She waited only long enough to make sure Adam got home safely before showering and getting into bed. Jacob did manage to make it up the stairs and into his own room where he swiftly fell asleep on top of the covers and still in his work clothes.

 87 Lets Make A Be

    As the end of the month arrived the busy season for Elle also arrived. This day in particular, meetings were scheduled sporadically throughout the entire day. She would manage to get in an hour or so of work before rushing off to another meeting and then another. For once, however, she didn''t mind. Her entire department was in high spirits with the arrival of an exciting new project.

    Elle worked tirelessly that day, stopping only when Adam arrived to take her out to dinner. She packed up her things and rushed out to his car. When they arrived at the restaurant the waitress led them to a waiting area while she confirmed their private room was available. Adam took a seat in a chair while Elle simply stood beside him.

    Throughout the ride, and even now as they waited at the restaurant, Elle barely spoke. She wore a polite smile but she was obviously distracted. Her eyes seemed to be looking into the distance as the back of her mind was still brainstorming all sorts of ideas for the project.

    "You seem to be in a good mood." Adam commented.

    "I have a new project at work." Elle said, a huge grin spreading across her face.

    "You''re that pleased about work?" Adam asked, clearly amused.

    "It''s a very exciting project." Elle said in her defence. "I basically have free reign to do whatever I want to boost online sales over the next month. At the end of the period they''ll assign our department a bonus based on the results. Everyone spent all day excitedly coming up with ideas. I have a feeling we''ll have a lot of material to use."

    "You seem very confident."

    "I wouldn''t say I''m overly confident, but I am very excited. It''s been a long time since I''ve had a project with this much freedom in it. It''s also a lot of fun to see my department this engrossed with their work."

    Adam smiled, happy to see her so animated. "Why don''t we make it more interesting, shall we make a bet on the results?"

    "What kind of bet?" Elle asked, her eyes glittering with enthusiasm and curiosity.

    "How about this, if you exceed 80,000 sales I will fulfil any one request of yours."

    "Any request?" Elle asked excitedly. 80,000 was a high number, especially to sell in only one month, but Valentine''s day was coming up. She didn''t think is was impossible. She also couldn''t deny that she wasn''t intrigued.

    "Anything."

    "Are you sure? I can ask you for anything?"

    "Yes, yes." Adam said with a laugh.

    "What will you do if I ask you for MK?"

    Adam pulled her closer, so she stood between his legs. One hand firmly encircled her waist while the other gently took her hand and placed it on his chest, over his heart.

    "If you ask for MK I will give it to you. My life is now yours to ruin."

    When she was standing so close to him Elle could see the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. The corner of his lips was pulled up in a crooked smile.

    "You''re too cunning." She murmured, slowly leaning further towards him.

    Adam got the hint. He closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. Once again Elle lost herself to the soft and gentle feeling of his lips against hers. The kiss was slow and intoxicating. Adam''s strong arms wrapped tighter around her, gathering her against him.

    It wasn''t until a waitress came back in, clearing her throat awkwardly, that the two parted. As they were led them to their table Elle kept her head down, thoroughly embarrassed. Adam walked normally however, her reaction only seemed to amuse him more. He even brazenly held her hand, confident that the waitress wouldn''t dare tell a soul what she saw.

    The two spent the rest of the night talking about nothing in particular. When she returned home that night Elle felt energized, not at all like she had spent the whole day in meetings. With even more incentive now that she and Adam had a bet, Elle excitedly planned the project late into the night.

 88 Comparisons

    Elle''s department was hard at work, but the sales department hadn''t hit their busy season yet. Jacob spent his days working leisurely, enjoying the calmness while it lasted. A few days after they had gone drinking together Michael came to visit Jacob at work. The two went out for lunch together.

    "The other night was fun wasn''t it?" Michael said, casually starting up the conversation.

    "It was. It''s been a long time since I last went out drinking." Jacob said with a laugh. "Maybe I overdid it a bit."

    "It''s nice to let loose once in a while. We usually go out once a month, you should come next time too." Jacob gratefully accepted. "Ah, by the way, forgive the other guys for their comments that night."

    "Their comments?" Jacob asked. The drunken conflict was already long forgotten by him.

    "They were teasing you about your sister." Michael gently reminded him. "But they were only teasing. Elle is something of a celebrity to us after all, they were just drunk and excited."

    Jacob didn''t hold a grudge, he barely remembered the incident himself, but Michael''s explanation surprised him. "A celebrity?" He asked.

    "You didn''t know?" Michael asked with his eyebrows raised. "Not only is she the heir to the company, but she even worked her way from the ground up despite being the boss''s daughter. She has quite an impressive history. She even tripled the record for pre-sales during the last launch."

    Jacob''s hands tightened into fists under the table. "Is that so?" He said, casually masking his annoyance. It wasn''t that he hated his sister, but rather that he didn''t think of her as his sister at all. Instead she was an imaginary goal to reach, he was always listening to everyone around him compare himself to her, it was only natural that he had grown to dislike even the mention of her name.

    Michael could read other people''s feelings well, and clearly saw the annoyance in Jacob re-emerge. "I have good news for you." He quickly threw in, hoping to ease the tension. "The store managers are all having an important work dinner in a few weeks, I was asked to recommend a few people from the sales department to join us and I put your name in. It''s not a huge honour, but it''ll be a good chance for you to meet the other managers. If you make a good impression I''m sure your future work with them will go smoothly."

    Jacob was stunned, and flattered. Although he and Michael had gotten along well since they first met, they had only just met. It was strange to think that he would recommend Jacob, whom he barely knew. Never the less, it was a favour to Jacob, and he thanked him for it by treating him to lunch that day.

    When Jacob returned to his office he was startled to find his father there waiting for him.

    "Where have you been?" His father asked, glancing down at his watch.

    "I was out for lunch to discuss some business matters." It wasn''t a complete lie.

    His father let out a sigh. "I''m not trying to push you too hard, I know you''re still getting used to things, but you do need to put in a lot of effort too."

    "I think I''ve been doing well up till now." Jacob said in his defense. "The inspection the other day went well too."

    His father frowned. "This is what I mean. That shouldn''t be enough to satisfy you. You know when Elle first started she started even further down in the company then this. She hid the fact that she was my daughter, and even still people would point her out to me telling me how well she was doing. She put a lot of effort to get the director position so quickly, I expect you to as well."

    Jacob had nothing to say to this. He had already heard other employees say similar things in quite whispers. "Yes father." Was all he said.

    "I don''t mean to rush you. I just want you to succeed."

    "If you don''t mind, I still have a lot of work to do before the day is over."

    His father seemed unpleased by Jacob''s response but he left his son to his work all the same. Jacob was having an enjoyable day until lunch happened, now he was left feeling bitter and frustrated. Luckily for him he knew a great cure for bitterness. He gave Abby a quick call, her sweet and energetic voice soon cured him of his annoyance.

 89 Like You A Lo

    Soon enough Valentine''s day arrived. Abby had eagerly awaited this day. Her relationship with Jacob had gotten more serious over the past few weeks, they hadn''t officially asked each other, but somehow they ended up going on more and more dates until it just seemed that they were exclusively dating.

    Unfortunately, the holiday fell on a working day, so Abby and Jacob planned to go see a movie before having dinner that night. Even more unfortunate was the weather, which was only getting colder with every passing day. Abby had wanted to wear a cute dress that night, but it was too impractical. In its place she wore a pair of deep red skinny jeans paired with a fuzzy white turtleneck sweater, going for a cozy look instead.

    At work Abby powered through the day feeling exceptionally bored as she waited for the end of the day to come. A few of the professors even teased her when they noticed she was frequently looking at the time.

    "I''m guessing you have a date tonight?"

    "I do." Abby said with a shy smile.

    "Ah, it must be nice to be young. My husband never does anything for Valentine''s day anymore."

    At the end of the working day Jacob arrived to pick her up before going to the theatre. The movie they went to see wasn''t a romantic one; neither of them were interested in seeing a sappy romantic comedy, instead they both agreed on a drama that looked interesting. Thankfully it was. During dinner the conversation flowed naturally as they both discussed the movie they had just seen and their favourite parts. Two people who did not know each other that well, and who would sometimes sit in an uncomfortable silence, instead had a lot to talk about. Abby hadn''t thought about it before, but it was a nice way to make sure there were no awkward pauses in the conversation during dinner.

    "This is the first time I''ve seen a movie on Valentine''s day, I was surprised to see how crowded it was." She commented.

    "Have you gone out on many Valentine''s dates?" Jacob asked smoothly. Abby flushed. He was basically asking if she dated a lot of people before, she was embarrassed just remembering her dark past of failed relationships.

    "Not that many, but a few." She replied, with a dry laugh. "I''m the type whose relationships never last long." Jacob nodded and continued eating. After a moment Abby worked up the courage to shyly ask, "Do you mind if I''ve dated people before?"

    Jacob looked up at her with deep eyes. "I think being someone''s first love would be nice, but to be their last would be greater."

    Abby looked down to hide the girlish smile on her face. "How sly," She murmured. "for someone who hasn''t even confessed their feelings."

    "Haven''t I said it before?" Jacob asked innocently. "Then let me say it now, I like you. What about you?"

    Abby looked at him and with earnest replied, "I sort of, maybe, quite possibly, like you a lot."

    After dinner Jacob took her to a specialty cake shop where they both shared a decadent mini chocolate cake. This time Abby insisted she pay, Jacob eventually folded to her strong will. All-in-all it was a wonderful night, but eventually it had to come to an end.

    Jacob drove her home, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek, before returning home himself. Abby went inside where she fell back onto her bed wishing everyone in the world could feel as perfect a happiness as she did.

 90 Cancelled Plans

    The morning of February 14th Elle also woke up feeling excited. She had never celebrated a single Valentine''s day before her. As the director of the marketing department she couldn''t help but think of it as nothing more than a cheap consumer holiday. However, today was different. Today, for the first time, Elle was going to participate in the ridiculousness of the holiday.

    Adam was busy with work as always, but Elle was also drowning in work recently. Her department had been working tirelessly over their new project; the days leading up to, and including, today would play a big part in determining how successful the new project would be.

    That morning Elle awoke hours earlier than usual. There was going to be an early morning department meeting that would be held an hour before the typical start of the work day, which meant Elle had to arrive at work two hours before all the other employees to make sure all the material for the meeting was prepared.

    Normally Elle would have had to drag herself out of bed, and thrown on whatever clothes were most comfortable, before unwillingly heading out into the cold. However, since it was Valentine''s day she got out of bed with fervour, and put more effort into her look than she normally might have.

    For Elle this largely meant throwing some makeup into her purse for her to apply before meeting up with Adam later that day, but she also went through the trouble of curling her hair into loose waves and selecting a cute outfit.

    Like Abby had, Elle also struggled with deciding what to wear since it was a cold day and she also had to go to work. At first Elle had wanted to wear the pink satin dress she had bought at the mall with Abby. The one Adam had complimented her in. But the dress was short, sleeveless, and it was more of a party dress than a work dress. Still, the childish girl in Elle wanted to wear something pretty. In the end Elle wore a navy blue jumpsuit and carefully packed the pink dress into a bag so that she could change into it later on. If she froze tonight so be it.

    Elle was the first one to arrive at Tae. Not even the receptionist was in yet. She felt eerie as she took the elevator up to her department''s floor, which was full of empty desks. Since it was winter the sun hadn''t even risen yet. Once she was in her office however, Elle had her work to distract her. An hour later her and her team members were sitting at one of the big round tables in a board room and their meeting began.

    For this project there was only a short timeline of a little over a month, not much time to run a huge campaign. Her team members had also all come up with many different creative ideas. So this time around Elle had gone for a different approach, they marketing team was running several smaller scale promotions during the time period. For Valentines day they had also done several social media advertisements which were cheap and easy to execute. All the senior team members each had their own campaign to run independently, but this meant that Elle, who was overseeing them all, had to keep track of various promotions which were all at various stages of execution.

    One by one each team member gave a report on their status and Elle pointed out key factors to take note of.

    "Execute the latter part of the operations carefully. Also make sure to complete the market research first. Hand the report in to me next week." Elle instructed simply. "Also make sure the data from today''s online transactions are on my desk tomorrow morning."

    "Yes Director."

    Hours later Elle was massaging her cramped neck as she walked back to her office. She was about to go inside but stopped with surprise in the doorway. On her desk sat a small bouquet of light pink baby''s breath flowers, beautifully arranged in a glass jar.

    Elle looked around but all she could see were her team members returning to their desks. Had someone put these in her room while they were all still in the meeting? She sat down at her desk and pulled out her phone, taking a quick picture and sending it to Adam.

    ''Was this your doing?'' She asked.

    ''And if it was?'' He replied soon after.

    ''How did you manage to deliver them?'' Elle asked incredulously.

    ''I''m the most powerful man in the country, it isn''t that difficult to deliver a single bouquet.''

    Elle laughed to herself. Even through the screen she could hear his teasing tone. ''They''re beautiful. Thank you.'' She replied before setting her phone aside once more.

    The rest of the day went by quickly, faster than Elle would have preferred. She was excited for her date tonight of course, but she also felt regretful when she looked at the stack of work sitting on her desk still waiting to be done.

    Nevertheless, she abandoned her work and went into the private bathroom in her office to quickly get ready. She put on the satin dress and fixed her hair before putting on a nude shade of lipstick and some eyeliner. She put her knee-high boots and then returned to her desk to go through a bit more work while she waited for Adam.

    After some discussion both of them agreed to have him pick her up from work and go to a restaurant and then to the same park he had taken her to when they had gone out for dinner all those months ago. It was a quite place, and not many people passed through, which made it perfect for the secretive couple. Elle had often requested to take a walk through there after their dinner''s together on nights that weren''t so cold.

    When she first suggested they go there tonight Adam had been hesitant. He asked if there wasn''t something more extravagant she wanted to do, but Elle was persistent. She enjoyed the simple pleasure of take a walk in the chilly air with her arm linked through his, so Adam obliged.

    Elle waited almost a half hour before finally receiving Adam''s call. She answered it quickly, thinking he was downstairs, but his apologetic voice gave her bad news. He was still caught up in an important meeting that likely wouldn''t finish for another hour. He would have to cancel on her tonight.

    "I''m so sorry." Adam''s sincere voice came through the phone.

    "It''s okay." Elle couldn''t deny that she wasn''t a little disappointed, but it couldn''t be helped. He was in such a high position after all, there were bound to be times when his work would interrupt them. In fact, Elle was surprised that it had taken this long for such an occasion to arise. She had expected this from the beginning so she couldn''t feel angry about it now. "It was only dinner; we can try for another night instead."

    Adam frowned on the other side of the line, he had been looking forward to tonight in his own way as well. This time the matter was out of his control, it was a meeting with the shareholders, it wasn''t something he could get out of easily.

    "Tell me how to make it up to you." He asked.

    Elle smiled. This is why she wouldn''t get angry, why it wouldn''t bother her if his work came between them. Even when he was in the middle of a meeting he stopped to call her, even when he was so busy he was considerate towards her.

    "In that case I want to change out bet."

    "To what?" Adam asked, amused by her reply.

    "If I exceed the 80,000 sales I want to go on a trip with you. It doesn''t have to be far, but it has to last at least ten hours."

    Adam smiled. How cute could she be? She could ask him for anything in the world and all she asked for was ten hours of his time?

    "Okay." He agreed. "I have to go now; I''ll give you a call later."

    "Okay. Have fun at your meeting." She teased. Their call ended and Elle looked back to the work on her own desk. Since she was here she might as well try to shorten the stack.

    Only a few minutes passed but Elle was feeling thoroughly tired and decided to call it a night. As she got up to pack her things she happened to catch a glimpse of her reflection in the glass. It was a shame she couldn''t show off her cute outfit tonight. Suddenly an idea crossed her mind. Elle grabbed her coat and headed out.

 91 Favourite Place In All The World

    As Elle headed out she first contacted David. Adam had given her his contact information some time ago in case something urgent came up. Elle had never used it before, but tonight it came in handy. Once she finished speaking to him Elle made a trip to her favourite ramen store. It was a little out of the way but she had time to kill anyway.

    Just over an hour ad passed since their phone call when the shareholder meeting finally let up. Adam glanced at the time, still feeling regretful that he hadn''t been able to keep their date for tonight.

    "Are you heading back to your office now, sir?" David asked.

    "I am. There are still a few things to take care of. You can leave first." Adam said, dismissing him for the night.

    "I''ll leave it to you then." David replied with a knowing smile.

    Adam walked back to his office alone, he opened to door but stood, froze with surprise, in the doorway. Inside a beautiful girl was lounging on the sofa with two steaming bowls of ramen sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

    "I hope you haven''t eaten yet." She said sweetly when she saw him come in.

    "How did you get inside?" Adam asked with his eyebrows furrowed.

    "I''m the girlfriend of the most powerful man in the country." Elle teased as she crossed the room to him. "It isn''t that difficult to enter a single office."

    Looking at her sly smile Adam felt all of his exhaustion melt away. As he looked at her fondly he also noticed she was wearing the dress that she had recently bought. The short skirt and the silky fabric highlighted her slim build. The dusty pink also brought out the warmth in her complexion.

    "Does it look nice?" Elle asked, doing a little twirl. Adam gave no reply, he just kept looking at her with those dark eyes. "Say something." She murmured shyly.

    "You have no idea how fast my heart beats when I see you." He said finally.

    Why was this man so good at making her fall in love? Elle wondered. He wasn''t a person of many words, even when he was with her, but when he did speak he would always say things that moved her heart.

    "Come eat." She said, taking his hand in hers and gently leading him back to the lounge area. "I was worried it might get soggy if you took too long but the timing worked out well."

    Both of them were hungry after their busy day and quickly ate while talking to the other about their work. After they had finished eating Elle cleaned up while Adam pulled out a stack of paperwork he still had to go through.

    They both sat together but each was focused on their own thing. Once she had finished clearing the empty bowls Elle looked over and noticed that the book she had been reading the last time she came to Adam''s office was still on the side table, sitting exactly where she left it. A scrap piece of paper marked where she had left off. So while Adam continued to work Elle decided to continue to read.

    They both sat in a comfortable silence, absorbed in their own tasks. After a while Elle''s legs began to feel stiff from sitting for too long so she cast the book aside.

    Adam didn''t look up from his work as she slowly crossed the room to look out of the big glass windows. Elle felt that she could never grow tired of the view from there, no matter how many times she looked out at it.

    Since it was a cold night the glass had fogged up, but Elle could still make out the muddled view of the city below them. The streetlights glowed dimly and cars could be seen driving back and forth in the busy streets. Elle''s delicate fingers reached out to touch the cold glass, drawing a smiley face in the condensation.

    "Are you upset we couldn''t go out?" Adam asked suddenly. Elle turned around to see him looking over at her. "You must have been looking forward to it. I think your favourite place in the world has become that park."

    Adam said it lightly but Elle could tell he was serious despite his tone. He tried to cover it with a joke but she could tell he felt guilty that he had to cancel on her. He was probably feeling even worse that it was on this night out of all nights.

    Elle stepped away from the glass and went over to sit beside him; lacing her arm through his and resting her head on his strong shoulder. "You''re wrong." She said gently. "My favourite place in all the world is next to you."

    Adam swallowed hard, trying to calm his beating heart. "Then come here." He said finally, opening his arms. Elle happily obliged. With him so close to her she could smell the scent of his cologne, and see the spark of mischief in his eyes. The two stayed together for some time, Adam''s work was long forgotten, and only the whisper of their lips was left to break the silence.

    Only when her lips began to feel sore did they finally part, however, Adam''s hand held onto hers for the rest of the night. Even as he drove her home his hand sat in Elle''s lap for her to play with it. She smiled as she intertwined their fingers and studied the lines in his palms.

    At one point during the ride Elle stole a glance at Adam. The dim light of the evening highlighted his cheekbones and his strong jawline, but what Elle found most attractive was the proud look he had when he was focused. She held on to his hand firmly, silently thanking all of MK''s shareholders for such a wonderful night.

 92 Results

    The new business quarter was fast approaching and all the departments began to get busier once again. Meetings were being held every other day. During this time Jacob began to attend some of the meetings when he was able to spare the time. For the first time he been able to witness what Elle was like at work.

    At home she was like a ghost, he would only ever catch a glimpse of her occasionally. When they went out to events she always wore a smile but anyone who knew her would be able to tell it was just her fake politeness. When he saw her in the meetings he saw a completely different side to her; one he could only assume was the more genuine version of herself. When she spoke she spoke with confidence and commanded attention, blatantly calling out other members without caring about the corporate hierarchy. Even when she wasn''t speaking her eyes were always focused, and she would occasionally scribble down notes. Jacob had to stifle his laughter when he observed the smug look on Elle''s face as the managers reviewed the progress of her current project.

    Now he could see the difference between them clear as day. He hated it, but he supposed it was only fair that everyone else compared them. Even he couldn''t help but start to compare himself to her as he watched.

    One day, after a particularly long meeting, Elle quickly gathered up her things and made her way out of the conference room. Jacob watched her go. He had also noticed that while he had been observing her she had never once even spared a glance in his direction.

    He began gathering his documents as well when he happened to overhear two managers.

    "Did you see the report?" One asked in a low voice.

    "I did." The other confirmed. "At this rate we might have a few store closures this year."

    Jacobs chest instantly tightened. He quickly took the documents and returned to his desk in a daze. He knew the report the managers were speaking about; he had received it as well.

    Jacob had been going out with Michael and the other''s more and more often. Two or three times a week they would gather to go out for dinner or to get drinks. On one of those occasions Michael had discussed a new project his store location would be running. One of the members of the sales department would need to be on the project as well, they would normally ask a senior member but Michael had asked Jacob. At the time Jacob had excitedly accepted. He hadn''t told anyone else about it, his intention was to surprise his father with the initiative and good results.

    However, earlier that day Jacob had received a report; the project was not going well. It would be okay if it only had mediocre results, but instead they were reporting low numbers. There was only a short time before the end of the project, not enough time to do anything worthwhile to salvage it.

    Jacob slammed his fist onto his desk, muttering under his breath. He opened the program the office used to record sales. Things might have been okay if Jacob had just let them be, but instead when he happened to see low numbers of his store location versus the high numbers of the online sales Elle was responsible for a sinister idea came to his mind.

    Meanwhile, at MK''s headquarters, Adam was just entering a meeting. The director''s and manager''s involved quietly made their way into the spacious meeting room. After a moment Adam spoke in his deep and stern voice. "What about the marketing department? Your recent project didn''t yield great results. Please report on what you have planned next."

    The marketing director wasn''t in that day, instead, the manager who was left in charge stood up nervously and flipped through his documents as he prepared to give an update. The manager endured the pressure and reported on the progress of the project, all the while silently cursing the director who had probably been absent today to purposely avoid this meeting.

    Luckily for him their next proposed project was one that intrigued Adam. He didn''t say anything and just quietly listened to the report with an unchanging expression but in truth he was curious to see what the results of the proposal would be.

 93 Confession 1

    Elle usually slept in on the weekends, but she was up bright and early one Saturday morning. She had agreed to spend a day out with Abby today since there was a rare break in the cold weather. Elle went about her usual morning routine; she lazed around in bed for a bit before getting up to shower and have breakfast. Afterwards she took some time to work on her writing. As with everything else, her writing had stabilized a lot in the new year. Her work, her relationship, even her writing, everything in her life felt so stable and constant at the moment.

    Just before noon Elle changed into a pair of comfortable black leggings and an oversized sweater before heading out to meet Abby. The girls had decided to go watch a popular romantic comedy that had come out recently.

    Afterwards they went to a nearby bubble tea caf¨¦.

    "So what did you think?" Abby asked excitedly.

    "It was good, but it wasn''t as funny as the trailer made it seem." Elle replied.

    "I know what you mean. The ending also seemed a bit forced."

    "You know what seemed really good? The trailer for that thriller movie they showed."

    "I know right!" Abby exclaimed dramatically.

    The more they discussed the more they decided they''d rather go see this movie instead. Elle glanced at her watch. "You know it''s still quite early¡­"

    "Should we?"

    A grin spread across Elle''s face as she pulled out her phone to check the movie times. "There''s a showing in half an hour."

    "Perfect."

    On impulse the two girls went to see the second movie. Afterwards they went out for dinner.

    "That was so good!" Elle said as they shared a meal together.

    "I agree! Much better than the first film."

    "It actually had a really good twist to the movie too, it''s always the boyfriend. You can never trust men." Elle teased.

    "Ah," Abby looked down shyly at her plate. The motion didn''t go unnoticed by Elle.

    "What is it?" Elle asked.

    Abby hesitated for a moment before looking up at Elle with a smile in her eyes.

    "You''re creeping me out." Elle laughed. "What is it?"

    "Well you see, I''m actually seeing someone right now."

    This was a surprise indeed. Abby had a history of short lived relationship''s. She didn''t take love lightly, but the problem was that she fell in love easily. She always seemed to feel there was more there then her partner did.

    Looking at the grin on her friend''s face Elle couldn''t help but feel happy for her. "You''ve only been back for two months and you''ve already found someone? You''re so confident, I''m jealous." Elle teased. "Tell me about him."

    Abby''s smile faltered. "Actually, you already know him."

    "Do I? Someone we went to school with?" Elle asked without looking up from her food.

    "It''s Jacob." Elle''s fork clattered as it fell against her plate. She looked up with wide eyes. "I''m dating Jacob." Abby said firmly.

 94 Confession 2

    "Jacob?" Elle asked incredulously. "You''re seeing Jacob?"

    "That''s right."

    Elle picked up her fork and began poking at her food as she processed this information. Abby looked at her as she awaited her verdict. Of course she wanted her friend''s blessing, but since Abby knew about Elle''s complicated relationship with her new family she didn''t think she would get it.

    "When did it start?" Elle asked finally.

    "We first met at that party back in the fall." Abby explained. "We spoke a bit there. Then that time I came to Tae to have lunch with you but you were busy he overheard and took me out instead. That''s when I started liking him I suppose, but we didn''t start dating until recently. When you and I went out to buy clothes..." Abby trailed off.

    "Ah your important dinner meeting. Of course." Elle said with dry humour.

    "Are you angry?" Abby asked hesitantly. "Please don''t be upset."

    "Why would I be upset?" Elle asked, this time with a soft smile. "You seem happy, and that''s all that matters to me. I just hope you pace yourself. You know how you always getting, rushing along head first."

    Abby felt as if she wanted to cry. "Thank you Elle. I know it must be uncomfortable for you, I''m really happy to have your blessing."

    "Why should i disapprove. Its true I don''t care for Jacob but that''s because he is a stranger to me. I have no impression of his personality or his character, but you''re old enough to judge both for yourself."

    Abby smiled, feeling much lighter now that she had shared her secret. Elle, however felt heavy under the burden of her own secret.

    "You know," Elle said finally, "I''ve been seeing someone too."

    "What?!" Abby asked, slamming one hand against the table.

    Here we go. Elle thought regretfully. "I didn''t tell you sooner because it was still so new." Elle said in her defence.

    "I should have known something was up. You received those flowers and then that necklace." Abby muttered to herself. "Wait, how long have you been seeing each other?"

    "Not that long. We met in the fall and then began dating just after new years."

    Abby laughed. "Poor fellow, must have been a long chase." Elle kicked Abby lightly under the table. "Who is he anyway? Would I know him?"

    Elle''s heart fluttered. "I don''t think you would have ever met before. He''s in business as well. We met through a related project." Elle lied. It wasn''t that she didn''t trust Abby, but Elle felt it wasn''t a good idea to reveal their relationship. Not when it was still so secretive, and especially without consulting Adam first.

    "I''m jealous, it must be nice to be able to work together with your partner."

    "It was fun." Elle recalled, but that was mostly because she didn''t really do much work.

    Later that night, after both girls had gone back to their respective homes, Abby recounted her day to Jacob over the phone.

    "It''s actually quite funny, I never would have expected that that girl finally found someone she liked." Abby said with a laugh.

    "I knew she must have been seeing someone." Jacob murmured.

    "How did you know?"

    "She kept coming home late. She stopped driving as much too, she always gets rides back home. Either she''s seeing someone or she''s hired a driver." He joked.

    "Do you know who she''s seeing?" Abby asked excitedly. "She said she met him through a work project."

    "It must have been a project from before I started there, I have no idea. Are we still on for this weekend?" Jacob asked, eager to get off the topic of the sister he was currently working against.

 95 Bittersweet Day

    One morning the city woke up to an extreme cold warning. Elle begrudgingly got dressed for work; putting on a pair of warm tights under her dress pants followed by a long sleeved shirt under her sweater. Finally, she put on a thick pair of thermal socks followed by her jacket and a woollen blanket scarf. Even then when she stepped outside she could feel the cold numbing her face as she quickly ran to where Adam waited in the driveway.

    Adam didn''t usually pick her up, especially in the mornings since it risked the chance that her father or Jacob would spot them, but Elle''s car was currently under maintenance so that morning Adam insisted.

    "Here take this." He said firmly as she got in, handing her a steaming cup of tea. Elle took it eagerly, wrapping her blue fingers tightly around the hot cup.

    "Why is it so cold?" Elle moaned as Adam drove.

    "I have a meeting scheduled for later in the day, I might get late. If I do just wait inside. I''ll come get you as soon as I''m finished." Adam instructed.

    Elle looked at him sympathetically. "I can just take a taxi." She said softly. "You''re so busy."

    "It''s fine. The roads are messy; I worry too much so just let me drive you."

    Elle had nothing to say to that, she also craved spending time with him. Even if it was only for a quick ten-minute drive. Soon they arrived in front of Tae.

    "Thank you." Elle said as she got out. "And thank you for the tea." She called over her shoulder.

    She got off the elevator onto her department''s floor to discover that half her department still wasn''t in. The half that did manage to make it to work on time were all still in their coats and mittens. ''What a day to be at work'' Elle thought to herself.

    As she settled in at her desk she discovered that even though she had only been outside for no more than five minutes, she couldn''t chase the cold from her body. Elle wrapped her big scarf tighter around her and sipped on her tea. Revelling in the warmth that spread through her chest as she did.

    Eventually Elle had to start on her work, despite the fact that she was cold and miserable. Her project only had a few more weeks before it''s completion. Elle was quite satisfied with her team''s work and their results so far, but she was no longer satisfied with settling for only ''good'' results. Elle was determined to surpass even Adam''s expectations.

    She burned through her entire day slowly and meticulously going through several reports, adding in her own notes and recommendations for improvements as she went along. Luckily it was a rare day of silence for Elle. Perhaps it was because the entire building was overly busy or perhaps the freezing temperatures had everyone feeling lethargic. Either way Elle managed to get through the entire day without being interrupted.

    When the end of the working day finally did arrive Elle leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms out in front of her, chasing away the stiffness in her arms and replacing it with a pleasant burning sensation. She packed away her things and made a mental note of what things she had to do tomorrow. The last thing she did was quickly check on their sales progress before she left. Elle frowned as she looked at the number displayed on the screen.

    Elle didn''t have an exact count, but the number seemed low compared to what she had read in the reports. Just then her phone rang, distracting Elle from her confusion. She had expected it to be a call from Adam but instead David''s name appeared on her phone''s screen. Elle took the call and then headed downstairs.

    "Mr. Hayes is still in a meeting." David explained as Elle got into the car. "He asked me to send you home in his place."

    "Sorry for the trouble." Elle murmured shyly.

    "It''s no trouble at all. I hate to think of you waiting in this cold weather." David assured her.

    They had only been on the road for a minute before Elle suddenly spoke up. "Can I ask you a favour?"

    Some time later Adam finally existed the meeting room and headed back to his office. Once again he stopped short in the doorway. "How do you keep sneaking in here?" he asked sarcastically, looking at the beautiful girl sitting at his desk with a grin and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

    "I decided to come see you. Come look what I''m looking at." She said, beckoning him over to his own desk.

    "You know, I can imagine how you could have gotten into this office, but how on earth did you manage to hack into my computer?" Adam asked with a low chuckle.

    "I couldn''t of course. You''re the boss of MK, how could a small person like myself possibly get into your computer. I''m just using the guest account." Adam smiled and walked over to the desk and glanced at the screen. Elle was looking into trips.

    "I don''t really like hot climates so I thought somewhere mild would be nice but after today''s cold weather I want to go get sunburned somewhere."

    "Are you really that confident in yourself?" Adam teased. "Won''t you be embarrassed if you don''t win the bet after showing off like this?"

    "Of course I''m confident." Elle said proudly. "I''m almost there already, just wait and see. I will present you with spectacular results."

    Adam replaced Elle at his desk and continued with his work while she crossed over to the lounge area and continued to look at trip destinations on her phone. Some time later Adam glanced at the time restlessly.

    "I''ll be at this a while longer. It''s rare for you to get off work on time these days, you should go home and rest. "

    "I don''t want to."

    Adam frowned. "It''s so cold outside. It will only get worse once the sun sets."

    "I don''t care." Elle said while pulling her legs up onto the couch in an act of rebellion.

    "Why are you being so stubborn."

    "Our jobs keep us both busy, you in particular. Is it wrong of me to choose to spend time with you this way?" Adam hesitated, he couldn''t deny her that. So despite the cold wind that blew outside they both felt incredibly warm as they spent their evening quietly passing the time in each other''s company.

 96 Proposal

    Some time ago, after many rejected proposals, MK''s marketing department had finally come up with an idea that seemed to intrigue Adam. The next day at work they spent an hour in a meeting with their boss, sorting out all the small details of their latest proposal. It had been a while since Adam had put much interest in a project; everyone in the department worked tirelessly to provide a flawless presentation to Adam that day.

    Later that night Adam and Elle were out enjoying a meal together. As usual Elle began a light conversation, asking him how his day had been.

    "It was good." Adam replied. A small smile twitched at the corner of his lips.

    "Good?" Elle asked incredulously. It was unheard of for Adam to describe a busy day at work as ''good''.

    "I actually have an interesting proposal for you." Adam said, putting down his fork.

    "Oh?" Elle asked, even more intrigued.

    "Our marketing department has been trying to come up with an acceptable project idea for a while now. They finally managed to come up with a suggestion that I find quite amusing."

    "What is it?" Elle asked, slowly piecing together her own guess.

    "It''s been suggested to run a new advertisement with the same five models from our winter launch event." Adam explained. Elle swallowed hard; she was afraid he would say that. "You don''t have to do it if you don''t want to but I wanted to know your thoughts before I accepted or declined it."

    "What would I have to do?"

    "Not much. It''s only a photo shoot for some new products. Your face would likely be concealed again as well."

    "What do you think about it?" Elle asked.

    "I think it''s the first good idea my marketing department has had in a while but that''s only because I enjoy working with you. Seeing you get all dressed up is amusing for me so you can''t trust my opinion; I''m too bias."

    However, that answer was enough reason for Elle to accept. "I''ll do it." She said confidently.

    "Are you sure?" Adam asked. "I don''t want you to feel obligated."

    "It''s true that it''s out of my comfort zone but, as it turns out, I like working with you more than I hate modeling."

    Adam looked at her with soft eyes, chuckling lightly under his breath.

    "What is it?" Elle asked, unsure if he was laughing at her or not.

    "I''m just surprised at myself. It turns out I like you a lot more than I originally planned." Adam said in a soft murmur that was like silk to her ears.

    Elle flushed. "I still have no idea what you even like about me?" She mumbled.

    "You have honest eyes." Adam replied instantly. She was surprised by his answer. "I''m so used to keeping secrets, and being suspicious of those around me, but it''s different with you. You''re like a breath of fresh air."

    Elle had never known what he had found intriguing about her when he was surrounded by so many talented people. She hadn''t expected an answer like that.

    "And what do you like about me?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

    "I''m not saying."

    "That''s not fair, what is it? My money? My power?" Maybe my good looks?" Adam was obviously only joking but Elle couldn''t bring herself to go along with him, even as a joke.

    "No." She replied immediately, "No," again more softly.

    "Then what?" He asked seriously this time.

    Elle thought for a moment before answering, "I fell in love with you because you were gentle to me."

    "Just that? Surely anyone would do then."

    "No one else could do. Somehow you noticed me, noticed I was hurting. You understand me so well." She reached across the table to put her hand against his cheek and looked into his eyes with all the love she had. "For me, in this world, there is only you."

    Adam held her gaze until she timidly turned away. "Keep in mind that I will only say something so deadly embarrassing once in my life." She muttered with red cheeks.

    "That''s not fair. You should tell me that beforehand. I would have recorded it."

    "I change my mind. I won''t model for you."

    The looks of love turned into a fierce staring competition. After a minute Elle finally turned away, unable to hold back her laughter any longer. She liked that about him as well; how easily he made her laugh. How much she enjoyed herself in his company. But she wouldn''t tell him that.

 97 A Brewing Storm

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 98 An Unrealistic, Unlikely, Perfect Match

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 99 Round Two

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 100 Public Displays

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 101 Brewing Storm

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 102 Mistakes

    Elle''s hands tightened into firsts. "I''ll see you tonight Adam." She said before hanging up the call.

    Elle grabbed the reports and stormed out of her office. Her team members watched wearily as she went straight to the elevators and up to the top floor of the building. This was where the offices of all of the top management were. Despite the protests of his secretary, she barged into her father''s office.

    "What are you doing here?" Her father asked with a raised eyebrow. "It''s rare for you to come to my office."

    "I have something to report." Elle said coldly, tossing the stack of documents onto his desk roughly.

    "What''s this?" He asked.

    "See for yourself."

    Her father slowly read through the documents, his expression darkened as he realized what the report was regarding. After a long moment of contemplation, he let out a heavy sigh.

    "Well?" Elle asked finally.

    Her father tossed the documents back onto the table. "I will speak to Jacob, so can''t you let it go this time?" He asked her tiredly.

    Elle felt her heart drop with disappointment. "Are you seriously asking that of me, chairman?" She asked, taunting him with his own title.

    "I know it isn''t right, and I will reprimand Jacob privately, but he''s still adjusting here. Can''t you do him this one favour?"

    "You want me to sacrifice the bonus of every employee in my department for his one mistake?" Elle scoffed.

    "If this comes out he will never be able to go forward in the company." Her father said with a frown. "You are his sister. Just forgive it this one time and I will ensure it doesn''t happen again. Besides, your project is already so successful. Ten thousand sales won''t make much of a difference to you."

    Elle tried her best to control the expression on her face, not wanting her anger to seep through. She had so much she wanted to say, yet she said nothing at all. Instead, she quietly collected the documents from her father''s desk and began walking out the door.

    "What will you do?" He called out after her.

    Elle paused in the doorway. "I will consider your proposal Chairman. There is still a week until the end of my project after all."

    With that she left, quietly closing the door behind her. Her chest tightened and Elle seemed to hear the sound of her heart smashing to pieces after having finally just been pieced together.

    It was only two or three hours later that Elle climbed into Adam''s car with a long face.

    "Is everything okay?" Adam asked.

    "I''m just tired."

    "What happened?"

    Elle looked over at Adam and saw the genuine look of concern in her eyes. She let out a sigh, something she had been doing more often these days. She began telling him what had happened and about her conversation with her father.

    "What will you do?" Adam asked finally.

    "I don''t know." Elle replied honestly.

    "You''re considering it?"

    "It''s complicated." She whispered. "I don''t want to do it, and I hate him for suggesting it, but even though he''s like this he''s still my father Adam. All the hurt and heartache I feel is just the result of the fact that I love him more than he loves me."

    Tears started to gather in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Elle wiped at them angrily. "Ah, I''m so frustrated. You''re going to call me a fool again aren''t you?" She asked with a dry laugh.

    Adam look straight forward at the road ahead, but reached over with one hand to hold hers. His hand was large and rough, yet incredibly warm. It only made Elle''s tears well up more. "I think you''re too hard on yourself." He said softly.

    Adam took her back to his condo that night instead of going out for dinner as planned. He took her inside before leaving again to go pick up food.

    While she waited for Adam to return Elle quickly washed her face in the bathroom sink before slumping down into the large sofa in the living room. She glanced at the time, it had only been a few minutes, Adam would probably still take a while longer to return.

    She had been able to stop her tears, but it had been a while since Elle had felt like this. She wasn''t sure what to do with the melancholy feelings in her heart. In the end she reverted back to what she knew best, she took out her phone and began to write.

 103 Changing Feelings

    Elle began to write but after just a few minutes Adam returned, much sooner than she had expected. Elle quickly put her phone away and went to the front to greet him.

    "You''re back." She said warmly. "What did you get?"

    "See for yourself." Adam said, handing her a bag of food. Inside two bowls of ramen were stacked on top of each other. Elle recognized the store as the same one she had gone to to get dinner on Valentine''s day. It was one of her favourite places.

    She looked up at Adam with bright eyes. "You really know me well." She said fondly. "Why don''t you go wash up and I''ll set the table."

    Adam didn''t say anything. He only ruffled her hair and gave her a soft smile before leaving, presumably, to do as she said.

    Elle set the table and Adam quickly returned and so the two sat down for a meal together. Elle dug into her food, letting out a satisfied sigh as the hot broth spread warmth throughout her entire body. However, her satisfaction didn''t last long.

    The food was delicious, and a welcome comfort, but after a few bites Elle''s attention quickly turned from her food to Adam. Since coming back he hadn''t said anything at all.

    Elle waited expectantly for Adam to ask her about the issue with her work. Knowing him a lecture would probably be what she got, but no such conversation happened. They continued to eat without conversation. Adam was a quite person after all, it seemed he was content to eat in silence.

    "You''re really not going to ask me about it?" Elle asked finally, tired of waiting in anticipation. She couldn''t tell if he was avoiding the topic out of consideration or if he genuinely didn''t care about the matter.

    "No, I''m not." Adam said simply.

    "Why not?" She asked out of curiosity.

    "I think this time it''s a matter for you to consider and decide on yourself."

    "What shall we discuss instead?" Elle asked cheerfully.

    "Should we discuss where you want to go for our trip?"

    Adam''s questions took Elle by surprise. She had been so caught up in her project and with the issues Jacob had created that she had completely forgotten about their little bet.

    "I hadn''t thought about it much."

    "Really?" Adam asked with a smirk. "Even though you were the one who so boldly asked me for it in the first place. I thought you would have had a place in mind by now."

    "Anywhere is fine really." She mumbled, looking away bashfully.

    "Is that so?"

    "You have a bad habit of teasing me, I think." Elle said, eyeing Adam as he continued to eat, un-phased by the conversation.

    "That''s because it''s so much fun." Adam said without looking up from his food.

    "You ought to be more careful, Mr. Hayes. One day I''ll get you back."

    "I''ll look forward to it."

    Elle smiled, also content now to eat in silence. After dinner Elle helped Adam clear the dishes before he led her upstairs. She initially thought he might take her into his study as he did last time she had come over, but instead he took her into the guest bedroom.

    "Stay here tonight." He said in his usual authoritative tone of voice. Elle raised her eyebrows at him. "Unless you want to go back home?"

    "No." Elle mumbled.

    "Then it''s settled." Adam said with a satisfied smile. "I''ll go get you a change of clothes."

    While he was gone Elle looked around the room. Like everything else in the house, it was designed in a simple and elegant style. The only difference was that this room was also designed in a minimalistic style. Aside from the large bed, a bedside table, and a bookshelf here was nothing in the room. But the empty room was the perfect thing to balance out Elle''s overworking mind.

    Adam returned a moment later with a plain white baggy t-shirt and a pair of pyjama pants. "I hope this will do." He said sheepishly.

    "It''s perfect. Thank you." Elle said, accepting the clothes gratefully.

    "The shower is through that door. If you need anything else my room is just down the hall." Adam said pointing it out to her.

    "Thank you. Really." Elle said again. As dense as she was even she could comprehend how understanding he was being. To even prepare a separate room for her on such short notice.He gave her everything she needed without her needing to say a word.

    They wished each other goodnight and then Adam left while Elle went into the shower. She let the cold water run over her for a long time, numbing her tense nerves and her soft heart. When she finally got out she dried herself off and changed into the clothes Adam had provided.

    The shirt was soft and comfortable, but as expected the pants were much too big for her. Elle laughed as she held them up against her legs. Luckily, the shirt was baggy enough that it fell more than halfway down her thighs. Elle decided that the shirt alone would do and, yawning, got into bed.

    Meanwhile, Adam had already gotten into bed as well, but was failing to fall asleep. It was true that he was considerate, and wanted to let Elle have the peace and quite she probably craved, but he was also human. The thought of the woman he loved sleeping not even fifteen feet away from him left him unsettled all night.

    Elle couldn''t fall asleep easily either. She tossed and turned for a while before giving up and pulling her phone back out. She glanced at the words she had written, which were still open on her screen.

    ''She gets bruised, and gets used, by a man who can''t love.''

    Those had been her feelings at the time but now, only a few hours later, she didn''t feel that way at all. When she was younger she craved and coveted her father''s affections but now she had Adam. Adam who spoiled her in such simple ways. Adam who gave her all the love she could ever want.

    It was true that she once needed her father, and he hadn''t been there for her the way she had wanted him to, but that time had come and gone. She didn''t need him anymore. So, for the first time Elle deleted her feelings from her phone. That night she reflected on herself for a long time before she was finally lulled to sleep by Adam''s comforting scent that surrounded her.

 104 A Man Who Canst Love

    The next morning Adam awoke to find Elle already up and making breakfast in the kitchen.

    "You''re up already?" He asked with a frown. "You should have slept longer; I could have cooked."

    "But I wanted to." Elle replied with a smile. "I''m almost finished; why don''t you go wash up?"

    Adam obediently went back upstairs to the bathroom to wash up before coming back down to join her for breakfast. She hadn''t done much, but they both enjoyed a simple meal of eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. Just like last night, there wasn''t much conversation as they ate but the mood was light. After finishing their food and clearing the table Adam and Elle both got ready for work.

    "Is it really okay for you to go back to the office wearing that?" Adam asked, eyeing the outfit she was wearing as they walked to the car. The same outfit she had worn when she left work the day before.

    "It''s fine." Elle said reassuringly. "I have a change of clothes in my office."

    Elle, who had grown used to the silence that often accompanied Adam, didn''t mind as they drove with nothing but the car radio to fill the silence. Adam finally spoke up as they arrived at Tae.

    "Have you decided what you''re going to do?" He asked as he pulled up in front of her building.

    "Not really," Elle replied honestly, "but I think I''ve already found my answer."

    "I''ll come get you after work." He reminded her before pulling off again.

    Elle went to her office first and changed into the spare dress she had kept there. She also put on a little makeup in front of the small mirror in her office. Elle applied red lipstick and eyeliner as if it were her war paint. Then with all the courage she could muster she collected her files and marched back up to her father''s office.

    He gave her a look of disapproval as soon as she entered the room. "You didn''t come home last night." He said sternly.

    "No, I didn''t."

    "I thought we could have talked more about the issue regarding your sales."

    "I think it''s best to discuss work matters at work." Elle replied.

    "Lets discuss it then. I assume you''ve made a decision."

    "I have."

    "And I assume I''ll be disappointed by the decision you made."

    Elle''s hands tightened into fists, her nails dug into her palms, but even so she held her ground. "I see no reason for you to be disappointed over the allocation of a trivial ten thousand sales, chairmen. The profit has already been made, no matter what decision is made in the end."

    "Do you really wish to blame me for this?" Her father asked, his cold eyes bore into her.

    "I admit that I''m partially at fault too. I shouldn''t have come to you for such a trivial matter in the first place; I should have gone straight to Jacob''s manager. Why don''t we both share the blame for it this time?"

    "Are you really so selfish that you won''t even help your own family?"

    "What family?" Elle scoffed. "I don''t know if you think I''m blind or stupid. I already know I have no place in that house."

    "I''ll admit that it was a sudden change for you, but is it really that hard to be happy for me in this matter? I had my own regard of your mother but you know our marriage was only a marriage of convenience."

    "And this one is what? A marriage of expedience?"

    Elle smiled in satisfaction as her father''s face began to turn red with anger. It seems that last hit was a low blow.

    "I know your step-mother and Jacob don''t talk to you often, but you shouldn''t blame them. If you were more considerate you would realize that it''s been difficult for them to adapt too." Her father said through a clenched jaw.

    "But I don''t blame them." Elle said calmly. "To them I am a stranger, and another woman''s child. I blame you, my father, whom I loved, who then stabbed me in the back."

    "Don''t be over dramatic." Her father grumbled. "I don''t know what''s gotten into you. You were always so docile and well behaved before. You''ve changed."

    "Really? I don''t think I''ve changed that much at all. I guess you just never really knew me that well after all." Elle said curtly. "But I''m not here to discuss personal matters, chairman. Since I''ve already involved you, and since you are my father, I''m only here to give you the curtesy of knowing that one way or another the ''mistakes'' Jacob made will be corrected. He can do so himself, or I can consult the other directors and have them do it for me."

    Without waiting to hear her father''s reply Elle turned around on her heels and marched back down to her own department. Once in the solitude of her office Elle slumped into her chair and covered her face with her hands.

    "I can''t believe I just did that." She said softly to herself.

    The rest of the day went by fairly quickly; Elle was still in the middle of a major project after all. She enjoyed a productive day at work, never once leaving the solitude of her own office. Neither her father nor Jacob came looking for her either. A few hours passed by before Elle found herself getting back into Adam''s car.

    "So, did you resolve everything?" Adam asked as she got in.

    "I guess."

    "Then why do you seem so unhappy?"

    "I''m just a bit unsatisfied with the result I guess." Elle said with a sigh.

    Adam considered the frustrated look on her face for a moment then pulled the keys out of the ignition and tossed them to her.

    "I''m tired, can you drive?" He asked as he did.

    "Sure." Elle said with surprise.

    She had never driven with Adam before, but it''s not like she couldn''t. They both got out and exchanged seats. It was the first time Elle had ever driven such a high class car. It didn''t take long before she lost herself to the thrill of driving. Adam had rolled down the windows slightly so the refreshing, crisp winter air blew in, numbing her face. As she drove her mind began to clear.

    Elle looked over at Adam, who was so relaxed in that moment he seemed as if he had no care in the world. Elle laughed to herself as she realized why.

    "What is it?" Adam asked.

    "You knew this whole time. Even from yesterday you knew I wouldn''t accept my father''s suggestion didn''t you?" She asked.

    Adam leaned back into the passenger seat, closing his eyes as he did. "If you did it then you''d be a fool. And if you were a fool I wouldn''t have fallen in love with you." He said simply.

    "I think I''ve fallen even more in love with you." Elle murmured. It really was as if he knew her better than she knew herself.

    "Then don''t think about work or your family anymore. Focus all your energy on me instead."

 105 The Night Before A Storm

    After driving for a few minutes Elle spoke up. "You know, you let me drive but I have no idea where we''re going."

    "Do you want to go out for dinner?"

    "Not really." Elle admitted sheepishly. "I''m tired."

    "Do you want to go home then?"

    "No."

    "Let''s go back to my place first then." Adam said decisively.

    "Is that okay?"

    "Of course. Let''s just stop at a supermarket first."

    Elle followed Adam''s instructions to a store near his home. The supermarket was crowded and lively, full of people who had stopped to buy groceries on their way home from work. Elle and Adam easily blended into the crowd.

    "Is there anything in particular you want to eat?" Adam asked as they walked through the isles.

    "Let me cook this time." Elle insisted. "I don''t want you to always be doing everything."

    Adam gave her a doubtful look but eventually folded when met with her eagerness. Elle smiled, feeling victorious. "What do you want to eat then?" She asked him.

    "I''m a bit worried about your skill level. Maybe we should get instant ramen." Adam said with a mischievous smile.

    Elle frowned at him, "I''m going to poison your food." she muttered under her breath. Elle picked up her pace, grabbing a basket and leaving Adam behind as she began selecting ingredients.

    Adam caught up easily, laughing as he took the basket from her hands. "It''s too much fun teasing you, forgive me."

    Elle gave him a disapproving look but took his free hand in hers. Walking hand in hand the couple made their rounds around the supermarket.

    Back at his condo Elle began cooking while Adam took the opportunity to go to his study and get finish some of his work.

    An hour later Elle went into his study as well to call him down for dinner. As they ate Elle kept piling more and more food onto Adam''s plate.

    "You work so much. You need to regain your energy." She said, "Besides, I know how much you like my cooking."

    "It''s really not bad at all." Adam said, trying to make up for his earlier comment. "I''d give it a solid eight out of ten."

    "I''ll take that." Elle replied with a smile. "You know¡­"

    "Yes?"

    "I''ve been thinking about moving out of my father''s home for now."

    Adam looked up at her, but if he was surprised it didn''t show. "Is that so?" He asked cautiously.

    "I''ve been thinking about it for a little while now. With every thing that''s going on right now I find it too unbearable to be there anyway. I was being childish when I said I wouldn''t leave before."

    "Have you looked at places yet?"

    "Not yet. I still have a lot of work on my hands. I think I''ll do it once my project is over. There''s only a week left anyway."

    "You should stay here then. At least until you find a place of your own."

    "Is that okay? I can stay with Abby too you know." Elle asked, feeling embarrassed. She didn''t want him to feel obligated to offer his place to her. They hadn''t really been dating for that long after all.

    "Of course it''s okay. I''ll have David go collect your things tomorrow."

    "No, that''s okay. I have something to take care of tomorrow anyway. I''ll gather my things myself."

    "Should I come with you?" Adam asked, looking a little concerned.

    "That''s fine. I''ll take a day off work tomorrow and settle everything. You''ll have to leave early anyway."

    "I actually have a late start tomorrow. There''s an inspection tomorrow so David will come fetch me later in the morning. You can have the car to yourself."

    "You have a late start tomorrow?" Elle asked excitedly.

    "That''s right." Adam said with a smile. "I have a late start, so tonight we can do whatever you want."

    After they had finished eating they both washed up and changed out of their working clothes, but instead of getting into bed Elle dragged some pillows and blankets downstairs. Adam turned the lights down and put in a movie that Elle had picked at random. Whilst comfortably lounging on the large sofa, the two quietly passed their evening watching a movie.

    Elle''s eyes were starting to droop by the time the movie finished, but she insisted on watching something else afterwards. It was so rare that they had time to spend together like this lately. She didn''t want to waste it. So Adam and obliged and put in another DVD. Within fifteen minutes they had both drifted off to sleep. With Elle nuzzled against Adam''s chest, and his arms wrapped tightly around her, they both had a long and comfortable night''s sleep.

 106 Do You Hate Me That Much

    Elle awoke the next morning feeling light despite the cramped position she had slept in. She blinked against the sunlight, confused for a moment, before she saw Adam still asleep on the sofa beside her. Elle blushed, realizing what had happened.

    She glanced back at Adam, who still laid asleep on the sofa. It was the first time Elle had seen him asleep, she took a moment to admire the soft expression on his face, and the way his strong chest rose and fell with every breath. Feeling content, Elle carefully slipped out of his embrace and quietly made her way to the bathroom to wash her face.

    Adam eventually awoke, only a few minutes after her. He found Elle in the kitchen fixing a quick breakfast for them both.

    "I have a late start this morning." Adam reminded her. "I can make breakfast so why don''t you go use the shower first?"

    "That''s okay, I''ve already started. You go first, I''ll get ready after you leave."

    So while Elle finished making breakfast for them, Adam went about his normal morning routine, a small smile playing on his lips the entire time.

    Breakfast passed with the usual small talk and easy conversation. Eventually David arrived to pick up his boss for the scheduled inspection.

    As he left Adam turned around, "Oh yea," he said, as if suddenly remembering something. He rummaged through his pockets for a brief moment before pulling something out and tossing it towards Elle. She caught it, looking into her hand at the pair of car keys.

    "Have fun." Adam said with a wink before heading out.

    Elle smiled, weighing the keys in her hand for a moment before setting them down and heading upstairs to take a shower herself.

    Elle stayed in the shower for a long time. She let the hot water soak into her and fog up the mirrors before she finally got out.

    With her wet hair wrapped up in a towel, and yesterday''s clothes on, Elle fixed herself a cup of tea and sat at the table while she slowly sipped on it. In the silent apartment the winter sunlight streamed into the room. Elle felt thoroughly relaxed despite the tasks ahead of her.

    It was only a little before noon when Elle finally headed out. Since she knew that no one would be home at this hour, Elle drove the Maybach over to her father''s house first. It was a strange feeling to be back in her room again even though it had only been two days.

    She didn''t waste much time reminiscing. Elle took a large bag out of her closet and started filling it with clothes and other essential things she would need over the next few days. She also changed out of her current outfit into something more comfortable.

    Elle put on a pair of cargo joggers, and matched that with a fitted black turtleneck sweater. Finally, despite it not matching her outfit at all, she took her little birdy off it''s stand and hooked it around her neck. Elle had been wearing the bluebird necklace almost every day, but unfortunately she had been without it for the past few days. She didn''t intend to leave it behind.

    After rummaging through her room for an hour Elle left the house again. She tossed her bags into the back seat before getting into the front seat to drive to her next stop.

    When Elle arrived at Tae she was just in time to see Jacob and Abby walk into the building hand-in-hand. Out of consideration for her friend Elle waited for Abby to exit the building before she entered. She got into the elevator, but instead of going up to her own floor she got off two levels below.

    Jacob had just returned from lunch with Abby. He had heard from his father that Elle had discovered his ''mistake''. After receiving a stern lecture, Jacob had been told that his father would take care of it. So he wasn''t at all concerned or interested when he had heard that Elle had taken the day off work. All this only added to his shock when he saw her appear in the doorway of his office.

    "Why are you here?" Jacob stammered in surprise. He was taken aback by her appearance. It was the first time he had seen her like this; wearing casual clothes and a fierce expression. So different from the perfect and composed look she had always had before.

    "Why do you think I''m here?" Elle asked, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

    Jacob gritted his teeth. "If this is about the sales you should talk to father. The matter is in his hands now."

    "This matter has nothing to do with him. This is a matter between the director of the marketing department and the incompetent new employee of the sales department."

    "I''ve stopped changing the sales, and I''ve been lectured by father as well. Can''t you just ignore it and move on like father asked?" Jacob asked. "Can''t you just do me this one favour?"

    "No." Elle said stubbornly.

    "Do you hate me that much?" Jacob asked with an empty laugh.

    "Not really. I just dislike people who don''t know their place." Elle replied.

    "That''s not true. You''ve hated me since I arrived." Jacob spat.

    "You''re wrong." Elle said calmly. "I didn''t feel anything towards you at all."

    Jacob''s hand curled into a fist. "Say whatever you want. What''s done is done, if you have any complaints take it up with the chairman."

    Elle had been so emotional when she had talked to her father, but when discussing with Jacob she felt nothing at all. "You''re not my family, we share a house nothing more. You have no right to interfere with my work. No right to ask me this favour. Fix your mess or I will fix it for you."

    Elle didn''t bother to look at the expression on Jacob''s face or wait for his reply. With that, she turned on her heel and left the room. As she walked down the hallway a victorious smile curled up the corner of her lips.

 107 A Bad Influence

    Once back downstairs in the car Elle comprehended what to do next. She was finished earlier than expected. In the end she decided to send Adam a text message.

    ''I just finished with my errands. How are things going on your end?'' She asked.

    Elle was about to put her phone away, thinking that Adam would be busy with the inspection and reply late, but as she reached to put her phone away it vibrated and Adam''s reply lit up the screen.

    ''Inspection went well, it''s almost over now. I''ll be heading back to the office for the rest of the afternoon.''

    Elle smiled at the mechanical response. With her mind now made up, she put the keys into the ignition and drove over to the MK store Adam was inspecting.

    As he predicted, the inspection was over soon after Adam had replied to Elle. Everything had gone smoothly. Adam walked out onto the street feeling satisfied. He had initially planned to return to the office with David as soon as they had finished but he stopped in his tracks as soon as they exited the building.

    Across the street a young girl, dressed in her casual clothes was leaning against his own black Maybach as she waited for him. Adam crossed the road towards her.

    Elle had been looking down at her phone while she waited. She hadn''t noticed Adam come out of the building and hadn''t noticed the look of admiration in his eyes when he had first spotted her either.

    "What are you doing here?" The familiar and cool voice sounded.

    Elle''s face lit up as soon as she saw him. "Want to play hooky with me?" She asked with a mischievous smile.

    Adam turned around to David who stood waiting unsure of what to do. "You go back first, I''ll join you at the office in a little while."

    David could hear the conversation, and decided to take this opportunity to help his workaholic boss. "There isn''t much left to do today sir, and the day is almost done. You should take this opportunity to go back early."

    Elle''s smile grew. "Yes, yes. You have to take care of your health too you know."

    Adam looked back and forth between Elle and David, both gave him encouraging looks. "You''re a bad influence. Give me the keys."

    Elle happily gave Adam the keys to the car before getting into the passenger seat herself.

    "Where should we go?"

    "Have you eaten yet?" Elle asked Adam. He shook his head, no he hadn''t. "Let''s eat then."

    Adam drove, Elle had no preference on where to go so she let him take the lead as he usually did. She was surprised when they arrived in front of the restaurant that Abby''s parent''s owned.

    "We met here one time. Do you remember?" Elle asked as she recalled the time she had bumped into Adam here.

    "Of course I do. You were here with your friends right?"

    "That''s right. Abby''s parent''s own this restaurant."

    "Is that so?" Adam asked. "I''ve met them once or twice I think."

    Once inside they sat down and made their orders. Elle looked around happily, it was and odd time so there weren''t many other patrons. Her and Adam could sit down to eat without any worries.

    "You look surprisingly relaxed for someone who has a major project due soon." Adam noted.

    "That''s because I''m really confident." Elle teased, turning her nose up to him. "I hope you''re prepared for your vacation Mr. Hayes."

    "I''m looking forward to it. I''ve already decided where to go as well." He said with a mischievous smile.

    "Really?" Elle asked excitedly. "Where?"

    "It''s a surprise."

    "That''s not fair. Besides, how will I know how to dress if I don''t know where we''re going?"

    "Just focus well on your project for now. I''ll take care of the rest."

    The conversation fell away, Elle pouted as the silence settled between them.

    "Not even a hint?" She whined.

    Adam laughed at her impatience. "No. Not even a hint."

    "Stingy." Elle muttered under her breath, purposely loud enough for Adam to hear her.

    He smiled, knowing that she was only joking. No matter how much she begged he wouldn''t give it away. That was because he was really looking forward to the look of surprise on her face. He had no intention of ruining the surprise now.

    While all this was going on Jacob remained at Tae, sitting at his desk with a glower on his face. Abby had called him after her work had finished and then again when she got home, but Jacob ignored both calls as he sat contemplating at his desk in a quite rage.

 108 So He Had Done The Right Thing In The End

    The next few days passed by in the blink of an eye. Despite the fact that they were now living in the same apartment, Elle and Adam hardly saw each other. Their schedules conflicted too much these days. It was common for Adam to awake in the morning to find Elle gone with nothing but the warm breakfast on the table to prove she had been there at all.

    Similarly, Elle often returned to an empty condo after work. Adam wouldn''t return home until after she had already plopped into the bed in the guest room and passed out, but somehow every evening Elle found the fridge stocked full of food for dinner.

    Elle continued to pour her time and energy into her work. The knowledge that things would only carry on this way for a few more days gave Elle the motivation to power through.

    After what seemed like an eternity, Thursday finally arrived. With it it brought a never ending stream of work but also a feeling of excitement. Tomorrow was the deadline for Elle''s project. With tomorrow the messy and tiresome work would finally be over. The results would be announced, and while for everyone else this meant that they would be able to know how much they would get for their bonus'', for Elle it meant she would know if she had won the bet.

    Elle had been so focused on her own work for the past few days that she hadn''t bothered to communicate with Jacob or her father. Neither of them had bothered to talk to her about the incident either. In truth, Elle didn''t care. She had already prepared the necessary reports to present to the board members. She would be able to defend herself no matter what tomorrow''s outcome would be. Elle was content to focus on her work without having to concern herself with Jacob anymore.

    However, it seemed like Jacob had folded to her previous confrontation. He appeared outside her office early that Thursday afternoon.

    Elle heard a light knock at her door and looked up to see Jacob standing sheepishly in the doorway.

    "What do you want?" Elle asked while looking back down at her work. There was no reply. She was forced to look back up at him. Feeling slightly irritated now she addressed him. "I''m sure you know that our department''s deadline is tomorrow, I''m very busy right now. If you have something to say just say it. If not leave." She said firmly.

    "I want to discuss what we talked about last time." Jacob worked up his courage to give her this vague response, just in case anyone else happened to be listening to them. He knew Elle would know what he meant.

    "Fine." Elle said. She put down her pen with a sigh. "Come in. Close the door behind you."

    Jacob entered her office and shut the door softly behind him, shutting out the rest of the company. For a rare moment it was just the two of them.

    "I did what you requested." Jacob said as he handed Elle a stack of documents piled in a folder. "I reversed all of the sales I had switched between our departments. The count is back to normal, all your figures are accurate."

    So he did the right thing in the end? Elle mused to herself.

    "I''ll take the paperwork." Elle said, extending her hand to take the documents from him. Afterwards she bent her head over her desk and continued her work, but Jacob still lingered awkwardly in her office. "Is there something else?" Elle asked, clearly losing her patience.

    "That''s it? That''s all you have to say?" Jacob asked.

    "What? Did you expect me to thank you for fixing your own mistake? Don''t be ridiculous. Get back to work."

    Jacob didn''t say anything further. He quietly left her office and returned to his desk. Once he was gone Elle opened up the sales reports and checked the numbers for herself. Sure enough everything had returned to normal. More than that, looking at the number Elle grinned to herself.

    Jacob returned to his desk and found that his phone had been ringing incessantly. It was Abby again. For the past few days'' things between them had been somewhat strained. He hadn''t been in the mood to go out on dates with her, or be attentive during any of their short conversations.

    Abby, on the other hand, was feeling extremely anxious. She could obviously tell that Jacob was being distant but couldn''t tell why. She was calling now to invite him out for dinner again. The last two times she had done so Jacob had politely declined but now he had resolved the problem between him and Elle. Jacob felt that the issues that had been bringing him down and holding him back were now resolved. Although he wasn''t quite in the mood for a date he still agreed to go out for dinner together with Abby.

    Later that night he met Abby at a popular restaurant. During dinner Abby struggled to keep the conversation between them going. Although he had finally agreed to see her it was obvious that Jacob''s mind was somewhere else. At first Abby had been determined to grin and bare it until he opened up to her, but eventually she cracked.

    "What''s wrong?" Abby finally asked, giving up on trying to force a good mood between them.

    "What do you mean?" Jacob asked with a polite smile. "Nothing''s wrong."

    Abby obviously didn''t believe him, but she had no idea what had happened to suddenly make him act reclusively. If he was going to deny it then she had no choice but to let the topic drop.

    "If you say so." She said softly.

    At least he wasn''t still avoiding her. Abby convinced herself that he was just in a winter slump, or tired from his busy work, and that it wasn''t that he was starting to become disinterested in her.

    Abby was more right than she knew, but unbeknownst to Jacob and her both a crack in their relationship was already forming.

 109 You Owe Me One

    Elle awoke early on Friday morning. She got ready for work feeling full of excitement. It was finally the last day of her department''s project. Elle had run into so many issues during it that she couldn''t wait for everything to finally be over.

    Despite the early hour Adam had already left for work, so Elle simply fixed herself a cup of tea before leaving for work herself. Now that the weekend was almost here and she would be done with her heavy work load hopefully her and Adam would finally be able to see each other, for at least a little while.

    Elle arrived at Tae and walked into the office with a bright smile on her face. Her department members had all come in early as well, and obviously shared the same thoughts and feelings as her because everyone was smiling and were generally more cheerful than they had been in weeks.

    "Alright, listen up everyone." Elle announced. "I''m sure everyone is eager for this day, and this project, to finally be over. There''s even more anticipation, knowing your bonus'' will be based on the results. You''ve all worked very hard for it, I''m sure the results will reflect that."

    This roused a few cheers of agreement out of everyone. Elle glanced down at her watch. "Only eight hours to go. I don''t want to see your work ethic drop just because we''re almost finished, got it? Let''s finish strongly."

    "Yes ma''am." Was the unanimous reply.

    For one last time Elle immersed herself into her work. Everyone put their full efforts into their last batch of reports, and into checking, double checking, and triple checking their work. On Elle''s desk sat stacks of her own reports along with one extra one. Encased in a light blue file folder was a carefully compiled report containing all the details of Jacob''s change of sales. The next board meeting was coming up. It was Elle''s intention to present the report to the shareholder''s at that meeting.

    Even she couldn''t predict what consequences Jacob would face as a result. A normal person would be fired on the spot, but he wasn''t a normal person. He was the chairman''s son. Even if he was somehow allowed to stay in the company, Jacob would never be allowed to rise up the ranks again. He could never become a director, let alone become the chairman himself one day. It would be career suicide. If Elle brought the report forward her father would likely face consequences as well, but that wasn''t her concern right? After all, it was Jacob and her father who started this mess. Elle would only be doing this in order to keep her hands clean. At least that''s what she told herself.

    The time passed by and the weight of the burden in Elle''s mind seemed to grow with it. Every time she glanced at the folder she felt more unsettled, but the time ticked forward regardless of her feelings. At five o''clock that afternoon Elle and her department gathered in a conference room once again as they awaited their fate.

    After waiting for a few minutes the director of the sales department, Director Collins, entered the room with a few of his managers in tow. He was older than Elle by eight years but he was still considered very young for his position, as well as very capable. He almost always had a stern and respectable demeanor but now he entered the room with a grin on his face.

    "I may have to poach a few of your people Director Shaw." He said to Elle with a laugh.

    Elle flashed him a crooked smile. "You can try, but I dare say it won''t be easy. I''m quite confident in my team."

    "No, I imagine it won''t be easy. Well today I come bearing good news. I think you might bankrupt the company with the size of your bonus." He teased. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, squealing with delight as Director Collins took them through the sales report. Elle''s bet with Adam had be for 80,000 sales, which seemed like a very high number at the time. This time her department had managed to achieve 93,000. Elle looked at the value with wide eyes. It exceeded even her expectations.

    As soon as the number was announced Director Collins was cut off by everyone''s cheers. As everyone celebrated Collins came over to stand beside Elle. "Congratulations Director Shaw." He said in a low voice.

    "Thank you." Elle mumbled, still in awe of the results.

    After a long celebration and many congratulations were issued Elle''s employees slowly began to filter out of the room. Eventually only the two directors were left. Collins had begun to pack up his things to leave as well when Elle approached him.

    "I have something for you." Elle said to him with determination.

    "What is this?" He asked, taking the blue folder she was offering him.

    "See for yourself."

    Director Collins flipped through the pages with a furrowed brow before looking at Elle with concern.

    "He fixed his own mistake." Elle offered in Jacob''s defense. "Everything now is as it should be so I won''t make a fuss for the time being. I just thought you deserved to know. I''ll leave his discipline to you." With that said Elle began to leave, feeling much lighter than she had all day. She was sure now that she had made the right decision.

    Before she could walk out the door Director Collins grabbed her arm. "Why didn''t you come to me sooner?" He asked.

    "I went directly to the Chairman. Jacob is his hire after all."

    "I never liked office politics, you know. In the future, if there''s an issue within my department come straight to me. Got it?"

    Elle could see the sincerity in his eyes. "Okay."

    Elle felt relieved and exhausted at the same time. She tiredly made her way back to her office to collect her things before finally leaving for the day. She got into the elevator and was about to press the button to go back to her floor, but hesitated. She got the sudden urge to press a button much higher than her own.

    The elevator rose up the building before the doors opened again. Elle emerged onto the familiar floor, and made her way to the large office at the end of it. This time her father''s secretary let her in without issue.

    "What is it?" Her father mumbled, distracted by his own work in front of him.

    "I gave Director Collins a report containing all the details of Jacob''s ''mistake''." Elle said lightly. Her father looked up at her with wide eyes. "I did what I was supposed to do. I even came to you first out of respect for you as both my boss and my father, but you protected him instead of doing your job Mr. Chairman."

    Her father sat felling conflicted in front of her, obviously struggling to find the words to say.

    "I was going to present the report to the board members at the next meeting you know." Elle added. "I was going to sentence Jacob''s career to death for this mistake. But I changed my mind. I notified Director Collins so that he can keep an eye on Jacob''s work from now on. Aside from that I''ll let the matter go. In return I hope you know that both you and Jacob owe me one."

    "Okay." Her father said tiredly, finally speaking up. "Okay, I got it."

    "Good." Elle said, marching out of his office. Finally, her conscious was clear.

 110 Thank You

    After walking out of her father''s office Elle returned to her own department''s floor. She was only a few minutes behind them but all of her team member''s had rushed home as soon as they could so by now so the floor was deserted. Elle was eager to return home as well so she quickly gathered her things from her office. While she was there she also took a moment to send a text message to Adam.

    ''I''m about to leave work now. Tonight I''ll wait up for you.'' She wrote. Elle waited a minute but there was no reply. Elle didn''t know what projects MK currently had, but Adam had been returning home late for the past several days. It was understandable that he would be too busy to check his phone so Elle didn''t think much of it and left the building as usual.

    The weather had finally begun to turn as spring approached. Although the days were warmer, and filled with rain instead of snow, the evenings were still frosty.

    Elle wasn''t a fan of the cold weather and intended to make a beeline home, but as she got outside she suddenly stopped her steps. Elle paused in the middle of the pathway, frozen in surprise. A familiar black Maybach was waiting for her against the side of the road.

    Elle was confused and curious but she quickly recovered herself before walking over to where the car was parked. Adam got out to greet her as she did.

    "What are you doing here?" Elle asked. "Won''t you be working late again tonight?"

    "Not tonight." Adam replied.

    "Is it okay for you to be here?" Elle glanced around them but it was already quite late in the day. Not many people were around at this time.

    "What type of man would I be if I didn''t properly celebrate your victory with you." Adam asked with a soft smile and the mischievous glint in his eyes that Elle had come to love so much.

    "You know?"

    "Of course I know." Adam said with a chuckle. "Get in quickly. The nights are still cold."

    He opened the car''s door and offered his hand to help Elle into the passenger seat. Elle took it, but instead of getting into the car she stepped into Adam''s embrace and wrapped his arm around herself. She nuzzled herself into his chest, holding herself close enough to him that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

    She couldn''t imagine how busy Adam was yet he treated her as his first priority. With the setting sun lighting the world orange, on the quite street Elle got onto her tiptoes to daringly kiss the person she loved so much.

    "Has your victory suddenly made you this bold? We''re still in public you know." Adam murmured.

    "It''s okay. It''s late and no one is around." Elle said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

    After a moment Adam pulled away, "Okay, that''s enough. Hurry up and get inside." He mumbled.

    Elle laughed as she watched his ears turn red. "What''s wrong? "Why are you suddenly getting shy?" She teased.

    "Do you want me to be serious them?" Adam asked. His tone of voice suggested that it wouldn''t go well for her.

    "No, that''s fine." Elle replied while quickly getting into the car. Adam suppressed a laugh and shut the door behind her before getting into the driver''s seat himself.

    "Is there anything you want for dinner? It''s your celebration after all."

    "Hmm." Elle thought for a moment before blurting out "Barbeque. I want Korean Barbeque."

    As always Adam obliged her. They drove a bit further than usual to a well known spot.

    Following the dynamic of their relationship Adam took care of grilling the meat, leaving nothing for Elle to do but stuff her face with the delicious food.

    About halfway through their dinner Adam''s phone suddenly started to ring. He looked at where it sat on the table and then back to Elle with a guilty look on his face.

    "Go on, take it." She encouraged.

    "Sorry. I''ll be right back." Adam took the call and left the table in search of a quieter spot to talk.

    Elle didn''t mind at all; she knew he must have left a lot of work undone in order to meet her tonight. While he was gone she picked up the tongs and continued to grill the food. Adam returned a few minutes later but even then he was engrossed with his phone and was busy sending messages back and forth.

    Elle had no idea what had come up but, assuming it was an issue with his work, she didn''t say anything. She let him take care of his business while she quietly grilled meat and placed it on his plate.

    Dinner passed by quickly with Adam spending most of it occupied trying to arrange something.

    "I''m sorry." He said as they got in the car to return home.

    "That''s okay. I had fun."

    Adam frowned, but there was nothing more he could say. As they drove back Elle lazily looked out the window, admiring the night sky.

    Adam''s phone buzzed as he received a message. Adam glanced down at his phone then smiled. "There''s somewhere I want to go before we head back." Adam said suddenly.

    "Sure." Elle said, not particularly paying attention to him. However, she was surprised when Adam pulled over at one of the busiest parts of the city.

    They were at an intersection between the city square and one of the largest malls in the city. It was, arguably, the busiest intersection in the entire city. Hundreds of people probably passed through it, even at such a late hour it was bustling with people.

    "What are we doing here?" Elle asked, looking over at Adam.

    "Close your eyes." He said with a smile.

    "What?"

    "Go on, close them."

    Elle looked at him in disbelief, but he was insistent. After a moment Elle relented and shut her eyes. She didn''t see, but heard, Adam get out of the car and then come around and open the passenger door.

    "Here, follow me. Carefully."

    With Adam''s instruction, Elle got out of the car. Adam covered her eyes with one hand, and used the other to hold onto hers tightly. He slowly led her over to a spot just outside the square. After turning her so the angle was just right, he finally seemed satisfied.

    "Okay. Now open your eyes." He withdrew his hand, and Elle opened her eyes.

    She blinked against the neon lights at first, but after adjusting to the light she saw what he had planned. Since it was one of the busiest spots in the city it was a popular spot for advertising. Several electronic billboards lit up the dark streets with bright colours. On the largest, and most central billboard, a picture of her wearing an elegant lilac gown was up for the entire city to see.

    "MK''s advertisements are out." Elle breathed, suddenly understanding what he had been arranging through dinner.

    "It''s a shame they had to crop the face, but I think your beauty still shines through." Adam commented. Then, in barely a whisper, his deep voice asked "What do you think?"

    Elle''s breath was caught in her throat. To keep with the same theme as the first modeling, and she assumed out of consideration to herself, MK had cropped the faces of all the models in the advertisements so only the lower half of their faces showed.

    Even so, the girl in the image looked powerful and radiant. Elle looked up at it with mixed emotions. The girl in the picture wasn''t the same her who existed just a few months ago. The old version of herself was recluse, and unconfident. Nothing like the girl in the image who exuded strength. Elle could recall the moment this photo had been taken. It had been when she noticed Adam watching over her during the shoot. Before she had been nothing but a bud, but under the constant shower of his love someone as insignificant as her had blossomed into something beautiful.

    "Thank you." Elle said in a shaky breath.

    "For what?" Adam asked with a light laugh. "I didn''t think you would get this emotional over it."

    Elle shook her head and turned into him, burying her head into his chest. "For everything. Thank you."

 111 We Have A Deal

    Adam quietly held her in his arms for what felt like an eternity. In the busy city centre dozens of people were walking past them but all the people around them were focused on themselves. No one spared a second glance towards the couple.

    Elle was content to stay in his warm and strong arms forever but after a long moment Adam finally withdrew his arms.

    "It''s cold. Let''s go back first." He said, taking her hand in his and leading her back to the car.

    As they pulled away Elle glanced back at the advertisement. She gripped Adam''s hand tighter. She didn''t deserve to stand beside him but since she had already grabbed hold of this hand she would be careful to never let it go.

    They''re drive back home was silent, but the silence seemed to speak more than a thousand words could. Adam drove with one hand on the wheel while the other was enclosed in both of Elle''s. Occasionally he would sneak a glance at the girl sitting next to him. Her eyes shone with the reflection of a hundred stars.

    "What is it?" Elle asked when she caught Adam looking at her.

    "Nothing." Adam said as he returned his focus on the road ahead of him.

    By the time they returned to Adam''s condo it was late but still a little early to be turning in for the night. Elle made two cups of tea and snuggled up on the couch with Adam to casually kill the time while watching tv.

    They ended up watching a movie. Elle had no interest in what was playing but she watched happily while resting in Adam''s arms. One arm was wrapped around her waist while the other hand played with her hair. The relaxing and comforting feeling of that paired with the exhaustion of the past few weeks caused Elle to slowly be lulled to sleep. Adam noticed as her eyes began to droop.

    "Want to turn in?"

    "Hmm?" Elle murmured. "No, that''s okay. I don''t want to move, let''s stay like this for a little longer."

    "Come on. You must be exhausted; you should sleep properly."

    The truth was that she was exhausted so Elle unwillingly followed Adam up the stairs. The door that led to Adam''s room appeared first. Elle was going to continue down the hallway to the guest room she had been using but Adam caught her arm, stopping her in front of his room.

    "Your project is done now so stay here tonight." He said as he pulled her into his room.

    Elle couldn''t help flushing red as she entered. Adam gave her a sly smile. "What''s wrong? Why are you suddenly getting shy?" He teased, quoting her words from earlier.

    Elle wasn''t one to back down from a challenge so despite her flushed face she boldly entered his room.

    Once she got over her shyness, and while wrapped up in Adam''s arms, Elle quickly fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

    ~~

    Streams of bright sunshine broke through the curtains the next morning, slowly rousing Elle from her sleep. Elle yawned as she got up and suddenly realized that she was alone in the room. Adam was already gone, the spot in the bed he had once occupied was already cold.

    Elle groggily rolled over and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. After a moment she realized that she could hear Adam''s voice coming from across the hall. It sounded like he was arguing on the phone about something.

    Elle got out of bed and followed the sound of his voice over to his office. Adam turned around as soon as she entered the room. and went over to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

    Adam clearly looked upset. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed and his eyes were cold and hard. He looked like the serious and stern man everyone else knew him as. But as soon as his eyes swept over Elle his entire countenance changed. His eyes were filled with warmth and his face had softened.

    He crossed the room to her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You''re awake already?" he asked in a whisper while holding the phone away from him.

    Elle nodded. "You talk. I''ll go make breakfast."

    Elle went downstairs to discover that breakfast had already been made. It wasn''t anything special but there was freshly cut fruit and breakfast sandwiches waiting for her on the table. Elle made tea for herself and coffee for Adam before sitting down and waiting.

    Adam came down the stairs a few minutes later. "You should have eaten first." He said with a frown.

    "It''s fine. I wanted to eat with you."

    Adam joined her at the table and they both began to eat.

    "Is something wrong at the company?" Elle asked after a moment.

    "Did you hear me?" Adam asked, sounding apologetic.

    "Just a little."

    "Nothing''s wrong exactly. Just some unexpected complications."

    "Will you go into the company today?"

    "No, I can work from my home office for today."

    ''So much for being able to spend time together.'' Elle thought to herself. But she supposed that was better than nothing.

    After breakfast she followed Adam up to his office. While he sat at his desk, mulling over whatever issue had occurred, Elle lounged at the coffee table in the room where she was scribbling on a piece of paper, secretly working on her book.

    Her family situation had led Elle to only know how to write a melancholy story, but with Adam there were so many fresh emotions to put into words. Elle sat hunched over her notebook and wrote so much that her wrist eventually became sore.

    She was so engrossed in her work that she didn''t hear Adam come up behind her some hours later.

    She jumped when she suddenly noticed him leering over her. "You startled me." She exasperated.

    "Sorry." Adam apologized while stifling a laugh. "What are you so focused on anyway."

    "Nothing." Elle replied while quietly closing her notebook. "What''s so important that you had to sneak up behind me?"

    "I''ve settled the details of our trip." Adam announced.

    "Really?" Elle asked, full of enthusiasm.

    "Yes. We''ll leave on Monday."

    "So fast?"

    "I''ve already arranged things with your workplace as well."

    "When did you plan all this?" Elle asked in amazement. She had been too busy to even care about the trip. How had he already taken care of everything when he was even busier than she was?

    "I''ve been working on it for a week now." He admitted.

    "You didn''t even know if I would make the sales numbers, what would you have done if you planned everything but I didn''t win the bet?"

    "Did you think that I really wouldn''t take you if you failed?"

    "But we had a deal. It was a bet."

    "You could have asked for anything but all you asked for a trip for a few hours. You ask for such simple things that I can''t deny you."

    Elle smiled. While the couple enjoyed a sweet moment amidst their quite day they were oblivious to the impact MK''s advertisement''s were having on the public.

 112 A Vacation To Remember

    With all of Elle''s anticipation Monday seemed to arrive quickly. The weather had been warming up lately. The mornings and nights still tended to be a little cold, but the days were warming up. Despite the chill in the air Elle was glad to be awake early that morning.

    Adam had insisted that he would take care of everything and was keeping the utmost secrecy regarding their trip. David had called her coworkers at Tae to notify them of her absence and Adam had taken care of everything else so Elle had nothing to do that morning but get dressed and wonder at where they were going.

    "You still won''t tell me where we''re going?" Elle asked as they boarded the car.

    "You''ll see for yourself when we get there."

    Elle glared at him but Adam had been perfecting his blank stare for years and looked back confidently. Eventually Elle fell back into her seat with a sigh.

    "Fine, you win."

    While Adam drove Elle played with the radio. She let the loud music fill the silence in the car. The weather warmed up significantly as the sun rose in the sky. After about an hour of driving they rolled the windows down.

    With the upbeat music filling her heart and the spring breeze blowing through her hair Elle felt such a pure feeling of joy. Her family had rarely gone on trips even when her mother had been alive. Both Adam and Elle had been constantly working hard for the last several years, albeit in different ways. It was a new and rare feeling for both of them; the feeling of being so at ease.

    They drove for a long time while making a few stops along the way. The first time they stopped was to eat an early lunch. The next time they stopped was at Elle''s insistence so that she could admire a passing field of flowers that had begun to bud. But as the day went by her joy and anticipation turned into irritation.

    "Can we pull over?" She asked for a second time.

    "Saw more flowers?" Adam teased.

    "No, I just want to stretch my legs."

    They had been driving through a rural community and after spotting a bakery they pulled over to get refreshments and walk around. Afterwards they got back in and continued on their drive. Eventually Elle began to feel sleepy. She could feel her eyelids fluttering, trying to stay awake, when Adam abruptly called out.

    "We''re almost there. Can you see it?" He asked.

    Elle looked up. She couldn''t see anything but the road ahead of them and the thin forest around them. Elle frowned and was about to ask Adam what he was talking about when suddenly she saw it. Through a crack in the tree''s she could see crystal clear water, sparkling in the sunlight.

    "The sea!" She exclaimed. "We''re at the beach?!"

    Adam chuckled at her childlike wonder. "That''s right. We''re at the sea."

    They drove to a city. It was a popular travel destination but it was still early in the season to be at the sea so not many people were around. After following the main road for a little longer it led down to the beach. It stretched for miles in either direction. A long portion was public, but a smaller portion, in a more secluded area, was made into a private property that could be rented out. This was where they were headed to now.

    Finally, after a long day of travelling, they pulled up to the private villa.

    Elle got out of the car and looked in awe at the home in front of them. The exterior was made out of light colored wood which brought out the green in the tropical garden surrounding it. It was a giant two story building.

    Adam gently took her hand and led her around the place. Each room was more impressive than the last, but the bedroom was by far her favorite. It was a giant room with a great canopy bed that had soft, sheer, white netting hanging down in bustles. If you walked further into the room it led out onto a large upper level deck with a beautiful view and a set of stairs that led onto the beach below.

    Elle was no longer smiling. Instead she wore an expression of deep thought. ''When had he prepared all this?'' She wondered. The kitchen was stocked with food and the walk in closet was full of clothes for her. Elle couldn''t begin to describe what she was feeling.

    She turned around and looked at Adam who wore an anxious expression. This always serious, always stern man, doing such gentle things for her.

    "Do you like it?" He asked eventually. Adam''s voice was obviously a little nervous. "I know I prepared it without asking you."

    His voice fell away as he was suddenly cut off by a pair of soft lips covering his. Adam was stiff with surprise for a moment before wrapping one arm around the girl''s waist as he returned the kiss.

    "I love it." Elle said with her heart full to the brim. "I love it so much.

 113 How Well Do You Really Know Her

    Elle walked around the room, taking a moment to appreciate all the small intricacies. When she stepped into the closet she realized how many clothes were hanging in it.

    "How long are we staying here for?" She asked. Hadn''t their plans originally been to take a trip for a single day? Surely he didn''t prepare this many outfits for just twenty-four hours.

    "For however long you want. We can stay for a week, a month. We can stay forever if you like."

    "That sounds wonderful." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around Adam''s neck. "But how many did you plan on really?"

    "Four." Adam replied with an apologetic smile. "I tried to arrange for a full week but MK has too many projects right now, I can''t afford to be gone for that long at a time."

    "You don''t need to apologize. To begin with I was only prepared for a single day. Four whole days is a greater gift than I dared ask for."

    ~~

    Meanwhile, back in the city, Abby was staring a hole into her phone. Things had been going so well with Jacob. She wasn''t sure exactly what happened for things to have become this strained between them. Was she just overthinking it?

    After several minutes of going around in circles in her mind she finally worked up the courage to pick up her phone. Before she could chicken out she quickly typed a quick message.

    ''It''s been so long since we''ve seen each other. Do you want to get dinner together?'' She wrote before throwing her phone onto her desk.

    Abby anxiously awaited the reply.

    "I don''t sound too clingy do I?" She wondered aloud. "Maybe he''ll think I''m blaming him? I shouldn''t have asked it that way."

    "Boy troubles?" Her coworker asked with a laugh. "You''re so confident with your art. Be just as confident with this."

    "That''s right. I''m a great catch, so why wouldn''t he want to see me? I should be confident." Her confidence managed to stand tall for only half a minute before crumbling. "Dating is too hard." She groaned.

    Just then her phone lit up as Abby received a text message.

    ''Dinner sounds great. I''m almost finished at work; I''ll pick you up in a little bit?'' Jacob asked.

    Abby breathed a sigh of relief as she read it.

    "See I told you." Her coworker said as she read the message over Abby''s shoulder. "Be confident."

    "Right. Be confident." Abby repeated trying her best to muster up her courage. She touched her makeup and patiently waited for Jacob to come pick her up.

    ~~

    Adam and Elle were about to enjoy dinner as well. They had opted for a home cooked meal. Elle prepared the side dishes while Adam cooked the main course. It was a safer arrangement that way.

    They were almost finished when they heard a phone ring. Elle was setting the table while Adam was busy at the stove.

    "Is that mine?" Adam asked. Both of his hands were currently occupied so Elle crossed the room to check for him but his phone''s screen was blank. Instead it was hers that was ringing.

    "No it''s mine." Elle called out. She frowned as she looked at the caller ID. ''Father'' it read for a moment before the ringing stopped. Elle was debating whether she should bother calling back when she received a text message.

    ''I went to speak to you at your office today and found out you''re on vacation. You really should notify me of things like this before hand. Besides, isn''t it a little inappropriate to take a vacation the second your project finishes?'' He asked.

    A second message came a brief moment later. ''We should talk properly. When your done with your vacation come back home.''

    "What''s wrong?" Adam asked when he looked over and saw her frowning down at her phone.

    "Nothing." Elle said looking back up with a weak smile. She turned off her phone and put it away. "Nothing at all.

    Abby was currently sitting down to dinner with Jacob. He seemed happy enough to go out with her tonight when he had texted her but now that they were together an awkward silence had fallen over the table.

    ''Be confident. Be confident. Be confident.'' Abby muttered in her own mind like a mantra until she finally she built up the courage to ask what was on her mind.

    "What''s going on with you?" She boldly asked Jacob. "If you don''t want to see me you should just let me know."

    Jacob, who had initially been surprised by her outburst, slowly assumed an apologetic face. "It''s not that."

    "Then what is it?" Abby demanded.

    "It''s just work."

    "What happened?"

    Jacob hesitated. He was reluctant to tell her. No one wanted to look bad in front of their significant other after all.

    "Just tell me. Tell me or I''ll leave." Abby threatened, suddenly feeling a bold sense of courage.

    "I just got into some trouble at work¡­" Jacob confessed. "¡­with Elle. She spoke to the director of my department and since then things have been awkward and tense for me at work. That''s all."

    Abby felt relief wash through her like a wave. ''So it really had nothing to do with me after all?''

    "You should just talk to Elle. She''s a good person I''m sure she''ll be understanding."

    Jacob clenched his jaw and forced a smile. "I''m sure you''re right."

    Abby didn''t seem to notice the reluctance in him. "Of course I am; I know her so well. We''ve been friends for more than ten years now." She said proudly.

    "She''s on vacation this week. Once she gets back I''ll sit down with her and give it a try."

    "She''s on vacation?" Abby asked in surprise. She couldn''t recall the last time Elle had gone on a vacation.

    Jacob saw the look of shock and confusion on his girlfriend''s face. "Or maybe you don''t know her that well after all." He said softly under his breath.

 114 Under The Cover Of Darkness

    After dinner Adam and Elle went to take a walk along the beach. Elle had put on a sweater since the night air was chilly, but still kept her shorts on. As they walked she excitedly stepped ankle deep into the water which was quite warm despite the early season.

    "I still can''t believe you arranged all this." She said softly as she looked out at the sea which seemed to stretch out forever before them.

    While Elle was admiring the beauty of the open water Adam was admiring her. The look, the spark, in her eyes had him mesmerized. After a moment Elle seemed to suddenly notice his stare and turned to look at him with those deep eyes.

    "What?" She asked innocently.

    "You look so beautiful tonight." Adam replied in barely a whisper. One of his hands reached out to hold hers, his fingers grazed ever so slightly against her skin.

    He leaned in close, close enough that Elle could feel his breath against her, but Adam stopped there. After a moment he leaned back as if he was about to pull away but Elle wasn''t about to let the moment go just like that.

    She took the initiative to close the distance between them with a kiss. It was nothing but a harmless peck on the lips, or so she thought. In hindsight perhaps that one simple motion was the spark that set the rest of the night off.

    Adam broke away from the kiss first. He pulled away from her but held her hand even tighter in his grip and led her over to where the trees would hide them from view.

    He pressed Elle against the rough bark so that she was trapped between the tree and his own strong body before leaning forward to kiss her again. Elle kissed him back with more fervor than she had before.

    The young couple stood there kissing and kissing beneath the moon and the stars, with the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore, and with the scent of the sea water filling the air around them.

    It felt like the nicest thing in the world. Elle let her hands slowly trace up Adam''s strong arms and into his hair while his were locked around her back, holding her small body against his. In that moment Adam''s mind was full of a possessiveness he didn''t know he was capable of.

    ''Look at this beautiful girl.'' He thought to himself. ''She is perfection. Everything about her is perfect. And she has decided to give her love to me. She belongs only to me.''

    Their simple and innocent feelings of love quickly turned into a more passionate and more urgent feeling. Adam led her back into their room where he tossed her lightly onto the bed. Elle watched with butterflies in her stomach as Adam stood at the foot of the bed and slowly began taking off his clothes. Undoing his shirt buttons one by one, taking his time. Underneath was an impressive display of muscle that was surprising given the fact that he worked at a desk all day long.

    And then he was on her again, slowly leaning down to cover her lips with his and once again Elle felt a heat sear through her. She lost her mind, and gave it up willingly to his unreserved passion. Adam drove one hand into her lush black hair, twining his fingers through it as he crushed her mouth to his. Her body seemed to melt against his.

    The couple maneuvered blindly in the dark bedroom. Driven by the need to love and be loved and by a constant demand for more.

    Elle felt an ache in her chest. As if she couldn''t get close enough to him. She strained against his body, against the press of his broad chest. One of his hands tugged at her shirt, drawing it up high enough to slide one of his hands beneath it. The touch of his hands was so cool on her bare skin that it sent a chill down her spine.

    It wasn''t until one of Elle''s hands had worked its way down to pull at his waistband that Adam suddenly seemed to remember himself.

    "Are you sure?" He asked in a ragged whisper.

    "Yes." Elle didn''t recognize her own voice. In that moment she didn''t recognize herself at all. Not this version of herself that was bold and confident despite having absolutely no experience in matters of love. But that didn''t stop her.

    Under the cover of darkness nothing else mattered. Nothing but him.

 115 Day Two

    The next morning was a bright and clear day. Sunshine streamed into the quiet bedroom as the sun slowly rose that morning. A warm sea breeze drifted in through an open window, gently blowing against the canopy.

    Adam had woken up some time ago but he refused to get out of bed. He was quite content to let that moment last forever.

    As the sun was pouring in and with Adam''s fingertips brushing a pattern against her back Elle was gently roused from her sleep.

    "You''re awake?" Adam asked gently.

    "Hmmm." She murmured, nuzzling closer to his chest.

    A moment later Adam''s phone started buzzing on the bedside table, betraying their fantasy.

    "Ignore it." Adam groaned.

    But whoever was trying to contact him was evidently unwilling to go along with him. The buzzing insisted, completely ruining the mood.

    "Just get it." Elle said, covering her head with a pillow.

    Adam rolled out of bed and went into the hallway to return the call. He came back in a moment later.

    "There''s something important that I need to attend to. I''ll work from the room next door. There''s breakfast in the kitchen. Eat something once you get up." He instructed her before disappearing again.

    Elle lounged in bed for a while longer. Even when she finally willed herself out of it she didn''t get ready right away. Instead she wrapped herself in a robe and went out onto the deck to look out at the still water and feel the warm breeze against her skin. Her own phone was still turned off and long forgotten. To Elle this place was her own paradise. Nothing from the outside world could touch her within those four walls.

    ~~

    The tide was low and too far back to go wade in the water. Elle didn''t want to go exploring and leave Adam stuck in the house either. So after quickly having a bite to eat she decided to take the opportunity to continue with her writing.

    She sat down at a tea table conveniently placed by the window and scribbled away at the page. Elle wrote for pleasure; not because she felt pressured to, or because she needed some medium to pour her sour feelings into as she had been doing more and more frequently before meeting Adam. It was a feeling she had lost long ago, and was very happy to have it back.

    Elle lost herself in a world of her own making. She continued to write until the bright and clear sky, with the sun high overhead, suddenly turned darker and darker before an incessant rain started falling. Elle stared at the large, heavy rain drops that fell. A few minutes passed and just as quickly as it had come, the rain left once more.

    Eventually hunger drew Adam away from his work and down to the kitchen.

    "Are you having fun?" He asked when he spotted her staring pensively out the window.

    "Of course I am."

    "Even if I''m busy?" His face didn''t betray him, but the look in his eyes did. It was such a small detail to notice but Elle could see the look of remorse reflected in them.

    "Do you feel guilty that you have to work?" Elle asked.

    Adam returned her question with one of his own. "Are you not disappointed? I promised you a vacation and then left you on your own."

    "''What''s more important; me or your work?'' Is that what you expect me to ask?" Adam''s face hardened. The sight of it melted Elle''s heart. "It''s because you think of me even when you''re so deadly busy that I won''t ask such a question. I already know the answer."

    Adam gave her a weak smile. "I don''t deserve you." He finally said after a moment.

    "But now you''re stuck with me anyway." She teased. "Come let''s eat lunch."

    ~~

    After their meal Adam had to return to his own work. The high tide had returned and Elle had ventured out for a walk along the shore.

    Adam barely noticed the passing of time but before her new it the sky had turned from blue to pink and from pink to red as the sun slowly inched it''s way closer to the horizon. He finally shut his laptop and went out in search of Elle.

    The house was eerily silent as he made his way through the empty rooms, out the back, and down towards the beach. He found her some distance down the shoreline standing with her feet ankle deep in the water.

    Elle stood with her back to him and her eyes closed, plainly enjoying the sounds of the waves and the feeling of the cold water running over her feet as the waves rushed over the shore before retreating back into the sea; again and again and again.

    Elle heard Adam approach slowly from behind her but she didn''t bother moving. Soon enough two large arms wrapped themselves around her waist.

    "Are you done with your work for today?" She asked.

    "Yes." He said, kissing her shoulder softly.

    "It''s still a little early." Elle commented. "If you want we can go up into town for a walk. Maybe get something to eat?"

    However, Adam seemed to have something else in mind. One of his hands slowly inched its way up her waist line, while he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. Elle let out a soft sigh and let herself lean back into his embrace.

    "I''m tired." He said in his deep voice. "Let''s go back inside."

    "Okay." She breathed, a faint blush creeping up her neck.

    More than an hour had passed and Elle lay in bed, too tired to move a muscle. How much energy did he have? Behind her she could hear Adam coming back out of the bathroom, bringing her a glass of water as he did.

    "I thought you were tired." Elle complained. "What a liar."

 116 Day Three

    On their third day of vacation Adam and Elle decided to finally venture out into the neighbouring town. It was a tourist destination that was likely packed with hundreds of people but since it was still early in the season not many people were around. It gave Adam and Elle the chance to venture out freely without worrying about who might see them. It also gave them the chance to leisurely look around without worrying about the crowds.

    Elle walked ahead and Adam followed a few steps back from where he could watch Elle as she happily strolled down the stone pathways, occasionally stopping to examine the wares a street vendor had on sale.

    Adam''s focus was solely on her but Elle was easily distracted by the vibrant colours of dresses, tote bags, hats, and linen scarves, all handmade and the same fabric never repeating twice among them. She was also distracted by the delicious smells of various street foods that targeted her twofold by going after both her mind and her stomach. Elle was so distracted that she had momentarily forgotten about the man quietly following her steps behind her.

    That morning she had gone into the big walk-in closet to pick her outfit from the clothes Adam had prepared for her.

    "You prepared so many." Elle had said softly as she walked among all the sun dresses. "It must have been so expensive. What am I to do with all of them?"

    "Not really." Adam replied from the bedroom. "They''re just simple dresses, keep them, donate them, sell them. Do whatever you want."

    Elle walked up to one, gathering the cool chiffon in her hands. She recognized this dress, it was a Prada dress. It was probably more expensive than half of her own closet. She was about to chastise Adam for spending so much but Elle secretly suspected that he wasn''t being intentionally dense. When she saw how passive he was she imagined that he really hadn''t bothered to look at the price at all when preparing all this for her. She would take advantage of his kindness.

    In the end Elle settled on a beige dress with white lace overlaid on top of it. The lace was delicate with a floral pattern but what really made it stand out were the tiny little white flowers that had been sewn onto it in such a way that the edges of the petals popped out of the dress, as if they were real flowers growing from it.

    The dress suited her well, as all things did, but Adam''s eyes were even more drawn to her now. Of all things in that closet she had picked a white dress, she stood out even more as she walked amongst hundreds of colours. That''s what was on Adam''s mind as he watched Elle''s eyes dart back and forth as she admired everything around her.

    Elle suddenly remembered Adam behind her and turned around to glance at him but his face didn''t betray him. It was just as emotionless and unyielding as it ever was.

    "I hope you''re not bored." She asked sheepishly.

    "Of course not."

    "Are you sure? We can head back to the villa now."

    "I''m sure. Come on." Adam took hold of her hand within his and the two continued to walk through the makeshift marketplace.

    After about an hour of mindlessly wandering around and admiring what the town had to offer they decided to stop somewhere for lunch. They quickly decided on a little bistro that sat on a raised part of the town with a beautiful patio that overlooked the sea. Both Adam and Elle were admiring the way the afternoon sun sparkled on the clear ocean water when they heard a voice call out.

    "Adam? Is that you?" A young man had spotted them as he had been walking by and had walked over to confirm his theory.

    Elle froze in anticipation. What should she do? If they were spotted here, on vacation, the rumors would be relentless. However, Adam didn''t seem concerned in the least.

    "Marcus." He greeted simply.

    "It is you." Marcus said, a huge grin spreading from ear to ear. "What on earth are you doing here. And with such a beautiful lady keeping you company." He asked as his attention shifted from Adam to Elle.

    "We''re here on vacation." Adam replied simply.

    "You? On vacation?" The man questioned as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. "Well I suppose this at least means you got the girl."

    That earned a small smile out of Adam. He finally glanced away from the man and towards Elle who was giving him a questioning look.

    "That''s right." Marcus suddenly blurted out. "You don''t remember me do you? We met on new years'' eve at that party."

    "That''s right." Elle said vaguely. She felt embarrassed, she couldn''t recall him at all. It was her own fault. She had been so occupied with Adam that night that she hadn''t bothered to interact with anyone else at that party. Adam had been with them at a bar on new years'' eve; of course they were his friends.

    "You don''t remember do you?" Marcus asked with a laugh.

    "She was focused on me. Of course she wouldn''t remember you." Adam said indifferently. Elle threw him a look of disbelief as a faint blush crept up her cheeks. Since when was he this arrogant?

 117 Favours

    "We''re on vacation, but what are you doing here Marcus?" Elle asked, eager to get the focus off her.

    "Unfortunately I''m here for business, not pleasure. You see my family is in the luxury hotel business. This place has been growing in popularity so I''m here to survey a piece of land. See if the investment will be worth it." He explained. "I''m actually on my way to meet with one of the developers now."

    "Then why don''t you hurry along." Adam replied. But the fact that Adam was eager to have him leave only intrigued Marcus more.

    "I still have a few minutes to spare." Marcus said with a mischievous grin. "Let''s chat for a moment. I didn''t even know that you had started dating, we have so much to catch up on."

    Adam was about to open his mouth to decline but Elle stood up before he could. "I have to use the ladies'' room, why don''t you two talk."

    Elle quickly left before either could argue. She couldn''t even remember meeting his friend, the least she could do was give them a brief moment alone to catch up.

    Marcus sat down in the chair she had vacated. "She''s quite pretty, your girl. Considerate too." He noted.

    Adam relaxed a bit. "She is."

    "Evidently she is also your lucky star."

    Adam looked at his friend inquisitively. "What do you mean?"

    "I''m talking about MK''s ad''s of course. They released almost a week ago but are still all anyone can talk about in the industry. Who''d have thought obstructing a model''s beautiful face would get more people to look at them. Yet somehow it worked, the ads are very popular."

    "Of course they are. High risks garner high rewards."

    "What risk?" Marcus scoffed. "We both know this wasn''t some calculated move. The rest of the world might think you''re some innovative genius but I know you''re just a fool in love who got lucky."

    "You sound bitter." Adam noted with a smile.

    "Of course I am. It''s pathetic to watch everyone try and fail to copy you when I know the thought that went behind this ''trend''." Marcus teased.

    Elle had been waiting out in the bathroom. Tiredly staring at her own reflection pacing back and forth in the mirror until she thought that enough time had passed that it wouldn''t be rude to return to the table.

    Elle made up her mind and left to go back to the table but as she approached it she saw Marcus and Adam with their heads bent towards each other, she saw the smile on Adam''s face and the way Marcus was eagerly talking to him. She had returned too soon.

    But before she could turn around and walk back both men looked up at her, hearing her footsteps as she approached them.

    "Ah. I think I forgot something. Let me go back for it." Elle said sheepishly.

    "That''s fine. We''re done here." Marcus said as he got out of her seat. "Let me return him to you." In a gentlemanly fashion Marcus held the chair out for her and tucked it in as she sat down before bringing up one last point from their earlier conversation.

    "Adam, since you went through that much trouble to keep it a secret you had better keep a tight lip on this model of yours. Or someone might try to poach her." Marcus said casually, while throwing a wink at Elle who nearly chocked on her drink.

    "Even without you warning me I will."

    "Good. By the way, since you''re here why don''t you help me with something. I have a copy of the contract I need look over but you were always better at these things than me."

    "Is this how you ask for a favour?" Adam asked, his lips curved slightly. Despite his words Adam still held his hand out expectantly. Marcus smiled back at him and pulled a document out of his bag, handing it to Adam before rushing off to his meeting.

    "Sorry." Adam said as turned his attention back to Elle. "I wasn''t supposed to work today."

    "That''s okay." Elle replied cheerfully.

    As they ate Adam flipped through the contract, making notes in the margins of it. Elle didn''t mind the silence. She had always found his focused expression extremely handsome. While they ate she admired him. Today she had discovered another appealing quality as well. He was good to his friends.

 118 Back to Normal

    The rest of the afternoon went by smoothly. Adam returned the contract to Marcus, noting some of the changes he suggested. Afterwards Elle and Adam returned to the beach behind the villa and stayed there until dinner. After they finished eating they returned to their room,

    While Adam showered Elle stood on the deck, admiring the stars and the silence. When Adam had finished he came out into the bedroom only to find it empty. The glass door leading out to the deck was propped open.

    He went out and found Elle there, leaning against the banister with her head tilted upwards to the sky. He gently walked up behind her and wrapped both arms around her slender waist.

    "I don''t want to go." Elle whispered. "How nice would it be if we could stay here forever. With not a care in the world. But tomorrow everything will go back to normal."

    "Nothing is normal when I''m with you." Adam murmured.

    "That''s right. I''m abnormal aren''t I?" Elle asked with a laugh.

    "That''s right." Adam said with conviction. "It''s impossible for anyone to be as beautiful as you are and yet you do it."

    "You''re just flattering me." Elle teased.

    "Is it working?"

    Elle''s smile was her only response. After a moment she felt a drop of water on her shoulder. She looked back and realized that Adam''s hair was still wet.

    "Come on, let''s go back inside. The nights are still cold."

    ~~

    The next morning the two stayed in bed for a while longer then usual. Neither of them felt the same level of urgency to return home as they had felt when coming here.

    Adam was the first to get up. After washing up he quietly moved around the room, packing their things up, while being careful not to rouse Elle.

    It didn''t matter, even if he had tried she would have refused to get up. The softness of the bed with the warm sea breeze blowing against her back was too addictive, she couldn''t bring herself to leave it. It was only when her stomach demanded breakfast that she finally dragged herself out of bed.

    They had a nice breakfast together, and even stayed long enough to have a quick lunch. It was early in the afternoon; Adam was lounging in the living room. His long body lay on the sofa with one leg bent and his arm covering his eyes to block out the light. He wore a button up shirt, which was usually meticulously buttoned up to the top, but now had the top two buttons undone. An aura of lethargy surrounded him.

    "Come on." Elle said as she gently nudged him. "Let''s go."

    By the time they arrived home the sun was already setting. Adam would have to leave for work the next morning but Elle still had one more day off so she insisted she would unpack the next day.

    They were about to go to bed when Elle suddenly remembered her phone which was still switched off and stored away in her purse. She turned it back on and waited a moment before she was bombarded with missed messages from the past two days.

    Most of them were either anxious messages from Abby, wondering when she would return from her trip and asking if they could meet up when she did, or from her father who would switch in and out of being gentle and wishing her a relaxing trip and irritably demanding her to return back to the family house.

    Upon entering the bedroom Adam found Elle sitting on the edge of the bed staring down at her phone with her face scrunched up.

    "Is everything okay?" He asked.

    "Everything''s fine." Elle said, putting her phone away with a sigh. "Just back to normal."

    ~~

    The next morning Elle woke up quite early but Adam was already gone. Elle looked around the empty room with disappointment. Adam''s condo was nice, the room was quite large, the air conditioning cooled the room, and a window on one side let in some natural light but Elle couldn''t deny that she missed the villa.

    She missed the vast expanse of the bedroom, the humid sea breeze that often wafted through the room, and the blaring sunlight that demanded to be noticed as the sun rose in the morning.

    But then again, she suspected she would soon be missing this room, and all the quiet comforts it provided. Because, although she hadn''t spoken about it with Adam yet, the truth was that Elle intended to move out of his condo.

    After breakfast Elle''s first task was to unpack their things, which didn''t take nearly as long as Elle had suspected.

    Afterwards Elle opened her laptop and began browsing through relator listings. A new chapter of her life was beginning, and she wasn''t going to spend this one passively, she was determined not to rely on anyone. Not even Adam.

 119 House Shopping

    Elle let out a yawn as she awoke the next morning. The room was still dark but the light in the adjoining bathroom was turned on and leaked into bedroom. Elle stretched her sleepiness away before getting up and walking into the bathroom. Inside Adam was standing at the sink and brushing his teeth.

    "Good morning." Elle said. She walked over and wrapped her arms around his chest, leaning in to bury her face into his back as she did.

    "Morning." He replied unintelligibly with his mouth half full. He quickly finished at the sink while Elle watched with an amused expression. Afterwards he turned and held her loosely in his arms. "You''re already up?

    "I could ask you the same question. You worked even during our vacation, don''t you want to at least sleep in on the weekends?" She asked gently.

    "I can''t sleep in. I''m too used to having a busy schedule I suppose. I have trouble being still."

    "You don''t have to work today?"

    "No."

    "What do you usually do on the weekends when you don''t have to work?"

    "I go for a run first. Want to join me?"

    Elle didn''t think much of it and agreed, thinking they were only going for a casual jog, but thirty minutes later she was panting as she struggled to keep up with Adam.

    A few more minutes passed and she gave up, collapsing into the grass beside the track. Adam finished his lap before sitting down beside her, stifling a laugh as he watched her chest rise and fall with her labored breathing.

    "You really do this every weekend?" She asked incredulously in between her pants.

    "I missed a few once we began dating but other than those days, yes, I do."

    "I suppose there had to be a reason that a man who sits at a desk all day long would be in such good physical condition."

    "You''re out of shape." He teased.

    "I kept up with you for the better part of thirty minutes." Elle said in her defense. "I''m not out of shape, you''re just a monster."

    Adam laughed as he stood up. "Come on, let''s go back in." He said, extending his arms to help her up.

    Once they were back upstairs the two quickly fixed a light breakfast. While they ate Elle kept sneaking glances at Adam, waiting for an opportunity to tell him something that had been on her mind for a little while now. She was in mid-gaze when Adam''s voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

    "You have something you want to tell me?" He asked.

    "Huh? Oh. Um. Not really." She blurted, as she was taken by surprise.

    Adam looked and Elle hopelessly and set down his fork. "I''ll give you one more chance. If there really is nothing then I''m going to go shower."

    "Is it that obvious?" Elle asked.

    "I just know you well. I know your tells."

    Elle took a moment to muster up her courage before boldly announcing, "I''m thinking of getting my own place."

    "Why?" Adam asked immediately.

    "I just think it''s time for me to have my own place. I don''t want to always feel like I''m intruding on you."

    "You''re not. You know that right?"

    "I know. This is just what I want."

    Adam gauged her expression for a moment, Elle looked back at him with determination.

    "Okay." He said after a moment.

    Elle blinked with surprise. "That''s it?"

    "What? Did you expect me to insist you stay here? Maybe tie you up so you couldn''t escape?" He asked with an evil smirk.

    "I don''t know what I expected." She confessed.

    "If that''s all." Adam said, pushing away from the table.

    "Ah, there is one more thing. I was wondering if you would come check out a few places with me after lunch."

    "Of course." Adam said. He got up from the table and went upstairs to take a shower. He ruffled her hair lightly as he walked past her. Elle smiled to herself and quickly finished her own food with a new found eagerness.

    ~~

    Elle had narrowed her search down to a few dozen places. She didn''t want a house, there was too much upkeep involved. That let her narrow her search down to condo''s.

    The first place they went to was a cute and cozy place. Perfect for a single person to live in. Not perfect for her who had Adam to consider.

    "It''s too small." Adam declared as they walked back out to the car after the showing. "A double bed would barely fit in that bedroom."

    "Agreed."

    The next place was much better. It was roomy and had lots of windows to let the natural light in, but once again Adam veto''d it.

    "No." He said as soon as they came back out of it.

    "Why not?" Elle asked.

    "The security in the building is awful. The neighbourhood isn''t that great either."

    Elle couldn''t argue with that so she reluctantly agreed and crossed it off her list. They saw two or three more places after that. None of them too bad but none of them overly appealing either. Afterwards the couple went out for dinner together.

    "This is harder than I thought." Elle complained.

    "I''m sure you''ll find something soon."

    For once Elle was the silent one throughout dinner. A lot was weighing on her mind. Finally, she decided to check at least one thing off her list. She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone to finally reply to Abby''s text.

    ''I''m back home now. Let''s have lunch together tomorrow.''

 120 Old Friends

    The next morning Elle was lounging on her phone after having breakfast when Adam came up to her and tossed her his keys.

    "I found a place for you. Interested?" He asked.

    Elle grinned. "Of course."

    She quickly got dressed and they drove over to one of the most expensive and exclusive buildings in the city. When ranked it was second only to the building Adam currently lived in.

    "Here?" Elle asked incredulously. "They don''t even openly list their vacancies; how did you hear about it?"

    "After all this time you still doubt how far MK''s reach is?" Adam asked playfully. "More than one of our connections lives in this building, it wasn''t hard to arrange."

    The unit was stunning of course. It was on one of the higher levels giving it a stunning view of the city. There were two bedrooms and even an additional room to use as an office space. The rooms were large and flooded with natural light.

    "It''s perfect. It''s more than perfect." Elle exclaimed as they walked through it. They entered the kitchen and she popped up onto the countertop. "I can cook dinner for you while you relax in the living room. It''ll be wonderful."

    Adam smiled. "You''re sure you like it?"

    "What''s there not to like? Besides, if I don''t like this place I would never find anything."

    "Good. I''ll look over the contract for you in the afternoon."

    "You don''t have to do that. I can do it myself."

    "It''s better to do it quickly. Besides don''t you have a lunch to get to." Adam asked as he checked the time on his watch.

    Ah, right. She was meeting with Abby today. Once they were finished at the building Adam dropped her off outside the restaurant where they would be meeting. Elle kissed him goodbye and entered the restaurant to find Abby waiting for her at a table by the window.

    "Long time no see." Elle said sheepishly as she went over to greet her.

    "Yea, long time." Abby replied as she gave her friend a hug. "Was that your boyfriend?"

    "Yea. He just dropped me off."

    "You should have told him to join us. I haven''t gotten to meet him yet."

    "He''s busy, he was just dropping me off." Elle said apologetically. "Maybe next time."

    "Maybe."

    "How''s your work going? Have you settled in nicely?" Elle asked, quick to change the topic.

    "It''s alright. Some days are more interesting than other''s, most days are too slow for my liking. But my coworkers are all great."

    "That''s good. It doesn''t matter so much if the work is boring if the coworkers are nice."

    "I guess. The professor I''m working under has a big conference coming up that I''m looking forward to."

    "That''s nice."

    Lunch was awkward to say the least. The next hour went by the same way, it was mostly filled with awkward and forced conversations.

    "I''m thinking of moving out." Elle said, trying her best to inject some life into their conversation.

    "Really?" Abby asked, looking up in surprise. "Why? Because of Jacob?"

    "What? No. Why would you think that?" Elle asked, equally as surprised.

    "No reason, I just¡­Anyway tell me more. Have you found a place?"

    "I did. I didn''t sign anything yet but I really like it." Elle told Abby about the place they had just gone to see.

    "You''re going to move there?" Abby asked incredulously. "There are so many influential people living in that building. So much eye candy. You have to invite me over for a house warming party once you''re done moving."

    "My boyfriend is handsome enough for me, but you''re more than welcome to come over." Elle agreed lightly.

    After a few more minutes they both made their excuses to leave and returned to their respective homes.

    "How was it?" Adam asked when he heard Elle come in.

    "Not bad. Just a little awkward. It was hard to keep a conversation going."

    "It''s normal. She''s been away for so long, you two just need to fall into the same rhythm again."

    "That''s the problem. I feel like in the years that she was overseas I grew up and she didn''t. We don''t have anything in common anymore. We''re just old friends, we only have the past in common."

    Meanwhile at her house Abby was conveying the same to Jacob over the phone.

    "She''s back from her vacation now, have you had a chance to talk to her yet?"

    "Not yet. She hasn''t returned home yet. Or to work." Jacob replied.

    "Did you know she was thinking of moving out?" Abby asked.

    "No. Did she tell you that she was?"

    "It looks like you two have more to discuss than I thought. You should ask your sister out for dinner after work some time this week."

    ''Your sister''. Those words sounded so foreign to Jacob. He had never thought of Elle as his sister before. Neither of them treated the other like family at all.

    "Yea, sure. Maybe I will."

 121 Your Sisters Grace

    A few days of normalcy followed. Elle returned to work. Everything in her department had quieted down since their last major project had been completed. Only a few minor projects were still ongoing so her days went by quickly and peacefully.

    Jacob hadn''t gone to see her. How could he? He knew Abby meant well by her advice but she didn''t know the whole story. If he went to Elle now he would just be pouring salt on his wounds. It was too late, there was nothing that could be mended between them now.

    Since the incident his days at work had become more strained. Elle and the Director of Sales had both kept their mouth''s shut regarding the matter but the manager''s new something had happened. Jacob no longer received major opportunities like he had in the beginning. Every meeting left him feeling strained. Every time his coworkers glanced at him and whispered his imagination went wild with all the rumors that were likely spreading.

    Jacob was in the cafeteria taking a break when he ran into a familiar face. A face he didn''t want to see.

    "Jacob." Michael said in greeting. "How are you?"

    "I''ve been better." Jacob said bitterly.

    "You''re not still hung up about what happened are you?" Michael asked.

    "That''s easy for you to say. You didn''t get punished for it."

    "I told you that we should have quit while we were ahead. I warned you." Michael said with a frown. "Besides it''s not like you''re exactly getting punished either."

    "It''s easy for you to say. From the outside it might look like that but thing''s are so different from when I first got here. I''ve lost so many opportunities."

    Michael looked at Jacob with a conflicted expression. "Look, Jacob I like you. We got along well at the beginning. You won''t like what I''m about to say but I''m saying it for your own good. The truth is that you don''t have it nearly as bad as you think. They''re not treating you poorly now because of your mistake; they were treating you uncommonly well before because you were the chairman''s son."

    Jacob felt as if he had been slapped in the face.

    "Those opportunities were one''s you didn''t earn, that''s why they were taken away so easily. If it wasn''t for the chairman''s last name or your sister''s grace you would be out of a job right now. Consider yourself lucky."

    There were those accursed words again. ''Your sister''. Jacob at Michael unable to mask the annoyance he felt.

    "Listen, if you want to join the boys and I for a drink just let me know. Good luck buddy." Michael gave Jacob a reassuring pat on the back before leaving the cafeteria, leaving Jacob in a worse state than ever.

    ~~

    That night Elle returned to her family home for the first time in months. She was only there to pack up her things, but she didn''t intend to tell her family that. Adam had helped her so the contract signing went smoothly. She would be moving in within the week.

    Elle quietly entered the home. She needed to pack up her things but it didn''t mean anyone had to notice her. Elle had finished packing most of her clothes and gotten into bed when she heard a faint knock at the door.

    Her father poked his head in. "You''re home?" He asked with surprise leaking into his voice.

    "I am." Elle replied indifferently. "I''m surprised you noticed."

    "Don''t be like that."

    "Be like what?"

    Her father frowned at her. "There''s no point in returning home only to sulk alone in your room."

    "You''re the one who basically demanded I return home." Elle retorted.

    "Because you have been selfishly imposing on your friends to house you for far too long. What have you been thinking? If you''re going to be like this you should just move out and live on your own. Stop bothering on everyone around you." Her father lectured.

    Elle couldn''t help but stifle a laugh at the irony of his words. "Maybe I will then." She said with her voice full of sarcasm.

    "This is going no where. We can talk in the morning." Her father saw he was clearly going to get no where with her and strategically departed to his own room for the night.

    Elle felt more relaxed once he had gone but even then she had trouble falling asleep. It was strange to be back in her own bed after so long. No matter how she tossed and turned she couldn''t find a comfortable position.

    After a laying there for a long time, unable to fall asleep, Elle suddenly pulled the sheets back roughly. She put a coat over her pyjama''s and quietly snuck out the front door.

    Elle giggled to herself as she sat in the front seat of her car. Even as a teenager she had never snuck out of the house like this. It was an exhilarating feeling.

    Thirty minutes later Adam was opening the front door to his condo, wondering who it could be at such a late hour. His eyes widened with shock we he opened the door to find Elle standing on the other side, wearing a pair of cotton pyjama''s and a mischievous smile.

    "What are you doing here. I thought you were staying at your family home tonight."

    "It seems I''ve developed a condition where I can''t sleep unless I''m next to you." Elle said casually as she stepped over the threshold and past Adam into the house. "You better take responsibility."

 124 Just A Neighbour

    Once she finished talking to her father Elle quickly made her way outside and got into the car where Adam was waiting for her.

    "Did you see him?" She asked.

    "Yes." Adam answered, knowing immediately that she was referring to her father.

    "Did he see you?"

    "No."

    "Good." Elle murmured. One of her hands reached up to touch the little bluebird that had returned to its place around her neck. She felt reassured as her fingers glossed over the cool and smooth gem.

    "Is everything okay?" Adam asked.

    Elle gave him a genuine smile. "Everything''s just fine. Come on, let''s go."

    Finally, they made their last trip for the day. Once they reached Elle''s new condo Adam and Elle each carried a box upstairs to her room which was still mostly empty except for a few items of furniture that had already been delivered and the mounds of boxes and bags Elle had brought over earlier that day.

    The residence was in a poor state; nothing was put away and there was a fortress of boxes in the living room, but Elle loved it. It was a home that belonged to her and her alone. She felt refreshed by the change of pace and scenery in her life. Everything she owned in the world was currently neatly packed away in this place.

    Elle was enjoying herself as she wandered through her maze of boxes when Adam''s voice interrupted her, bringing her back to reality.

    "Do you want something to drink?" He asked as he headed to the kitchen. "Iced tea?"

    "That would be perfect."

    "Okay."

    "I''ll go get the rest of the things from the car." Elle announced.

    "Do you need a hand?"

    "No, that''s fine. I got it."

    "You sure?"

    "Yup." Elle grabbed her keys and then headed back down to the car.

    There were only two boxes of books left to bring upstairs. Elle was feeling bold, and too lazy to make two trips so she stacked the boxes on top of each other and headed back into the building.

    With both boxes stacked Elle''s vision was completely blocked. She couldn''t see a thing in front of her but she had made this trip so many times that day that she had her path memorized. She didn''t need to see where she was going. Elle, however, barely made it to the lobby when one of the boxes was suddenly plucked from the stack.

    A young, handsome, boy''s face was suddenly in front of her, now carrying one of her boxes in his hands.

    "Moving in today?" He asked.

    "Yes¡­" Elle replied, startled by his sudden appearance.

    "These are heavy," The boy said as he weighed the box in his hands, "let me help you carry them up." He turned around and headed towards the elevators without waiting for Elle''s response.

    As Elle watched his back walk away she suddenly snapped out of her surprise and quickly followed after him.

    "I can manage just fine on my own. You don''t need to trouble yourself." She said as she caught up to him.

    "It''s okay. It''s no trouble at all. Which floor?" He asked as they stepped into the elevators.

    "The eleventh." Elle replied hesitantly.

    "You''re only one floor above me." The boy noted absentmindedly.

    As they rode the elevator up Elle had a chance to study him more closely. He couldn''t be more than twenty years old. His hair was a light brown that was contrasted by dark eyes. To be living in this building at such a young age; perhaps he was a celebrity? Maybe an idol? But he had a neat and prim appearance, he looked more like a student. Perhaps he was just someone''s child then.

    "My name''s Christopher by the way." He introduced himself as Elle was in the middle of her musing.

    "I''m Elizabeth." Elle replied, giving her full name for once. It felt odd to introduce herself by her nickname to someone younger.

    A light dinging noise marked their arrival at her floor. Elle hurried back to her apartment. Christopher followed behind her, eventually setting the box down in the foyer without stepping further that the doorway.

    "Thank you for your help."

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    "It was no trouble." Christopher said lightly. "I suppose I''ll see you around the building."

    "Yea, sure. I''ll treat you to something next time as my thanks." Elle offered.

    "Sure. I''ll look forward to it." He said with a polite smile.

    Elle was closing the door behind Christopher when Adam stepped back out of the kitchen with two ice cold drinks in hand.

    "Who was that?" He asked mildly.

    "Just a neighbour." Elle replied, taking one of the glasses thankfully. She had no idea at the time how familiar she would eventually become with ''just a neighbour''.

 125 This Is Fun

    "Well we better hurry up. There''s still a lot of unpacking to do." Adam reminded Elle as she sipped on her drink.

    "It can wait until tomorrow." Elle groaned.

    "Tired of moving day already?" Adam teased. "Weren''t you the one who replied ''it''ll be fun this way'' when I asked why bother moving out of my place."

    "It will be fun." Elle insisted. "Just imagine me coming to your place unexpectedly, or you coming over for dinner and falling asleep here." Elle''s pandering was interrupted by a yawn that over took her.

    "You must be exhausted." Adam said with a frown. "Let''s eat early and go to bed."

    "Okay." Elle agreed readily. "That sounds wonderful."

    After a quick shower Elle entered her new bedroom and quickly realized the flaw in her packing. All her things were still in boxes and unfortunately she hadn''t had the time to thoroughly label her things. Now she had no idea where anything was when she wanted to change into something more comfortable.

    So Elle was forced to to rummage through all her things, opening boxes at random, looking for something suitable to change into. After opening a few things in vain Elle came across a box that had an oversized long sleeved cotton shirt that had originally belonged to Adam but she had since accosted it as her own. It would do.

    She wore it with a pair of cotton shorts that barely peaked out rom under the edge of the baggy shirt. There was no food in the fridge so Elle ordered pizza for both of them.

    Adam got out of the shower to find Elle on the sofa with a box of pizza in front of her, browsing on her phone as she waited for him. Adam hadn''t thought he was so simple and ordinary a man, but he couldn''t help but find it ridiculously cute to find Elle in his shirt, with her still wet from her shower and tied up in a messy bun.

    "What is it?" Elle asked when she noticed Adam''s gaze on her.

    "You''re right." Adam said as he walked over to join her on the couch. "This is fun."

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    Elle grinned. "Speaking of fun, I have something for you." She rummaged through her purse and then pressed a cold metal key into his palm. "You gave me the spare key to your condo already. This one is for you. The spare key to my place."

    Adam closed his hand over the key. "You''re so cute." He said softly as he leaned forward to kiss her.

    "Hey," Elle murmured between kisses. "Why don''t we go test out that new mattress?" She asked with a sly smile.

    Adam didn''t need anymore invitation than that. He scooped her up into his arms and carried a laughing Elle into her bedroom.

    ~~

    Perhaps it was due to the exhaustion of moving, or maybe it was just because both Adam and Elle were so comfortable, but both of them slept in for quite a while the next morning. When Elle did wake up she glanced beside her at the handsome man with his head still buried into a pillow and his bare chest slowly rising and falling with deep even breaths.

    She smiled to herself and glanced at the time. It was already nine in the morning but Elle refused to get out of bed. Instead she casually browsed through her phone while nestled underneath the covers.

    While nonchalantly looking through her social media Elle came across a headline that caught her attention. ''Everything you need to know about MK''s recent model scandal'' it read.

    Elle frowned. MK were infamous for never getting caught up in scandals. What could have happened? She clicked to open the article but before she could even read the first line Elle heard her doorbell ring.

    Elle checked the time again; it was only just past nine, who could it be so early in the morning? A second ring followed. She glanced at Adam who was now only half asleep on the bed beside her.

    Elle pressed a hurried kiss to his cheek, "I''m going to get the door." She told him before rolling out of the bed.

    "Mmm." Adam groaned as he grabbed a pillow and covered his face with it. Elle laughed to herself as she hurried to the door. The CEO Adam Hayes who was feared and respected seemed so perfectly ordinary in moments like this.

    Elle''s quiet laughter quickly faded as she opened the door. It was replaced with surprise as she stared at Abby standing on the other side of the doorway.

 126 Allies

    Elle stared at her friend with stunned silence for a moment before the words "What are you doing here?" stumbled out of her mouth.

    Abby gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry if I woke you. You''re usually an early bird, I hoped you would have already woken up. You told me about your move the other day remember? I was in the area so I wanted to quickly drop off a house warming gift."

    Elle glanced nervously towards the bedroom. "If this is a bad time I can come back later." Abby trailed off.

    "No," Elle said as she ran her hands through her no doubt messy hair. "You came all this way, at least have a cup of tea before you go."

    Abby agreed with a smile and entered the apartment for the first time. "Still unpacking I see." She noted as she saw the stacks of boxes and bags strewn across the living room.

    "Sorry for the mess." Elle apologized as she brought over some tea. "I hadn''t been expecting someone so soon."

    It was Abby''s turn to turn her head away with embarrassment. A silence fell over the two as they sat on the couch and slowly sipped at their tea. At first Elle didn''t know what to say, after a while the silence became so unbearable that she would have brought up any topic just for it to be over, but Abby beat her to it.

    "Look," She started, finally bringing up her true motive for coming over in such a rush. "Jacob told me about what happened between the two of you. I didn''t know the whole story before. Now I realized how rude of me it was to have pushed you to reconcile with him before. I can understand now why you wouldn''t."

    Elle frowned slightly and leaned back into the sofa. "It''s fine. Like you said, you didn''t know the whole story before."

    "You always had a strong sense of right and wrong." Abby continued. "Even when we were young you never let anyone else''s opinion sway you. But Jacob and I¡­we aren''t as certain as you."

    Elle narrowed her eyes. "What are you here for? She asked blatantly.

    "I won''t tell you to meet with Jacob, I won''t tell you to forgive him like before, but as a friend, as a favour to me, can''t you at least talk to him? Everything that happened has been weighing heavily on his mind. It''s put such a strain on our relationship. If he could just put it past him things could go back to normal. I know it."

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    Elle looked at her friend with pity. She could tell from the way Abby''s eyes glistened, the way her lip quivered as she spoke, and from the way her hands fidgeted that she was desperate. Desperate to save her relationship.

    "It''s not that I''m not sympathetic to you Abby, but I can''t help you. I have nothing to say to Jacob about what happened. I already wiped my hands clean from the situation. He can either speak to his director or forget it and move on. I recommend the latter."

    "Of course." Abby said as she looked down at her hands disappointedly. "I shouldn''t have asked you in the first place. Sorry."

    "Don''t be. You''re here to fight for your relationship, I can''t fault you for that. But let me give you some advice. When you like someone you fall in love quickly; you give them your whole heart without reservation. It''s sweet but it''s also the reason you''re so hurt when things don''t go well after dating for only a short period of time. It''s also the reason why you''re here talking to me instead of Jacob. If you want to fight for him go ahead, but don''t forget to take into consideration the extent of his regard for you." Abby couldn''t help but look upset so Elle quickly added, "I only say it because you''re my friend. I don''t want you to get hurt."

    Abby let out a heavy sigh. "You''re right. It doesn''t feel good to look into the mirror, but you''re right." After a pause she added in a strained whisper, "I don''t want to let this love go yet. I really like him Elle."

    "What''s so good about him anyway?"

    After a thoughtful moment Abby replied earnestly, "Him and I are so similar, we were both in a new environment and feeling out of place. New city, new home, new job. He was the only person who could understand what I was going through. He wasn''t just a friend to me. He''s my ally."

    In that moment Elle couldn''t help but feel guilty. "I suppose I haven''t been a good friend to you for the past few months either."

    "Don''t feel bad. You were busy too, I understand. I didn''t say it to make you feel bad."

    "No, but I do anyway."

    "So what should I do now?" Abby asked helplessly.

    "I can''t tell you want to do. It''s your relationship. But I don''t think you''ll get anything done here in my messy place."

    "You''re right. I should go."

    "Sure. I''ll see you later. Good luck." After seeing her friend off Elle returned to her bedroom where Adam was now sitting up in bed going through his e-mail.

    "Your friend?" He asked.

    "Yup." Elle confirmed as she picked her phone back up from where it sat on the nightstand. She discovered the article still open.

    "That''s right." She exclaimed, turning the phone so Adam could see. "What''s this about?"

    "Nothing really. Other companies have been trying to copy MK''s ''new'' style of advertising without showing their models faces."

    "You''re not going to do anything about it?"

    Adam smirked. It was an eerie smile that sent a chill down her spine. The smile of a man who was untouchable and knew it.

    "Everyone acknowledges their only copying MK. The people are acknowledging it for us. There''s no need for MK to do anything but accept the free press."

    "I see." Elle said as she looked back to the article. Suddenly Adam''s arms were around her as he hugged her from the back and buried his face into her neck.

    "It''s all because of you, you know. All this hype is the result of your modelling."

    "I was helpful to you?" Elle asked with a smile.

    "That''s right."

    "You and I are allies too." Elle murmured softly.

    "Hmm?" Adam asked.

    "It''s nothing. Come on, let''s have breakfast."

 127 New Beginnings

    As the next few days passed by Elle slowly fell back into a steady schedule. It took a few days to disassemble the box fortress in her living room but before the end of the week everything was unpacked and put away.

    The weekdays were full of work. Adam came over to her place for nights, once she went over to his condo instead, but even during the nights they were apart Elle felt happier in her lonely apartment than she ever had in her room back at her family home.

    On Thursday morning Elle woke up in Adam''s room.

    "I was thinking we could go on a date tonight." Elle called out to Adam who was standing at the bathroom sink and shaving. "Maybe we could get some dinner and then a movie? Or we could go take a walk in the park now that the weather''s warming up."

    "Okay, sure. I''ll come get you after work."

    "Okay-" Elle started but she was interrupted by Adam''s phone which was sitting on the night stand and had begun to ring. Elle quickly called out the number for Adam.

    "Can you help me answer it?" He asked, so Elle crossed the room and answered the phone then held it up to Adam''s ear.

    "Hello, mother." Adam answered. Elle''s heart dropped and she looked at Adam with wide eyes but if he noticed her panic he didn''t seem to care. Elle was standing close enough that she could hear his mother''s reply.

    "What ''hello''?" She muttered. "How long has it been since you even called home?"

    "I''ve been busy." Adam replied nonchalantly.

    His mother let out an annoyed huff. "You''re just like your father was at that age." She complained. "I hope you''re not busy tonight."

    "I already have plans."

    "Well cancel them."

    "I can''t, it''s important." Adam answered. Elle smacked his arm lightly and shook her head at him. Their plans weren''t important at all.

    "Amelia is back in town, which you would know if you ever called home. Her flight lands at four this afternoon. Go pick her up and bring her over for dinner."

    Adam opened his mouth to argue but Elle desperately whispered "Just go", so Adam reluctantly agreed.

    "I appreciate you trying to keep our plans," Elle said after Adam had hung up the phone, "but it''s okay. This is more important than our casual plans."

    "You''re wrong." Adam said as he brushed his hand against her cheek. "Nothing is more important than this." He said as he looked deeply into her eyes.

    "I can''t believe you." Elle murmured as she flushed deeply. "Flirting first thing in the morning."

    Adam chuckled. "Let''s do something this weekend instead." He offered to appease her. "I''ll keep a whole day empty just for you."

    "Okay." Elle agreed happily.

    Meanwhile, beautiful woman in a navy blue spring dress and a pair of sunglasses on was waiting in an airport lounge when her phone began to ring. She glanced at the caller ID before answering sweetly, "Hello aunty."

    "Hello sweetie." Adam''s mother replied lovingly. "Have you already checked in?"

    "Yes. I''m just waiting for boarding now."

    "Good, good. Adam says he''ll come get you so wait for him when your flight lands, okay?"

    "It''s okay aunty. I''m sure he''s very busy as well. I can just take a taxi."

    "Nonsense. It''s been so long since you''ve returned home. Let him get you and bring you over for dinner."

    "Alright then. As long as it''s not a bother." The girl conceded with a smile. "Aunty they''re making the boarding calls now; I''ll call you once I land."

    "Alright. Have a safe flight."

    ~~

    Work had gone by smoothly for Elle that day. It was later that afternoon and she had packed her things up and headed home first. Adam was probably on his way to the airport by now, while Elle was just entering the lobby of her building. As she was crossing through she spotted a familiar face.

    "Christopher?" She asked as she saw the boy lounging on the bench with his headphones on.

    "Elizabeth." He said in surprise as he spotted her.

    "What are you doing down here?"

    "I locked myself out of my apartment." He said with a sheepish grin.

    "Are you okay?"

    "Yea, yea. I''m fine, just bored. I''m waiting for someone to bring me the spare key."

    Elle was debating if it would be okay to leave him there when his stomach suddenly growled loudly. Christopher''s face turned bright red and his hand went to his stomach.

    Elle laughed in spite of herself. "Hungry?" She asked.

    "A bit." He answered with red ears.

    "Come on then. Let me treat you to something."

    "Really?"

    "I still owe you for the other night right? What do you want to eat?"

    "Ramen." Christopher answered almost instantly.

    "Really?" Elle asked with a frown. "You can ask for something better."

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    "I never get to eat it so I''m craving it."

    "Really? Are your parent''s that strict?" Elle asked.

    "Hmm. Something like that."

    "Okay, fine." Elle agreed.

    ~~

    On the other side of town Adam was leaving the airport with Amelia. "How was your flight?" He asked casually.

    "It was fine. Uneventful. I hope I''m not keeping you from your work."

    "It''s fine."

    "You made international news with your last campaign you know. Leave it to you to pull of such a risky move s well."

    Adam gave no reply but Amelia had known him for almost her whole life. She was used to his silence.

    "You can just take me home." She said after a moment.

    "Are you sure?" Adam asked. "My mother is expecting you, and you know how she gets."

    Amelia laughed. "I know. Help me give her my apologies. Tell her I was too tired to come over tonight, but I''ll come over for dinner tomorrow instead."

    "Okay."

    ~~

    Elle took Christopher to a small shop nearby for dinner and watched with a frown as Christopher gulped down his food.

    "Are they starving you?" She asked worriedly.

    "It''s nothing like that." He laughed. "I was busy with stuff and missed my lunch today."

    After ensuring he had eaten more than enough food Elle drove them back to the condo. She had just pulled into the parking lot when Christopher received a text message.

    "Oh!" He exclaimed. "Someone''s waiting for me with the key. I''ll leave first. Thanks for the meal." He said before rushing out of the car.

    Elle watched as he hurried off. "What a weird kid." She said softly to herself.

    Elle went upstairs to her condo, glancing at her watch as she rode the elevator up. She had thought she would get home early today but she was probably getting back later than Adam at this point. That thought made her all the more surprised to find him inside her condo as she opened the door.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked with shock. "I thought you were going to have dinner with your friend at your family house."

    "She went home. She''ll meet my mom for dinner tomorrow instead."

    "Oh, I see."

    "What about you?" Adam asked. "Where did you go?"

    "I took that kid out for dinner."

    "Which kid?"

    "You remember that neighbor kid that helped me with the boxes the other night?"

    "Oh, right."

    "I feel bad. He seems to be on his own a lot." Elle remarked.

    "If he''s living here I''m sure he''s fine."

    That night each person went about their night, completely unaware of how severely their lives would entangle in just a short while.

 128 Second Star

    Amelia had only been home for a few hours. After sitting down to a lavish dinner with her parents, during which she answered a couple hundred questions on the past two years she had spent away from home, she was finally free. Free of her tediousness of her overbearing parents.

    Now she flopped onto her bed lazily. The maids had already taken care of unpacking her things which left her with nothing to do but relax and try to fall back into her place here.

    Amelia''s parents were both a blessing and a curse to her. They were caring to the point that she often found dealing with them tiresome, but the same excessive care allowed her to have the lavish and bizarre life she led.

    The first few years of her life were so typical that they were barely worth mentioning; sent to only the best schools, and only the best supplementary lessons, raised to be the best at everything just like every other kid in her circle. She had followed along obligingly.

    After graduating Amelia had worked at her father''s company and eventually rose to a senior management position in the design department. Then suddenly, for a reason not even her parents knew, she suddenly quit her job and began working as an actress.

    She joined the field late in comparison to others but she worked twice as hard. Through that hard work she managed to land a few roles as an extra, then after some time as a supporting actress. Amelia knew it was her chance. She poured everything into that role. And it paid off. She became a star. After a few comfortable years of being a high paying, popular, lead actress, she got an opportunity to act in a Hollywood movie as a supporting actress. There was no question in her mind at the time, she took it immediately.

    However, the glitz and glam of Hollywood quickly wore off on her. Amelia saw her project through but she was eager to return home almost the whole time. Now that the promotions and premier of her movie had passed she was finally free to come home.

    The experience wasn''t a total waste though. It taught her something very important. Amelia had thought that becoming the best, the most recognized actress, was her goal but it wasn''t. It was only a stepping stone to her goal, a goal she would no longer passively chase after. It was time she played a more active role in her own life. Amelia was determined now, to get what she wanted. To what she deserved.

    Abby felt the same way too.

    Elle''s words had been weighing heavily on her mind. No one liked taking a look in the mirror but no matter how harsh Elle''s words were to her Abby couldn''t deny that they were true. She was being foolish. She could see it clearly now but she also recalled the beginning of the relationship well. At the end of the day she didn''t want to let her relationship with Jacob go. Not over something as trivial as this. That was the conclusion she had come to after spending the past week out of contact with Jacob.

    Abby woke up that morning determined to get what she wanted and to have a proper talk with Jacob. She had chickened out by noon. During her lunch break Abby sat hunched over her phone with her head in her hands.

    "What will I even say to him?" She mumbled to herself. Before she knew it her lunch break ended.

    ''After work for sure.'' Abby promised herself.

    As it turned out there was no need to brood over it so much. As soon as her work was done that day she took her phone out but before she could even dial her phone began to ring.

    "Hello?" Abby answered tentatively.

    "Hey." Jacob replied. "Listen, I have something important to say. Do you think I can meet you tonight?"

    "Okay, sure." Abby said lightly. "At the same coffee shop as last time?"

    "Okay."

    So a few minutes later Abby was sitting down nervously waiting for Jacob to arrive. When he did he looked even more flustered than she felt.

    "Is everything okay?" Abby asked worriedly. "You look sick."

    "I''m not okay." Jacob confessed. "I hate how our last conversation ended. I''ve been brooding over it for the past little while you know."

    "What do you mean?" Abby asked, surprised.

    "You asked me what I like about you. I was flustered and couldn''t answer at the time. Afterwards I felt awful. I like so much about you, I couldn''t understand why I blanked in that moment, and then I realized the answer. At the beginning I thought of you all the time and I noticed all the little things I loved about you but somewhere along the line I began to only think of myself. I got so caught up in my own work and in my own problems. I was wrong. I''m so sorry."

    Abby had listened to his monologue in silence but now she pursed her lips, "What do you like about me then?" She asked.

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    "So much. I like so much about you. I like that you''re funny. I like that you understand me so well. I like that you''re so optimistic. You see the beauty in everything. Even in someone like me." Jacob answered earnestly.

    She turned her head to hide her watering eyes. "I hate you." Abby mumbled. "I was ready to give you a whole lecture you know. You did forget about me. Relationships can''t work if you only talk about the meaningless things. You should have told me about your work and about your issues with Elle."

    "I know. I''m sorry." Jacob said again.

    "I was wrong too though. You didn''t consider me but I also didn''t consider myself. I only thought about you. If I had spoken up more, if I had insisted on the things I wanted, maybe you would have confided in me that you committed fraud at work and basically got blacklisted within your own company." Abby said harshly.

    Jacob winced but said nothing. He couldn''t say much in his defence. Eventually Abby let out a measured breath. "Shall we try again?"

    "I''d like that."

    "No more secrets. This time we talk to each other about the important things."

    "Okay." Jacob agreed readily.

    Abby gave him a smile and leaned across the table to give him a soft kiss. "Since this is the second start to our relationship you owe me two anniversary gifts every year." She teased.

 129 Dinner of Four Vs. Dinner Alone

    After spending her first day back home with her family and getting settled back in Amelia decided she should visit Adam''s family. On Friday morning she gave Mrs. Hayes a call.

    "Good morning aunty" Amelia greeted respectfully.

    "I was hoping you would call today." Mrs. Hayes replied excitedly. "Did you settle in well last night?"

    "I did, thank you. I''m sorry that I had to miss our dinner."

    "That''s okay. I''m sure the flight would have made you tired. You were able to settle in well last night?"

    "I was."

    "That''s great. Why don''t you come over for dinner tonight instead?"

    "Would that be okay? I don''t want to intrude on Uncle and I''m sure Adam is busy with his work."

    "Don''t worry about those two. I''ll take care of them so why don''t you come over later this evening."

    "If it''s okay with everyone I''d love to."

    "Perfect, I''ll see you later then dear."

    "See you, aunty."

    After hanging up the phone Amelia went into her closet, humming to herself as she tried to decide on something suitable to wear to dinner that night.

    ~

    Meanwhile, Adam was already at work that morning. He was sitting at his desk sifting through paperwork with David by his side when his phone began to ring. Adam glanced at the screen which was displaying his mother''s number. He ignored the call and continued with his work but his mother wasn''t about to let him off the hook so easily. She called a second time, and then a third.

    "What is it?" Adam asked as he finally answered the call.

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    "Why did you wait until my third call to pick up?" His mother asked indignantly. "What if it was an emergency?"

    "Is it an emergency?" Adam asked patiently.

    "No, but it is important."

    "See?" Adam replied complacently. "It''s never an emergency with you. If it ever is please use father''s phone so I know to pick up right away."

    "This little brat." His mother muttered.

    "I''m only easing. What''s so important?"

    "Come home for dinner tonight. Amelia just got back, at least come home for one dinner together."

    Adam glanced at the stack of work that remained in front of him. "What time?" He asked hesitantly.

    "Around seven?"

    "Okay, fine."

    "Wonderful."

    Once he hung up the phone it was his turn to make a call. After ringing for only a short moment Adam heard Elle pick up the phone.

    "Hello?" She panted.

    Adam frowned. "Were you running just now? Why are you out of breath?"

    "I''m just moving some boxes of files upstairs."

    "You''re not sick of moving yet?" Adam joked.

    "I guess not." Elle replied with a laugh. "It''s rare for you to call me at this time of day. What''s up?"

    "I have to go to the family house for a dinner tonight."

    "For your friend that just returned?"

    "That''s right. I don''t think I''ll be able to see you tonight."

    "That''s okay, I think I may stay at work a bit late anyway. I''ll see you this weekend?"

    "Yes." Was Adam''s short reply.

    "Alright. Have fun then."

    So later that night while Elle fixed dinner for herself Adam drove over to his parent''s house. By the time he got there Amelia had already arrived.

    "There''s my lovely son." Mrs. Hayes enthused as Adam joined them in the living room.

    "Hello again Adam." Amelia greeted.

    "Did you settle in okay yesterday?" Adam asked.

    "Yea. You know how my father is. I barely had anything to do."

    "He always did dote on you." Adam recalled.

    "I even managed to get the CEO of MK to be my driver for a day. Aren''t I so lucky?" Amelia teased.

    "Since MK''s busy CEO finally joined us why don''t we go sit down for dinner." Mrs. Hayes interjected.

    So they all moved to the dinning room where Adam''s mother had prepared and put out a giant spread of food. Dinner went by smoothly. Mrs. Hayes eagerly asked Amelia all usual questions like ''How was your flight?'', ''Did you enjoy your time overseas?, and ''What was your last film like?''. He enthusiastic questions allowed Adam and his father to enjoy their meal in silence other than for the occasional comment.

    "Do you have any work lined up yet?"Mr. Hayes asked eventually.

    "Nothing yet." Amelia replied sheepishly.

    "You''re a talented girl. I''m sure the offers will start rolling in non-stop."

    "I''m glad I have your confidence Uncle. I''ve been gone for quite a while now. You know how the entertainment industry is. I''m worried my popularity here has gone down because of my absence."

    "Nonsense." Mrs. Hayes interjected. "But if you''re worried you should partner with MK. Have Adam give you a modeling opportunity and everyone will remember you in no time."

    "That''s kind of you to say, but it''s okay." Amelia immediately refused. "Adam hates giving out inside opportunities like that. I would never expect it, let alone ask for it."

    When Adam didn''t reply immediately his mother took the initiative to kick him underneath the table. Adam looked up and saw the look in her eyes and then glanced over at Amelia.

    "Any half decent marketing department would extend you an offer once they find out your back. I like to think my marketing department is at least half decent. I''m sure MK will extend you an offer without my interference."

    His mother knew that was the best she would get out of him so she conceded and switched topics to something other then work for the rest of their meal.

    Adam was the first the first to get up once dinner was over.

    "It''s getting late; I''ll head back now." He said as he got up. "Do you want a ride home Amelia?"

    "That would be great, thank you." She said as she quickly joined him. "That you for dinner Aunty, Uncle, it was delicious."

    "Come again soon."

    "I will. Goodnight."

    ~

    "Your parents are the same as always." Amelia said with a laugh once she and Adam were in the car.

    "They are."

    "You''re the same as always too."

    "Am I?"

    "I''ve known you for more than twenty years now. You''re exactly the same as you always are."

    "Is that comforting?"

    "Of course. When you leave home for such a long period of time you''re bound to be worried that everything will be different when you come back. It''s nice to know that things are still the same. That my place is still the same."

    Adam wasn''t sure how to reply so he simply said nothing at all. Amelia seemed perfectly content to ride back in silence.

    "Have a good night." Adam said as they pulled up in front of her home.

    "Thank you for the ride. Have a good night."

    As soon as she was out of sight Adam left and used the hands-free-calling to call Elle.

    "Finished dinner already?" Elle asked with surprise as she picked up the phone.

    "Already?" Adam questioned. "Have you not eaten yet?"

    "Oops. You caught me. I stayed at work later than I thought I would. I''m about to eat now"

    "Eat well then. I''ll talk to you later."

    "Okay, get home safe. Love you."

    "Love you too." Adam murmured softly.

 130 A Wonderful Night 1

    It was Saturday afternoon and Elle was sitting on her closet floor while Abby pulled dresses off the racks around her.

    "What about this one?" She asked, holding up a bright red dress.

    "It''s too flashy." Elle said with a shake of her head.

    "Hmm." Abby said as she returned her attention to the clothes around her.

    This was all in preparation of a dinner party happening tonight. More specifically it was Amelia''s welcome home party. Adam would be attending of course; he was already at his own place getting ready for the event. Elle on the other hand had originally intended to spend the night resting quietly at home but that morning she had gotten a call from her father letting her know that Amelia''s family had extended an invitation to them.

    "It''s so like my father to give me less than 12 hours notice." Elle grumbled.

    As it turned out, Amelia''s family were also in the luxury goods business, they owned a lower priced but well known jewelry company. It was important to Elle to make a good impression tonight, not just because they were closely connected to Adam, but because they were all in the same business together.

    When she was given the sudden notice Elle took the opportunity to reconnect with Abby by inviting her to come help her pick out an outfit. Just as Elle was on the brink of a breakdown Abby pulled a beautiful dress off the rack.

    "Oh, what about this?" She asked excitedly.

    It was a dress Adam had given her. It was part of the clothes he had prepared for her when they went on their little vacation together. It was a lilac shift dress from one of MK''s fashion lines. The dress was sophisticated while still giving off a young and fresh vibe.

    "It''s perfect." Elle announced.

    "Great. Hurry up and get dressed then." Abby instructed as she left the walk-in-closet so Elle could change.

    Just under an hour later both girls were dressed and on their way to the party hall Amelia''s parent''s were hosting the party at.

    As Elle walked into the hall her eyes immediately began to search for Adam. She spotted him quickly, standing with Amelia''s father as well his own. Adam happened to catch her eye in the same moment. He gave her a quick smile across the room and gestured towards a table of refreshments. Elle understood his message and gave him a light nod.

    "Is Jacob here yet?" Elle asked Abby, who was also looking around in vain.

    "I''m not sure."

    "Why don''t you take a quick look around? I''ll meet you at that table over there after."

    "Okay. Thanks Elle."

    After ensuring Abby was out of sight Elle walked over to where Adam was waiting for her by the table.

    "I wasn''t expecting there to be this much press here." Elle commented, referring to the warm of paparazzi they had passed on their way in.

    There was a glimmer of humour in Adam''s eyes. "Do you not recognize her?" Adam asked, gesturing towards Amelia who was standing with some friends only a little ways away from them.

    "I don''t. Should I?" Elle asked skeptically.

    Adam chuckled. "Of course you of all people wouldn''t." He teased. "She''s an actress. She just got back from shooting in Hollywood."

    "Ohh." Elle said, everything made sense now; the paparazzi, the extravagant party. The more she thought about it the funnier it became.

    "What is it?" Adam asked when he heard her giggling to herself.

    "It''s just that even your friends are all at the tops of their industries. It''s so typical. Everyone around you is so capable."

    Adam smiled. "I suppose you''re right. Everyone around me is capable. You should meet my girlfriend, she''s particularly amazing."

    "What a flirt." Elle said as she looked away to hide her flushed cheeks.

    Just then a voice called out, interrupting the couple. "Adam, you made it." Adam and Elle both looked up the see Amelia walking towards them.

    "Hey Amelia." Adam replied casually.

    "And you are?" Amelia asked politely, batting her large eyes at Elle.

    "I''m Elizabeth. Elizabeth Shaw." Elle introduced herself.

    "Oh, from Tae right?"

    "That''s right." Elle replied, stunned. "You''re so knowledgeable."

    "My father''s in the business so I try to be."

    "How proactive." Elle answered awkwardly, for a lack of a better response.

    A silence fell over the group as the stood, gaging each other.

    "Are you happy to be back home?" Elle asked after the silence became to unbearable.

    "You''re the first one to ask me that." Amelia replied with a gentle laugh. "Everyone is more interested in my time overseas and if I''m sad to be gone. But you''re right, I''m glad to be back."

    "There''s something nice about ''home''." Elle agreed.

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    "When I was away I had a lot of time to reflect. Hollywood has a lot of opportunities but the thing''s I want are all here at home. It wasn''t the right place for me." Amelia confessed. "By the way Adam, I think my father was looking for you again."

    "I''ll go see him now then, I''ll be back." Adam said it to seemingly no one though Elle knew it was directed to herself. Adam downed the glass of champagne her was holding and set it down on the table before walking off and leaving the two girls alone.

    Elle subconsciously watched him go. She didn''t realize how attentively her eyes were following him until Amelia stepped closer, taking Adam''s place beside Elle.

    "So," Amelia started, snapping Elle out of her thoughts. "Tell me. How does an obscure marketing director become MK''s most revered model?" Amelia asked with a pretty smile painted perfectly on her face.

 131 A Wonderful Night 2

    Amelia had been enjoying her night fairly well. She didn''t particularly care for socializing with other people, people whom she knew didn''t particularly care for her either and were just chasing after her fame, but tonight she put on her best smile and came to the party happily knowing she would also be able to meet and talk with so many friends for the first time in two years.

    Amelia was talking to a few old friends when Adam happened to enter her field of vision. Her eyes unconsciously followed him as he came to a stop in front of the refreshment tables. Amelia was surprised to find a young woman by his side.

    Her first impression of Elle was that although she wasn''t beautiful she did have a gentler prettiness to her features. The girl was dressed in a soft lilac dress that complimented her fair complexion and her raven hair but what stood out most was the bluebird necklace that sparkled on her neck. Amelia recognized the necklace immediately, it was from MK''s most recent jewelry line. It was also a limited and highly exclusive product. If she wasn''t mistaken, Amelia believed it was from the line MK had showcased at their masquerade ball. The same event as they first introduced their new model.

    Amelia couldn''t hear what the girl and Adam were saying, but the more she scrutinized the more sure she was; the girl who stood by Adam''s side now was definitely MK''s new and highly sought after model.

    Amelia was filled with both jealousy and relief. It was unheard of for another woman to be able to stand so close to Adam without being an intimate connection, friend, coworker, or otherwise. In this case Amelia assured herself by telling herself it was only a coworker. It made perfect sense for an asset to be standing next to him.

    ''Besides'' she thought to herself, ''Adam has strong morals. He would never let his personal life and his work life interfere like this.'' As long as she nipped it at the bud Amelia believed nothing would ever come from it.

    Her mistake was presuming Adam''s interest in Elle would blossom only after they worked together and not before, as it had happened. Regardless, she believed her own position to be safe, so when she saw Elle look away from Adam Amelia took her chance to walk over to them.

    "Elizabeth Shaw." The young girl introduced herself as. The name sounded familiar to Amelia and then she recalled why.

    "Oh, from Tae right?" Amelia asked. She had strived to know everything about the industries Adam and her father were involved in. It was information she must have picked up when researching Tae many years ago.

    Eventually Adam excused himself in search of her father and Elle and Amelia were left alone.

    "So," Amelia asked, doing her best to pretend she wasn''t being confrontational, "how does an obscure marketing director become MK''s most revered model?"

    Amelia had the satisfaction of watching Elle''s eyes fill with a combination of horror and confusion.

    "I saw the necklace and pieced it together." Amelia explained. "Your face is hidden in the ads but your other features look close enough that it''s easy to be certain once you have the thought."

    Elle recovered her composure enough to reply this time. "There was really nothing special to it." She said, answering Amelia''s first question. "A model dropped out and I guess I was just in the right place at the right time to be asked to fill in."

    "As simple as that?" Amelia asked.

    "As simple as that."

    "You must be especially proud of your work then. You don''t look like a model at all and yet you''ve done exceedingly well."

    "The truth is that I don''t really care about the results or the popularity once the ads come out. That''s MK''s concern because, like you say, I''m not a model. I only try to follow their instructions well and the rest I entrust to Mr. Hayes." Elle replied honestly. She referred to Adam by his last name, hoping to hide their relationship from this girl at least.

    Elle didn''t realize how impactful her words were to Amelia. To Amelia those words betrayed her fantasy of distance between Elle and Adam. She didn''t yet realize how close the two were, but she could tell it was closer than her initial assessment and her hopes had her first believe.

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    Adam ruined the fantasy further by rejoining them at that moment with a new glass of champagne in his hands.

    "Did he ask you to drink with him again?" Amelia asked.

    "Your father does enjoy it, doesn''t he?" Adam replied.

    "He''s in a a good mood tonight, he''s drinking more than usual. I should probably go check on him. It was nice meeting you Elizabeth." Amelia said as she took her turn to excuse herself from the group.

    "How many glasses have you had?" Elle asked as she looked down at the half empty glass in Adam''s hand.

    "It''s my third." Adam replied while he raised the glass to his lips to take another sip. "There are too many elders here tonight. They always want to have a drink at events like this and it''s difficult to refuse."

    Elle felt sympathetic and recalled her fuss and anxiety getting dressed earlier that evening. For them parties like this weren''t really parties, just more work.

    "By the way, I think your friends are looking for you." Adam stated.

    Elle followed Adam''s gaze to where Abby was standing with Jacob now at her side as they both looked towards Elle and Adam while whispering.

    "What a wonderful night this is turning out to be." Elle said sarcastically. "I''ll be going then."

    "I should continue with my rounds as well. I''ll come find you later."

    "Alright." She agreed before making her way through the crowd to Abby and Jacob.

 132 A Wonderful Night 3

    Elle walked over to where Abby and Jacob were talking in hushed tones.

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    "You found him." Elle noted to Abby, referring to Jacob.

    "Never mind him, tell me how on earth you managed to find Adam Hayes?" Abby asked incredulously.

    Elle flushed as she realized what their hushed conversation was likely about. "We just happened to both be getting refreshments at the same time and started a conversation that''s all." Elle replied. It wasn''t a complete lie.

    "Looked like more than just a conversation to me." Jacob said under his breath. It was said as a quite comment to only himself but Elle heard it regardless.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" She asked.

    Jacob had the decency to look embarrassed at being caught before replying by saying, "It''s just odd to see you flirting with Adam Hayes when you already have a boyfriend."

    Elle was at a loss for words. ''But I wasn''t flirting.'' She thought to herself. ''More importantly he IS my boyfriend.''

    Fortunately, Abby came to her friend''s defence. "Have you seen Adam Hayes?" She asked Jacob with a roll of her eyes. It wasn''t the support Elle has expected by she would take it nonetheless.

    "You would probably flirt with him too." Abby added.

    "I would not." Jacob replied repugnantly.

    "It''s fine. I understand his charms. I won''t be mad at you if you ever do. Promise."

    Elle couldn''t help but laugh lightly as Jacob continued to protest and Abby continued to dispute the why''s and what''s of Adam''s charm. As they argued Elle glanced over at Adam who was amongst another group of elders and sharing a drink with them.

    As he looked away Adam happened to catch Elle''s eye. He raised his glass to her in a small motion. Elle smiled and mimicked the motion with her own glass, returning the toast.

    Two hours passed by in the blink of an eye for Adam, but quite slowly for Elle who could barely pay attention to any conversation happening around her because she was too busy watching Adam with a worried eye. But finally, after two hours had passed, the couple were able to meet up with each other again.

    "You don''t look well." Elle noted. Perhaps he wasn''t drunk yet but Adam had drank enough champagne to be ever so slightly flushed and to have glossy eyes.

    "Will you be okay to drive home?" Elle asked nervously, knowing full well what the answer was.

    "David is here tonight. Let him drive your car back for you. You drive back with me and stay at my place tonight."

    "Okay." Elle agreed obediently.

    Once they had finished saying their goodbyes the two snuck off together. The drive back to Adam''s condo was quite. Elle carefully drove while Adam leaned back in the passenger seat and pinched his eyes shut.

    Soon enough they had arrived and made their way upstairs. Elle half expected Adam to collapse with exhaustion on the way up, but he didn''t. He made it all the way to the living room before flopping onto the couch as Elle shut the front door behind them.

    She quickly ducked into the kitchen before approaching Adam with a tall glass of water in her hands.

    "Drink this." She instructed.

    Adam sat up and accepted the glass from her.

    "I''ve never seen you drink this much." Elle commented as she watched Adam down the glass.

    "Because I usually don''t. There were too many people tonight."

    "You worked hard." Elle said as she sympathetically patted his head.

    Adam glanced up at her. Her dark hair which had initially been combed back slick and straight had slowly come loose and now fell roughly around her, framing her delicate face. Elle''s eyes were big and bright and with the moonlight streaming in and casting shadows on her face she looked truly stunning.

    Adam took her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm before resting it against his heart. "How beautiful you look tonight." He said with his voice low and rough.

    Elle couldn''t deny that she loved his voice when he spoke to her like that. With a smile she crept into his lap and leaned against his chest. Adam''s arms immediately encircled around her, holding her firmly in place.

    She enjoyed it for a moment, his warm and strong embrace, then in a rare turn Elle was the one to initiate things. She tilted her head up in search of Adam''s lips. She kissed his neck, working upwards towards his jaw and then across until her lips finally met his. Adam kissed her back.

    Elle felt herself getting lighter. As if she were getting drunk of the taste of champagne that lingered in his mouth. A rare groan escaped Adam''s lips as she deepened the kiss.

    "Adam." Elle pleaded after a long moment.

    That was the only invitation she needed to give him. Adam stood up and scooped her up in his strong arms. He carried her up the stairs and into the bedroom, his lips never leaving hers along the way. Elle laughed softly as Adam tossed her onto the bed.

    Some time later Elle laid curled up against Adam''s chest, now fast asleep. The lilac dress Adam was so fond of now lay discarded somewhere on the floor. It turned out to be a wonderful night after all.

 133 Are You Serious About Her?

    It was early on Sunday afternoon and as usual, despite it being a weekend, Adam had spent most of the day so far working. He had brought his laptop downstairs and was currently working from the living room where he could enjoy the sunlight that filled the room.

    The winter weather was long gone. So were the cold rains of spring now. Every day was getting warmer and warmer. Today the sun was out in full force, shinning brightly as Adam sat on the sofa and typed away on his keyboard.

    Time seemed to stand still as the scene in the living room went on, unchanging, until finally it was disturbed by the doorbell ringing.

    Adam glanced towards the door as if contemplating. Then the bell rang a second time. With a light sigh Adam closed the screen in front of him and got up to open the door. Marcus stood on the other side. He gave Adam a bright smile and let himself in.

    "You were working? Did I interrupt you?" Marcus asked.

    "Yes." Adam replied bluntly.

    "Good. It''s a bad habit to work so hard. If you don''t rest more often you''ll end up burning yourself out."

    "I''m fine."

    Marcus gave his friend a sympathetic look and let the topic fall. "I finally closed the deal on that hotel." He said instead. "It went better than I expected, which is thanks to you. You really did me a favour by looking through that contract before."

    "Did you come all this way just to thank me?"

    "Of course, I did."

    Adam gave Marcus a skeptical look.

    "Okay fine, I was just bored today and so I dropped by."

    Adam continued to stare.

    "Fine already." Marcus confessed. "I was only partially lying though. I did come to thank you but I was hoping to see your girlfriend again while I was here. Last time I barely got to speak to her. Who would have thought that the legendary woman who managed to get Adam to take a vacation would then leave him working alone on a Sunday. How disappointing."

    That got a smirk out of Adam. "If you were at Amelia''s party last night you would have been able to see her."

    "Really? How unfortunate, I was at a contract signing event and couldn''t make it."

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    "I''m sure you''ll have another opportunity in the future."

    "I better. I can''t believe you finally got yourself a girlfriend and yet¡­wait¡­" Marcus trailed off as he was suddenly interrupted by a thought. "Who confessed first you or her?" He asked suddenly.

    "Not saying." As Adam replied firmly he looked away. It was a small tell but it was all Marcus needed, They were old friends after all, he knew Adam well enough to know what it meant.

    "You did didn''t you?" Marcus exclaimed excitedly. "Now I really need to speak to her. I need to know in what foolish way you confessed. Imagine how many years of teasing I''d get out of it."

    "You think I''d be that embarrassed over a trivial piece of information?"

    "You were embarrassed enough to not want me to know." Marcus pointed out.

    "I didn''t want you to know only because I wanted to prevent this exact conversation. Besides, I have way more material on you than you on me. If you do start this fight I''ll surely win."

    "Fine, I concede." Marcus said in defeat.

    The two friends talked for a while longer, mostly about work, until eventually Marcus had to leave. "Sorry for intruding on you." He apologized as they made their way to the front door.

    "It''s fine."

    "Hey, one more thing. Are you serious about this girl?" He asked, referring, of course, to Elle.

    "Of course I am You know me, I wouldn''t bother if I wasn''t serious."

    "Good. Then you better introduce her to the rest of us properly soon. It''s unfair to make us suffer with curiosity like this."

    "Fine. One day I''ll let you meet her." Adam agreed vaguely. It was enough for Marcus to be satisfied.

    "Alright. See you later then."

    As Adam closed the door behind his friend he heard light laughter coming from behind him. He walked back into the living room from where he could see Elle standing on the upper level, leaning against the barrister, with a grin on her face.

    "You like me." She teased childishly.

    "Eavesdropping is a bad habit you know." Adam reprimanded her un-seriously.

    "You''re ''serious'' about me." Elle continued to tease.

    "I don''t want to be teased by the one who didn''t even get out of bed until the afternoon."

    "And whose fault is that?" Elle asked with a flushed face.

    "Is it my fault?" Adam asked with a smirk. "As I recall you were the one who initiated last night."

    "You''re the one who started the second time though." Elle complained.

    "You''re right. It''s my fault." Adam said, sounding pleased with himself. "Why don''t you go get dressed and I''ll take you out to dinner to make up for it."

    "Okay." Elle agreed before happily bounding off to change out of her pyjamas, leaving Adam waiting below with a content smile pulling up the corners of his lips.

 134 The End of the World 1

    Abby woke one morning feeling particularly refreshed. Almost all of her worries had gone. Everything at work was going well. She finally felt completely comfortable and familiar with her role there. Things with Jacob were better than ever. It was similar to how things were in the beginning of their relationship. He was being really attentive to her and took the initiative to call her and see her often, but it was even better than the beginning because now both of them respected the other person more and took care to be more open and honest than they were in the beginning.

    Abby hummer a happy tune to herself as she got dressed for work. Once she was ready she went downstairs where her mother and father were already sitting at the table and enjoying a nice breakfast together.

    "Good morning." Abby greeted them both with a smile and a kiss on their cheeks. "I''ll be off to work now."

    "Won''t you have something to eat before you go?" Her mother asked.

    "Not today. I''ll see you both later."

    "Okay. Have a good day." Her father replied.

    "You too."

    Abby skipped down the front steps but came to a full stop as she reached the driveway. Jacob was there, sitting in his car with a smile and a cup of coffee waiting for her.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked as she got into the passenger side.

    "I thought it was obvious. I came to pick you up."

    "What if my parents had seen you?" She hissed, as if they may still somehow overhear them.

    "Then I would have greeted them."

    Abby looked at him with a disbelieving expression.

    "What? We''ve been going out for some time now. It''s not that unusual for me to meet them is it?"

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    "It''s absolutely bizarre. I don''t want them to know about my dating life just yet."

    "You know we''re both adults now, right? It''s just your parents, it wouldn''t be the end of the world." Jacob teased, but he let the conversation drop anyway.

    "Oh, that''s right!" Abby said, suddenly feeling reanimated as she heard an ad play over the radio. "Tonight, there''s going to be a night market set up. Do you want to go together?"

    "Sure."

    "Great. Make sure to have a light lunch then. We''ll stock up on food later." She said excitedly.

    "Okay, okay." Jacob agreed with a chuckle as they pulled to a stop in front of the university Abby was currently working at. She gathered her things and leaned over to press a quick kiss to Jacob''s cheek.

    "Thank you for the ride. I''ll see you later." She said as she got down from the car.

    "Alright. Have a good day."

    With the excitement of a date paired with the excitement of trying new foods Abby''s day went by in the blink of an eye. Next thing she knew she was getting back into Jacob''s car.

    "How was your day?" He asked.

    "Good. A little boring but not bad. What about you?"

    "More or less the same."

    They drove to the park where the event was being held. Dozens of temporary food stalls were set up to make a maze of restaurants with all sorts of both local and international foods.

    "Where should we start?" Abby asked with wide eyes, looking slightly like a child on Christmas morning.

    "You really like food don''t you." Jacob teased. "You always seem to prefer when our dates involve dinner."

    "How can you not?" Abby enthused. "Just smell the aroma. Isn''t it wonderful?"

    "I forgot, your parent''s own a restaurant, don''t they?"

    "That''s right. They would bring me to places like this all the time when I was younger. They''d come to try the food and get new ideas for menu items."

    Jacob frowned as he looked out at the crowd. It didn''t seem like an ideal place to bring a child.

    "Come on, let''s go." Abby insisted, diving into the crowd.

    They lined up at a few places to get a nice variety of foods to try before heading over to a shady spot in the grass to sit down and enjoy them all, which Abby needed no encouragement to do. While she carefully and thoroughly enjoyed each new food she tried Jacob sat back and enjoyed all of her little reactions. The way her eyes lit up whit each new thing she tried. The way she smiled as she encouraged him to try a bite too. Everything was going wonderfully until¡­

    "Abby?" A voice called out.

    Both Abby and Jacob looked up to see a slightly older looking couple approach them. They appeared to be only slightly older than Abby and Jacob themselves.

    ''Perhaps they are her coworkers.'' Jacob wondered to himself.

    But then Abby called out, "Mother, father¡­what are you doing here?"

 135 The End of the World 2

    "Mother, father¡­what are you doing here?" Abby called out.

    Jacob felt his heart drop to his stomach. Judging from the pale and dumbfounded look on Abby''s face he suspected she felt the same.

    "We just came to test things like usual." Her mother replied while glancing over at Jacob. "And who''s your friend?"

    "This is Jacob." Abby introduced awkwardly. Jacob immediately stood up and greeted them both politely.

    "Well you two have fun. We''ll continue our rounds as well."

    "Alright, see you."Abby replied clumsily.

    "It was nice meeting you." Jacob echoed.

    Once her parents were out of sight Jacob collapsed onto the ground beside her.

    "How could you not know your parents would be here?" He groaned.

    "What happened to all your confidence from earlier? I thought it wouldn''t be the end of the world. You probably jinxed us by bringing it up in the car in the first place."

    After a moment of sullen silence both of them burst into laugher.

    "How awkward!" Abby exclaimed.

    "I''m scared to drop you off at home now." Jacob added with a chuckle. But he dropped her off all the same. Luckily, he got off the hook without running into her parents again.

    ~~

    Meanwhile, late that afternoon Elle was also returning home to her condo when she came across a familiar scene.

    She walked over to the seating area. "I hope you''re not locked out again." She said as she stood over Christopher.

    He gave her a sheepish grin in return. "No, not this time."

    "Then? Waiting for someone?"

    "No, I''m just lounging here. My house is too quiet, it was driving me mad. Down here there''s the constant noise of the shuffle of people going in and out of the building to keep me from going crazy."

    Elle''s heart stung with pity. "I was going to go for tea, want to join me?" She asked.

    "Weren''t you just getting back home from being out?" He questioned.

    "I was going to go by myself later," Elle said to quickly cover up her lie with another one, "but I figured you and I could also go together now. If you want to that is."

    "Okay, sure." He agreed readily. So they walked a few blocks down the road to one of Elle''s favourite tea shops.

    "So what do you do?" Chris asked once they were sitting down with their orders.

    "I work at a company called Tae."

    "Do you really?" He asked with wonder.

    "Do you know of it?"

    "Of course I do. It''s such a well known brand. What department do you work in?"

    "I''m the marketing director there."

    "At such a young age? That''s amazing." Christopher complimented her.

    Elle smiled. ''What a good kid.'' She thought to herself.

    After enjoying their time together, passing it with idle chit chat, they decided eventually to head back home. As they were walking back to the condo Adam happened to be stepping out of his car nearby. He had come to see Elle now that he was done with his work.

    Elle happened to see Adam, and Adam saw them both, but Chris didn''t notice at all.

    "I have something to take care of, you should go up to your home first." Elle said as she and Adam locked eyes from a distance.

    "Okay. Thanks for today, it was a lot of fun."

    "No problem. I had fun too." Elle said as they parted. "Don''t loiter in the lobby anymore either." She called after him.

    "You came?" Elle asked as Adam came over to join her.

    "All my remaining work can at least wait until tomorrow so I figured we could at least have dinner together tonight."

    "Great!"

    "You''re just getting back?" Adam asked as they headed up to her home.

    "No, I got back earlier and then went out again for tea." As they got in the elevator and headed upstairs Elle told him the story of how she had run into Christopher and how she had taken him out to tea.

    "Wait a second," Adam said as they entered her apartment, "so the ''kid'' you were referring to this whole time was him?" he asked with his voice laced with humour.

    "Yea, why?"

    "Hahaha" Adam began laughing. Not his usual amused chuckle but real laughter.

    "What is it?" Elle asked, but Adam was laughing to hard to answer her. Elle watched in awe. She had never seen him laugh so much before.

    "What? What''s so funny?" She asked again.

    "I know you''re recluse but there should be a limit to how oblivious you should be when you''re in a marketing department." He said between laughs. "Do you know who he is?"

    "Christopher? No, who is he? Someone''s son?"

    "You really are bad at this. He''s an actor. Maybe one of the most in demand actors at the moment and at best he''s probably two years younger than you."

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    Elle''s eyes widened as she realized what he was saying.

    "I can''t believe that all this time you''ve been treating one of the highest paid actors in the country like a child." Adam said before bursting into laughter again.

    "Ahh!" Elle screamed before burying her face in her hands. "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?!"

    "I had no idea who you were talking about before."

    "This is horrible. How humiliating." Elle cried out which only riled Adam up more.

    "This isn''t funny." Elle insisted.

    "No, you''re right. It''s hilarious."

    "This is the end of the world. How am I supposed to face him now?" She complained.

    Adam watched as Elle sunk into the couch and buried her face into a cushion. The reality was there was one more secret Adam knew about Christopher but he wouldn''t reveal it to her just yet. He imagined he would be able to illicit anther funny response from her if she found out later on. So he kept it to himself as he quietly comforted her.

 136 Secrets

    A few days had gone by quietly. Too quietly. At work Elle was out of her mind with boredom. A slow period had fallen on her department, right now they were in between projects and didn''t have much work to do until the next one started. All the other members of her team were enjoying the calm before the storm. Elle on the other hand...

    She had enjoyed the first day of the quiet spell together with her team. The second day was somewhat boring. But now, at the end of the week, Elle was out of her mind with boredom. One day she thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of her new found spare time to work on her novel. However, after one full day of writing she grew tired and bored of that as well. It didn''t help that she had been unable to meet up with Adam for most of the week. MK''s busy season had just started. So, from a lack of something better to do, Elle continued to spend her free time at work typing away chapters for her book. It was the only thing that could make the time go by. Until today.

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    The end of the week finally arrived and Elle had gone out for a walk during her lunch break. It was wonderful to go outside and enjoy the weather now that summer was finally upon them. It was also great to take a break from staring at the four grey wallsthat entrapped her in her office, if only for a few minutes. However, to spice up her day, while she was out walking Elle received a phone call from Adam.

    "Are you on lunch already?" He asked.

    "Yup. I''m out on a walk right now." Elle replied.

    "You''re that bored, huh?" Adam teased.

    "I never thought there would come a day where I would be envious of your workload. Having just a small task to help the hours go by would be nice."

    "If you still have nothing to do do you want to go out with me this afternoon?"

    "Really?" Elle asked excitedly.

    "I can make some time to go out for afternoon tea. We can go to that place around the corner from your workplace that you like."

    "Have I told you that I love you?" Elle replied dreamily.

    Adam smirked to himself when he heard her reply. "If you can find an excuse to get out of the office I''ll meet you there at two."

    "Alright.I''ll see you there."

    Elle still had two hours to burn before she could leave to meet Adam but they went by much faster now that she had something to look forward to.

    Just before two Elle boldly lied and told her colleagues that she was going out for a work meeting and would be back later that afternoon. With no reason to suspect her of lying they let her sneak off without any issue.

    Elle walked over to the dessert shop near her building that she often frequented and got a quiet table near the back and waited patiently for Adam to come join her. Soon enough she heard footsteps approach her table but they weren''t the quiet and confident steps that she knew so well. Instead it was the piercing click of heels against the marble floors that stalked towards her table.

    "Good afternoon Elizabeth." Amelia greeted. "Fancy meeting you here."

    "Amelia." Elle greeted back in surprise. "How nice to see you again."

    "Taking a break from work?"

    "Yes." Elle confessed with a light laugh. "Just getting a little afternoon pick-me-up."

    "I forgot, this store is really close to Tae isn''t it? You see, for me this place was the closest place to my campus when I was in college so I would always come here when I craved something sweet."

    "Something sweet is nice when you''re tired." Elle agreed.

    "I''m actually waiting for a few friends right now. Would it be okay if I joined you for a moment while I wait?" Amelia asked brightly.

    "Sure, why not." Elle''s mouth replied before her brain could properly consider it. As she watched Amelia sit down in the chair across from her Elle hoped for the first time that Adam would be late.

    "So how is your work? Are you very busy?" Amelia asked politely.

    "Not at the moment. Marketing is in between projects right now so thing''s have been quiet for a few days."

    "Marketing must be fun work at least. When I worked at my father''s company I started in management but it was so dreadfully boring that I switched into design after less than a year." She said as if she were wistfully remembering her time there.

    "You working at your father''s company?" Elle asked with surprise.

    "Oh yes. I went to college for business management. I worked there for a year or two after."

    "I didn''t know. Why did you leave? If you don''t mind my asking." Elle added quickly. She was so intrigued that she had forgotten herself.

    "That''s okay." Amelia said with a light laugh. "You don''t need to be so on guard with me. Besides, I can understand the curiosity. Acting is a far distance from managing your family''s high end brand after all."

    "So what made you switch?"

    "Can''t tell." Amelia replied with a childish grin. "It''s a secret."

    That only made Elle more curious. Before she could press the matter any further Amelia stood up while glancing down at her phone.

    "Sorry Elizabeth but it looks like my friend''s are here now."

    "That''s fine. It was fun talking to you."

    "It really was." Amelia agreed. "Hey, do you want to join my friends and I for the afternoon? We''re just going to go shopping and then for dinner. It''ll be fun."

    Elle blinked. "I would love to, but I still need to get back to work. Maybe another time."

    "Another time for sure. I have a feeling we''re going to be good friends you and I."

    "That would be nice." Elle agreed.

    It couldn''t have been a minute or two later that Adam replaced Amelia, sitting down in the seat across from Elle.

    "I''m not too late am I?" He asked.

    "No. You''re right on time."

    They ordered their things but Elle was no longer as excited for sweets as she had been only a moment ago. A question was still nagging her in the back of her mind.

    "What is it?" Adam asked as he watched her poke at her slice of cake absent-mindedly.

    "I was curious about something. Do you know why Amelia became an actress?"

    "Why do you ask?"

    "I happened to meet her while I was waiting for you and she talked to me and told me a little bit of her story but she wouldn''t answer that question. I got curious."

    "Well I''m afraid I can''t help you either." Adam confessed. "I don''t know the answer."

    "You never asked?"

    "No. Even if I had asked I suspect I would have gotten the same answer as everyone else did back then. ''It''s a secret.''"

    "Some friend you are." Elle grumbled playfully. "Do you know anything about her at all?"

    "Of course I do. Just nothing useful. I met her during my college days. We only met to study and during a few classes we took together. My mother probably knows her better than I do at this point."

    "I''m jealous. I wish I got to take classes with you. It must have been nice."

    "I was really studious back then. If you knew me you probably wouldn''t have liked me very much."

    "Oh yea, cause you''re so loose and fun now." Elle teased.

    "I''m skipping work to have tea with you.A year ago this would be unheard of."

    "You''re right." Elle said gently. "Thank you."

    "No, I should thank you. Relaxing like this is something I only got to experience after meeting you. You''re fun enough for the both of us."

    "Be careful with your words Mr. Hayes. If you make me this happy I might not let you go back to work for the rest of the day." Elle continued to tease playfully. If she had known then what their immediate future was going to look like she might have actually gone through with her empty threat.

 137 First Steps 1

    Another two weeks passed by quietly. Everyone''s work was in full swing. It was no surprise that Adam was busy, but now that her new project had started Elle was, thankfully, occupied as well. Amelia''s worries were also quelled.

    It was just as Adam had said; after being back in town for only a week offers began rolling in. Amelia looked through them herself looking for something special to take on as her first project back at home. Her manager watched her deny project after project, worrying that Amelia was being too picky with her selection until one day an offer to do some modelling work for MK came in.

    Amelia smiled brightly when her manager informed her of the news. ''Finally.'' she thought to herself. Adam had nothing to do with the offer, that she was sure of. This was something she earned purely out of her own merit. Nothing could make her happier than that.

    "Have them send over a contract for the legal team to look over. I want to accept as soon as possible." Amelia informed her manager, rushing her several times to have the paperwork signed as soon as possible.

    A week had passed and nothing had been signed yet, but MK would be hosting a dinner party for all the models involved in their new project that night and of course Amelia was included on the guest list. She took it as a sign that MK was serious about the offer and that the contract would be signed very soon.

    Early that afternoon Amelia called her closest friends over to her house to help her raid her closet, looking for the perfect outfit to wear.

    "I don''t know why you''re so concerned." One of her friends said as she watched Amelia change into her sixth dress. "It''s just a work dinner. You don''t ask for opinions on what you wear for red carpet events but suddenly you''re worried about what to wear for a dinner?"

    "It''s because Adam Hayes will be there." Another friend replied dramatically. "She can''t snag a man like him with any old dress."

    "I told you before, Adam and I are only friends." Amelia replied evenly, unfazed by the teasing. "This is my first job at home after being gone for a long time. I just want to do my best."

    "In that case I''d go with the navy blue one. It''s a classic."

    Amelia smiled as she took the navy dress off the rack and held it up against herself in the mirror. It was a simple dress with a very flattering cut. The navy blue was bold and contrasted her complexion. It would do nicely.

    ~~

    While Amelia was busy getting herself ready Adam was simply busy. It was a work day so as usual he was in his office sifting through his own pile of work.

    "I want the inspection report completed by the end of the week." He instructed David.

    "Yes, sir."

    "I always want to have a meeting with the directors tomorrow."

    "I''ll arrange it immediately."

    "That''s all for now." Adam said to David in way of dismissal but a moment passed and David still hadn''t moved a step.

    "Is there something else?" Adam asked without looking up from his work.

    "I just wondered if you would be leaving soon." David replied.

    "For what?"

    "For the company dinner."

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    "Such a small matter doesn''t require me to be there."

    "Well..." David trailed off nervously. Adam finally put his pen down and looked over at David.

    "What is it? Tell me." He commanded.

    So David swallowed his fear and spoke freely. "Some of the employees have expressed concern about the contracts. Some of them haven''t been signed yet. Especially Amelia''s, it''s taking a longer time since both sides are being thorough. I think it would be best if you go tonight to show that MK is serious about the offers. Lest they feel insulted and cancel the agreements before anything is signed."

    Adam considered the argument. "Fine." He said finally. "Prepare another suit for me. I''ll go once I''m finished with this."

    "Yes, sir." David said with relief, immediately leaving the office to do as instructed. He was especially pleased that he didn''t have to mention that Adam''s mother had called and instructed him to attend tonight.

    As David drove Adam to the dinner hall later that night Adam gave Elle a call.

    "Are you still at work?" She asked after picking up.

    "There''s a work dinner tonight. I don''t think I''ll be able to make it to your place. Don''t wait up for me, just go to bed first."

    "That''s okay." Elle said. "It doesn''t matter how late it gets, just come over tonight."

    "Are you sure? You''ve been busy too, you should rest."

    "But don''t you remember?" Elle asked, her voice suddenly getting seductive. "I can no longer sleep peacefully unless a certain someone is by my side."

    Adam smiled. "That''s right, how careless of me to forget. I''ll come over later then."

    "I''ll be waiting." Adam hung up the call feeling pleased. He could almost hear her smile over the phone.

    "We''re here sir." David''s voice sounded from the front seat, and immediately Adam''s feelings turned sour.

    "Let''s get this over with." He muttered as he stepped out of the car.

 138 First Steps 2

    Amelia was already in the hall where MK''s dinner was being hosted, talking to some of the managers and other guests. Her eyes were constantly scanning the crowd, but she couldn''t spot Adam anywhere as she continued to mindlessly converse with everyone.

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    While she mingled Amelia couldn''t help but notice the looks she was getting. Many of the eyes in the room were on her as she walked by, some of them lingered longer than necessary. A few of the girls looked at her with innocent envy, while others looked on with a more malevolent form of jealousy.

    Amelia was happy and also relieved by the looks, which only served to reconfirm that she had picked her outfit well tonight, but other than to that extent she paid no mind to the looks anyone gave her. Their looks didn''t matter in the slightest.

    The murmur that was spreading through the crowd drew Amelia out of her own thoughts. Everyone was whispering and looking towards on of the entrances where Adam was currently walking in. All eyes were on him as he entered the room, accompanied by David.

    The managers went forward to greet him respectfully and as Adam looked away his eyes happened to meet Amelia''s. They made eye contact for only a fraction of a second before he looked away again.

    A smile spread on Amelia''s face as he did. This was the reason she liked him so much. He was different from all the others. He was not a man whose attention could be earned by a fancy dress and a pretty smile. In the same way that she earned this contract through her own merit, she wanted to be able to win over his heart through her own merit as well. Not simply because of her pretty face.

    "I always forget just how handsome he is until I see him in person." One of the girls standing beside Amelia said with a sigh.

    "I know, right? How is it possible that a man like him doesn''t have a girlfriend?" Another said.

    "Don''t jinx it. Do you want him to get a girlfriend? Him not having one means we all still have a chance."

    "At least someone should have him. What a waste for a man like him to not be enjoyed by anyone at all."

    "Besides," a third girl chimed in, "do you really think we have a chance? He''s not a man that just anyone could stand next to you know."

    Amelia had been listening to the conversation this whole time. When she heard the last comment she took the opportunity to break away from the crowd and boldly walk over to Adam.

    "Good afternoon." She greeted. "I thought you might not make it tonight."

    "Hello, Amelia." Adam greeting back. "I didn''t think I was that late that you had to worry about my appearance."

    "No, you''re not late at all. I just know you, I know how much you hate these things."

    As she spoke Amelia looked back at the group of girls with a smirk. It was as if she were saying ''See? Look how easily I can stand by his side. This so called unreachable man.''

    "I still have to go around an greet everyone." Adam said. "Enjoy yourself tonight."

    "Sure. Maybe I''ll talk to you later."

    The guests continued to mingle for a little while longer before the dinner itself began. Adam gave a very brief speech, thanking all the MK employees for their work, and thanking all the guests for coming, stating that he looked forward to working together.

    Afterwards everyone sat down to eat. Many people silently fought to try to get a seat at the same table as Adam, but of course it was quickly occupied by Adam''s own directors and managers. Amelia didn''t bother vying for a seat at his table, instead she quietly sat down at the table directly opposite from Adam''s, purposely picking a seat where she would be in his direct line of sight. By chance Amelia ended up sitting at the table with the same group of girls she had overheard talking earlier but she paid no mind to it.

    All through dinner Amelia wore a satisfied smile on her face until finally one of the other girl''s couldn''t stand it any longer.

    "Look at her." One whispered. "She thinks that just because she knows Adam she''s all that. She''s been gone for two years now, she''s in the same place as all the rest of us are."

    "Shh, she might hear you." Another whispered back.

    "Let her hear. Maybe it will knock her off her high horse. If Adam was going to date a model, moreover a model that he worked with, he would at least date someone at a higher level; like that mystery model everyone has been raving over."

    "Well in the end she''ll learn her place. Once the photoshoot is over and the results come out she''ll see the truth. No matter how well she does she''ll never be able to create a bigger response than that model MK used before. In the public''s eye her popularity will either drop or simply remain the same. There''s no way for her to stand out."

    Amelia could hear every word being said, and every one was a stab to her. She gripped the fork in her hand tighter and glanced towards Adam, looking for some reassurance, but he was no longer in his seat. Amelia glanced around the room but couldn''t spot him anywhere.

    ''I didn''t notice him get up. Where did he go?'' She wondered anxiously.

 139 First Steps 3

    Adam had been sitting at the table listening to the conversation happening around him with disinterest. It had been a long time since he had been so bored. It was true that he had never liked these events, but since when had they been so suffocating, he wondered.

    ''Elle has been at all the events I''ve attended recently.'' Adam realized. ''I usually have her to give me a break from all the tedious aspects.''

    With that realization in mind he got up from the table without bothering to say anything to anyone else. Adam wandered into the hallway and, once he was certain there was no one else nearby, he gave Elle a call.

    "Hello?" She answered almost immediately.

    "Hey." Adam said, relief flooded through him just from the sound of her voice.

    "What''s wrong? I thought you had a dinner event tonight?"

    "I do. I''m bored." He complained. Adam heard Elle''s light laughter in response.

    "That''s usually my line." She said. "I''m being a bad influence on you."

    "What are you up to?" He asked as he looked down at his watch. "Have you eaten yet?"

    "Not yet." She confessed.

    "Why not? What are you doing?" He asked with a frown.

    "Um¡­" Elle looked down at her notebook in which she had been working on her novel for the past hour. It wasn''t necessarily a secret but it was something personal, and it was something she hadn''t told him about yet.

    "I''m just writing. What about you? Have you eaten?" She asked, quickly glossing over her writing.

    "We''re in the middle of eating now. I was too bored, I had to get out of there."

    "What suit are you wearing?" Elle asked suddenly.

    "What?"

    "It''s important. Just answer the question."

    "The grey one."

    "Light or dark?"

    Adam glanced down at his clothes with a frown. "It''s in between. I don''t know."

    "That''s your light one then. Your other ones are definitely darker. And what colour are your shirt and tie?"

    "Both are black."

    "Ah" Elle squealed. "I can imagine how handsome you look in that."

    "Is that all you wanted to know for?" Adam asked, covering the embarrassed expression on his face with his hand. "You''re so silly."

    They spoke a little while longer until Elle declared that it had been long enough.

    "It''s getting late, everyone will wonder where you went. You should head back now." She was right.So the two said their goodbyes to each other and hung up the call.

    Adam looked forwards towards the entrance to the dining hall and then back to the front of the building from where he could see the sun starting to set through the glass exterior. It took him only a brief moment to make his decision.

    Meanwhile, David was still sitting at the table wondering where Adam had wandered off to. He had started wondering if he ought to go looking for his boss when he received a text message.

    ''I''m leaving first. Help me make an excuse for the night.''

    David had overheard Adam and Elle on the phone with each other in the car on the way over so he could easily guess where his boss had run off too. He smiled at the realization. It turned out his boss was human after all.

    ~~

    After hanging up the phone call Elle glanced at the time herself. It was getting quite late, she really had ought to eat soon. So she closed the notebook she was writing in, put it away, and made her way into the kitchen.

    When she had gotten home from work she knew she would be alone for the night, who knew what time Adam would be able to make to her place, if he would make it over that night at all. She had changed into something more comfortable. That something happened to be one of Adam''s casual t-shirts. It had been becoming a habit of her''s to wear his clothes at home. She had been slowly accosting some of his shirts, hoodies, and even sweat pants as her own.

    In the kitchen Elle had started playing music on her phone with the volume as high as it could go as she stood at the stove re-heating food leftover from the night before.

    She hummed along to whatever was playing until the song eventually faded into silence. The next song started and Elle smiled as she immediately recalled the upbeat tempo.After a few minutes she found herself dancing and singing to the music enthusiastically, slowly getting carried away by her own innocent and indulgent enjoyment.

    She was sure she looked and sounded foolish, but in that moment she had not a care in the world. Until she heard the sound of a chair move behind her. Elle stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to see Adam pulling out a chair at the table behind her.

    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to interrupt you. Don''t mind me, carry on." He said, a childish grin painted on his face.

    Elle''s face burned red from top to bottom. "When did you get here? I didn''t hear you come in." She mumbled.

    "No, I don''t imagine you did. I just got in. I decided to leave the dinner tonight early."

    "Is that so?" Elle asked as she looked back to the stove, letting her hair fall forwards to cover her embarrassment.

    "I''ve never been more glad of a decision in my life." Adam said. Elle couldn''t tell if he was being genuine or still teasing.

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    He came up behind her and wrapped both his arms around her waist. "Don''t be embarrassed. Not in front of me at least."

    "Easy for you to say," She grumbled as she leaned backwards into his embrace, "I have no embarrassing material on you at all."

    Adam smiled softly. "I do have one confession; I realized something about myself that I''m embarrassed about at dinner tonight?"

    "What is it?"

    "It seems that for the past 28 years I never knew what true enjoyment was. Not until I met you. And now that I''ve had a taste of it I find that I can''t go back to my boring old life anymore."

    Elle turned around to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "That''s very sweet and all, but if you think that will suffice as embarrassing material you''re wrong."

 140 Amelia Hudson

    The next day Amelia work up and took a steaming hot shower. She scrubbed herself clean; washing off last night''s disappointment. As she got out of the shower she wrapped her hair up in a towel and put on a fluffy white bathrobe before pausing in front of the mirror.

    The mirror was foggy and clouded with condensation. Amelia wiped it away with one hand and considered the reflection she saw on the other side.

    She had met Elle. Elle was kind and sweet and pretty, but Amelia couldn''t say that Elle was beautiful. Elle''s looks were only slightly above average, and there wasn''t anything wrong with that, but Amelia found that her own looks on the other hand reflected a much more refined beauty.

    As Amelia looked n the mirror she felt that she truly was beautiful. Gorgeous even. It was only natural, she was an actress after all. She had personal trainers to help maintain her slim and toned body, nutritionists, aestheticians, and stylists to help her with every aspect of her image. The truth was that she paid good money to look more beautiful than Elle. It was a truth that Amelia had no trouble accepting, her work required her to do it.

    She was gorgeous while Elle was only just pretty and yet somehow Amelia had still lost to her. That was a truth Amelia had trouble reconciling herself to.

    What the other girls had said at the party the night before wasn''t wrong. For whatever reason, Elle''s advertisements had a huge impact on the public and were wildly popular. If Amelia''s shoot fell short of Elle''s it would be a blow to her career. She couldn''t let that happen.

    A phone began to ring. Amelia glanced at her cellphone and recognized her manager''s name on the caller display.

    "Good morning Annie." Amelia greeted cheerfully. "What are you calling for so early in the morning?"

    "I have good news for you. Our legal team has looked through the MK contract and given their approval."

    Amelia bit her lip. They approved it so fast? She thought she would have more time.

    "Why don''t you come to the office to sign the contract this afternoon?"

    "Alright." Amelia did well to hide the irritation in her voice. "I''ll be there at noon."

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    "Okay, great. I''ll see you then."

    Amelia hung up the call and tossed her phone on her bed before flopping onto the soft sheets herself.

    "It''s okay Em." She said to herself. "It''s just one small mess to clean."

    ~~

    After having a light breakfast Amelia carefully applied her makeup and picked out a simple dress before heading over to the company. On her way out she passed her father in the living room.

    "You''re leaving? I thought you didn''t have to go to your office today." He asked as he watched her head towards the door.

    "Something came up. I need to go fix things."

    "Can you take care of it? Do you need help?"

    The corners of her lips turned up. "I''m you daughter aren''t I?" She said proudly. "There''s no problem I can''t handle."

    Her father chuckled. "Alright, alright. Just let m know if you need anything. You don''t have to work hard all by yourself."

    "Okay father. Thank you."

    "Now hurry along before you''re late."

    Amelia drove to her company''s office herself. She stepped into the building, it''s large glass windows and white marble floor were still familiar to her even after all this time being gone.

    As she walked to the elevators everyone watched her go by. Some of the younger talents looked at her with awe, most smiled, and some even stopped their own conversations to greet her respectfully as she went past.

    ''I''m still on top.'' Amelia reassured herself. ''Nothing has change. Be confident.''

    She rode the elevator up a few levels to her manager''s office.

    "You''re here." Annie said, her eyes lighting up as she watched Amelia walk in.

    "I''m here."

    "The paperwork is all here, our team scanned through it meticulously and agree that the terms are great. Feel free to look it over once more before you sign it."

    Amelia dropped her purse in a nearby chair and took the document from her manager. She slowly paced back and forth in the office, barely reading the words on the pages as she flipped through them, but putting on a good show of pretend to consider everything carefully as her manager watched on.

    "Well?" Annie asked as Amelia finally flipped past the last page. "Here, you can sign the last page and we can pass it back to MK for their signature tomorrow." She said as she handed Amelia a pen.

    Amelia made a good show of taking the pen as she nervously bit her lip. She brought her hand towards the page, hesitated, then brought the pen to the paper before hesitating again.

    "Is something wrong?" Annie asked.

    Amelia looked up apologetically. "I''m sorry. It''s just..."

    "Just what?"

    "MK''s last model was so popular. I''m a bit concerned about what will happen if my shoot doesn''t go well. I''ve been gone so long, what if the media says I''ve lost my touch?"

    Her manager looked at her sympathetically but Amelia could see her hesitation.

    "I understand your worried, but you were the one who insisted to work with MK for your first project back. You pushed to have this contract signed as soon as possible."

    "You''re right. Our legal team worked hard and rushed to get things done as fast as possible. I shouldn''t let their hard work go to waste. I should just sign right?" Amelia brought the pen to the paper again but before she could sign her manager suddenly blurted out.

    "Wait."

    Amelia smirked. ''I win.'' She thought triumphantly before looked up at her manager with innocent, confused eyes.

    "You''re right. It''s risky. I don''t want you to sign if your not certain about this."

    "But I don''t want the company to think I''m being picky. After all I am the one who pushed so much for this opportunity."

    "It''s okay. I''ll say I was the once who had concerns about the contract. We should at least get more money to accept the additional risk involved this time. I''ll send the team to negotiate better terms with MK tomorrow."

    "Thank you Annie." Amelia said kindly. "You''re the best."

    They discussed a few more topics before Amelia finally left the office. She smirked, completely pleased with the way she had handled things. The whole time she was also blissfully unaware of how fast her ego was growing.

 141 Assistant For A Day

    Soon enough Friday arrived and with it came the promise of the weekend. Everyone waited in anticipation for the weekend to arrive. Elle had cheated a bit by taking Friday off of work that week. So while everyone else was doing their best to get through one more day Elle was sleeping in.

    She had still woken up quite early, as was her habit on working days, but she refused to get out of bed until the door bell rang. Elle looked towards the door, frowning at the piercing sound that was ruining her fantasy of not moving for the entire morning.

    There was a second ring.

    "Coming." Elle called out. She quickly put a satin robe over her pyjama''s and ran her fingers through her messy hair before pulling the door open.

    Christopher stood on the other side of the door with an apologetic expression on his face.

    Elle felt a residual embarrassment heat her cheeks. She hadn''t seen him since she learned who he really was. She was still older than him, she had learnt since looking up his profile online, but only barely. Not anywhere close to the ten years she had suspected separated them. Elle had been comfortably been acting like an older sister to him this whole time. She was no longer sure how to behave in front of him.

    "It''s been a while. How are you?" She asked sheepishly.

    "It has, hasn''t it? I''ve been well." He replied with an equal level of sheepishness. "What about you? Do you not need to be at work today?"

    "No, I have a day off today."

    Christopher''s face paled a little. "I hope you''re not feeling ill." He asked with genuine concern.

    "No, no, no. I''m fine." Elle quickly reassured him. "I''m fine. I just planned to take a little break and laze around at home all day."

    "Oh, I see." Her answer seemed to dishearten him.

    "Is there something I can help you with?" Elle asked after a moment. "Would you like to come in?"

    Christopher quickly spared a glance down the empty hallways. "That would be great actually."

    So Elle stepped aside and let him inside.

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    "Can I get you anything? Tea? Water?" Elle asked as she led Christopher into the living room.

    "No, that''s fine thank you."

    They both took a seat across from each other. After a brief moment Elle looked at Christopher expectantly; waiting for him to speak.

    Christopher let out a nervous sigh. "I actually came to ask you for a favour." He finally confessed. "I feel even worse for asking you on your day off but I didn''t know who else I could go to."

    "That''s okay, there''s no reason to feel shy. Go ahead and ask."

    "I''m honestly not sure if you recognized me, I couldn''t tell from your reaction but I''m an actor you see."

    Elle coughed. "Of course I did." She said in a tone of voice that not even she believed.

    He gave her a sheepish smile and continued. "My manager had a personal emergency today and can''t make it in to assist me today. It was such short notice, too short for my company to arrange for a different assistant, but I don''t think I''ll be able to manage today on my own..." He trailed off, unsure of how to ask the question he had come to ask.

    "You want me to act as your assistant for today?" Elle asked.

    Christopher had expected her to be annoyed by the question, it was her day off after all. Maybe offended since she was older and already working as a director at a multi-million dollar company and he was asking her to be a lowly assistant. In all the times he imagined how this conversation would go, he never once imagined that her eyes would light up with excitement the way they did now.

    "It would only be for one day, and I''d compensate you accordingly of course." He added desperately. However, there was no reason for him to attempt to sway her. Elle was already hooked on the idea.

    "Don''t worry about things like payment. I was planning to laze around and be bored all afternoon. This sounds like much more fun."

    "You would mostly be accompanying me to different appointments; interviews, photoshoots, I have a busy day today." Christopher admitted, taking the side of persuading her against it in confusion at her reaction. "It won''t be as glamorous as you might imagine."

    "I don''t imagine it''ll be glamorous at all." Elle said with a laugh. "But it''s something I''ve never done before and something I may never be able to do again. It seems fun. Besides, you''re in a tough spot right? It doesn''t hurt to have an A list celebrity owe you a favour you know."

    Christopher gave her a soft smile. "You really are different to any other person I''ve ever met."

    "That better be a compliment."

    "It is." Christopher said firmly.

    "Then it''s settled. I can accompany you up to nine or so but I''m afraid I can''t stay any later than that." That was when Adam was expecting to get off work tonight.

    "I''ll agree to that."

    "Perfect. Then if you wait a minute I''ll go get showered and changed."

    Christopher''s face flushed red. "Ah, that''s fine. I''ll go back to my place, you get ready in peace. I''ll meet you in the lobby in an hour."

    He quickly retreated out of her apartment. Elle laughed to herself as she watched him walk out the door with red ears.

    ''He might be about the same age as me but he really does feel like an innocent little brother.'' She thought to herself before heading back into her bathroom to quickly bathe. It seemed today would be more exciting then she anticipated.

 142 A New World

    Elle showered quickly, in a rush to get down to the lobby to meet Christopher. Once she was out of the bathroom she came to a full stop in front of her closet with a frown. What should she wear? She was only an assistant so something comfortable to move around in would be better, but even as an assistant she should still look presentable by his side right?

    In the end Elle settled on an emerald dress with a high collar and long sleeves. It was a comfortable cotton dress but also just professional enough that she was confident she wouldn''t stand out too much.

    By the time she did her hair and applied a bit of light makeup Christopher was already waiting in the lobby.

    "I hope you weren''t waiting long." Elle said apologetically as she approached him.

    "Not at all. I just got here myself. A drive will be waiting outside, I''ll brief you on my schedule in the car."

    "Alright."

    As Elle listened to Christopher explain each activity he had today she quickly understood why he couldn''t manage without an assistant today. He would be starting off with a brief photoshoot for an advertisement he was taking part of, followed by a meeting at his company. After that was an interview, a few more meetings, then finally a party for some big-shot director in the industry.

    He was booked solid from morning till night, with only a few small and insignificant breaks in between.

    "Will you really be able to manage all this?" Elle asked nervously.

    "It''s a busy day, but days like this are rare enough that I can manage having them here and there. I just need you to help me keep an eye on the time mostly. If you think we''re getting late for something let me know immediately. You can answer all my calls while I''m working as well."

    It honestly seemed easy enough. Elle was sure he was taking on more than he usually might in order to give her a break as well. She was the one who accepted the job without any hesitation so she would make sure to at least do the very few tasks he gave her well.

    They arrived on set for the photoshoot not long after.

    It was very different to what Elle had experienced when she had attended a photo shoot as MK''s model. Only now did she realize how easy things had been for her since she was there only because of Adam. For her it was simply a hobby; something new to try for fun. For Christopher it was his work.

    As soon as they arrived Chris was busy greeting the staff members and speaking to the director who gave him a quick run down of the concept for the day. Then Christopher was rushing off again to get his hair and makeup done.

    Even in the changing rooms Elle could see that she had been receiving special attention when she did her shoot. She had gotten ready in silence and with people catering to her carefully. Now people were constantly in and out of the room as they rushed to get everything and everyone ready.

    Elle brought Christopher a coffee as he waited for his turn to have his hair styled.

    "You''re working hard." She said sympathetically.

    "This much is nothing." Christopher replied with a light laugh. "I''m sure you''ve had busier days then this working at such a large company."

    "My life does get busy from time to time but at least in my work I get to sit at a desk all day. It must be more tiring running around outside all day."

    "That is true. At least the weather is favourable today."

    The shoot would be taking place outdoors and at three different locations in total. Elle had learned that it was a shoot for a popular jewellery brand, one she happened to like a lot.

    After a few more minutes everyone was ready and the shoot began. Christopher was partnered with a female model for the shoot. It was an intimate scene and Elle watched with awe as two perfect strangers suddenly became lovers before her eyes. The two acted as familiar with each other as a couple of three years would be.

    After a while the director called for a break. Elle took a bottle of water over to Christopher. The sun had been rising higher and higher as the day went on and the temperature was rising with it.

    "Let me bring you a towel." Elle said, noticing that he had begun to sweat lightly.

    "That''s fine, I feel bad. You''re not an assistant, you don''t have to do things like that."

    "It''s sweet of you to say so, but I''m fine. If I''m going to be your assistant for the day I want to do it well. At least let me do this much."

    So Christopher accepted her generosity and let her help him throughout the shoot. As the time went by Elle''s feelings of awe turned to gratitude. All she had ever known was her own office work. This was a new world to her.

    When she had worked for MK she had received all the glory and all the benefits of the work without any of the hardships that she watched everyone else struggle with now. Elle knew it was only because she was being sheltered by Adam.

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    While enveloped in such a feeling of gratitude Elle went into a quite corner where no one would notice her and pulled out her phone.

    ''I love you, you know.'' She wrote out and sent to Adam.

    Meanwhile, somewhere on the other side of town Adam was gathered with a few managers for a site inspection. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and pulled it out to see.

    "Are you okay sir?" One of his managers asked as he glanced over at his boss. "You look a little red. Is it the heat?"

    "I''m fine." Adam quickly recovered but he couldn''t control the faint blush that settled on his face.

    ''What is it? Did something happen?'' Adam texted back.

    Elle laughed to herself. ''Nothing happened. I just realized I was being protected in ways I didn''t even know about. I suddenly realized how loved I am by you.''

    David laughed to himself as he watched Adam stare at his phone and turn even more red. He could imagine what sort of exchange was going on. After all, he knew only one person who could illicit such a response from his stone cold boss. ''What''s the point of knowing such juicy gossip if I have no one to share it with?'' he thought to himself. But he still defended Adam, even though he was dying to share the news with someone.

    "It must be the heat. Why don''t we take a break for now." David told all the other questioning eyes.

 143 Good To You

    The day seemed to fly by; it went by well and with no incidents. After the shoot finally ended Elle accompanied Christopher to a meeting and then they went to get a quick lunch.

    "You should eat more than that." Elle said as she eyed the salad Christopher was eating.

    "Are you trying to make me gain weight?" He teased. "If I gain any more weight than this I''m going to start losing money you know."

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    Elle didn''t reply to his jokes. Instead she quietly got up from the table. Christopher watched in stunned silence as she walked away. She returned a moment later with a chicken dish in her hands.

    "You were working in the sun all morning and you still have a long day ahead of you. You need your energy." Elle said as she set the dish down in front of Christopher.

    Chris was speechless. It had been a long time since he had felt someone else''s consideration and warmth like this. A smile slowly spread across his face.

    "What will you do if I get fat?"

    Elle reached over with her fork and took a piece of chicken for herself. "Then we''ll get fat together Christopher."

    "You can just call me Chris." He said as he dug into the food. "We''re friend''s, right? Besides, Christopher is a bit of a mouthful.

    "Chris it is then."

    After a moment Chris'' hands stopped. Elle was about to ask if something was wrong when he suddenly set his utensils down.

    "Why are you so nice to me?" He asked.

    "What?"

    "I really appreciate everything you''ve done for me. Maybe it''s because I''m not used to being the subject of other people''s consideration but I can''t help but wonder why you do it."

    "Ah¡­" Have I been treating him like a child again? Elle wondered to herself. "There''s no special reason. Besides, you were the first to show consideration to me when I was moving in, remember?"

    "You really have no reason? You don''t want to ask me for a favour in return?"

    "I just want to be good to you, that''s all." Elle said with a shrug. "Now hurry up and eat or we''ll be late to your next meeting."

    Chris and Elle barely did it, but they made it to the meeting on time.

    Since the meeting was considered confidential Chris showed Elle into an empty boardroom to wait in until he was finished. Elle waited for a long time until, eventually, she heard a phone begin to ring.

    Elle reached for her own phone but was surprised to see that it wasn''t the source of the ringing. She suddenly remembered that Chris has given her his own phone to hold on to while he attended the meeting. Sure enough, it was ringing. Elle quickly picked it up.

    "Hello? Chris?" A voice said on the other end.

    "Chris is in a meeting right now; this is his assistant."

    "I needed to speak to him quite urgently. Do you know when he''ll be done?"

    "If you leave me a message I can pass it along and have him give you a call back later." Elle said as she quickly rummaged through her purse for a pen and paper.

    "Sure, sure. Just let him know that Michael called from MK." Elle had begun writing down the message but her hand faltered.

    ''From MK?'' She wondered.

    "The project him and I spoke about last time is about to be approved. Tell him he can expect a contract to be sent from us soon."

    "Okay." Elle recovered herself and quickly wrote the message down. "I''ll pass the information along to him."

    "Please do. Have a good day."

    "You too." Elle hung up the call and gauged the note she had just written in front of her.

    A few minutes later the meeting finally ended and Chris rejoined Elle.

    "There was a call for you while you were gone. I took a message." Elle said as she handed him the note.

    Chris'' eyes lit up as he read it.

    "I feel like you must bring me good luck Elle. I''ve been hoping to get this news for a while now."

    "Everyone in the country hopes for the opportunity to work with MK huh. It''s great news. Congratulations Chris."

    "I don''t want to jinx it by celebrating before the contract is signed." Chris said with a grin painted on his face. "I also don''t want to ruin my good mood by attending that dreadful party." He said with a groan, as if just remembering where they were headed to next.

    Elle felt sympathetic to him. She knew first hand how tedious these events could be. She also understood how necessary it was for him to attend.

    "But unfortunately, you have to go. Come along." She said.

 144 A Girl With Many Faces

    The party that night was being held for a popular and highly regarded director. Chris had been fortunate enough to have worked with him once already in his short career. Elle never had, of course, but she attended that night all the same.

    Chris quickly changed into a suit at his company and then the two headed out together.

    "Are you sure this dress is suitable enough?" Elle asked as she looked down at her simple dress.

    "Of course it is. You look beautiful." Chris replied instantly.

    Elle felt her cheeks heat. "Is that so?"

    Chris began laughing at her reaction. "Are you embarrassed?" He teased.

    "No." Elle replied, making a point to look out the window so he couldn''t see the clearly embarrassed expression on her face.

    The car ride to the party hall was filled with laughter and a light hearted mood. It was easy for Elle to get along with Chris and it easy for him to get along with her as well. Their silly banter lasted right until they reached the doors of the hall, but once they were pushed open the mood died.

    The whole day was one full of new experiences for Elle but this was something she already knew well. The cold atmosphere, the judging eyes, the whispers that followed you around a room were all things she was very familiar with. The only difference was that she had no stakes here.

    This wasn''t her world. She didn''t need to worry about her image or her reputation here. But Elle could tell from the way he stiffened that Chris did. Elle laced her arm through Chris''s to show her support.

    "Come on, let''s go in." She said with a soft smile.

    Chris let Elle lead him into the room of fake smiles. Chris took the lead and Elle followed him around as he greeted the other guests. There were all sorts of people from all sorts of professions present; actors, writers, other directors, editors. Chris would whisper a brief introduction of each person they spoke to to Elle, for her sake.

    "I should be the one reminded you who all these people are, not the other way around." Elle said apologetically.

    "It''s no problem. It helps me remember too." Chris replied kindly.

    All night long people had called out to Chris to share a quick conversation with him but after being at the party for almost an hour Elle heard her own name.

    "Elle?" A sweet voice called out. "Is that really you?"

    Elle turned out of reflex towards the voice. "Amelia." She said in surprise. "How nice to see you again."

    "What are you doing here?" Amelia asked.

    "I''m serving as Chris''s assistant for today. I''m just here accompanying him."

    "Oh, how nice. I didn''t know you were so well connected in the industry." Amelia said, looking back and forth between Elle and Chris.

    "I''m not." Elle said firmly. "Chris is a friend, not a contact. I''m only doing my friend a favour."

    "Is that so? I thought you might have worked with him regularly. You seem to be a woman with many faces Elle. Every time I meet you you seem to have a different job. It must be exciting."

    Her word''s were friendly and polite enough but Elle couldn''t help but feel there was a thorn in what Amelia said.

    "I try to keep busy." Elle said with a polite smile. "I''m sure you''re very busy too, we won''t keep you any further."

    Elle slipped her arm through Chris''s and led him away.

    "Did you do something to offend her?" Chris asked with a smirk.

    "I barely know her." Elle said. "She seemed nice enough to me the last time we spoke."

    "Well you must have done something."

    "You think so?"

    "She clearly hates you."

    "Do you really think so?" Elle asked with concern. She barely knew Amelia but she was a friend of Adam''s. She didn''t really hate her did she?

    Elle looked up at Chris with wide eyes and a furrowed brow. He couldn''t help but snicker.

    "I''m sorry." He said between giggles. "I was just teasing you. I''m sure she doesn''t hate you. Everyone in this industry is like that. Her way with words is probably just a bad habit."

    "I hate you. Just you wait. I''ll get you back in a spectacular way." Elle muttered, ripping her hand from his.

    "I''m sorry." Chris said, following after her with a grin on his face. "It''s too much fun."

    Little did Elle know but Chris had actually done her a huge favour. Amelia still stood where the two had left her, watching as the two walked away laughing and joking, arm in arm. Her mood lifted and a sweet smile was now on her face.

    Maybe it was because Elle and Chris were acting overly familiar with each other, or maybe Amelia was only seeing what she wanted so desperately to see. Either way, in her mind, Elle''s position changed from a rival to a supporter.

    ~~

    The party went on and the night grew old. Eventually Elle grew tired. She was on her way back from the restroom, purposely walking slowly so she could enjoy the artwork that decorated the hallway, when her phone began to ring.

    Elle smiled sweetly as she saw the familiar name appear on my screen.

    "Hey you." She answered. "Where are you?"

    "Turn around." Adam replied.

    "What?"

    "Just do it." He said with amusement laced into his voice.

    Elle turned and sure enough there was Adam, standing a few feet behind her. Elle ended the call and bounded towards him.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked with a grin painted on her face.

    "I''m here for work." Adam replied with a chuckle. "More importantly, what are you doing here?"

    "It''s a bit of a long story." Elle said sheepishly. "You remember Chris? He asked me if I could accompany him for his work today."

    "Is that so? You''re not too tired are you? You were supposed to rest today."

    "I''m fine. It was fun. I got to attend another photoshoot." As Elle recollected her day something suddenly popped into her memory. "That''s right; did you know Chris would be signing a contract with MK?"

    "That''s a highly classified project. How do you even know about it?"

    "If it makes you feel any better I have no idea what the project is about. I just answered a call and was told to pass the message along to him. You knew?"

    "Of course I know. I''ve been working on it personally."

    "You never told me." Elle complained, hitting him lightly in the arm. "What if I ended up embarrassing myself in front of him again."

    "It was supposed to be a surprise. Imagine how funny it would have been if you both ended up at one of MK''s event parties. The look of shock would have been priceless."

    "That''s enough, I''m leaving. I''m being teased too much tonight." Elle grumbled, even though the truth was Adam''s joking expression brought her so much joy.

    "Let''s leave together then." Adam said.

    "Really? Don''t you have to stay longer?"

    "I''m tired too. Let''s go home."

    "Okay."

    "Give me ten minutes to say my goodbyes. You can wait for me in the car." Adam said as he handed Elle the keys to his Maybach.

    Elle took the keys greedily and quickly returned to say goodbye to Chris who thanked her several times before letting her leave.

    As Adam and Elle drove home that night Elle caught sight of her reflection in the car window and she recalled Amelia''s words.

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    ''I only have one face.'' Elle thought to herself as she look towards Adam''s handsome profile. ''It''s the face of this man''s girl.''

 145 UPDATE

    @@

    Hello everyone! I''ve posted an "auxiliary chapter" which you can find at the top of the table of contents on the home page for this novel. Unfortunately it doesn''t show up as an update in your libraries so I''ve decided to post an additional chapter to let you all know that it''s there.

    This chapter will eventually be deleted and the story will continue. For now I hope you can all take a moment to read the auxiliary chapter I''ve posted, titled "Update - 08/25/19"

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    And as always, thank you all for your kind comments and continued support of this novel!@@

 146 Chance Encounters 1

    The next morning was a long awaited weekend. Adam rarely did it, but today he took the opportunity to catch up on his sleep by sleeping in for the first time in a long time. Since Elle hadn''t been able to use her day off for herself she decided to make the most out of her Saturday by taking care of all her chores.

    She had started the morning by silently doing some laundry, tip-toeing across the bedroom to gather clothes so she wouldn''t disturb Adam who had woken up but was still laying in bed half asleep.

    "I''m going to go to the mall to get some shopping done." Elle announced after she had started the machine. "On my way back I''ll do some grocery shopping so let me know if you need anything."

    "Mhmm." Adam groaned from where he was buried beneath the sheets.

    "I''ll be back early in the afternoon so I can bring something back with me for lunch. Don''t worry about cooking."

    "Okay." The gruff voice responded.

    "Stay in bed until at least noon. Your body must be exhausted. Rest properly."

    "Yes ma''am."

    Elle smiled and walked across the room to quickly give Adam a kiss on his cheek before heading out.

    "Take my car." He called after her. "The keys are on the table."

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    ~~

    Elle hadn''t gone shopping in a very long time. Her list of things she needed had gradually been growing and was now slowly getting out of hand.

    Elle first went and gathered all the miscellaneous items she needed for her home and carried them back to the car before heading back into the mall to accomplish her main task; getting a present for Abby who''s birthday was coming up.

    ''Adam''s birthday will come in the fall as well won''t it.'' Elle thought to herself.

    Abby was an easy person to shop for, Elle had known her for half her life. She knew her interests well. But if all else failed, Abby was still a girl, a piece of jewelry or some perfume would do just fine.

    ''Abby''s gift was easy to think of but what should I get for Adam?'' Elle wondered.

    What could she possibly get for a man who had everything?

    At the very least she still had time to think about it. Adam''s birthday was still several weeks away. Her quest for Abby''s birthday present lead her into a high class shoe store where she knew there were a pair of limited edition heels her friend badly wanted but thought were too expensive to buy for herself.

    Elle walked into the store and saw the heels standing proudly in the display. She was about to walk over to them when a familiar voice resonated in her ears.

    "What about these ones aunty?" She heard Amelia''s familiar voice excitedly call out.

    Elle glanced to her left where, sure enough, Amelia was walking through the same store arm in arm with Adam''s mother.

 147 Chance Encounters 2

    Elle winced. These were perhaps the two people she wanted to avoid most in the world.

    ''Of all the people in the world why did I have to come across this combination of people?'' She wondered bitterly.

    Elle watched as Amelia excitedly pulled Adam''s mother towards a pair of limited edition heels on display.

    ''It will be okay, right?'' Elle thought. ''I''ll be in and out of the store quickly. They probably won''t even notice me. We''ll just pass by each other as nothing more than a coincidence.''

    She quickly found a store attendant to help her get the exact shoes and size she was looking for. Elle was in line waiting for her turn to cash out when she heard the dreaded voice.

    "Elle?" Amelia called out. "How funny meeting you here."

    Elle''s face was drawn in pain and she let out a quiet sigh of frustration before turning around to greet them with a bitter smile.

    "Hello Amelia, Mrs. Hayes." Elle greeted politely.

    "It seems our fates are intertwined. Our paths have crossed so many times since I returned." Amelia said with a friendly smile.

    ''I always knew the fates disliked me.'' Elle thought to herself sarcastically.

    "Is this one of your friends Amelia?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "She is, but she was actually Adam''s friend first. I only met her through him."

    "Is that so?"

    "I''m Elle." She quickly introduced herself. "We met a long time ago but it seems Mrs. Hayes doesn''t recognize me."

    "Did we? When?"

    "At one of MK''s product launches late last fall."

    Mrs. Hayes'' eyes narrowed as she tried to recall before suddenly opening brightly. "That''s right! You were the main model that night."

    "That''s right." Elle said with a soft smile. Just then a registered cleared, and Elle who was next in line was given her chance to escape. "I''ll be going now but it was nice meeting you again."

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    "Wait, Elle, we''re going to go for lunch soon. Why don''t you join us?" Elle opened her mouth to politely decline but Amelia was faster. "You rejected me last time. You can''t possibly mean to refuse me again."

    Elle faltered. "I wouldn''t want to intrude on your plans." She answered uncertainly. "It would be rude of me to waste your time together. Maybe next time."

    "It wouldn''t be an intrusion at all." Mrs. Hayes insisted. "Why don''t I call my son as well?"

    Elle''s face getting more pale by the minute. ''This is my worst nightmare.'' Elle realized.

    "What a wonderful idea." chirped Amelia who no longer saw Elle as a rival and was always eager for an opportunity to see Adam.

    Before Elle could open her mouth to argue Mrs. Hayes had already pulled out her phone and began calling Adam.

    "That''s odd." She said after a moment. "He''s not answering."

    ''Of course he didn''t. He''s still asleep.'' Elle realized. Feeling more confident now Elle spoke firmly. "Your son is a busy person. I''d hate to bother him on a weekend. I''m also in a hurry today. Why don''t you let me treat you both to a cup of tea instead?"

    Both Amelia and Mrs. Hayes found this agreeable so once Elle had made her purchase they all went to a cafe in the mall to sit down for a cup of tea. The conversation was light and pleasant.

    Elle noticed a marked difference in Amelia in particular. She seemed much more genuine and friendly than she ever had before. Elle wondered if she had just been imagining the underlying defensiveness she had noticed before, not realizing that the difference in treatment was due to Amelia''s own misunderstanding. Amelia now saw Elle as a sweet and lovable girl now that she no longer saw her as a rival for Adam''s love.

    "So Elle, what projects are you working on now?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "Nothing special at the moment." Elle replied, not realizing in the moment that his mother mistook her to be a model. "Just the typical small projects here and there."

    "What about you Amelia."

    "I think I have something big coming up." She replied proudly. "But I''m going to keep quiet until it''s more certain."

    "Oh come now. That only makes me more curious. Doesn''t it Elle?"

    Elle only smiled politely in response. The conversation continued in the same manner for some time until Elle''s phone broke the sound of the continuous murmur of the conversation. Elle felt panic consume her as she saw Adam''s name appear on her screen. She scrambled to answer the call before either of the others could see who it was.

    "Hello?" She answered.

    "Where are you?" The groggy voice responded.

    "I''m still at the mall."

    "Good. I forgot we were out of dish soap. Do you think you can pick some up on your way home?"

    "Okay, sure."

    "...Are you with someone?" Adam asked as he noticed the polite strain in her voice.

    "That''s right! You''ll never guess who I bumped into; Amelia and Mrs. Hayes." Elle said with fake enthusiasm thick in her voice. But Amelia and Mrs. H didn''t notice, and simply smiled at their being mentioned.

    "My mother?" Adam asked with a furrowed brow.

    "That''s right." Elle responded through the gritted teeth of her best smile. "But don''t worry, I''ll be sure to keep our prior engagement. I won''t be late." She added, cleverly creating her fool proof excuse to leave the gathering early.

    "No, no, no. there''s no need for you to rush back. You should stay there and enjoy yourself properly."

    "What''s that? You want to meet earlier?"

    Adam laughed at her blatant scheme from his end of the line.

    "Sorry, I don''t think I''ll be able to make it to you early. I definitely won''t be late though."

    "Fine, fine. Run away if you want." Adam teased. "You''ve worked hard my love. I''ll see you at home."

    "Okay, I''ll see you soon." Elle was unable to answer his sweet words with ones of her own while in front of his mother and friend but their presence couldn''t stop the ever-so-slight blush that coloured her cheeks.

    "I take it you have to leave us now." Amelia said regretfully.

    "Unfortunately, but I thank you very much for the conversation." As Elle gathered her things another phone began to ring.

    "Ah! It''s my son." Mrs. Hayes said excitedly. "Hello Adam. Pray tell, what was so important that you ignored my earlier call?" She asked in a teasing voice.

    Her eyes widened in surprise to whatever it was Adam said in response. "You slept in? Really? You? However did you manage it?"

    Elle could just imagine Adam''s disinterested reply; ''Yes, me. I slept in. Now it''s your turn. Tell me what did you call for?''

    It seemed like he really did reply along those lines for Mrs. H said "Ah, I was out with Amelia this morning and we bumped into Elle. I wanted to invite you out to lunch with the three of us but it seems like Elle needs to leave to meet someone else already. Why don''t you join Amelia and me?"

    ....

    "Eh? You''re busy too? How unfortunate. Next time all four of us should meet. Speaking of which, why haven''t you introduced me to Elle before? I thought I knew everyone from your little circle by now."

    Elle''s heart beat loudly in anticipation. She had no idea but Adam softly replied "You''re right, I was late. I''ll introduce her to you properly next time."

 145 Chance Encounters 1

    The next morning was a long awaited weekend. Adam rarely did it, but today he took the opportunity to catch up on his sleep by sleeping in for the first time in a long time. Since Elle hadn''t been able to use her day off for herself she decided to make the most out of her Saturday by taking care of all her chores.

    She had started the morning by silently doing some laundry, tip-toeing across the bedroom to gather clothes so she wouldn''t disturb Adam who had woken up but was still laying in bed half asleep.

    "I''m going to go to the mall to get some shopping done." Elle announced after she had started the machine. "On my way back I''ll do some grocery shopping so let me know if you need anything."

    "Mhmm." Adam groaned from where he was buried beneath the sheets.

    "I''ll be back early in the afternoon so I can bring something back with me for lunch. Don''t worry about cooking."

    "Okay." The gruff voice responded.

    "Stay in bed until at least noon. Your body must be exhausted. Rest properly."

    "Yes ma''am."

    Elle smiled and walked across the room to quickly give Adam a kiss on his cheek before heading out.

    "Take my car." He called after her. "The keys are on the table."

    ~~

    Elle hadn''t gone shopping in a very long time. Her list of things she needed had gradually been growing and was now slowly getting out of hand.

    Elle first went and gathered all the miscellaneous items she needed for her home and carried them back to the car before heading back into the mall to accomplish her main task; getting a present for Abby who''s birthday was coming up.

    ''Adam''s birthday will come in the fall as well won''t it.'' Elle thought to herself.

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    Abby was an easy person to shop for, Elle had known her for half her life. She knew her interests well. But if all else failed, Abby was still a girl, a piece of jewelry or some perfume would do just fine.

    ''Abby''s gift was easy to think of but what should I get for Adam?'' Elle wondered.

    What could she possibly get for a man who had everything?

    At the very least she still had time to think about it. Adam''s birthday was still several weeks away. Her quest for Abby''s birthday present lead her into a high class shoe store where she knew there were a pair of limited edition heels her friend badly wanted but thought were too expensive to buy for herself.

    Elle walked into the store and saw the heels standing proudly in the display. She was about to walk over to them when a familiar voice resonated in her ears.

    "What about these ones aunty?" She heard Amelia''s familiar voice excitedly call out.

    Elle glanced to her left where, sure enough, Amelia was walking through the same store arm in arm with Adam''s mother.

 146 Chance Encounters 2

    Elle winced. These were perhaps the two people she wanted to avoid most in the world.

    ''Of all the people in the world why did I have to come across this combination of people?'' She wondered bitterly.

    Elle watched as Amelia excitedly pulled Adam''s mother towards a pair of limited edition heels on display.

    ''It will be okay, right?'' Elle thought. ''I''ll be in and out of the store quickly. They probably won''t even notice me. We''ll just pass by each other as nothing more than a coincidence.''

    She quickly found a store attendant to help her get the exact shoes and size she was looking for. Elle was in line waiting for her turn to cash out when she heard the dreaded voice.

    "Elle?" Amelia called out. "How funny meeting you here."

    Elle''s face was drawn in pain and she let out a quiet sigh of frustration before turning around to greet them with a bitter smile.

    "Hello Amelia, Mrs. Hayes." Elle greeted politely.

    "It seems our fates are intertwined. Our paths have crossed so many times since I returned." Amelia said with a friendly smile.

    ''I always knew the fates disliked me.'' Elle thought to herself sarcastically.

    "Is this one of your friends Amelia?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "She is, but she was actually Adam''s friend first. I only met her through him."

    "Is that so?"

    "I''m Elle." She quickly introduced herself. "We met a long time ago but it seems Mrs. Hayes doesn''t recognize me."

    "Did we? When?"

    "At one of MK''s product launches late last fall."

    Mrs. Hayes'' eyes narrowed as she tried to recall before suddenly opening brightly. "That''s right! You were the main model that night."

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    "That''s right." Elle said with a soft smile. Just then a registered cleared, and Elle who was next in line was given her chance to escape. "I''ll be going now but it was nice meeting you again."

    "Wait, Elle, we''re going to go for lunch soon. Why don''t you join us?" Elle opened her mouth to politely decline but Amelia was faster. "You rejected me last time. You can''t possibly mean to refuse me again."

    Elle faltered. "I wouldn''t want to intrude on your plans." She answered uncertainly. "It would be rude of me to waste your time together. Maybe next time."

    "It wouldn''t be an intrusion at all." Mrs. Hayes insisted. "Why don''t I call my son as well?"

    Elle''s face getting more pale by the minute. ''This is my worst nightmare.'' Elle realized.

    "What a wonderful idea." chirped Amelia who no longer saw Elle as a rival and was always eager for an opportunity to see Adam.

    Before Elle could open her mouth to argue Mrs. Hayes had already pulled out her phone and began calling Adam.

    "That''s odd." She said after a moment. "He''s not answering."

    ''Of course he didn''t. He''s still asleep.'' Elle realized. Feeling more confident now Elle spoke firmly. "Your son is a busy person. I''d hate to bother him on a weekend. I''m also in a hurry today. Why don''t you let me treat you both to a cup of tea instead?"

    Both Amelia and Mrs. Hayes found this agreeable so once Elle had made her purchase they all went to a cafe in the mall to sit down for a cup of tea. The conversation was light and pleasant.

    Elle noticed a marked difference in Amelia in particular. She seemed much more genuine and friendly than she ever had before. Elle wondered if she had just been imagining the underlying defensiveness she had noticed before, not realizing that the difference in treatment was due to Amelia''s own misunderstanding. Amelia now saw Elle as a sweet and lovable girl now that she no longer saw her as a rival for Adam''s love.

    "So Elle, what projects are you working on now?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "Nothing special at the moment." Elle replied, not realizing in the moment that his mother mistook her to be a model. "Just the typical small projects here and there."

    "What about you Amelia."

    "I think I have something big coming up." She replied proudly. "But I''m going to keep quiet until it''s more certain."

    "Oh come now. That only makes me more curious. Doesn''t it Elle?"

    Elle only smiled politely in response. The conversation continued in the same manner for some time until Elle''s phone broke the sound of the continuous murmur of the conversation. Elle felt panic consume her as she saw Adam''s name appear on her screen. She scrambled to answer the call before either of the others could see who it was.

    "Hello?" She answered.

    "Where are you?" The groggy voice responded.

    "I''m still at the mall."

    "Good. I forgot we were out of dish soap. Do you think you can pick some up on your way home?"

    "Okay, sure."

    "...Are you with someone?" Adam asked as he noticed the polite strain in her voice.

    "That''s right! You''ll never guess who I bumped into; Amelia and Mrs. Hayes." Elle said with fake enthusiasm thick in her voice. But Amelia and Mrs. H didn''t notice, and simply smiled at their being mentioned.

    "My mother?" Adam asked with a furrowed brow.

    "That''s right." Elle responded through the gritted teeth of her best smile. "But don''t worry, I''ll be sure to keep our prior engagement. I won''t be late." She added, cleverly creating her fool proof excuse to leave the gathering early.

    "No, no, no. there''s no need for you to rush back. You should stay there and enjoy yourself properly."

    "What''s that? You want to meet earlier?"

    Adam laughed at her blatant scheme from his end of the line.

    "Sorry, I don''t think I''ll be able to make it to you early. I definitely won''t be late though."

    "Fine, fine. Run away if you want." Adam teased. "You''ve worked hard my love. I''ll see you at home."

    "Okay, I''ll see you soon." Elle was unable to answer his sweet words with ones of her own while in front of his mother and friend but their presence couldn''t stop the ever-so-slight blush that coloured her cheeks.

    "I take it you have to leave us now." Amelia said regretfully.

    "Unfortunately, but I thank you very much for the conversation." As Elle gathered her things another phone began to ring.

    "Ah! It''s my son." Mrs. Hayes said excitedly. "Hello Adam. Pray tell, what was so important that you ignored my earlier call?" She asked in a teasing voice.

    Her eyes widened in surprise to whatever it was Adam said in response. "You slept in? Really? You? However did you manage it?"

    Elle could just imagine Adam''s disinterested reply; ''Yes, me. I slept in. Now it''s your turn. Tell me what did you call for?''

    It seemed like he really did reply along those lines for Mrs. H said "Ah, I was out with Amelia this morning and we bumped into Elle. I wanted to invite you out to lunch with the three of us but it seems like Elle needs to leave to meet someone else already. Why don''t you join Amelia and me?"

    ....

    "Eh? You''re busy too? How unfortunate. Next time all four of us should meet. Speaking of which, why haven''t you introduced me to Elle before? I thought I knew everyone from your little circle by now."

    Elle''s heart beat loudly in anticipation. She had no idea but Adam softly replied "You''re right, I was late. I''ll introduce her to you properly next time."

 147 Close Encounters 3

    Elle exited the cafe together with Amelia and Mrs. Hayes who figured that she and Amelia might as well go eat now if there was no hope that her son would join them. The three of them had just parted ways when Elle ran into her second coincidence of the day, quite literally.

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    She was looking behind her, watching Amelia and Mrs. Hayes walk off together, when she suddenly bumped into someone. Elle looked up intending to apologize and realized that by some odd coincidence it was Chris.

    "I''m so sorry - " He started apologizing immediately, stopping suddenly when he realized who he was talking to.

    "Elle! What a surprise."

    "I seem to be blessed with such surprises today." Elle said with a stretched smile.

    ''If Abby and Jacob showed up her day would be complete.'' Elle thought to herself bitterly.

    Amelia by chance saw the interaction between the two and it only reinforced the idea that Elle and Chris were in a relationship.

    "Come aunty. Let''s go." She said as she took Mrs. H''s arm and lead her away with a satisfied smile on her face.

    "I was actually planning to call you." Chris confessed.

    "Oh? Is something wrong?"

    "No, it''s nothing like that. I just never properly thanked you for doing such a big favour for me last time."

    "That''s right. We haven''t spoken since that day have we? Don''t worry about it, I had fun being your assistant too. Besides it''s not a bad thing to have an A-list celebrity owe you a favour." She teased.

    "Perhaps, but I do have something for you. As a thank you."

    "For me?"

    "You''re leaving now right?" Chris asked.

    "Yes."

    "Perfect. Let me have just two more minutes of your time. Follow me." He said as he set off towards the parking lot.

    "Where are we going?" Elle complained as she followed after him.

    "It''s in my car." Was the only explanation he gave.

    Elle followed Chris to his car where he reached into the back seat and pulled out a small black gift bag.

    "For you." He declared. "As a thank you gift."

    Elle was flustered, feeling both surprised and grateful. "Thank you. You really didn''t need to do this much."

    "To be honest I didn''t really do anything." Chris said sheepishly. "The company I modelled for that time gave this to me as a gift but I have no use for it. Since you helped me during that shoot I thought it would only fair for you to have it."

    Elle opened the bag, a jewellery box laid inside, and nestled in the soft velvet of the box was a stunning diamond necklace.

    "I can''t possible accept this." Elle whispered. "It''s too much. You should save it for someone more important than me. For a girlfriend or perhaps your mother."

    "I don''t have a girlfriend." Chris said with a laugh. "And I''m not particularly close with my mother. You deserve it after letting me ruin your day off in such a way."

    Elle swallowed hard. She saw no reason to refuse it any more than she already had. "Thank you." She said, closing the box and holding it tightly. "I''ll wear it well."

    Chris smiled happily. It was such an innocent and child-like grin. "I''m glad."

    Once again Elle was overcome with the feeling of looking at a younger sibling. Or perhaps a cute puppy.

    After a few parting words they split ways and Elle finally returned to her car.

    "What an eventful morning." She murmured to herself. "All this fuss for a simple pair of shoes. I should have just stayed in bed with Adam this morning."

    ~~

    Elle had a few more stops to make; stopping to get lunch and some groceries, before she finally returned to Adam''s condo an hour later.

    "You''re back." Adam said as he came down the stairs to greet her.

    "Ugh, what a morning it''s been." She complained as she walked over to seek the comfort of Adam''s embrace.

    "Was it that tedious?" Adam said with a laugh. "You''ll make me start to worry that you hate my mother you know."

    Elle''s laugh was muffled by Adam''s chest. "You know it''s not that. It''s just so intimidating to meet her. Especially when I''m keeping such a big secret. I wanted to laugh when she wondered aloud why you didn''t answer the call, but I couldn''t very well answer ''I told him to sleep in this morning'' could I?"

    Adam chuckled in response. "Well I hope the whole trip wasn''t in vain."

    "No, I finished all my chores." Elle said as she abandoned Adam''s embrace to head into the kitchen to put the groceries she had gotten away. "Oh, I also met Chris again. I bumped into him by chance and he gave me this absolutely stunning diamond necklace."

    "Oh?"

    "He got it as a gift from the company he modelled for but gave it to me since he had no use for it and I did him a favour at that time."

    "Tell me, did being a model or being a model''s assistant pay better in the end?" Adam teased, recalling the times she modelled for MK.

    "Being a model of course."

    "Really?" Adam asked in genuine surprise. "Surely this was a better payoff, considering how little work you did but how expensive the reward you got out of it was."

    "Yes, but I only ended up dating you because I modelled for MK. There can''t possibly be a better reward in the world than that."

    It was Adam''s turn to flush for once. Elle poked her head out of the kitchen, wondering at Adam''s silence, and found him turned away from her with red ears. Teasing ensued of course.

    With such silliness and domestic bliss the rest of the day passed by quietly and unassumingly. By the time she went to bed all of the anxiousness Elle had felt from that morning had been long forgotten. In its place, engraved in her memory, was Adam''s smile and the warmth that it gave her.

 148 Discovery

    Elle had been having an awful and busy morning when she returned to work on Monday. After enjoying a peaceful remainder of her weekend she returned to work where she was suffering from one complication after the other. When she finally glanced at the time it was already well past noon. Elle leaned back in her chair and let out a long sigh.

    Her afternoon was full of meetings and she still had documents to prepare for them, her to-do list was a mile long, and all Elle really wanted to do was go home.

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    "What if I call in sick and skip work tomorrow?" Elle wondered aloud. "Could I get away with it?"

    The fantasy of skipping work to sleep in was a nice one but Elle knew it was an impossible dream. Even if she did do it she would only delay the inevitable. So she gathered her courage and left her office to het herself a quick meal and a large coffee in anticipation of the horrible afternoon ahead of her.

    ~~

    Adam''s day was going about just as well. His own work was piled up as tall as a mountain so it didn''t help that he also ended up needing to clean up other people''s messes. One of his managers was currently in his office reporting on the issue with Amelia''s contract which still remained unsigned.

    After Amelia spoke to her manager her office had refused to sign her contract with MK and the two sides had been in a stalemate ever since, unable to come to an agreement. After listening to the manager for a while Adam''s patience finally ran out.

    His hand came flying down onto his desk. Both David, who was also in the room, and the manager flinched at the sudden movement.

    "What is the point of having managers if they can''t even resolve a simple contract issue?" Adam asked coldly. "Do you really need to involve me in this?"

    David shuddered. It had been a long time since he had seen his boss in this bad of a temper.

    ''It''s my own fault.'' David reflected to himself as Adam continued to reprimand the pitiful manager. ''I got used to his good mood. I shouldn''t have taken it for granted.''

    A few moments later the manager was hurrying out of the office before anything more could be said. David watched as Adam leaned back in his seat, shut his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

    "Would you like me to follow up on this issue going forward?" David asked.

    "Sure." Adam replied tiredly. "Tell them they have one month. If they can''t come to an agreement and resolve this within four weeks let the contract go and find a different model instead."

    David hesitated. "Are you sure?" Amelia was someone from Adam''s own circle after all. Wouldn''t it be strange to just drop her after coming this far?

    "I''m sure. We can''t waste our time and resources on a single model. If they can''t come to an agreement then so be it."

    "If you insist."

    After a moment of quiet contemplation Adam got up suddenly.

    "Cancel all my meetings for the next two hours. I''m going out."

    With that Adam grabbed his coat and left the room, leaving David scrambling to do as he was told.

    ~~

    Elle was just returning from her quick lunch break in which she ran to the cafe across the street for a sandwich and a coffee when her phone began to ring. She was walking towards her building but stopped to answer Adam''s call.

    "Where are you?" Adam''s voice sounded from the other side of the line.

    "I''m outside my building."

    "Really? Where?"

    Elle looked around at her surroundings. "By the benches." She replied, noting several wooden benches to her left.

    "Wait there." Adam instructed before promptly hanging up the call.

    Elle''s eyebrows furrowed but she did as she was told, waiting for only a few seconds, before Adam appeared in front of her.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked with surprise. "Shouldn''t you be at work?"

    "I''m here to recharge." Adam replied as he pulled her into his embrace.

    "Are you having a bad day too?" She chuckled.

    "You know how it is. New day, same mess."

    "Come, let''s sit down for a bit."

    Elle led him over to one of the benches. She was a bit worried that someone might recognize him at first but was reluctant to bring it up with him. As it turned out everyone was too occupied with their own busy routines to pay any attention to two strangers.

    "You haven''t eaten yet right? Here have some." Elle said. Her lonely meal for one suddenly became a picnic. As they talked she became more relaxed and slowly stopped paying attention to her own surroundings.

    If she had paid attention she might have noticed that Abby, who was walking out of Tae''s building after stopping by to have lunch with Jacob, had spotted Elle as she was exiting the building. And more importantly, she had spotted the person whom Elle was with.

 149 A Night Ou

    One morning Adam and Elle were sitting around the table enjoying a light breakfast together when Adam''s phone began to ring, piercing through the peaceful quiet that surrounded them.

    Elle didn''t even bother looking up from her plate. She was quite used to Adam''s busy life and his phone that often interrupted their time together.

    Adam glanced at the screen before picking up. "What is it?" He answered bluntly.

    "Hello to you too. I''m doing well, thanks for asking. How are you?" Marcus asked sarcastically. He was only joking of course. Just like Elle, he was quite used to Adam''s blunt way of speaking and his seemingly cold demeanour.

    "I''m busy." Adam calmly lied as he stabbed a piece of fruit with his fork. "If it''s not important I''ll call you back later."

    "I''m just calling to let you know that the party moved locations. We''re meeting at the restaurant now."

    Adam''s expression dropped.

    "What is it?" Marcus asked, noticing Adam''s silence.

    "I forgot." He confessed.

    "You? You forgot?" Marcus asked with genuine surprise. Even Elle looked up from her food with curiosity. The idea that Adam would forget something so easily was absurd.

    Marcus began to laugh. "I guess you''re human after all. Will you still be able to make it?"

    "I already said I''d go. I''ll be there." Adam replied as he looked at Elle with a guilty expression.

    Elle watched on until Adam finally hung up the call.

    "What was that about?" She asked almost excitedly. "What did you forget?"

    "You don''t need to sound so happy at my having had made a mistake you know." Adam said with a smirk.

    "That''s not true." Elle said, blushing faintly. "I''m not happy about it. It''s just exciting, it''s a rare event after all. Who knows when the next time it will happen will be."

    "A friend is hosting a party tonight. Nothing special, just a dinner amongst friends, but I agreed that I''d go."

    "You don''t need to sound so guilty." Elle laughed. "Of course you should go. You''ve been so busy recently. It will do you some good to relax with your friends for an evening."

    "Won''t you come too?"

    Elle hesitated, surprised that he had invited her. "Is it okay for me to come?" She asked. "Won''t I be intruding?"

    "I don''t see why not. All the others bring their girlfriends. I don''t see why I can''t." Adam replied with a smirk.

    "Okay. I''ll come then." Elle murmured, trying to hide how secretly pleased she was.

    "I''ll come get you after work then."

    "No, that''s okay. I want to go home and change first. If you text me the address of the restaurant I''ll just meet you there."

    "Okay."

    This was the first time Elle would be accompanying Adam as his girlfriend. She knew Adam would never pressure her, or be expectant of her in this regard, but she wanted to make sure she made a good impression nonetheless.

    Elle was anxious the whole day, eagerly waiting for work to end so that she could rush home. Once she was free of her dreaded office she went back to her condo to shower and to rummage through her closet for something appropriate to wear.

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    ~~

    Meanwhile, Adam had stayed at work much later than Elle had, but because he made no detours he still ended up at the restaurant before Elle did.

    He walked into the back where his friends had already begun to enjoy their night. Amongst the group was Amelia, who couldn''t hide her pleasure at seeing Adam walk in, altogether clueless for what the night had in store.

 150 A Night Out 2

    Adam arrived at the restaurant before Elle did. He called her from his car when he arrived and she had just finished getting dressed.

    "I''ll go in first then?" Adam asked.

    "Sure, sure." Elle replied as she struggled to get her hair to cooperate with her. "I''ll take a cab there so I can drive us back in your car. Drink freely tonight."

    "You don''t have to do that."

    "But I want to." Elle insisted.

    "Just get here safely." Adam said with a faint smile.

    After hanging up the call Adam made his way into the restaurant and walked straight to the back to the private dinning room his group had reserved. Even from the hallway he could hear the over-excited banter of his friends.

    "If you don''t keep it down they''re going to kick us out." He said as he walked into the room.

    "Adam! You made it!" Marcus exclaimed as his friend entered.

    Marcus wasn''t the only one excited by Adam''s arrival. Amelia was sitting at the far side of the room chatting with the girlfriend of one of the guys in their circle when he entered. Her head snapped towards the door at the sound of his voice.

    "Why don''t you take a drink over to him?" Susan, the girl Amelia had been in the middle of conversing with, offered.

    Amelia had enough sense to flush slightly at the hint.

    "Oh, please," Susan teased, "You may think you hide it well but it''s so obvious to anyone that spends enough time with the both of you. It''s written all over your face the second that you see him. Besides, it''s Adam. Every girl in the city has a crush on him. It would be more strange if you didn''t like him."

    "Do you think he''s noticed?" Amelia asked as she looked backed over at Adam who was having a whispered conversation with Marcus.

    "Probably not. He may be Adam Hayes but at the end of the day he''s still just another guy. They can be so dense you know. Which is whyyou should take some initiative and offer him a drink."

    So Amelia gathered up her wits and approached them.

    "Where''s your girlfriend?" Marcus had been asking Adam in a low voice. "Didn''t you bring her? I thought I''d finally get the change to talk to her properly."

    "She''s coming. She''s probably on her way by now." Adam answered as he glanced down at his watch.

    Just then Amelia approached them. "Adam, you made it. I thought you might not come." She said, carefully inserting herself into the conversation.

    "You know how Andrew gets. It would be a bigger pain to deal with the fallout than to just attend."

    Amelia laughed, maybe just a little bit more than the joke actually warranted. "You''re right. He is oddly sensitive about those things. Since you''re here now why don''t you have a drink?"

    "Thanks." Adam took the glass from her and walked off towards the others, leaving Marcus and Amelia standing alone.

    "And where''s my drink?" Marcus jokingly asked.

    "I can get you some water if you like." Amelia countered.

    Marcus chuckled. "I like you Em. You''re a smart girl. You should find yourself a good partner now that you''re back in town. Finally settle down." He said almost pitifully.

    For a second Amelia was paralyzed by fear. ''Does he know?'' she wondered. But she quickly recovered herself. ''No of course he doesn''t. He can''t.''

    "It''s been a while since I heard that old nickname." She commented. "Thanks for your concern but you really ought to focus on yourself first. You''re too silly. At this rate you''ll never find someone." Amelia said it lightly, trying to keep the same joking tone they had used earlier.

    Marcus glanced at her for a moment before finally shrugging your shoulders. "Perhaps you''re right." was all he said before he left to go join Adam and the others as well. Leaving Amelia to her own thoughts.

    She wouldn''t admit it but Marcus had shaken her. As everyone settled around the room she didn''t have the confidence to try to get near Adam again, even though the seat beside him remained empty. Amelia spent the better part of the next few minutes arguing silently to herself.

    ''I have found a good partner.'' She thought angrily to herself. ''I''m smart. Adam and I suit each other. We''d make a great couple and everyone knows it. I have a great relationship with his parents too. There''s nothing stopping us from being together.''

    Nothing but the girl who was already making her way through the restaurant.

    Moments later Elle entered the room hesitantly. She was dressed in a comfy black sweater dress with her hair up in a pony tail and some light makeup on. Those who noticed her entry looked back and forth amongst each other, trying to figure out who her contact within the room was.

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    "My girlfriend." Adam announced, introducing her with only two words. "Come here." He said, calling her over them.

    Amelia''s world came crashing down around her as she watched the girl whom she had written off as no one so easily smile shyly as she took the seat next to Adam.

 151 A Night Out 3

    A silence fell over the room.

    "She''s your what?" One of the guys next to Adam asked immediately.

    "My girlfriend." Adam said again.

    A faint blush crept up Elle''s neck as she crossed the room and took the empty seat next to Adam. It reminded her of the night of MK''s launch all those months ago.

    Once again she could feel everyone''s piercing gaze on her as walked into the room. Only this time she had no mask to hide behind. She did, however, have Adam by her side.

    After a long silence, mostly filled by shocked and bewildered stares, the room erupted into questions.

    "What''s your name?" and "How long have you been dating?" and a dozen other questions that went unheard in the midst of the outburst.

    "At least ask one at a time." Adam instructed, silencing them.

    Elle took the opportunity of their silence to quickly introduce herself. "I''m Elle. It''s nice to meet you all."

    "How long have you been dating?" One of the friends demanded.

    Elle glanced at Adam, who looked perfectly relaxed, and gestured for her to go ahead and answer them.

    "A few months now. We started dating after new years." Elle answered.

    "Ah! I thought I recognized you. You were at the party we went to on new years eve."

    "That''s right." Elle replied awkwardly.

    "How did you guys meet?" A girl asked.

    Elle looked back at Adam again. ''He spilled coffee on me? I worked for him?'' None of those seemed to be appropriate answers.

    "It''s kind of a long story." She answered vaguely. "We just kept bumping into each other by chance."

    The questions continued for a while longer; where was your first date, are you living together, questions about Elle''s work, which all the girls were excited to know more about once they learnt she was the heiress of Tae, until Adam finally silenced them.

    "Enough. No more questions."

    "That''s not fair." The crowd moaned. "You can''t suddenly announce that you''ve been dating a girl for the better part of a year and then not expect us to have a million questions."

    "Yea." The others chimed in. "I can''t believe you didn''t tell us about it earlier. "

    "I knew about it!" Marcus called out, smugly adding fuel to the fire.

    "What?! Out of all of us you decided to tell Marcus?"

    "He only found out by chance." Adam said in his defence. "The relationship was going so well. I didn''t dare ruin it by introducing her to you lot."

    Elle tried to hold back but she couldn''t help herself, she began to giggle. "That''s rude." She said, pretending to chastise him.

    As Adam''s friends continued to delve into a fake argument Elle glanced around to room at all the unfamiliar faces.

    It was hard to imagine that someone as antisocial as Adam has this many close friends. But then again she supposed it couldn''t be helped for someone in as high a position as him.

    As Elle looked around a familiar face suddenly came into view, and the distressed look on it immediately confirmed what Elle had begun to suspect for a while now; that Amelia was in love with Adam.

    Elle could see it clearly in Amelia''s pale countenance, distressed expression, and in the way her eyes never left Adam. Not even to notice that Elle, who was sitting right beside him, was watching her.

    A pang of sympathy hit Elle. It wasn''t like Amelia had any control over who she fell in love with. Nor did Elle know when Amelia''s admiration had first begun to develop. Elle knew herself what it felt like to chase after someone''s affections and not receive them. So she returned her attention to the teasing that had begun between Adam and a few of the other guys; not bothering to worry about things that she knew would never be.

    ~~

    Drinks were poured and dinner continued. Elle was overly conscious but as time went on she began to feel more at ease. She easily fell into the light conversation.

    "What do you even see in him?" One of them, Daniel, asked Elle at one point in the night as they all sat around the table.

    Elle looked up in surprise. "Everything." She replied immediately.

    "That''s a cheap answer!" the room argued, not accepting her answer.

    "Hmm." Elle said, putting her fork down and bringing her hand to her chin to contemplate her answer.

    "He''s kind, and considerate, and funny." Elle began listing.

    "Funny?" Marcus questioned. "Are you sure you know him well?"

    Elle ignored his teasing. "He knows me so well." She continued. "Somehow he likes the parts of myself that even I hate. I''m a better person when I''m with him."

    Even Marcus was silent. "Well, I can''t tease you about that." He said after a moment of silence. "This one''s sweet and gentle. Be careful not to loose her Adam."

    "I won''t." Adam said firmly, taking Elle''s hand in his and bring it to his lips to gently press a kiss to it.

    Elle smiled shyly, trying to control her reddening face. Meanwhile Amelia was only growing paler. She had endured her way through the dinner, focusing solely on her food with a tight smile on her face until now.

    ~~

    Eventually the night came to an end, everyone parted ways with promises to see each other again soon.

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    Elle drove Adam and herself back to his condo.

    "I like your friends." Elle commented as they drove. "They''re all very nice."

    "Hmm." Adam replied.

    Elle glanced over at him but he was looking out of the window, she couldn''t read his face. "What''s wrong? Did you drink too much? Are you feeling unwell?"

    "I''m reflecting on myself." He answered. "You said you liked that I was considerate."

    "I did." Elle said, recalling the memory from earlier in the night.

    "I wonder if I deserve your praise. I don''t even remember when the last time we went on a proper date was. I''m ashamed."

    Elle felt her heart soften. "I told you before, I don''t need anything like that. We don''t need to go anywhere, I only care that we''re together."

    "Is that so?" Adam replied, but his face plainly showed that he was still bothered by it.

    They had reached his home by then. Elle parked the car and leaned over to his seat, wrapping her arms around his neck.

    "If you feel that bad then make it up to me. Give me all the attention I was deprived of this last week tonight." She whispered softly.

    That seemed to do the trick. The idea seemed to be gone from his mind, replaced with an urgency to get back upstairs.

    Elle was laughing as they entered his condo and immediately headed towards the bedroom. They stopped occasionally, leaning against the wall to share a kiss, and discarding their clothes along the way.

    In the bedroom Adam was attentive. Elle gasped for breath, pinned under him, as he held her the way he always did. His warmth surrounded her, his whispers of sweet nothings and his own ragged breathing filled her ears.

    In her mind it only confirmed that she was right when she said what she said earlier. She knew him, knew what he was like. Calm, strong, and of few words; with countless ways to give her happiness. He was cold and hard to the rest of the world but always soft and warm with her. That night his softness made her give herself in to him again and again.

 152 Getting Serious

    Amelia wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and mope.

    Adam had a girlfriend. Elle was Adam''s girlfriend.

    Perhaps it was her own fault. Just because Adam had been single all these years didn''t mean he would stay single forever. She should have prepared herself for it better. No...in the first place she should have never left for Hollywood. Her career took a step forward but her relationship with him took two steps back.

    If she had just stayed back then perhaps something would be different now. If she confessed her feelings sooner could it have been her hanging on Adam''s arm now instead of that nobody girl?

    These were the thoughts that plagued Amelia''s mind on a rare sunny and warm autumn morning.

    Unfortunately she wasn''t able to mope in peace for long. Soon her manager arrived at her home. The manager let herself in and made her way to Amelia''s bedroom where she was surprised to find the praised actress tangled in her sheets with a pillow over her head.

    "What are you doing?" She asked as she roughly drew the curtains open. " It''s already ten o''clock. You should be ready by now. Don''t tell me you forgot about the lunch meeting."

    "Of course I didn''t forget." Amelia mumbled from beneath the sheets. "I''m just not going."

    "What? What do you mean you''re not going?"

    Amelia was silent.

    "These contract negotiations are only happening because of your apprehensions; you can''t just back out now. Do you know how bad it will look?"

    "I''m not going." Amelia stubbornly insisted.

    "You are going." Her manager bit back. "I don''t know what''s gotten into you today but I''m not going to let you ruin the one opportunity you''ve been waiting your whole life for. Now get up."

    A short struggle ensued, it was one that Amelia lost. Next thing she knew she was dragged out of bed and into the shower, after which she was forced to get dressed and get into a company car, on her way to lunch with some of MK''s legal staff members.

    As they arrived at the restaurant her manager leaned over to Amelia, "If you''re not feeling well than just stay silent. Don''t force yourself to participate in the discussion, but this meting is important. I need you to be here."

    Amelia followed her manager''s advice and kept silent during lunch. She only spoke in order to greet everyone and then occasionally to answer a question that was directed at her. Aside from that she let the boring and political conversation fade away and put all her attention into picking at the food in front of her.

    Some how an hour went by and the meeting finally came to and end. Amelia was happy to be out of a situation that only reminded her of Adam more.

    After the meeting was over Amelia returned back home. She didn''t know how she passed the time, other than with the word solemnly, but eventually the morning faded into the afternoon and the afternoon had begun to fade into the evening when she was interrupted by a knock at the door.

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    Amelia frowned, if it was her manager she would have just barged in. She forced herself to the door to see who it was. This time it was friend who had come to intrude on her gloomy mood.

    "What is it?" Amelia asked after she opened the door and let her friend in.

    "You weren''t answering your phone." The friend replied with a pout. "Some of the girls are going out for dinner and some drinks. You should join us." She asked, not noticing the blue mood that had settled in the apartment.

    Amelia opened her mouth to reject the offer but then hesitated. Maybe it would do her some good to go out with her friends and get her mind off her own pathetic concerns.

    After a moment''s consideration Amelia made up her mind. "Okay, sure." She responded.

    The night went by much better than the day. Amelia still wasn''t herself but it wasn''t as torturous as lunch. Occasionally she found herself laughing along to whatever silly story her friend''s were telling.

    As the night went on Amelia''s friends became more aware of her mood as well. After several attempts of trying to uncover what was wrong they finally managed to drag her story of heart break out of her.

    "It''s unfortunate," one of them finally responded, "but they''re only dating. There''s still the possibility that they''ll break up."

    "You should just confess instead of forever wondering what could have been." another interjected.

    "I have no chance." Amelia said, resigned to the fact of it.

    "Says who? It''s up to you girl, but it''s not life you to just give up on something cause you think your odds are low. After all they''re not impossible are they?"

    Something in those words clicked to Amelia. Yes, her chances were low but they weren''t zero just yet. All she needed was to improve her odds a bit.

    They were right. She wasn''t about to waste all those years of her effort and hard work go. She wouldn''t give up so easily.

    Just as quickly as she got there, she was dragged out of the horrible abyss in her mind. With a feeling of confidence restored in her she began planning with her friends. She didn''t need to change her destination, she only needed to take another detour in her route there.

 153 Negotiations

    Another week passed by, busier than the last. Adam had stopped making it back in time for dinner in recent days. If Elle wanted to see him her best bet was to stay over at his place; which is exactly what she began doing.

    This night in particular Elle had dozed off while waiting for him to return. She had been sprawled out on the big living room sofa. She didn''t remember falling asleep but she must have dozed off at some point because the next thing she knew she was being lulled out of her sleep by the feeling of being scooped up by a pair of strong and familiar arms and by the gentle sway of his long strides.

    "You''re home?" She murmured, her words slurred by her sleepiness.

    "If you''re going to sleep here at least sleep in the bed." Adam chastised her. Even while half asleep she could make out the worry that seeped into his voice.

    "I wanted to wait for you." She replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck and burrowed her face against his chest.

    "You''ll get sick if you sleep out here. You should wait for me in the bed at least."

    "If I wait for you there you wouldn''t wake me up when you come home. You even leave before I get up most mornings. I''d never see you."

    Adam had no reply to that. He didn''t like it but she was right.

    "I''ll wake you up when I get home so from now on please sleep properly until I''m back."

    "Promise?"

    "Promise."

    "Fine." Elle conceded.

    Adam tucked her into bed before heading into the bathroom to wash up. By the time her got out Elle had already fallen back asleep. Adam let out a tired sigh and then got in the bed beside her.

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    Even in her sleep Elle seemed to sense his presence. She turned over and snuck into his arms, snuggling against the warmth of his chest.

    Adam smiled and wrapped both arms around her. He couldn''t imagine how he managed before he met her. He couldn''t imagine any pleasure that could have previously been derived from coming home late to an empty house and a cold bed. In her warm embrace he quickly fell into a gentle and peaceful sleep.

    ~~

    Peaceful was the opposite of how Amelia had been the past few days. Since she decided not to give up on Adam she had been busy reformulating her approach. She also knew Adam well; they had known each other for many years now.

    It was a busy season for MK. If she could spend more time with him than Elle did, and if she could be useful to him, then perhaps she could have a chance of swaying his heart. Amelia, who had a clever mind, finally came up with a plan to kill two birds with one stone.

    She got dressed that morning in a simple but flattering white dress with black knee-high boots. She put on some makeup but kept it in a light and fresh style. Then she finally styled her hair so that it fell in soft, loose, curls. Once she was satisfied that she she maintained a good balance of beautiful without going overboard she headed over to MK.

    Her legal team would be meeting with MK''s today in order to negotiate the terms of her contract. In truth Amelia didn''t need to be there herself, but when she heard that the negotiations would be happening at MK she jumped at the chance to go herself; pretending to be committed to her work and showing MK her sincerity when really she only wanted a chance to meet with Adam.

    The negotiations were about as boring as she expected them to be. Amelia sat through them for a while before getting too bored to feign interest any longer. She politely excused herself from the room and made her way to the top of the building, towards one office in particular.

    "Amelia," David said in surprise as he saw her approach, "what are you doing here?"

    "I''m here as part of the contract negotiations. Is Adam in? I wanted to say hi while I''m here."

    "Let me see if he''s free." David disappeared behind the office door, reappearing a moment later. "Go ahead." He said, holding the door open for her.

    As Amelia entered his office she was immediately struck by the view.

    "I forgot how stunning the view is from up here." She breathed. "I love your office. In the future I want to have a condo done in this style. I can imagine how it must be to be able to overlook the entire city at night."

    "What are you doing here?" Adam asked bluntly, but not rudely. Amelia smiled, not minding at all. He was the same as he always was.

    "I thought I would show my sincerity by attending the contract negotiations but I forgot how utterly boring these things can be." Amelia responded as she walked towards one of the large bookshelves on one end of the room. "Hey, is it okay if I wait up here for a little while?"

    Adam opened his mouth but Amelia didn''t give him a chance to refuse.

    "I won''t bother you, I promise. Just for one hour." She pleaded.

    Adam gauged her for a moment. "Fine." He conceded. "Just for an hour."

    "Thank you." Amelia said with a pretty smile.

    True to her word she didn''t bother him at all. She selected a book from one of the shelves and sat down to silently read, occasionally looking up to steal a glance at Adam and enjoy the way his eyebrows furrowed together when he was focused.

    All too soon an hour passed by. Amelia received a text from her manager that the meeting was over.

    "Looks like time''s up." Amelia said lightly. "Thank you for letting me hide out up here."

    "No problem. See you." Adam said without looking up from his work.

    Amelia returned downstairs and rejoined her party with a feeling of success washing over her, and a smile that didn''t leave her for the rest of the day.

 154 Secrets, Revelations, and Understanding

    Abby struggled with herself for several days. From the moment she had seen Elle and Adam together in front of Tae she understood what the relationship between them was. It was clear as day that they were together and yet Elle hadn''t given her so much as a hint of it. Slowly the secret began to eat at her.

    She brought it up with Jacob once thinking he may have known something about it. He and Elle had lived together for a while after all. One night they were out to dinner together when Abby pointed out.

    "Elle has been dating someone, it seems like it''s been a while too." She commented lightly.

    "It seems so." Jacob replied, clearly uninterested.

    "Do you have any idea who it is? Surely you must have seen or heard something from her."

    "Not at all. She never comes to the house. I barely even see her at work since we''re on different floors."

    "I see..." Abby said disappointedly.

    "If you''re that curious about it you should just ask Elle yourself." Jacob said with a frown.

    "I suppose you''re right. Maybe I will." Abby said with a forced smile.

    It was a lie; Abby couldn''t bring herself to ask Elle directly. Things between them were different now, though they had mended whatever cracks had formed in the relationship they weren''t as close as they once were. Abby didn''t have the confidence to ask.

    In addition to not having the confidence to ask, part of herself was scared to ask. She was afraid to know the reason why Elle kept it a secret from her, for surely she purposely hid it from her.

    When Abby looked back it was clear to her how much had gone on in front of her that she had been oblivious too. Elle and Adam had been at a few parties together. Abby recalled how she had once teased Elle for talking to Adam at a party; had they already been dating at that point? What a fool she must have looked like back then.

    The worst day for Abby came on a day when Elle asked her out for lunch. Abby, who would have normally been thrilled that Elle had asked her out, Abby sat at lunch together with Elle with dread. Her secret seemed to hang between them like an invisible weight. She didn''t say much as they ate out of fear that she anything she said would lead to Adam.

    Instead Abby let Elle lead the conversation and listened to her talk about work and their other friends and whatever other mundane topics Elle brought up.

    While they ate Abby couldn''t help but notice the necklace around Elle''s neck, the one she always wore. A tiny little bluebird that had been a limited edition release from MK. Was that a gift from him? Abby wondered. It had come out last autumn - had they been dating that long?

    Then another realization hit Abby...that necklace had been released right after...

    "What is it?" Elle asked, noticing the distracted, far-off-gaze Abby had in her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

    "It''s nothing." Abby said, returning to the present for the moment.

    As soon as lunch was over Abby returned to work and began searching pictures from MK''s launch event that had happened the previous year.

    She began laughing to herself as the pictures came up on her phone. How funny. The mysterious model that she herself had admired for weeks and weeks was her own friend. How funny it was that she had no idea about it back then and yet now she saw it clear as day.

    Then it was funny for a second time. Abby couldn''t help but laugh at herself as she recalled how she had admired these pictures to the person in them without ever knowing.

    "How ironic." She said bitterly.

    Just then she came across a particular picture of Elle from that night, dressed in her beautiful gown with diamonds hanging around her neck, looking up at a display of white flowers with such innocent admiration in her eyes. Abby recalled, plain as day, a bouquet of the very same flowers sitting on Elle''s desk only a few days after this event had taken place.

    "The cold and unforgiving Adam Hayes is surprisingly romantic." She said in barely a whisper.

    Then finally the day came when Abby''s secret would be no more.

    It was a weekend but her mother had come and woken her up early that morning.

    "Take this over to Elle." She demanded, handing over several containers of food. Abby was flustered; she didn''t want to go.

    "I''ll take it over later." Abby stammered.

    "I told Elle I''d be sending it over for her to have for lunch today. Take it now." Her mother said with a tone of finality.

    So Abby reluctantly got dressed and headed over to Elle''s condo. She drove rather slowly and even stalled in the parking lot for several minutes before finally getting the courage to get out and head upstairs to knock on Elle''s front door. All the while praying that Elle was still asleep. Praying for some excuse to avoid the interaction.

    Her prayers were in vain. Elle opened the door and let her in.

    "Your mom said she would send over food but I didn''t expect it to be so quick. I could have come picked it up. Sorry that you had to go out of your way."

    Abby could see that Elle was talking more softly than usual. And when Elle glanced towards the bedroom Abby felt whatever restraint was inside her break.

    "Is Adam Hayes here?" Before she was even aware of it the words were coming out of her mouth.

    "What?" Elle asked.

    Abby couldn''t help herself. She burst out laughing at Elle''s panicked expression.

    "It''s worth not having been told by you just to be able to witness that expression." She said in between laughs.

    As her laughter died down Abby noticed that she felt five pounds lighter. She only knew how heavy this secret had been weighing on her now that it was gone.

    "You''re dating him right? I already know so you might as well just confess that I''m right."

    "How did you find out?" Elle asked nervously.

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    "I saw you two talking together in front of Tae one day."

    Elle rolled her eyes. "That could have been work related. Or a coincidence. Just cause we were talking doesn''t mean we were dating. Something else must have tipped you off." She argued.

    Abby was silent for a moment. "It was your smile." She said finally. "I''ve been your friend for many years now; I''ve seen you happy, I''ve seen you sad, I''ve even seen you angry, but I''ve never seen you smile like that before."

    Elle flushed bright red. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." She muttered.

    The apartment grew silent, each girl lost in their own thoughts.

    "Are you mad that I didn''t tell you?" Elle asked after a long moment.

    "I was at first." Abby confessed, choosing her words carefully. "I was angry for a while, then I just felt hurt, but the more I thought about it, and the more I realized, the more I understood you."

    "I don''t like it, but I can understand why you didn''t tell me. Jacob is still as clueless as always by the way, so you don''t have to worry about your family knowing. Not from me anyway." Abby continued. "I just came to drop off the food. I don''t want to intrude on you guys so I''ll go now but introduce me to him properly some time."

    She got up to leave but before she made it to the door Elle had grabbed her arm.

    "Thank you Abby." She said earnestly.

    "My mom is the one who cooked. I''m just the delivery service, no need to thank me."

    "No, for your understanding, thank you."

 155 No Reason to be Cautious

    Elle was at a loss after Abby''s sudden visit. It was a surprise to her, of course, to find out that Abby had known about her relationship with Adam for quite some time. It was a bigger surprise to her that her friend had managed to keep such a secret.

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    "I don''t think I could have acted normally if I had been the one who knew a secret." Elle said when she told Adam about it later that day.

    "Aren''t you the one who kept it a secret from her in the first place?" Adam teased, earning himself a playful smack in the arm.

    "Are you upset she knows?" He asked more seriously.

    Elle thought about it for a moment. "I''m not upset that she knows but I''m upset about how she found out. I regret that I wasn''t able to tell her myself."

    "I suppose we were both late in telling our friends."

    "We''re just quiet people." Elle said in their defence. "At first I didn''t want to tell her because the relationship was so new, I didn''t want to make a big deal out of it if it went nowhere, but after a while I was more comfortable with her not knowing. I don''t like being in the spotlight of the conversation and I didn''t want to make things complicated for her either. Besides, she''s my closest friend. Things like distance and not talking often aren''t enough to make us grow apart."

    "Once our busy seasons are over you should arrange for us all to do something together."

    "Sure." Elle said. "After our busy seasons."

    The truth was that Elle had a bigger concern than Adam and Abby meeting at the moment. She had been so preoccupied with her own life that she hadn''t realized what day the upcoming Wednesday was.

    When she first realized she had been overcome with the guilt of having forgotten and important day. Her guilt was suddenly overcome by another feeling when she realized what she would have to do.

    Elle wanted to take the day off work but doing so this close to the day of would mean she had to get permission from her direct superior, who was none other than her father.

    Normally she might not mind so much; she would just bear through her own discomfort. What truly bothered her now was that she would have to justify her request which would bring up a subject she still couldn''t bear to discuss with him.

    Elle had decided not to tell Adam about it yet. She was unsure how to bring it up to him but she knew she could rely on him. She decided that she would tackle one uncomfortable discussion at a time.

    For the rest of her Sunday Elle sat in quite anticipation of Monday and the conversation that would inevitably come with it, until finally the dreaded moment came.

    Elle had considered just sending an e-mail but had decided against it. She had decided to become a strong person. She didn''t want to loose to her own cowardice.

    Thankfully her courage lasted her the trip to the chairman''s office b. Elle took a deep breath and then knocked on the door before her courage could abandon her.

    "Come in." The stern and familiar voice replied from the other side of the door.

    Elle entered the room and was immediately struck by how unfamiliar her the face before her was. She hadn''t realized how long it had been since she had last seen her father until she saw him before her now.

    He was her father - she recognized him plain as day and yet the face she saw wasn''t the one embedded in her memory.

    ''Had his face always been that thin? Was his nose always that long?'' Elle wondered to herself.

    Parent and child couldn''t help but be similar, no matter how much they may dislike it. For while Elle was wondering at how unfamiliar the person in front of her was her father was doing much of the same.

    His daughter looked different to him. He noticed was that her hair had grown out quite a lot since he had last seen her and that there was more colour in her face, but even the air around her seemed different.

    All of Elle''s uneasiness disappeared as she entered that office. Her father had always had such a large presence in her life. For as much love as she had for him she had also always been wary in front of him. He seemed so insignificant to her now. She had no reason to be cautious in front of this person.

    If anything he ought to be the anxious one, not her. With her fears gone Elle boldly took a seat in front of the Chairman.

    "I need to take the day off work the day after tomorrow." She announced.

    "So suddenly?"

    "There''s a director''s meeting that day but if you can do without me I''d like to take the whole day off. If you really can''t let me then I''ll settle for the afternoon off."

    "Why do you need it?" Her father asked tiredly. "Your department is in a busy period, can you really afford to take a day off so carelessly?"

    "Did you forget what day that is?" Elle asked, venom seeping into her voice. "Actually, don''t answer that. It''s mother''s birthday. I doubt you remembered it even when she was alive. You were always bd at this sort of thing."

    Elle''s father had enough shame to look embarrassed. Elle watched in satisfaction as his ears turned red and his eyes looked away from her.

    "I can''t afford to not have you at that meeting but you can leave once it''s done."

    "Thank you Mr. Chairman." Elle got up and left without sparing a second glance at her father.

    But even if she had looked she might not have recognized the look of remorse on his face as she left.

 159 A Change in the Tide

    Elle woke to the sound of water running in the bathroom. The tap shut off after a moment and Adam emerged, dressed in black dress pants and a blue collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

    "Do you really have to go?" Elle murmured sweetly.

    Adam''s eyes lingered on her. Her hair was messy from her sleep and below the covers she had nothing on but his own loose fitted shirt.

    "I change my mind. I won''t go." He answered.

    MK was having a meeting bright and early on that Saturday morning to discuss the contract negotiations. What had started out as nothing more than a minor inconvenience had now blown up into a major issue, fueled by his father''s meddling.

    Elle laughed lightly. It was a sweet sound that only made Adam want to stay more. "We both know you need to go. Go and resolve this issue once and for all." Elle said, getting out of the bed to help him tie his tie. "That is, if you''re confident that you can resolve it."

    "Of course I can. I have a trump card up my sleeve." He said proudly, speaking of her of course.

    "Hurry back. I''ll have a victory lunch waiting."

    "Okay, I will."

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    Once he was gone Elle looked around his condo feeling quite bored.

    ''Should I clean?'' She wondered to herself, wondering how best to surprize Adam when he returned.

    ~~

    When Adam arrived to MK''s boardroom most of the other participants were already there, his father among them. Adam took a seat next to him, at the head of the table.

    "We''ll wait a few more minutes for the others to arrive." He announced as he took his seat.

    "I hope you have a suitable solution for this." He father said quietly as they waited.

    "I don''t see why you keep involving yourself in such trivial matters. You should have just stayed home and kept mother company."

    "Is that a yes or a no?" His father insisted.

    "Would I be here if I didn''t have solution?" Adam countered. "I want to make a deal with you. If I present a solution you''re satisfied with you have to agree to stop getting involved with company matters. Get a different hobby if you''re bored."

    His father begrudgingly gave his agreement.

    "Let''s start now." Adam announced, standing up again. "Many of you have expressed your concern on the contract negotiations and the fact that they haven''t been progressing. I won''t have our project delayed over the lack of one model. The outcome of the project won''t be ruined by having one less model in the shoot. We''ll proceed with the four we have signed."

    "But sir ¨C " The debating began. "Amelia is so highly ranked in the industry. This will be her first project since returning from Hollywood. It''s an invaluable opportunity for MK."

    "Besides," another added, "it''s already publicly known that we''ve offered her a contract. If it falls through now people will talk. It will be bad press for us."

    "Which is why I don''t intend to let her go." Adam said, silencing the complaints. "Since her company''s complaint with the contract is their worry that it isn''t a remarkable enough project to be suitable for her first project back, I plan to offer them a contract for another opportunity."

    "And what would that be?" His father chimed in, clearly intrigued.

    "Amelia is an actress. We''ll have her act. I intend to have MK produce a movie."

    Everyone in the room was stunned speechless. Adam had to stop himself from smirking with satisfaction at the response of the room.

    "MK has invested in a few productions before, but we''ve never funded anything on this scale before¡­" someone commented.

    Adam smiled softly, recalling how Elle had brought up the exact same point at their dinner. Adam gave the same reply now as he had then.

    "Just because we haven''t done it before doesn''t mean we won''t be successful if we do it now. I''ve already reviewed the numbers and timelines. I wouldn''t propose it if I weren''t confident."

    They spent a while longer discussing it but no matter how many questions were brought up Adam was able to answer them all. He may not be the most charismatic person, but he was confident, knowledgeable, and good at what he did. In the end everyone left the boardroom not only pleased, but excited about Adam''s proposal. Including his father.

    As the other members filed out of the room Adam''s father approached him. "You''re sure about this?" He asked.

    "Absolutely."

    "Very well. I can''t deny that I''m satisfied with this. Amelia''s company will have no reason to refuse this offer, the original project will continue on schedule, and MK will expand into a new field. It''s risky, but it ties everything up in a neat little bow. I''ll concede to you this time."

    A small smile turned up the corners of Adam''s lips. He gathered his things and put his coat on.

    "Where are you going after this?" His father asked.

    "I''m going home. You should as well."

 160 Working Together Again 1

    Autumn was almost over. The ground was littered with orange and red leaves, leaving the trees were bare. Cold winds had begun to blow, marking the change in the season.

    "It smells like winter." Elle noted one morning.

    "You''re right. I reckon snow will start falling soon."

    "Hmm." Elle hummed her agreement as she looked out the window.

    She was currently sitting in the passenger seat of Adam''s car and they were on their way to MK together. It had barely been a week since Adam had proposed his plan to her over dinner. And only a day since he had asked her to join him on his trip to work.

    "What are you doing tomorrow?" He had asked her after work yesterday.

    "Nothing special. It''s a Saturday so I''ll probably stay in bed all day being grateful it''s not yet Monday. Why, what do you have in mind?"

    "I have to go into the office tomorrow. If you''re not busy I was hoping you could come with me."

    "To MK?"

    "Your contract is ready to be signed. There are a few other items that require your attention as well."

    "Really? I''ll come."

    Adam had smiled and reached for her hand. "We''ll both be busier, but we''ll also get to spend more time together because of this project. I think this is the first time I''ve ever thought of work as fun."

    "You know I was apprehensive about this at first too, but now I think it will be fun for the both of us." Elle said with a grin.

    So, as undesirable as it was for Elle to get up early on a Saturday to go to ''work'', she still did it with a smile. Knowing that she was going to MK Elle put more effort into her appearance than usual. She wore a black fitted dress despite the cold chill outside and even took the time to curl her hair that morning.

    "You know you don''t have to do all this, right?" Adam asked, noting the loose curls that prettily framed her face.

    "Maybe not, but it''s bad enough that I put no effort into my appearance when I go to work at Tae. This is the bare minimum I should do before daring to show myself at MK."

    Once they arrived at the office Elle followed Adam upstairs to his office, once again surprised by the number of employees present on the weekend.

    "I forget how long it''s been since I last came here." Elle pondered on their trip upstairs.

    "A few months ago at best."

    "We would have already met by this time last year, huh." She mused.

    "A year goes by fast, doesn''t it?" Adam commented. "Our anniversary will be coming up soon enough. Should we go on a proper trip this time?"

    "Really?" Elle asked excitedly.

    "Should we have them film in an exotic location as an excuse? Kill two birds with one stone?" He teased.

    Elle nudged Adam with her elbow. "We''re here to work, don''t fool around." She said with a laugh.

    They were approaching Adam''s office now, where David was waiting for them.

    "It''s good to see you again David." Elle greeted.

    "You as well. It looks like we''ll be working together quite often in the future. Please let me know whenever you need something."

    "I''m looking forward to it, thank you." Elle said, feeling quite flustered.

    "For now bring over any documents that require her attention. Also have a copy of her contract brought up for her to review and sign. Have someone from the legal division come up too, in case she has any questions."

    "Yes, sir." David said before disappearing to do as instructed.

    Adam let Elle into his office, the door opened to reveal the grey sky and the expanse of the city below them.

    "I''ve missed this view." Elle sighed.

    A few minutes later David arrived with a stack of documents in hand as well as a "Peter from the legal division" who walked her through the various points of the contract.

    Elle had initially planned to sign the contract without bothering to review it closely herself. She trusted in Adam, and trusted that his review would have been sufficient, but she was wrong. As they reviewed the contract a few points jumped out at Elle.

    "Sorry, can I see that for a moment?" Elle asked.

    Peter handed over the document and watched in anticipation as Elle flipped through it. He was young, and obviously on edge at the prospect of her not being happy with it. Elle couldn''t blame him, MK was on a bad streak of getting important contracts signed.

    "Can you give us a moment?" Elle asked after a moment. Peter looked between Adam and her for a brief moment before quickly answering "Of course." And scurrying outside.

    Adam had been at his desk going through his own work. "Is something wrong?" He asked casually.

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    "Yes, something''s wrong." She said, dropping the thick contract on the desk in front of him with a satisfying thud. "You''re paying me too much."

    "I disagree."

    "It''s just a silly webnovel Adam, it''s not worth this much. What if it doesn''t even do well? Are you really going to let MK suffer a loss just to flatter me?"

    "If that''s really your opinion then you think too little of your own accomplishment." He said.

    "I''m being serious Adam. What will you do if there''s a loss?"

    "I''ll have to marry you and live off your wealth then." He teased, but he could tell she wasn''t in a joking mood. "Listen, do you know how many people were involved in drafting this contract? Do you know how many valuations were done? You must have noticed that the contract also gives you a lot of creative authority. It''s because it''s your story and I trust your opinion when it comes to that, so you should trust me too. I would never let your work fail. I fully intend for MK to make way more than what we''re offering you."

    Elle considered him for a moment. His confident smile, his shinning, proud, eyes. She signed and leaned over the desk to give Adam a kiss.

    "What was that for?" He murmured when their lips parted.

    "There''s something really attractive about watching you talk about how much money you''ll make with that much confidence." Elle said slyly.

    "Really? Should I tell you about our other investments?" Adam asked, leaning forward with an evil grin.

    "We''re still at work."

    "I can take you back home."

    "Give me some time. I want to milk you of all your money first."

    Elle called Peter back into the room and carefully signed all the necessary documents. As Peter left the room Elle stole a glance at Adam.

    ''We''re officially working together again.'' She thought to herself. ''What a weird feeling.''

    In front of her were dozens of documents entailing details on concepts, costumes, and all sorts of other things that Elle hadn''t even thought to consider. Her silly little book was really about to become a movie.

    Elle excitedly began to go through the documents. Adam glanced up and smiled at the contented smile on Elle''s face before turning back to his own work.

 161 Working Together Again 2

    It was quite a while later that Adam and Elle were interrupted by a knock at the door. David entered.

    "I''m sorry to interrupt you, but Amelia is here to see you sir."

    Adam frowned. "Her office was happy with the new contract. What does she want?"

    "She only said that it was important."

    "Tell her I''m busy."

    "No, it''s fine." Elle interrupted. "Let her in."

    David looked back to Adam who nodded his approval.

    "What are you up to?" Adam asked once David had left.

    "Nothing. It''s boring to work all day. It''ll be fun to chat with a friend, don''t you think? Besides, she said it was important." Elle said, crossing the room over to Adam. She propped herself up onto Adam''s desk so that she sat facing him and gave him an innocent smile.

    Maybe it was because of the million-dollar contract she just signed, but Elle felt bold and powerful today. It wouldn''t hurt to display a little dominance every now and then would it?

    Amelia entered the office with a smile on her face. "Oh! Elle, I didn''t know you would be here." Amelia said. Elle had to hand it to her, Amelia''s smile hadn''t faltered in the slightest.

    "It''s nice to see you again Amelia."

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    "What is it?" Adam asked, cutting to the chase.

    "It''s¡­it''s a bit personal."

    Adam opened his mouth, presumably to argue that anything she had to say to him could be said in front of Elle, but Elle quickly stopped him, grabbing onto his arm.

    "My legs are a bit stiff anyway. I''ll go for a walk, you guys talk."

    Adam frowned. "You don''t need to."

    "No, but I want to. I''ll go grab us some coffee while I''m at it. Do you want anything Amelia?" She asked with a smirk playing on her lips.

    "N-no that''s okay. Thanks Elle."

    "Sure." Elle said, she walked out of the room but not before giving Adam a quick kiss on the cheek.

    "So? What is it?" Adam asked as soon as Elle had left.

    Amelia bit her lip nervously. She hadn''t been expecting Elle to be here or Adam to be so cold. Whatever excuse she had had in mind before walking into his office was unravelling at the seems.

    "My father." She managed to say. "My father''s been wanting to meet with you. My parent''s haven''t seen you in a while, they invited you to come over for dinner this weekend."

    Adam''s eyes narrowed. "That''s it? It''s not really something personal is it?"

    "Since your relationship with Elle is still a secret, I thought you wouldn''t want them to know. It would have been rude of me to invite you but not Elle when she was in the room with us." Amelia quickly justified, surprised at her own fast thinking.

    ''That''s a great excuse.'' She silently praised herself.

    Adam gauged her for a minute while Amelia simply looked back at him with an innocent smile.

    "Fine." He said eventually. "I can''t promise I''ll make it but I''ll take a look at my calendar."

    "Thank you." Amelia said.

    It was her turn to be interrupted by a knock at the door. Elle poked her head in sheepishly. "I''m not interrupting, am I? I forgot my purse."

    Adam couldn''t help himself, he began to chuckle as he watched the woman who so confidently sat on his desk and so proudly left the room come back with her tail between her legs. Elle flushed at the sound of Adam''s laughter while Amelia was stunned by it.

    Her stomach knotted. She had only seen Adam laugh a few times in her life and it had never been because of her before.

    "Don''t worry. Amelia and I had finished talking anyway. Let''s go together." Adam said as he stood up from his desk.

    "Are you sure?" Elle asked, looking at plainly unhappy look on Amelia''s face.

    "You didn''t need anything else did you Amelia?" Adam asked.

    "No." She said with a clenched jaw.

    "Good, I''ll see you for the contract signing later."

    The three of them parted ways. Amelia unhappily went back home to inform her parents of a potential fourth person joining them for dinner on the weekend while Adam and Elle ended up in a little caf¨¦ across the street.

    Elle was enjoying a cup of tea and talking about the weather, but Adam didn''t hear a word of it. Something Amelia said was still eating at the back of his mind.

    ''Your relationship is still a secret.'' She had pointed out.

    At the beginning Adam was content to keep it a secret to protect Elle from the life of prying eyes and unnecessary gossip that he knew. He didn''t know when the change had happened, but it seemed that now it was more of a hindrance keeping the relationship a secret. Adam wasn''t a fan of hindrances. He didn''t intend to keep this one for much longer.

 162 End of the Season

    Christopher woke up one winter morning, unaware of what the day had in store for him.

    It was a day like any other; he woke up late, tired from another late-night event, and pulled back the curtains, disgusted by the cold, dull, and grey world outside. He went about his regular morning routine, it was just past noon when it finally happened.

    He received a call from his manager.

    "There''s a new offer for you. Come in to the office to look over the contract." He told Christopher excitedly.

    Chris looked out the window at the dark skies, watching trees bend to the cold winds. "I don''t want to." He complained. "I''ll come in next week."

    "It''s a contract with MK." The manager said.

    Christopher''s head snapped up. "For a modelling shoot?"

    "For a film."

    Christopher frowned. "MK doesn''t produce films."

    "They do now. Adam''s secretary dropped off the contract himself."

    "I''ll be there in an hour." Christopher said, discarding his half-eaten plate of food at the table and rushing to get dressed.

    He had waited half his life for this opportunity. Now that it was finally in front of him he couldn''t bare to wait even an hour more.

    As soon as he got to his manager''s office he took a copy of the contract and began skimming through it, not stopping until he reached the end of it.

    "Are you sure you don''t want to think about it longer?" His manager asked as he watched Chris sign the contract.

    "No need. Send this back as soon as possible."

    After leaving the agency Chris went to MK. With an innocent grin on his face he made his way up to one of the top floors of the building. Adam''s floor. He knocked at Adam''s office and was surprised to find Elle sitting at the desk, and Adam no where in sight.

    "What are you doing here?" Elle asked, blinking in surprise.

    "I should be asking you that." Chris said with a laugh.

    "David and Adam have gone to a meeting. I''m just waiting for them to come back."

    "You know you can''t snag that position simply by stealing his seat." Chris teased, eyeing Adam''s desk.

    "I''m here for work purposes." Elle said, suddenly desperate to justify herself.

    "Oh? Then we have something in common. I came here to greet Adam and thank him for this." Chris said, holding up the thick contract.

    Elle felt something like pride grow in her at the sight of her book''s title across the front page of the contract.

    "You got a role?" She asked excitedly.

    "I got the main role." He pretended to boast.

    "Congratulations!"

    "Are you working on it as well?"

    "Something like that. A behind the scenes role."

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    "Then I look forward to working with you." Christopher said.

    After a moment he turned to leave. "Well, I''ll see you later I suppose."

    "Aren''t you going to wait for them to return?"

    "That''s okay. I''ll have my manager contact his office. I look forward to working with you!"

    "Me too." Christopher left the office with an even bigger smile then he came in with.

    He was in the elevator going back down, and it had stopped on one of the floors. The doors slowly opened to reveal Amelia, who looked at him blankly for a moment before stepping into the elevator with him.

    "You too?" She asked eyeing the contract in his hands.

    "I assume you got asked for the female lead then?" Chris asked.

    "That''s right. I guess we''ll be working together for the first time."

    "Let''s do it well." Chris said, offering his hand.

    Amelia eyed it for a moment before extending hers as well.

    "Sure, let''s make it a great production." She said, shaking his hand.

    They parted ways in the lobby. Christopher exited MK''s building and looked out at the grey sky and felt the refreshingly cold wind blow against him.

    ''What a beautiful day.'' He thought to himself.

 163 Happy Holidays

    The days passed by in a blur full of working, planning, and holiday shopping. Elle felt it was the most busy she had ever been, but for once she didn''t mind at all. This was because she was surrounded by lights, decorations, sweets, and all the other gaieties that came along with the holiday season.

    Her own apartment was decorated from top to bottom with strings of lights, bows, and a magnificent tree that stood proudly in the middle of her living room.

    When she discovered that Adam never decorated his place she was fuelled to put even more effort into their decorations. She insisted they go out and buy a christmas tree. It was a whole day''s affair; going out to buy a tree and ornaments and spending all afternoon decorating the tree as Christmas music played in the background. It was a perfect picture of holiday joy. The only thing missing was the snow.

    "I wish it would snow already." Elle moped on their way to work one morning.

    "It has snowed." Adam rebutted.

    "Only once or twice. All of it has already melted away. I want a big snowfall, one that will last until Christmas."

    "Be careful what you wish for. We might end up with a snow storm in the new year."

    "The only time people want snow is on Christmas day. It''s going to end up being an ugly, brown, Christmas."

    "Yes but your apartment has enough Christmas spirit that I don''t think we''ll notice the lack of snow."

    Elle smiled. That was true. Besides, as long as she was with Adam there wasn''t much she could truly complain about. Slowly Elle''s smile faded.

    "My father wants to see me today." She said, turning to look out the window at the barren world.

    "Oh?"

    "I suspect he''s going to ask me to go home for the family holiday party on Christmas Eve."

    "Do you want to go?"

    "No." Elle replied bluntly. "I''ve never enjoyed those things, just a bunch of aunts and uncles all overstepping their boundaries. It''s the holidays, I want to spend them with you. But on the other side of that argument is that it''s the holidays and they are my family too."

    "You know, I''ll probably get off work late anyway. And I really should stop at the family home for a little bit before I come home. You should go see your family."

    "Will you come get me as soon as you''re done?"

    "Of course."

    "And we''ll have the whole day together on Christmas day, right?"

    "That''s right."

    "Fine. I guess I can grace the family with my presence for a few hours then." Elle teased with a smirk on her face.

    When the time for her meeting with her father rolled around, Elle made her way up to his office. There was a marked difference between this meeting and every other time she entered his office before.

    Elle was calm and collected and not at all bothered by the presence of her father. Her father on the other hand was overly cautious of his daughter and the thin ice he stood on with her.

    "You asked to see me, chairman?" Elle asked as she took a seat in front of his desk.

    Her father cleared his throat. "It will be Christmas eve in just a few days. Will you be staying at home for the holidays?"

    "No, I''ll be staying at my home."

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    "Is that so?" Her father mumbled. "Well on the 24th we''ll be having our annual holiday party for the family. I expect you to be home for that at least."

    "I''ll come by for an hour or two."

    Her father simply nodded his approval and remained silent.

    "If that''s all..." Elle said, slowly getting up from her seat.

    "Won''t you be spending Christmas alone? Isn''t it better to spend it at home with your family?" He asked abruptly.

    Elle was about to say that that place was no longer her home but seeing her fathers face softened her heart. "I won''t be alone for the holidays. You don''t have to worry." She said simply as she left the room.

    Elle smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway back to her office. It was funny to consider how lonely she had felt in a house full of people she called family compared to the feeling of being in a single man''s arms. She was impatient to return to those arms now.

    Elle sighed and looked down at her watch. She would have to wait a little longer still.

 164 Christmas Eve 1

    For the first time in weeks Elle and Adam had spent the night apart. Elle woke up alone in her own apartment. For the past few nights they had both been staying at her place since they had only bothered to decorate her own apartment. Last night Adam had to attend MK''s holiday party and hadn''t wanted to disrupt her sleep by coming in late so he went back to his place.

    Elle called him as she got dressed in the morning.

    "Did you have fun last night?"

    "It was fine I suppose." Adam said.

    "Hey which dress should I wear tonight?"

    "You look so beautiful in everything you wear." Adam replied instantly but genuinely.

    Elle rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself. "That''s very nice of you but it doesn''t help me at all."

    "In that case you should wear something red. It''s a festive colour and it suits you so well."

    "Red it is." Elle said with a smile. "What time do you think you''ll be done tonight?"

    "I''ll come get you at nine at the latest."

    "Make sure you eat well tonight. Don''t rush dinner on my account."

    "Are you sure?"

    "I''ll be fine, it''s just my family. Besides I''ll have Abby with me."

    "Fine. I''ll call you when I''m on my way over."

    "Alright, I''ll see you later. Love you."

    "Love you too."

    ~~

    Elle''s day at work went by in the blink of an eye. Everyone was excited for the holidays and though they worked diligently there was an easiness in the air. Everyone seemed to be sitting on the edge of their seats hoping to be let out early.

    Just before noon Elle stepped out of her office and down the rows of her employees.

    "How is everyone''s day going?" She asked casually.

    "It''s going well." They all vaguely replied.

    "Is everyone excited for the holidays? Any Christmas Eve plans?"

    The answer was an outstanding yes. Most of them had dinner plans.

    "Well then you''d better rush home and get ready."

    "Really?"

    "Sure. You guys can start heading out at one. Just make sure any pressing matters are handled before you leave."

    They all cheered and thanked her, which brought a warm smile to Elle''s face. In fact her team seemed to work even harder after that, all rushing to make sure they could leave as soon as possible. Elle chuckled and went back into her office. There wasn''t really a point of getting off early for her so she figured she would just work to the end of the day.

    That was what she initially intended but even she wasn''t a saint. Once everyone had left and Elle alone remained on the floor she couldn''t help but start slacking off. First choosing to play some music to fill the empty silence, then deciding she could save herself some time by getting dressed in her office rather than her family home. Her work was soon forgotten on her desk.

    ~~

    Later that afternoon Elle made her way back to her family home. She had hitched a ride with Abby since they were both going to the party. That way she wouldn''t need to worry about leaving her car behind when Adam came to pick her up.

    As the two girls pulled into the driveway Elle couldn''t help but stare at the house. Everything was just as she remembered it and yet there was something unfamiliar about the home she had spent the past twenty years growing up in.

    "Are you ready?" Abby asked, getting ready to head inside.

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    "Yea." Elle replied. She walked slowly, a few steps behind her friend, taking in the scene around her.

    Her father was the one who opened the door. He seemed startled by her, even though he was the one who told her to come in the first place. He paused at the doorway before stepping aside.

    "Come in girls. Most of the aunts and uncles are already here."

    Elle glanced at her watch before she entered the house. Only a few more hours until Adam would come rescue her. She took a deep breath and then stepped into the house.

 165 Christmas Eve 2

    Only an hour had passed when Elle escaped to the bathroom for the first time. She leaned against the cold porcelain sink and let out a tired sigh. Her family was the same as it ever was. Loud and nosy, two qualities Elle liked least. Though she supposed there was something to be desired in being surrounded by so many people during the holidays.

    After a moment a knock sounded at the door.

    "I''ll be out in a minute." Elle called out. She quickly splashed herself with a little cool water before heading back out to the party.

    "There you are!" Abby called out as she re-entered the living room. "Where did you disappear to?"

    "No where in particular." Elle said with a stiff smile, lying through her teeth to her friend.

    The truth was that Elle had been doing her best to subtly avoid Abby. Not out of any sort of dislike but because this year Abby was joining the party as Jacob''s girlfriend and not as Elle''s old friend. She didn''t mind of course, she was happy to see that at least her friend was enjoying herself. Elle just felt uncomfortable following them along as their third wheel.

    "I think I''ll go grab a bite to eat." Elle said, carefully excusing herself from the group once again.

    "Here, we''ll come with you." Abby offered.

    "No that''s fine, you two should continue to mingle."

    "We''ve barely talked all night, let''s go together. Come on Jacob." Abby insisted, pulling Jacob along with them.

    Elle made her way to the refreshment table with Abby following close behind hanging on to Jacob''s arm, who seemed to be following along reluctantly.

    "Elle, there you are." A voice called out.

    Elle looked to see one of her aunts approaching the group.

    "Aunt Janice, it''s nice to see you again." Elle said with a forced smile on her face.

    "You too darling. It''s a shame you weren''t here when I visited a few weeks ago. I heard from your father that you''re living alone now."

    Her aunt said it sympathetically but Elle knew how to read the underlying judgement in those words.

    "That''s right, I bought my own condo." Elle said proudly.

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    "Where is it? In a good neighbourhood I hope."

    Elle had the satisfaction of watching her aunts jaw drop slightly when she heard Elle say which condo building it was.

    "How did you end up getting a condo there?"

    "Have you forgotten that I''m a director at Tae? I''ve recently been doing some jobs on the side as well. It wasn''t that hard really."

    "Aunty, I don''t think we''ve met yet," Abby interrupted suddenly in hopes of saving her friend from the uncomfortable conversation. "I''m Abby. I''m Jacob''s girlfriend."

    "It''s nice to meet you dear. How did you guys meet?"

    The conversation shifted to Abby; her work, her family, how fortunate Jacob was to have such a beautiful girlfriend, and how he should aim to be promoted soon.

    "Elle you know you''ve been single for long enough. You should start dating soon. I can set you up with some nice young men if you want." Her aunt said excitedly.

    "Oh aunt," Elle said with a laugh, "Have you already forgotten where I live? In that condo handsome and rich actors and models are only ever one floor away." She said flirtatiously, earning herself a satisfying look of mortification from her aunt and a disapproving elbow to the ribs from Abby.

    "I''m only teasing. You see I''m actually already dating someone, but I thank you for your offer." Elle added after a moment, for Abby''s sake.

    "Oh," her aunt said with a breath of relief. "and who''s the lucky man?"

    "I don''t think you would have ever met him before. He''s in business like me. We met through work."

    "How romantic. You know I met your uncle back when he..." Her aunt began telling a story that Elle had already heard a dozen times while the three listened with fake enthusiasm.

    Elle was stifling a yawn when suddenly her father''s wife walked up to the group.

    "I hope I''m not intruding." She said.

    "No, of course not. I was just blabbering on." Aunt Janice replied jokingly.

    "I just need to borrow Jacob for a moment."

    "Yes mother." Jacob said, clearly eager to escape.

    The two left without a word or even so much as a second glance towards Elle. Just the same as it always was. No harsh words, no glares, no passive aggressiveness, no interaction at all between Elle and the person she refused to acknowledge as her step-mother. As that lady walked off Elle felt Abby''s hand slip into hers.

    "Don''t mind that woman. I don''t like her either." Abby whispered softly to her.

    Elle smiled and squeezed the hand tightly. "Don''t say that. You might one day call that woman your mother. It''s enough support if you forgive me if I never do."

    "Of course."

    "Come on. Let''s go get some fresh air."

    Elle and Abby snuck out of a back door into the garden, leaving their coats and scarves behind. The cold air bit at their skin but it was a welcome sensation and felt refreshing after being in the warm and stuffy rooms of the house for so long.

    "Where is your man tonight?" Abby asked.

    "He''s with his own family right now. He''ll come rescue me soon though."

    "Brag about it why don''t you. I''m going to be stuck here all night." Abby teased.

    "Should I kidnap you in my escape?"

    The girls continued their stroll in the back garden until they were finally interrupted by Elle''s phone. She answered it excitedly as soon as she saw the name that appeared.

    "Hello?"

    "Hey, I''m heading over to you now. Are you ready to leave?"

    "Yes! Text me when you''re out front and I''ll sneak out."

    "Okay, I''ll see you soon."

    "I guess you''ll be leaving me now." Abby said.

    "I''m sorry." Elle apologized without being able to remove the smile from her face.

    "It''s fine, I''m only teasing. You better introduce me to him in the new year."

    "I will. I promise. Merry Christmas Abby!"

    Elle ran back inside and grabbed her coat. She only made one stop before rushing out the front door. Elle slowly opened to door to her father''s study, knowing she would find him there.

    "Are you leaving already?" He asked as he eyed the jacket she had on.

    "Yes."

    "Won''t you stay a while longer?"

    "No, thanks. I just wanted to say Merry Christmas before I left." As Elle said it she laid a small box wrapped in bright red paper on his desk and then left the room.

    "All good?" Adam asked as Elle got in the car.

    "Everything''s perfect." Elle said with a smile.

 166 Merry Christmas 1

    "So how was the party?" Adam asked once they got back to Elle''s place.

    "Same as always. It was nice to see Abby but boring to see everyone else."

    "''Tis the season to amuse your family after all." Adam said, earning a laugh from Elle.

    "Oh you should have heard the conversation I had with this one aunt. She told me I need a boyfriend and I basically told her I had all the hot men I could desire in this condo. The look on her face was priceless." Elle began laughing at the memory. "So I suppose it wasn''t a total bust. I got some solid amusement out of the night."

    "And exactly how many hot men in his building have caught your eye? I recall you were quite friendly with that one actor, should I be concerned?"

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    Elle would have thought that Adam was being serious if it wasn''t for the grin on his face or the mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

    "Why would any of them catch my eye when I already have you?" Elle asked as she sauntered over to Adam and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You''re so attractive, all of the other''s are nothing compared to you."

    Adam scoffed. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

    "Really?" She asked, batting her eyes at him. "What if it''s not an exaggeration? What if you really are the only man in my eyes?"

    "That might get you somewhere." Adam replied, leaning down to press his lips to hers.

    Elle didn''t realized how much she had been missing this man until she was reminded of the warmth of his lips. A warmth that made her cheeks flush pink and slowly spread through her arms and to her chest.

    She clung to him tighter, calling his name in whispers when he would finally let her get a breath while his lips work their way down her neck instead. It seemed that their thoughts were in sync for just when Elle felt that she could take anymore Adam bent down and picked her up so that both her legs were wrapped around his waist.

    He carried her into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. Elle could faintly taste the champagne which he must have had at his parent''s house that still lingered in his mouth.

    ''I might get drunk on it.'' Elle thought to herself as Adam''s fingers raked through her hair, freeing it from the bun it was in.

    "Did you have a good time with your family tonight?" Elle asked suddenly.

    "It was fine."

    "Your mother wasn''t upset that you wouldn''t be spending Christmas day at home was she?"

    "Are you really going to ask me about my mother in a moment like this?" He asked incredulously. Adam sat up to undo his shirt, undoing the buttons one by one to reveal he toned muscle that lay beneath.

    "No," Elle replied, whatever thoughts that were previously on her mind were forgotten instantly.

    "Red was a good choice." Adam murmured as he slowly undid the zipper on her dress. "It really is stunning on you."

    Elle didn''t know how to express the fondness those words made her feel. Instead she pulled his face to hers, hoping that her actions would speak for her.

    ~~

    Afterwards Elle lay in Adam''s arms, half asleep, with a soft smile on her face. One of Adam''s hands ran up and down her arm, tracing random patterns lightly against her skin.

    "Do you remember that beach we went to?" Elle asked softly. "Remember how lovely it was? Even now I can remember how it felt to have the warm breeze against my skin with the sunlight streaming in while you slept beside me."

    "Hmm." Adam hummed, smiling at the happy memory.

    "Back then I thought I was the happiest person in the world. I thought that was the happiest a person could ever be, and yet, somehow, I think right now I''m even happier than I was then."

    Adam rolled over, pulling Elle with him so that she was pinned beneath him. The twinkle of the soft Christmas lights hanging above them reflected like starlight in her sparkling eyes.

    "If you''re going to say such dangerous words you better be prepared to take responsibility." He said in a husky voice that sent a shiver down Elle''s spine.

    "Again?" Elle requested meekly.

 167 Merry Christmas 2

    When Elle awoke the next morning sunlight was already streaming through the sheer curtains that hung over her windows. Her head was laying against Adam''s chest where she could hear the strong and reassuring sound of his heart beat.

    Adam seemed to already be awake. One of his hands was gently playing with her hair, slowly lulling Elle out of her sleep.

    "Are you awake?" Adam asked fondly.

    "Yes." Elle purred as she buried herself in his comfortable embrace.

    Both of them seemed content to lie there in silence, letting the clock run on, until Elle''s stomach betrayed her by grumbling.

    Adam chuckled. "Hungry?"

    One of Elle''s hands flew to her stomach as if it might somehow conceal the noise.

    "You don''t have to be embarrassed. You must be starving after being so active last night." He teased.

    "And who''s fault is that?"

    "You''re right. It''s all my fault." He said happily.

    After taking a quick shower the two headed down to make breakfast. They prepared quite the spread - pancakes with a tart blueberry sauce, sausages, bacon, and a fresh fruit salad. It was the first time in a long time that they didn''t have to rush through breakfast and instead got to sit down and enjoy it leisurely.

    "I''m so full." Adam announced as he slumped onto the couch. "I don''t think I can eat again until the new year."

    "Don''t say that. We still have our dinner reservation tonight."

    "Are you trying to fatten me up on purpose?"

    "No. But maybe if I do I''ll have less competition from other girls for your heart." Elle teased.

    "You have no competition. You are the only one in this world for me." Adam declared as he pulled Elle into his arms.

    The afternoon passed by peacefully, almost boringly. It was a feeling that Elle and Adam both treasured and a luxury to them. They simply laid on the couch, watched T.V., and let the afternoon pass them by.

    Elle didn''t know when she fell asleep but the next think she knew she was waking up. The living room was dark, with only the bright light of the T.V. illuminating the room.

    She was still in Adam''s arms who laid still, asleep behind her. Elle admired the peaceful look on his face for a few moments before running her hands through his hair.

    "Wake up." She said softly.

    "Hmm." He groaned.

    "It''s already late. We should get ready for dinner soon."

    Since it was a special day Elle decided to take the time to get all dressed up. She wore the same lilac dress she had worn before, the one Adam had seemed so fond of. Elle applied her makeup carefully and even took the time to do her hair so that it framed her face in perfect, loose, curls.

    "Ready?" Adam asked.

    "Almost, just one final touch - silver or gold?" Elle asked, holding two different earrings up to either ear.

    "Gold." Adam replied almost instantly.

    Elle quickly put them on and grabbed her purse before following Adam out.

    Adam had pulled out all the stops for dinner that night. He had reserved a table at a hotel restaurant - a window-side table that overlooked the entire city below them.

    "Wow." Elle breathed as they sat down at the table. "And I thought the view from your office was nice."

    Dinner was perfect. Perfect food, perfect company, perfect everything. It was in moments like this that Elle knew that all the hard work, all the lonely nights, were worth it. Anything was worth it for this person. And for once in her life she knew that he felt the same towards her.

    After they finished the waitress came by with the bill. Elle was preparing to get up as the waitress finished and walked away, they had booked a room in the hotel to stay for the night. Adam however, reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a slim box wrapped in beautiful gold paper.

    "Merry Christmas my love." He said, handing the box to her.

    Elle smiled and took the box. "I thought dinner and the room were your present?"

    "Of course not. It''s only a small gift but I hope you like it."

    Elle pulled back the paper and carefully opened the box to reveal a beautiful gold necklace laying inside. It was just her taste; a simple design of a delicate golden vine with small diamonds scattered amongst the leaves.

    "It''s beautiful." Elle breathed. "I don''t recognize it, it''s not one of MK''s lines is it?"

    "No, it didn''t seem right to get you a gift from my own company. I had it custom made."

    "You designed this?"

    "I did. Is it to your taste?"

    "Adam it''s beautiful."

    Adam grinned. "It''s worth it just to be able to see that look on your face."

    "Wait, here." Elle reached into her purse and pulled out a box wrapped in beautiful black and gold paper. "For you. Merry Christmas."

    "You know you didn''t have to get anything." Adam said with a smile as he reached for the box.

    "I''m glad you think so. Shopping for you is so hard you know. I thought so last year as well but it truly is impossible to think of a useful gift for a man who already has everything." Elle complained.

    Adam opened the box to reveal a smart watch.

    "I figured your employees would start making fun of you soon if you didn''t keep up with the times." Elle joked lightly.

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    "It''s wonderful. Thank you."

    "Look on the back." Elle said, her cheeks starting to turn pink.

    Adam turned it over to find the words ''Every second I love you more'' beautifully inscribed into the back of the watch.

    "It''s a bit cliche I know." Elle mumbled, turning redder by the second. "I just thought it would be a nice sentiment."

    "It''s wonderful. I love it. Truly." Adam said, running his fingers over the delicate words.

    "Next time I''ll get you a better gift."

    "Nonsense. It''s a wonderful gift. Besides, you are the best gift I could ever receive." Adam said, reaching across the table to take her hand in his and press a kiss to it.

    "You''re spoiling me too much today." Elle said softly. "If you keep treating me like this I''m going to start getting greedy."

    "That''s fine." Adam said as he got up from the table. "Come, let me spoil you some more."

    Afterwards he lead her downstairs to their hotel room to do just that.

 168 New Years Eve 1

    Elle looked forward to the arrival of new years eve more than she had to Christmas. She never cared much for the holiday before, especially with no partner to spend the holiday with. This year was much different.

    Adam had proposed that they both take the day off work, giving themselves a nice little two-day holiday. No family parties, no responsibilities, just the two of them. Adam had agreed to cook a lovely dinner for them at Elle''s request, and Elle had stocked up on plenty of wine and champagne to pass the night with.

    They had just finished lunch, Adam was doing the dishes while Elle was making them both a cup of tea when Adam got a call.

    Elle glanced at the caller ID, "It''s Michael," she called out.

    "Can you help me get it?" Adam asked. Elle answered the call and put it on speaker.

    "What is it?" Adam asked. As blunt as he always was in his greetings.

    "Are you coming tonight?"

    "I already told you guys I wouldn''t this year."

    "We''re not going to the club this year. Marcus offered us the penthouse suit of one of his hotels. It''ll just be a small group. And of course Elle is invited to."

    Adam opened his mouth to protest but Elle interrupted before he could.

    Although Elle had been looking forward to their night alone together, the true treasure was making memories with Adam. "We''ll come." She said aloud.

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    Adam looked to her in surprise.

    "Unless you really don''t want to."

    "We''ll be there." He confirmed.

    ~~~

    For once Amelia got dressed with no ulterior motive. Adam had already told the group he wouldn''t be joining them for their new years eve celebrations. He would likely be spending it alone with Elle.

    She didn''t bother considering and re-considering her outfits, tearing her closet apart until half it''s contents were lying on her bedroom floor. Instead she picked something cute, a shimmering gold dress with a deep neck and no sleeves. One that showed off the soft curves and hard angles of her model''s figure.

    She had simply picked something that fit the occasion, many of the girls in their party had dressed similarly, but she was thankful for her choice when she saw Adam walk into the room that night.

    Amelia had been lounging with her friends, laughing over some joke that was forgotten with Adam''s entrance. Amelia''s eyes immediately found him and tracked his movement as he came in with Elle at his side.

    Michael had excitedly gone over to greet them and take their coats. Amelia almost snickered at Elle''s outfit. While everyone else was dressed in party wear Elle was dressed in a simple pair of dark jeans with a white fur sweater.

    ''She must be too comfortable in her current spot. She''s stopped trying.'' Amelia thought t herself. ''It''s my win.''

    "Elle!" Amelia called out, "Come join us."

    Elle glanced over at the sound of her name. She turned back to Adam and said something to him softly before joining the other girls.

    "Hello everyone."

    "It''s good to see you here Elle. We all thought Adam wouldn''t show up this year."

    "We almost didn''t." Elle confessed. "But holiday''s like this are more fun spent in groups."

    "I agree!" One of the girls went on telling a story and Elle fell into place, fitting in seamlessly with the group.

    It was hard to imagine Adam making friends. His cold demeanour didn''t really inspire the image. But as the night went on Elle could how carefully he had done so. Everyone was unnecessarily kind to Elle, bringing her a new drink when hers was finished, and always asking if she needed anything.

    While this trait was appreciated by Elle, it was driving Amelia mad.

    Eventually Adam came to where the girls were sitting with a plate of food. "Don''t just drink. Make sure you eat too." He said, putting the plate into Elle''s lap.

    "You''re so lucky." One of the girls sighed enviously as Adam walked away again.

    "Yes, very fortunate." Amelia said sarcastically. "Adam must be so understanding. You clearly don''t need to watch your figure anymore."

    The other girl''s began to laugh. "She already snagged Adam, and he''s not the type to be into looks alone. Who would she need to watch her figure for?"

    "You''re right. He''s the best." Elle said, laughing along despite the cold look she gave to Amelia.

    "What about me?" Adam asked, suddenly leaning over the sofa behind Elle.

    All the girls froze in surprise for a moment before Elle recovered herself and replied.

    "We were just saying how lovely you are, and how lucky I am." She said, beaming up at him.

    "Tell me, what part of me do you love most?" He asked, causing everyone around them to lean in closer.

    "Stop fooling around." Elle teased, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

    "Answer me first."

    "Yes, answer him Elle." The others all insisted.

    "I like how capable you are. There, are you happy now?" Elle finally replied.

    "Yes." Adam said with a smile playing on his lips.

    It was only for a fraction of a second, but as he turned away his eyes met Amelia''s. The smile disappeared and something cold reflected in his eyes. And then he was gone, rejoining his friends by the minibar.

    Amelia felt her heart skip a beat. Had she imagined it? He hadn''t heard what she said, right?

 169 For The Rest of Your Life

    The night went on full of drinks and laughter. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the company they shared.

    Before coming here Elle thought she would still feel self-conscious in front of Adam''s friends but everyone was so friendly and welcoming that she found she had become at ease with them before she knew it.

    \"Let''s play a game.\" One of the girls announced later on in the night.

    \"What game did you have in mind?\"

    \"Truth or dare?\"

    \"I know a better game, ''truth or drink''. You get asked a question and you either have to answer it honestly or you have to take a drink.\"

    \"Sounds fun!\"

    So the group reassembled, pushing the furniture out of the way and clearing a large space to sit around on the floor in the middle of the room.

    The group went around in circles, asking questions and laughing at the responses.

    \"What''s the biggest secret you''ve kept from your parents?\" One of the girls drank to that.

    \"If you could switch places with anyone in this room who would it be?\" Another one of the guys answered Adam. \"It''d be nice to know what he was thinking for once.\"

    When Elle''s turn to ask a question came she turned to Amelia. \"What''s the craziest thing you''ve ever done to attract someone?\"

    Maybe the alcohol was making her bolder, but Elle asked the question easily. Gratification filled her when she saw the fear behind Amelia''s eyes.

    \"I''ve never really done anything crazy.\" Amelia said with a dry laugh, trying to play the question off.

    \"No way. Answer in specifics or take a drink.\" The others demanded, determined not to go easy on anyone. So Amelia was forced to drink, much to Elle''s satisfaction.

    Adam did well in the game, much to everyone else''s frustrations. Adam wasn''t a secretive person to begin with. He also wasn''t someone who would be ashamed by their own actions. He answered every question with confidence, rendering it impossible for anyone to make fun of him for it.

    Eventually the game shifted, instead of trying to embarrass one another everyone began asking questions only of Adam in hopes of finally getting him to drink.

    When Elle''s turn to ask a question came around again everyone encouraged her.

    \"Don''t go easy on him just because you''re his girlfriend!\"

    \"Hmmm.\" Elle wondered at what she could possibly ask Adam that would be embarrassing enough to make him drink without also embarrassing herself in the process. All questions about his love life were out of the question.

    She gauged Adam, his dark eyes were daring her playfully. Elle folded to them. Instead of asking something to make him drink, she simply asked him what she really wanted to know.

    \"If you could make one wish, right this second, what would it be?\"

    Adam looked at Elle with surprise. He wasn''t expecting such an honest question.

    The rest of the room groaned. \"We should have known she would go easy on him.\"

    But, as a shock to the entire room, Adam didn''t answer. He simply picked up his glass and downed the drink in one swift movement.

    The room exploded. All of them laughing and cheering and wondering what on earth Adam Hayes would wish for that he wouldn''t say out loud.

    \"It''s definitely something dirty. It has to be.\" The guys teased.

    \"Don''t drag him down to your level Michael. He probably just wanted to give Elle the win.\" Another girl said.

    But no matter what they said or asked, Adam wouldn''t say anything more. He simply watched Elle''s stunned expression with amusement.

    If Elle could only see what she looked like to Adam in that moment, she wouldn''t be forced to guess at what secret thing he was wishing for.

    \"Alright, alright. I concede. It''s Elle''s win tonight.\" Marcus said finally, getting up from the floor. \"There''s only a little while longer until midnight. Why don''t we go up to the rooftop and wait for the fireworks to start?\"

    With the alcohol they consumed keeping them warm, they all left behind their coats and made their way up to the large rooftop patio.

    Adam and Elle trailed behind the rest of the group on their way up the stairs. The refreshing yet chilly air reminded Elle of last new years eve. They had gone up to a different rooftop that night to see the fireworks. It was where Adam and Elle had their first kiss.

    Elle felt her face flush at the memory. It seemed that Adam had similar thoughts in his mind; as the others all crowded around the far end of the rooftop to get a view of the city below them, Adam pulled Elle to the side, to where the entrance to the rooftop would hide them from view of the others.

    \"Why are you looking at me like that?\" Elle asked teasingly, as she wrapped her arms around Adam''s neck.

    \"How am I looking at you?\" Adam asked, pressing her body flat against the wall behind them.

    \"Your words are light but your eyes are serious. Do you know how seductive it is when you look at me like that?\"

    \"If it wasn''t to seduce you do you think I''d be this serious?\"

    \"You''ve succeeded.\" Elle murmured before pressing her lips against his.

    Unlike last year, this year''s kisses weren''t soft and gentle. They were deep and rushed.

    \"Slow down.\" Elle gasped. But Adam was unrelenting.

    Elle couldn''t tell if it was seconds or minutes passing by. None of it mattered. Time, their friends, the world around them, all of it was forgotten. The only thing that remained was him. His strong shoulders, his gentle hands. Well, him and one question that had been nagging at Elle.

    \"What was your answer to the question earlier? What was the wish you would have made?\" Elle asked between kisses.

    \"You want to know?\" Adam asked, flashing her a teasing smile.

    \"Yes.\"

    \"Are you sure you really want to know?\"

    \"What''s gotten into you?\" Elle laughed. \"You''re not normally this silly.\"

    \"You first. What would you wish for, if you could wish for anything?\"

    \"What is there to wish for? I already have your entire person. Isn''t that being greedy enough?\" Elle answered honestly.

    \"Do you mean it?\"

    \"Of course. Now you.\" She demanded.

    \"Do you have any idea how beautiful you looked all night long?\" Adam asked instead. \"Do you know how enchanting it is to watch you laugh, with your eyes bright and your face flushed. Do you know how much happiness it gives me to know that you''re mine? I''ve only ever had one wish, to spend every second by your side for the rest of my life.\"

    Elle was stunned silent.

    \"Do you mean it?\" She finally asked. Was it really okay for her to trust in those words.

    \"Of course. As long as your by my side I don''t need anything else.\"

    Elle got on her tiptoes to kiss him softly, her body melting into his. \"If it''s a lie, you better be able to guarantee, that you can lie to me for the rest of your life.\"

    It was a long time before Adam and Elle finally rejoined their friends. Neither of them were sure if their absence was noticed. Frankly, neither of them cared.

    As she watched the fireworks illuminate the sky from the warmth of Adam''s embrace, Elle was filled with gratitude to have spent the past year by his side. She was determined now, to make the most of the coming year as well.

 170 A New Game

    Christopher had been home resting for many days now. He had a few projects and appearances scheduled during the holiday season but he had purposely left his schedule open in the weeks following the start of the new year as he prepared to start the filming of MK''s new project.

    He was generally a very private person. He had never once had a scandal, never once caused a scene that led him to be on the page of a tabloid. Even in his days off he very rarely left his own apartment, meaning it had been many days now since he had last seen Elle.

    The last time he had seen her was before the holiday''s, at MK. Even now, the memory of her sitting at Adam Hayes'' desk turned up the corners of his lips into an amused smile.

    \"Elle Shaw, huh.\" He could never have guessed when he first met her, all those months ago, that their paths would cross this many times.

    They were neighbours and friends. Although they were friends, Elle obviously treated him as some sort of younger brother but Christopher didn''t know how to describe what she was to him.

    The best way Christopher could describe her is that she was a refreshing existence. She had approached him with no ulterior motives, even after she realized who he was. It was rare to see in his line of work. He would be lying if he said she hadn''t peaked his interests.

    But now wasn''t the time to be distracted.

    Christopher went into his home office and took a seat in the lounge chair there. The wall across from him was where he kept all his achievements. His trophies, awards, certificates, and the most prized memories from his career so far. Hanging amongst them now, in a distinguished hardwood frame, was a page from his new contract with MK for their upcoming film.

    Behind clear glass was the signatory page. On one line was his own signature, and on the other was Adam''s signature as the CEO of MK. Christopher smiled and closed his eyes as he leaned back in his seat.

    This was the first step to having his dream realized. He wouldn''t let anything or anyone distract him from it now.

    ~~~

    It was already dark outside when Adam got out of the shower. He flopped tiredly onto the large bed, frowning at it''s emptiness. He could guess what Elle was up to so late at night, but he wasn''t pleased by the answer.

    Adam sighed, rolling off the bed to dry his hair and change into pyjamas. As he shook the water from his hair he heard the sound of his phone ring.

    He looked at the caller ID that flashed on the screen. Here, at least, was something he was pleased by.

    \"Hello mother.\" He greeted.

    \"Am I your mother? I haven''t seen you in so long, I forgot I had a son.\"

    \"Don''t be like that. You know how busy I am. If you wanted me to have time to come by the house you should have stopped father from interfering in the company''s matters and creating more work.\"

    \"If you ever discover a way to control your father you must let me know right away.\" His mother sighed. Adam smiled. Surely this is was where he had gotten his own teasing nature from.

    \"Don''t worry too much, take care of your health. I''ll come by the house soon. I''m not sure if you remember, last time I told you I had someone to introduce to you.\"

    \"Oh, that''s right! Who is it? Someone related to the company?\"

    \"You''ll see when we come over. I''ll send you a date so prepare a nice lunch that day.\"

    \"Jeez, how cryptic. Truly like father like son.\"

    \"I''ll talk to you later. Goodnight.\"

    After hanging up the phone Adam went in search of his mystery guest.

    ~~~

    Elle was busy preparing for the production of her novel. It was fun work, she couldn''t deny, but also quite nerve-wracking. It was her precious novel. The one thing that had comforted her and kept her sane in the years before she met Adam. But this project was also her way of being useful to Adam. Their success was truly intertwined this time. She wanted to do everything well.

    Elle often stayed up late into the night these days, researching, drafting, and going over every inch of documentation two or three times before finally approving of it.

    It was getting late into the night when Adam appeared at her study''s doorway, yawning.

    \"If I had known you would divulge this much time into it, I wouldn''t have asked you to do this project in the first place.\" He grumbled.

    Elle smiled. \"It doesn''t feel like real work. This may be the first and last time I get to enjoy this type of project. Let me enjoy it while it lasts.\"

    \"I''ll let you enjoy it only while the sun is up. You''re going to get sick if you keep this up. Sleep properly, come to bed now.\"

    \"I''m almost done going through these documents. You sleep first, I''ll join you in a bit.\"

    Adam sighed and dropped his head as Elle turned back to her papers.

    She hadn''t noticed when Adam crossed the room, suddenly his arms were around her waist, hoisting her up and over his shoulder.

    \"What should I do?\" Adam asked, ignoring Elle''s shrieks and protests. \"I seem to have developed a condition where I can''t fall asleep if you''re not in my arms.\"

    Elle couldn''t help but be pleased at that. \"Fine.\" She laughed.

    Elle rested her head against Adam''s back, listening to his strong heartbeat as he carried her back to their room and again later as she lay against his chest in the dark. Eventually she let the strong, even, tone of it lull her to sleep.

    ~~~

    In a private villa Amelia sat resting in a bath full of scented oils and flower petals. She had come here to recoup after her recent loss.

    Amelia had a bitter start to her new year. Feeling embarrassed and ashamed she was forced to acknowledge that Elle wouldn''t be as easily defeated as she once thought. But Amelia was a fierce competitor. She still had this production project with MK up her sleeve. She would do her best until the very end to sway Adam''s heart.

    With that level of determination fuelling her she thought long and hard about her next move. Amelia had fought with the underhand this whole time, but she was still in the game. If she wanted to rise to the top it was time to make bigger moves.

    Amelia decided to use this opportunity to introduce a new player before Adam had the chance to.

    She rose out of the bath and wrapped herself in a fluffy robe. With a glass of champagne in hand she went to retrieve her phone from the nightstand and casually laid on her bed as she dialed a familiar number.

    \"Hello?\"

    \"Hello, aunty.\" Amelia greeted Mrs. Hayes with perfect manners. \"Happy new year.\"

    They talked for a while before Amelia finally got the purpose of her call.

    \"I actually have something private I wanted to confide in you about. Do you mind if I come over to see you tomorrow?\"

 171 Make Him Love You

    Mrs. Hayes was quite troubled. She woke up that morning looking forward to having a perfectly nice day. She would be meeting with Amelia in the morning, then finally seeing her son for dinner. Yes, it seemed like it would be a lovely day.

    But now, as she sat at the dinner table with her husband, Adam, and Elle, she couldn''t help but think about how wrong she was.

    ~~~

    Earlier that morning Amelia sat in a cafe, sipping on a cup of hot tea, and patiently waiting for Mrs. Hayes to join her.

    This was the next step in her plans. As if her life was a movie, Amelia was moving on to act two of the film. Amelia was a skilled actress. Things weren''t going as scripted but she would simply adapt, and continue her roll accordingly.

    "Amelia!" Mrs. Hayes happily exclaimed as she approached the table.

    "Aunty. It''s so good to see you." Amelia greeted, standing up to give Mrs. Hayes a quick hug.

    "How are you? Have things been very busy?"

    The two slowly began catching up with each other, enjoying a lovely conversation together.

    "I heard you finally got a contract with MK. Congratulations Amelia." Mrs. Hayes said.

    "Yes. It''s always been a dream of mine." Amelia said shyly.

    "You know how Adam is. He wouldn''t give it to you solely because of your connections. He gave you the contract because you deserve it. Congratulations."

    "That''s actually part of the reason I wanted to talk to you aunty. You see I..." Amelia trailed off. These were words she had never said out loud before. She hadn''t realized how embarrassing she would find it.

    "You want to back out of the contract?" Mrs. Hayes asked in horror.

    "No, no. God no. I just. I want your advice on something. Well actually, I''d like your help."

    "Well you''ll need to spit it out eventually in order for me to help you."

    Amelia smiled at Mrs. Hayes'' teasing tone. "I''m in love with Adam." She finally said.

    Mrs. Hayes almost dropped her teacup. "What?"

    "I like him."

    "Since when?"

    "Since always."

    "Really? I couldn''t tell." Mrs. Hayes murmured, more to herself than anything.

    "I was being discrete on purpose. I thought if Adam knew he would distance himself, but now..."

    "But now you want me to help make him fall in love with you?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "I''ve tried everything and I can''t seem to make him notice me. I just thought that maybe you could help push him in the right direction."

    Mrs. Hayes gauged the young girl in front of her. She liked Amelia very much. To her Amelia was like the daughter she never had. And yet Adam was her son. Her real son. She was a mother. She would have to put her son first.

    "I can''t make any promises. Even as a child Adam wasn''t the type to do as he was told. It''s not like I can make him love you." Mrs. Hayes said carefully.

    "And I would never ask that of you! I was just hoping, that if you approve of me as his partner, that maybe you could help create an opportunity for me to get closer to him."

    "Well you have the production of the film coming up. I''m sure you''ll have plenty of opportunities then."

    "You know how Adam is. He would never mix work and his personal life."

    "You''re right, he wouldn''t." Mrs. Hayes sighed. "Fine. I''ll see what I can do, but I won''t make any promises. He''s already all but banned me from interfering with his personal life. I don''t know how much help I could be."

    "Thank you very much aunty!"

    They spoke for a little while longer before Mrs. Hayes had to excuse herself. She still had to go back home and prepare for dinner that night.

    All the way home Mrs. Hayes pondered it. Adam and Amelia? She couldn''t say she didn''t approve of the match, she always knew Amelia to be a very kind and sweet girl, but she was quite shocked by it.

    She had known Amelia for many years. There was a time when she suspected it in their youth, but as they grew up Amelia seemed to have lost her interest in Adam. She had even gone overseas, and been out of contact with him for a time. Did she really love him at that time?

    But then again, Amelia had never dated anyone else. Had she really been waiting, and in love with him all this time?

    "What''s wrong with you?" Mr. Hayes asked, as his wife walked through the front door with a distant look on her face.

    "I don''t understand the kids these days." Mrs. Hayes sighed.

    Mr. Hayes let out a laugh. "It''s because you''re too soft natured. Even when we were young you were never able to understand the secret intentions of others."

    "That''s not true. I always understood you. I understood that you cared for the company more than you cared for me." Mrs. Hayes said, pretending to be angry.

    "And yet you married me anyway. See? You''re too soft natured." Mr. Hayes said with a charming smile.

    "It was that smile of yours that tricked me." Mrs. Hayes said, remembering her own happy love story. "If you want to make it up to me, then go help in the kitchen. Our son will be here soon."

 172 You Shouldnt Have Tempted Me

    Adam was sitting on the bed, lounging against the headboard with his phone in hand, scrolling through news articles as he waited for Elle to re-emerge from the closet.

    "Okay, what about these?" She asked, holding up two dresses. One a dark green that almost looked like emerald against her skin and the other a pale blue.

    "I think a lighter colour would be best." Adam offered honestly.

    "You''re right." She said, turning back into the closet to go get new options.

    This was how Adam had spent the better part of the past half hour. He could understand Elle''s concerns. Of course it would be nervewrecking to meet a partner''s parents for the first time. Any person would put an effort into making a good first impression, as Elle was. At first Adam had thought it was cute as he watched the Elle who usually couldn''t care less about her appearance turn her closet upside down, but that had been thirty minutes ago.

    With a sigh Adam put his phone aside, got up from the bed, and joined Elle in the walk-in closet.

    "What about this one?" Elle asked as he joined her, holding up a flowing dress that shifted between multiple pastel colours.

    "It''s beautiful, but don''t you think it''s a bit too high fashion for a simple dinner?"

    "A simple dinner." Elle repeated the words sarcastically. There was nothing simple about it.

    When she had asked Adam what his parent''s were like earlier Adam had simply replied ''There''s nothing you need to worry about, they''re pretty normal.''

    "You know you''re not being much help." Elle grumbled.

    "Fine, fine." Adam chuckled. He ran his finger across the rack of dresses until one finally caught his attention.

    "What about this one?" He asked, pulling out a dress and leading Elle to a mirror where he held it up against her. It was a short, pastel grey, dress with a lace upperbody and a full a-line skirt.

    "It looks beautiful with your black hair." He murmured against her bare shoulder.

    "Fine." Elle said with a faint blush. "I''ll go get changed now."

    Of course after getting into the dress came about the issue of her hair. She played with it back and forth, tying it up, leaving it out, putting it in a bun, and yet she couldn''t settle on what looked best.

    "Do you think it''s better to look sophisticated or youthful?" Elle asked out loud.

    In the time it took Elle to play around with her hair, Adam had finished getting ready himself. Upon her question Adam walked over to where she sat at the vanity.

    "It doesn''t matter as long as you look like yourself." Adam said reassuringly. "I''m telling you now, with a detail as small as the way you style your hair, my dad won''t notice and my mom won''t care so just wear it however is most comfortable."

    "I can do whatever I like best?"

    "Yes."

    "Then I want you to do it for me." Elle said innocently, with a smile on her face that melted Adam''s heart.

    Adam obediantly took over. Elle revelled in the feeling of his strong fingers running through her hair as he tied it up in a messy ponytail, leaving stray strands falling down to frame her face.

    "It looks beautiful. Thank you." Elle said, getting up from the vanity.

    "Ah, ah." Adam said, pushing her shoulders down, forcing her back into her seat. "I have one more thing."

    "What is it?"

    But Adam didn''t reply and simply left the room with a determined stride. Elle stared after him questioningly. He returned a moment later with a velvet jewellery box in hand.

    "What''s this?"

    "See for yourself." Adam said, handing the box to her.

    Elle gently pried open the box, letting out a gasp as she revealed a studded diamond necklace.

    "Adam, it''s beautiful." Elle murmured, running her fingers over the intricate string of stones that shone against the black velvet like stars in the night sky.

    "I bought it a little while ago. I''ve been waiting for an occassion to give it to you." Adam confessed as he gently pried the necklace out of the box and draped it around Elle''s neck.

    "Tonight seemed deserving enough." He said as he closed the clasp, bending over to press a kiss against the back of her neck.

    Shivers went down Elle''s spine as she felt his lips press softly against her. She looked in the mirror at their reflections. Her, doe-eyed and flushed and him with his dark eyes tracking even her slightest movements through the mirror.

    Elle couldn''t quite recall who had kissed who first, or which one of them had led the other to the other side of the bedroom where Elle was now perched on top of a dresser so Adam could get a better reach of her lips.

    "We''re going to be late." Elle gasped, clinging to him tighter despite her words.

    "Then you shouldn''t have tempted me." Adam replied, his voice a low and rough.

    ~~~

    Mrs. Hayes had spent her afternoon back and forth between the kitchen and the dinning room, eagerly preparing to finally have dinner with her son after many weeks of not seeing him.

    "Isn''t this a bit too much food?" Mr. Hayes asked, eyeing the luxurious spread on the table.

    "Adam mentioned he''d be bringing someone with him." She justified, though they both knew she would have prepared just as much food regardless of the extra person. "Besides, it''s his first meal at home since the new year began."

    Just then, as if on cue, the doorbell rang.

    "Ah, here he is."

    Mrs. Hayes rushed to the front door while Mr. Hayes followed behind her leisurely. The grin Mrs. Hayes wore slipped when she opened the door. Adam stood there, looking as handsome as ever, and beside him was Elle who was dressed very prettily in a modest grey dress.

    "You have mentioned you were going to bring someone with you but I wasn''t expecting it to be Elle." Mrs. Hayes said, regaining her composure and welcoming them both into the house.

    "Hello Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Hayes." Elle greeted politely.

    "Who is this?" Adam''s father asked.

    "You remember Elle. She was the model that starred in our jewellery event last year. Adam introduced us to her back then."

    "Ahh, that''s right. How are you Elle?"

    "I''m doing well, sir."

    "Come along, we can all talk at the table. The food will be getting cold." Mrs. Hayes herded everyone over to the table, where for the second time today, she would receive shocking news.

 173 As Long As You Say You Love Me

    Mrs. Hayes looked between Elle and Adam curiously, watching as he pulled her chair out for her, and as he encouraged her to take more food.

    ''How peculier.'' She thought to herself.

    It wasn''t the first time Adam had brought home a woman, in his school days he had often brought Amelia and his other friends over. It was, however, the first time he had brought home a woman, and no one else.

    "So," Mrs. Hayes said, initiating the conversation. "How are you Elle."

    "I''m doing well. I''ve just been busy with work."

    "Ah, yes. Models work odd hours often, it must be tiring."

    "Ah, actually..." Elle trailed off looking at Adam with a guilty expression.

    "She''s not a model." Adam helped her answer.

    "What?" Mrs. Hayes blinked in surprise.

    "I should say she''s not a professional model. She''s only done it twice for MK, as a favour to me."

    Even Mr. Hayes looked up with interest. "You used a woman who wasn''t a professional model for such an important event?" He asked.

    "Yes. She did very well didn''t she."

    "Hmm." He agreed softly.

    "So what do you do then Elle?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "I''m the marketing director at Tae."

    Mrs. Hayes put down her fork in surprise. "Tae is a well established, high-end firm. I wonder how a director came to become a model."

    "It''s a long story." Elle said sheepishly.

    "While we''re at it I should mention that she''s also the writer of the novel MK will be producing." Adam added.

    Elle kicked Adam under the table, throwing him a distressed look. Mrs. Hayes was at a loss, she didn''t know what to make of this, but to the shock of all of them Mr. Hayes began to laugh.

    "What an interesting young woman you''ve brought over Adam." He chuckled.

    Adam smiled, as if he were being praised. "She is, isn''t she?"

    "Tell me Elle, do you have any other secret professions?" Mr. Hayes said with good humour.

    "Not yet, sir." Elle said with a smile, finally relaxing into the easy mood of the room. "Do you have any reccomendations?"

    Mrs. Hayes also felt herself relax. It was odd, without a doubt, but it also provided her with an explination.

    "Well I suppose that explains the mystery." She said to the room. "I was wondering at the situation. It''s rare of Adam to bring someone over but if she''s the author it makes much more sense."

    "Ah, actually I brought her over for a different reason. Elle and I are dating. I came to introduce her to you both properly."

    Elle almost chocked on her drink.

    "Your what?!" Mrs. Hayes asked incredulously.

    "My girlfriend. We''ve been seeing each other for just under a year now."

    Elle looked between Adam and his parents nervously. She expected Adam''s mother to be shocked, and even a little angry. But instead of grilling both Elle and her son, Mrs. Hayes turned to her husband and let out a heavy sigh.

    "This is all your fault you know. He''s just like you in this way, doing important things in secret, then telling us about it as casually as if he was talking about someone elses life." She accused, before turning to Elle with concern. "Elle how is the food? I didn''t think and prepared all of Adam''s favourites. Is there anything you don''t like? Let me know your preferences and I''ll prepare something better for you next time."

    "Ah, no. Everything tastes delicious. Really." Elle reassured her before glancing at Adam with a confused expression.

    "I told you." He whispered to her. "They''re normal, nothing for you to worry about."

    "I''m beginning to think," She whispered back, "you have a skewed impression of the word normal."

    But in the end Adam was right. As he often was. His parents spent the rest of dinner asking her questions back and forth. Mr. Hayes asked mostly about her work, while Mrs. Hayes asked her more about her interests.

    While they seemed more shocked and curious than happy, they were perfectly nice to Elle all throughout dinner.

    "Why don''t you guys wait in the living room. Mr. Hayes and I will bring out dessert." Mrs. Hayes instructed once they had all finished eating.

    "Do you need any help?" Elle offered.

    "No that''s fine dear. Go ahead and have a seat."

    So Elle followed Adam to the living room and sat down next to him on a couch. Her fingers pinched and pulled at each other, fidgeting nervously as she waited.

    "Are you worried?" Adam asked, looking at the tense expression on her face.

    "Do you think your parents like me?" She asked softly. She was eager to make a good impression so of course it bothered her.

    "I think they do." Adam said firmly. He took one of her hands in his, forcing it to keep still. "Besides, and I''ll say this only once, whether they like you or not it doesn''t really matter. So long as you say you love me no one can stop me from being with you."

    Elle smiled softly and leaned her head against his shoulder reassuringly. That''s right. She was already his so she had nothing to fear. She would just try her best, like she did with everything else.

    ~~~

    Adam''s parents stood in the kitchen, gathering dessert, and spying on Adam and Elle from the kitchen entrance.

    "What do you think?" Mrs. Hayes whispered worriedly as she eyed the kids sitting on the couch together.

    "What do I think about what?" Mr. Hayes asked.

    "About Elle. About them as a couple."

    "Nothing at all."

    "Come now." Mrs. Hayes said with a roll of her eyes. "You have an opinion on everything that boy does. Are you really going to tell me that you have no opinion on the girl he''s picked? This is the first time he''s actually introduced us to someone. I think this might be the first time he''s actually dated someone."

    "He''s a smart and capable boy. There''s not really a need to interfere in his love life at this age is there?"

    "You only say that because Elle is supporting MK." Mrs. Hayes snorted.

    Though Elle was perfectly nice, Mrs. Hayes couldn''t get rid of the image of Amelia asking her for help earlier that afternoon. She looked back to the living room, at the way Adam firmly held Elle''s hand in his as they sat together.

    "But I suppose you''re right." She conceeded.

    Dessert went by smoothly. Mrs. Hayes spoke the most, telling stories with the encouragement of Elle. Adam only spoke to answer her questions, and Mr. Hayes barely said a word throughout the whole affair.

    ''At least now I know where Adam gets it from.'' Elle thought to herself.

    Another hour or so passed this way before Elle and Adam finally stood up to leave for the night.

    "Are you sure you can''t stay longer?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "It''s getting late. I''ll make sure to come again soon." Adam said.

    "It was nice to meet you." Elle said, giving them both a smile.

    The couple left, and were only a few steps out of the front door when Mrs. Hayes suddenly came out after them.

    "Elle," She called out, "Can I have a moment?"

    Elle looked to Adam. "I''ll go pull the car around. You guys talk." He said, excusing himself.

    Adam parted ways with them and Elle followed Adam''s mother onto the porch where they sat together.

    "It was a shock that Adam brought you tonight. He never tells us much, but we never expected him to have been keeping such a big secret."

    "We never meant to keep it a secret from you." Elle said apologetically. "It''s my fault really. I was the one who didn''t want to be public about it, please don''t blame Adam."

    Mrs. Hayes looked at Elle carefully. It seemed this young girl cared enough about her son to put his relationship with his parents above their own good opinion of her.

    "Do you like him?" Mrs. Hayes asked.

    "I love him." Elle said confidently. "I love him with all my heart."

    Mrs. Hayes had a soft spot in her heart for Amelia. She had known her for many years, and knew her to be a kind and talented young woman. But when Amelia had confessed her feelings for Adam she had hesitated. She had hesitated, and Elle had not.

    "I was shocked by the news, and I was upset to have not been told for so long." Mrs. Hayes admitted. "But I''m also happy, and even thankful. Please come over for dinner again soon. Let''s get to know each other better in the future."

 174 Something Only She Could Give Him

    The year had only just begun and it was already full of many experiences for Elle. She formally met Adam''s parents and she got to work on the production of her novel. Everyday brought new experiences with it, and one of them was her first anniversary.

    Elle had almost missed the date, with everything else going on, but as February approached she suddenly realized that it was fast approaching; the date she had first begun dating Adam.

    He had done so much for her in that one single year. She was determined to pay him back for it all but was at a loss of what to do for him.

    What gift could she give him that was special enough? What experience could be meaningful enough? Elle didn''t know. One other thing she didn''t know was that Adam was also keenly aware of the date that was fast approaching, and making his own preperations for the special day.

    ~~~

    "Do you buy Jacob gifts?" Elle asked Abby one day, while they were having lunch together.

    "What''s this?" Abby snorted. "Are you suddenly worried that I''m not treating him well?"

    "It''s not like that. My one-year anniversary with Adam is coming up. I don''t know what to get him." Elle sighed.

    "Oh that is a problem. What could a man, gifted by god, possibly want?"

    "Stop that." Elle laughed.

    "No I''m serious. He could have anything he wanted with a snap of his fingers. You have a real problem here, but luckily for you I know the answer."

    Elle looked up with bright eyes. "You do?"

    Abby nodded. "But you''ll have to pay a price for the information."

    "What do you want?"

    "You''ll pay for dinner the next time we go out?"

    "Done." Elle agreed, dramatically shaking hands with Abby to seal the deal. "Now what can I give him?"

    "You have to stop thinking of clothes or accessories. It''s your anniversary so you have to give him something that proves your love. Give him something that only you can give him."

    "Something only I can give him?"

    Abby nodded, leaning forward to whisper in Elle''s ear. She pulled back a minute later, laughing as she watched Elle''s face turn bright.

    "I can''t do that." Elle said reluctantly.

    Abby shrugged her shoulders. "It''s up to you, but I think it''s better than getting something boring like a tie or a watch."

    Elle thought long and hard afterwards about Abby''s advice. After a lot of debating she finally built up her courage and decided she would do it; something that would prove her love. Something that turned Elle''s ears red just thinking about it.

    Elle had very few arrangements to make on her end, and in the blink of an eye the day of their anniversary arrived.

    Elle woke up groggily that morning. She closed her eyes, hoping to squeeze out at least one more minute of sleep, before suddenly recalling what day it was. She turned to Adam excitedly but the spot in the bed beside her was empty.

    "Did he have to leave to work first?" Elle wondered as her hand gently ran along the cool sheets.

    "You''re awake?" She heard Adam''s voice call. Elle turned and saw him standing in the doorway.

    "I was hoping to make it back to bed before you woke up." He murmured as he crossed the room to her.

    "Where were you?" Elle asked as he settled down on top of her and pressed a kiss to her head.

    "Just a little errand to do." He said. "Should we get ready for work now?"

    "Ah, sure."

    Adam and Elle quickly washed up and got dressed before heading downstairs for breakfast. Elle stopped in her tracks as they approached the dinning room. On the table were pancakes, hot coffee, and a beautiful array of fresh fruits.

    "You woke up early to make breakfast?"

    "I did, but it''s not much." Adam said sheepishly. "Happy Anniversary."

    "You remembered? I thought men were bad at things like that." Elle said with a light laugh.

    "Of course I remember."

    "Thank you." She said softly, turning around to give him a kiss. "Happy Anniversary."

    After quickly enjoying their breakfast Adam drove both of them to work.

    "I made dinner reservations so wait for me to pick you up tonight." Adam said as he dropped Elle off in front of Tae.

    "You''re putting me to shame. You''ve prepared too much." Elle said with a shake of her head.

    "For you there''s no such thing as too much." He said in return.

    Elle struggled during work that day. She had her head in her hands, in silent debate with herself. Was what she prepared okay? Was it enough? Could she even go through with it? Elle didn''t know the answer and the evening arrived before she could find it.

    Adam picked her up after work as promised. When they got to the restaurant Elle blinked up at the building in surprise.

    "This is..."

    "Do you remember?"

    "Of course I do." Elle said with a warm smile. "This is where you brought me for dinner the night I accepted your confession."

    "I thought it would be nice to come back again."

    They went inside and a waitress led them to a private room. She waited to take their order before quietly leaving.

    "You even got the same room?" Elle asked once she was gone.

    "I didn''t know if you''d remember or not." Adam admitted. "Is it too cheesy?"

    "Not at all. I''m happy you remembered."

    Dinner went well. The food was good, the ambiance was romantic. Both Elle and Adam were able to put down their work stresses and enjoy a nice meal with happy conversation.

    Once their meal was over they made their way back to the car arm in arm.

    "Is it okay if we stay at my place tonight?" Elle asked.

    "Of course."

    The car ride felt painfully slow. Elle prayed that Adam couldn''t hear her pounding heart beat. Once they got to her condo Elle led Adam to the bedroom, which was decorated with dim lights and rose petals.

    "This is what you prepared?" Adam asked with a laugh.

    Elle''s face was flushed. "Is it wierd?"

    "Not at all." Adam murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck. "It''s lovely."

    He led her to the bed, but before he could go further Elle pushed him down onto it and drew away.

    "Wait here a minute." She commanded. "I have one more thing for you."

    "Oh? What is it?"

    "Just wait here."

    Elle hurried over to her walk-in closet. She stared at the scandolous piece of lengerie hanging in front of her and put her head in her hands. She hadn''t expected him to prepare this much, her gift was foolish in comparison. But it was what she prepared for him, to show him her love. It was something only she could give him. And so in the end she boldly changed and walked out of the closet.

    As soon as she stepped back into the room Adam''s eyes hooded over, stalking her as she shyly walked towards him.

    The look in his eyes melted her heart in an instant. It was worth every bit of embarassment for that one look. That one look that expressed more then a thousand words could.

    "Is it weird?" Elle asked softly.

    "Not at all." He smiled mischievously, humor filled his eyes, and he began to laugh.

    Elle was surprised, she didn''t know what to make of it. It was rare for her to hear his candid laughter, it sounded pleasing to her ears.

    "It is weird right?" She said with a smile. "I could only think of this, to show you my love."

    "It''s not weird at all. You look beautiful. I was just thinking that everytime I think I know you, you surprise me again. Dating you is never boring. Every day I fall more and more in love with you."

    "Are you sure? Should I change?" Elle teased.

    Adam grinned wider. "No." He said, pulling her into the bed with him. "Don''t you dare."

    ~~~

    Afterwards Elle leaned against Adam''s chest, her fingers traced shapes against his skin.

    "I''ll get to reuse my ''present'' right?" Adam murmured.

    Elle laughed. "Only on special occasions." She teased.

    "I actually have one more thing for you." Elle added after a moment. "I still wanted to get you a proper gift."

    She reached into the side table and pulled out a small black box. "Here, open it."

    Adam opened the box and was once again surprised by her gift.

    "A key?" He asked. "What is it for?"

    "It''s the key to your condo." Elle said, matter-of-factly.

    "Your giving me a key to my own home?" Adam chuckled.

    "Well I was supposed to give you the key to my place, but your place is nicer." Elle said, as if that explained everything.

    "But I already have a key to your place as well."

    "It''s meant to be a key to our home." Elle said softly. "I''m asking you to move in with me."

    Adam looked at her with thoughtful eyes, and then back at the silver key.

    "Is it a no?" She asked nervously.

    "Of course not. If I had my way I would have locked you up long before now." Adam laughed lightly. "I was just thinking that despite all my careful preparation you beat me. You prepared the best gift."

    "Which one of my two were better?" Elle asked proudly.

    "Both. Both are the gift of you. I can''t compete with that."

 175 Final Preparations

    It was past midnight on a cold February night and Adam was laying in bed, feeling unsettled. He tried to close his eyes and fall asleep many times but couldn''t. He looked to his right at Elle''s side of the bed. Even at this late hour of the night it remained empty.

    For weeks now Elle and Adam had been working together to finalize all the preparations for the filming. They looked at everything with the greatest scruteny and it was only after thorough consideration that they decided on any details; big or small. Even the makeup artists were chosen after hours and hours of research.

    Finally everything was ready. The cast and crew had been hard at work with their own preparations. The table reads and practices had already began. In a few days MK would be holding a party to commemorate the start of the filming and a week from that was set to be the first day of filming.

    It was a nervewrecking process for Elle, Adam knew. He recalled how Elle had spent weeks fussing over the script, working back and forth with the script writers until she finally approved. He hadn''t intervened then. He understood the importance of it to Elle, and gave her the space to do her own job well even though it meant not seeing her for many days. But he had thought that that would be the worst of it. That when all the decisions had been made and there was nothing left for them to do but wait, that she would naturally be less busy. He was wrong.

    Adam glanced between the empty spot in the bed and the clock before finally pulling back his own sheets.

    "This won''t do." He mumbled as he got out of bed.

    Elle had spent the past several hours in Adam''s study, clattering away on the computer. They hadn''t moved in together yet, despite Elle''s invitation for it. Having her own place was very useful during the busy weeks of preparations, even though it meant spending many nights away from Adam.

    He had invited her to stay at his condo tonight, and Elle had happily agreed. But once they arrived at home Elle wasn''t able to sit still. Adam had offered her his study for her to use and she had been cooped up in it ever since, not realizing as the hours went by. Adam stood in the doorway of the study now, watching as Elle worked away.

    The one thing Adam did enjoy about all this was that he got to see a different side of her. It was his first time getting to see Elle at work. He got to see her serious expression as she worked on something. Got to notice the way her brow furrowed every so slightly and her eyes squinted when she was concentrating on something in particular.

    He also got to see the way she bit her lip when she was looking at something that worried her. It was the expression she had on now.

    A knock startled Elle, bringing her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw Adam leaning against the doorway.

    "Did I scare you?" Adam asked. "I didn''t mean to."

    "No, that''s fine. How long have you been standing there?"

    "Just for a minute." Adam replied. "What are you looking at?"

    "The shooting locations." Elle said, letting out a sigh and leaning back in her seat.

    They hadn''t selected any foreign locations, but they had selected a few different spots around the country for filming. Once the crew had narrowed down the options Elle and Adam had gone to each location themselves to scout and make the final decisions. It had already been decided and yet Elle couldn''t sit still, and was now busy doing research to see if there were any better options that had been overlooked.

    Adam walked over to Elle and gently began massaging her shoulders.

    "I know you''re worried. This project is like a child to you, it''s only natural. But the crew we selected are highly competent. We even made all of the final decisions ourselves. There''s no use in fussing over them now. We only have a few more days before filming will begin. You should take this opportunity to rest. Otherwise you''ll end up burning yourself up."

    Adam''s lecture was soft and soothing. It didn''t feel like a lecture at all.

    "Okay." Elle agreed numbly. "You''re right."

    Adam reached forward and shut the laptop screen. "Come, let''s go to bed."

    Elle allowed him to take her hand and lead her back to the bedroom.

    "I almost forgot to ask if you''re finished preparing." Elle asked as they walked into the bedroom.

    Adam was leaving tomorrow to go on a business trip. It would only last three days, but it meant he would only arrive on the same day as the filming launch party. It also meant they wouldn''t be able to meet for three days.

    "I''m almost done. Everything''s packed, there''s just one thing left to do."

    "Oh? What''s that?"

    "Have a good night''s sleep with my girlfriend." Adam teased, he bent over to scoop her up in his arms and toss her softly into the bed.

    Elle laughed and felt herself relax for the first time in many days. It wasn''t long after getting in bed that they both drifted off to sleep.

 176 She Entered Like a Breath of Fresh Air

    Adam did not enjoy having to endure three days without Elle. His days were busy, with his schedule packed from morning to night in order to get the most out of his trip. His schedule never seemed to align with Elle. They communicated exclusively through text messages, with each person responding to the other only after hours had passed. Even with every waking second of the day spent working Adam still managed to find time to miss Elle.

    On the first day it took him an hour to finally fall asleep. The room was too quite without Elle''s soft breathing and the bed was too cold without her warm body in his arms.

    On the second day Adam plopped onto the hotel bed, still in his suit, close to midnight. He covered his eyes with his arm and let out a tired sigh. After a minute his phone began to ring from across the room.

    "Can you see who that is?" He asked aloud before suddenly remembering Elle wasn''t there.

    "Since when did I become so hopeless?" He murmured to himself, a faint smile playing on his lips.

    On the third day Adam rushed through every meeting, every task, and finally instructed David to prepare to leave an hour earlier then planned that afternoon.

    That night MK would be hosting a party for the staff involved in the production of Elle''s novel. All the staff. There would be no media and no fanfare. It was only a small internal gathering but it was no less important to Elle. That made it no less important to him.

    "Did you miss her that much?" David asked once he was alone in the car with Adam, on their way back to the city. "So much that you worked that hard to go see her even one hour earlier?"

    "I''m going to pretend you didn''t ask that." Adam said, discerning the humour in David''s voice.

    "Yes sir." David replied with a laugh hidden in his eyes.

    Adam went back to his office first to drop off his things and change into a new suit. After freshening up David took him to the banquet hall where the dinner was being hosted.

    As soon as he entered the vast hall his eyes began scanning the crowds for Elle but it seemed she wasn''t there yet.

    ''She''s probably late from fussing over her hair too long.'' Adam thought to himself with a smirk.

    While he waited he made his rounds around the room, greeting all the important partners. He couldn''t help but think that a party was more exhausting then work itself, even after spending the past three days the way he did.

    After ensuring he spoke to anyone and everyone of even mild importance Adam went and found an empty corner of the room. He leaned against the wall and let his eyes close, resting where no one would notice him.

    He heard the soft sound of heels walking over the carpet towards him. Even without opening his eyes he could tell who it was, recognizing her presence as she approached him.

    "Good evening Adam." Amelia greeted him politely, joining him by leaning against the wall beside him.

    "Em." Adam greeted her by her old nickname, not bothering to open his eyes as she settled beside him.

    "I heard from your family that you were away on a business trip. You must be very exhausted if you''re resorting to resting in the shadows like this." She said sympathetically.

    "I''m not that tired." Adam said, opening his eyes once more and standing up a little straighter.

    "No, please rest. I''ll keep watch and make sure no one sees for you."

    Adam gauged her for a moment. He thought of saying no but his eyes seemed to have a mind of their own.

    "Fine." He finally said. "Only for a minute."

    "Sure." Amelia said softly.

    Adam returned to his position against the wall and shut his eyes once more.

    "By the way, I don''t think I properly congratulated you on securing this role." Adam said after a minute.

    "I''m the one who should thank you for offering it to me."

    "There''s no need to thank me. You know I don''t do business based off personal connections. I chose you for your talent. You only have yourself to thank."

    Adam could feel Amelia shake her head beside him. "That''s exactly why I need to thank you. To know that you show no bias and still offered me this role...it''s the highest praise I''ve ever received." She said with a light laugh.

    Adam opened his eyes to glance at her again. He had been careful to keep a line between them. To not show even the slightest sign of affection to be misinterpreted. But at the end of the day she was still one of his oldest friends.

    He could recall how hard she studied in university. She would sit slumped over her textbooks even during breaks and show up to school with dark circles under her eyes during exam weeks.

    He remembered how much she fought with her parents when she decided to leave business and pursue acting instead. He remember how happy she was when she landed her first leading role. How much pride she had when she finally got the chance to act in a Hollywood film.

    "You''ve done well." Adam said.

    "I''ll do well this time too." Amelia said, boastfully.

    "Yes, yes." He said, resuming his position.

    "By the way, I''ve introduced myself to the director and producer but I haven''t seen the writer yet? Will they be coming tonight."

    "I haven''t seen them yet either but they should be here soon."

    "You''ve already met them right? What are they like?"

    "Hmm. They''re very kind and genuine. They''ve worked hard and experienced a lot. It''s made them into a very reliable person." Adam said. Talking about Elle had brought a smile to his lips.

    Amelia studied his expression for a moment. "You sound like you respect the writer a great deal."

    "I do. They''re a respectable person."

    "Then I''ll work hard to make a good first impression."

    "I don''t think you have to worry about that." Adam said, doing his best to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Never mind."

    "No, tell me!" Amelia insisted but Adam said nothing. He was perfectly happy to keep it his own personal joke.

    It was a few minutes later that Elle finally walked in. Even across the room he noticed her immediately.

    She was wearing a short ice-blue satin dress, with her dark hair swept to one side where it flowed down in curls. She walked in with confidence but her eyes betrayed her and darted nervously across the room. Adam chuckled. She was too cute for her own good.

    She also seemed to have worked magic on him. The tiredness in Adam''s eyes vanished at the sight of her. Only a minute ago he could barely keep his eyes open but now he couldn''t take them off her. Not even for a second.

 177 A New Role to Play

    Amelia was extremely pleased by her conversation with Adam. It had been a long time since they had spent time together, just the two of them. Much longer since Adam had last given her a compliment.

    ''Indeed, this project really will be the best way to secure him.'' Amelia thought to herself proudly.

    She looked up to steal a glance of his face and discovered that Adam''s attention had strayed elsewhere. His focus was no longer on her or their conversation. Amelia followed his gaze to where she saw Elle standing by the entranceway across the room. A shocked expression replaced the smile on Amelia''s face as she felt a bitterness rise up inside of her.

    ''He invited her here?'' She wondered to herself. ''But their relationship is still private. Surely he wouldn''t have brought her here.'' But there was no mistaking the fact that Elle was standing across the room from them and that Adam was happy to see her.

    "Is that Elle?" Amelia asked, faking enthused surprise. "I didn''t think she''d be coming tonight."

    But Adam gave no response. He simply began crossing the room to go join Elle where she stood. Amelia gritted her teeth and then followed a few steps behind.

    Meanwhile, Elle glanced around the room full of unfamiliar faces. Her fingers twitched nervously as she tried to gather her courage. Suddenly, in the crowd of strangers, she spotted the one man she''d been waiting three days to meet.

    "Adam." She called out as she eagerly stepped forward to meet him. She would have run into his arms if she could have, but they still had to be mindful of where they were.

    "Elle" His warm voice responded. It had been three days since she last heard him call her name.

    ''Even if I go blind I should never go deaf.'' Elle determined.

    "You''re early." She noted.

    "I was in a hurry to see you again." Adam admitted in a hushed voice, one for only Elle to hear. "Why don''t you go around and greet the staff before dinner starts."

    "Sure." Elle said. She knew Adam would not accompany her to do that and she didn''t want him to. In this room she was a writer and not Adam Hayes'' girlfriend. As nervous as she was, she was determined to play this role just as well as all her others.

    Just then Adam and Elle both noticed Amelia approach them.

    "Elle," She said in her usual friendly voice, "What a surprise to see you here."

    Adam''s eyes twinkled mischievously. "Why don''t you start here?" He asked Elle. "Amelia let me introduce you. This is Elle Shaw, the writer of the novel you''ve been waiting to meet."

    Elle wish she had recorded that moment. The pale expression that overtook Amelia''s face would be funny for at least another 5 years.

    "I look forward to working with you too Amelia." Elle said with a smirk.

    "You''re the writer?" Amelia asked, stunned.

    "It''s like you said. I have many faces. A model, marketing director, girlfriend, and now writer. It keeps things exciting, doesn''t it?" She asked Adam who nodded. "Oh, I see the director over there. I''ll take my leave first and go greet him."

    Elle left to go find the director and to introduce herself to the other important members of staff amongst the crowd. Adam left a moment after her, presumably to go mingle some more, leaving Amelia standing frozen amongst the crowd.

    She had overcome the initial shock of the situation. She had managed to resume a calm, passive but cold expression on her face. The only evidence of her lingering anger was in the way her fingers slowly curled inwards, creating a tight fist. Her nails dug deep into her palm.

    "How annoying." She muttered.

 178 A Rose By Any Another Name

    Elle slowly made her rounds across the room, going through the tedious and tiring process of chatting with the more important people in the room. The only person she was happy to talk to was Christopher.

    Her eyes kept scanning the room for him but couldn''t find him. Part of her wondered if he wasn''t coming tonight until she finally spotted him walk in half an hour later.

    "Excuse me," She said to the group from the production crew she was currently talking to, "Christopher came in, I should go greet him."

    Christopher spotted Elle approach him from across the room, his own face returned the grin she was giving him.

    "You''re late." She scolded as they met.

    "Fashionably late." He corrected, flashing her an innocent smile. "I had some work before this."

    "Is that so? Good work today then."

    "For you as well."

    "I didn''t have work today though." Elle said, confused.

    Christopher chuckled lightly. "You said you also had a behind the scenes roll on this, right? Then this is your work. It''s tiring isn''t it, needing to talk to all these people. Needing to always wear a smile and be polite."

    Elle sighed softly. "You''re right about that. Networking is a different type of tiring then writing reports. I''d almost prefer a report to this."

    "That''s because you''re an introvert." Christopher teased.

    "Hey," Elle protested, smacking his arm playfully, "Is that how you should be treating the writer of this novel?"

    "Writer?" Christopher froze. "You''re the writer?"

    "Ah," Elle realized that she hadn''t told him yet. One hand reached up to fix her hair and she looked down bashfully.

    To most other people in this room Elle was a stranger, only known as the writer of the novel. People from the film industry had no reason to recognize her as the marketing director of a large corporation. Elle found it a tiny bit embarrassing, to have someone who knew her so closely know she had written this cheesy novel. A novel that had at one point basically served as her diary.

    "That''s amazing!" Christopher exclaimed suddenly. "You wrote this? Something you wrote is being produced? You must be so proud!"

    "You think so?" Elle asked, feeling herself get a bit excited. "It is a bit cool isn''t it."

    "It''s amazing! When did you even find the time to write this while already working? You''re amazing, suddenly I feel like I''m not working hard enough."

    Elle laughed. "Well you managed to land this coveted role, as the lead in the first MK production. You should be very proud of yourself too."

    "I''ll do a good job to make sure your novel comes to life well." He promised.

    "I''ll look forward to it then."

    Neither Chris nor Elle had noticed Amelia standing in a group of people nearby, watching with gritted teeth as they talked.

    Amelia had once suspect that Elle and Christopher were in a relationship, thinking that Adam had still been free for the taking. As she watched them talk now she was reminded of it. Elle smacked his arm playfully and they laughed as they spoke.

    ''Anyone might guess they really were in a relationship. How disgusting, for her to be Adam''s girlfriend but still talk to other men like that.'' Amelia thought to herself. She considered going over to suggest Elle was overly close to Chris. She imagined the satisfaction of Elle turning red at the hint.

    But Amelia knew how to play her cards better then that. She had had a really good conversation with Adam earlier that night. She needed a chance to return to that setting.

    So instead of going to Elle, Amelia''s eyes followed Adam, always positioning herself relatively close to him though she never went up to him directly. Dinner would be starting soon and a swarm of woman with the same idea as Amelia were all hovering close by.

    MK hadn''t assigned seats for tonights dinner. Their idea was to allow for everyone to get a chance to interact with anyone and not just the members of their own teams. Many girls were anxiously watching to see which seat Adam would take, and waiting to try to get a seat next to him.

    Dinner would probably last close to two hours. It was a great chance for any woman with their sights set on Adams Hayes.

    Elle was also nearby. She noticed how many women were lingering around Adam, their eyes flickering to watch him every so often, waiting for him to make his way to a table. Elle wanted to laugh at the silliness of it, wondering if Adam even noticed them all. She was also slightly jealous of them.

    Elle refused to look as silly and desperate as them but the truth was that she was also vying for that seat. Having no assigned seats meant that she also had a chance to sit next to Adam and not with the script writers where she might normally be placed, but it also meant that she had to fight with the rest of the room for that seat.

    If she was talking to Adam when dinner began it would be natural for her to sit next to him, but since she wasn''t there was no way for her to naturally go sit next to him without appearing as silly as everyone else. At one point Elle had hoped to be talking to Adam, but she was currently in a conversation with the director who was talking about the project. It would be incredibly rude of her to leave the conversation now. It was unfortunate but it was part of their work.

    ''Let these girls fight for that seat.'' Elle thought to herself smugly. ''They may get to sit with him for an hour or two, but I''ll get him to myself all night long.''

    One of the servers announced that dinner would begin soon. Adam had been talking to the production manager and Elle noticed as they began to make their way to a nearby table. The manager naturally sat to one side of Adam.

    Many girls took notice, attempting to naturally make their way to the seat on his other side. But Adam didn''t sit down. He put one hand on the back of his chair, and put another hand on the back of the chair beside his.

    "Elle," Adam called out in a steady voice. "Won''t you come sit next to me?"

    Elle froze in shock. For a moment she wondered if she had heard correctly. Adam looked at her expectantly. A mischievous spark that only she knew how to recognize glimmered deep in his eyes.

    "Sure, Mr. Hayes." Elle replied after regaining her composure.

    She took a few steps towards the table. The director followed behind her to also take a seat with them. Adam held the chair out for Elle like a true gentlemen. Elle smiled up at him as he helped her into it, hoping he could see exactly how happy she was.

    Dinner began and a boring conversation overtook the table. Elle was only half paying attention when she felt one of Adam''s hands sneak over to take a hold of hers under the table where no one would notice. Elle looked at Adam with widened eyes but he was faced forward, his face impassive, and looking just as focused on the conversation as he had been a minute ago.

    Elle looked forward hoping she didn''t look as flustered as she felt. She attempted to look like she was still paying attention to the conversation though she knew she couldn''t be as successful as Adam.

    "You''re wearing that colour again." Adam murmured in a low voice for only her to hear.

    It was that same pale and dusty blue she had worn at MK''s launch, and one she had worn a few times since. It was a colour Adam was beginning to associate with her.

    "It''s my battle outfit. It''s a colour that I feel courageous in." Elle said confidently, replying in an equally low voice. "Have I worn it too often?"

    "No." Adam replied with certainty. "I think that colour was made just to be worn by you."

    Elle looked down at their joined hands which were laying lightly in her lap and hoped no one else at the table noticed the pleased expression on her face.

    The rest of dinner went by with nothing to note. Adam held Elle''s hand until their food arrived. It would be too awkward and suspicious for them to both try to eat a meal with only one hand.

    When the night was finally over Adam and Elle both went their separate ways. They had each come in their own cars and left the same way too, though they both ended up at the same destination. Adam''s home. Their joint home, though Elle still hadn''t finished moving out of her old place.

    Elle had arrived first. Adam came in to find her sitting at the vanity in the bedroom. She had already changed out of her dress and into a satin robe. The pins were out of her hair so that it flowed down and framed her face in long, loose curls and her face was fresh from having just washed her makeup off.

    "You''re back." Elle said with a smile, rushing across the room to jump into his arms. "It''s been such a long three days without you."

    "Mhmm." Adam hummed, holding her tightly in his arms. "I have something for you."

    "Oh?" Elle asked curiously. "What is it?"

    He reached into the bag he was holding and presented her with a single, perfectly bloomed, red rose. "Happy Valentines Day."

    Elle stood motionless for a moment, looking at the rose with confusion in her eyes before letting out a light laugh. She then smiled brightly and happily took the rose, bringing it up to her face to smell its sweet scent.

    "Valentines Day was yesterday you know." She murmured happily.

    "It was in our time zone but if we go by Alaska''s time zone I made it with three hours to spare."

    "Hmm." Elle hummed while twirling the rose between her fingers. "You do know that their time is only 20 hours behind, not a fully 24. They''re already at February 15th."

    Adam winced. "Really? Well there must be some country in the world where it''s still February 14th. Let''s go by their time for today."

    Elle wrapped both arms around Adam and buried her head into his chest. "I missed you." She said softly, breathing in his familiar scent.

    His arms came around her instantly. "I missed you too. Clear your schedule, I''ll make up for the past three days with the next three."

    Adam bent down and picked up a laughing Elle, carrying her to the bed to begin making up for his absence.

 179 Ill Entrust It To You

    It was early in the morning about a week later. The sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon and Adam was already awake and standing at the bathroom counter.

    His hands were occupied with tying a tie around his neck while his eyes darting back and forth, watching Elle for a few seconds before looking back to guide his hands. Once he was finished Adam took one last look at his reflection in the mirror, making sure his hair was styled back properly and that nothing was out of place.

    Then he glanced into the bedroom, giving his full attention to Elle. From where he stood he could see that Elle had been firmly planted in front of the vanity for several minutes; meticulously applying her makeup and straightening every last strand of hair. Today was the first day of filming and Elle had taken the day off at Tae to go watch the filming start from the set.

    "If I had known it would make you become this anxious," Adam said as he approached Elle, "I would never have started this project in the first place."

    "Don''t say that. I love this project. It''s because I love it so much that I''m putting all my efforts into every little detail. I want to do it well."

    Adam sighed. "Isn''t bad enough to have one workaholic in a relationship? What do we do when it''s two?"

    "We create a project for both of them to work on so that they can finally spend time together." Elle teased.

    Adam couldn''t help but smile at that. "Anyway, you look great so stop fussing over yourself already."

    "Are you sure? I don''t look weird? Are my clothes alright?"

    "Every last detail is perfect, trust me. Besides, you''ll be late if you brood here any longer."

    Elle glanced at her watch. "You''re right, I lost track of the time. I''ll be on my way now then. Will you be stopping by the set later?"

    "I''ll come if I get a chance but it''s unlikely that I will. I''m going to be in back to back meetings all day."

    "Alright." Elle got up from the vanity and gave Adam a quick kiss on the cheek. "Work hard. Hope you have a good day." She wished him well and then she was off.

    Adam followed her out of the condo not long after that. As soon as he got into his office that morning he began to delve into his work. Even the short walk between meeting rooms was spent simultaneously checking his emails or quickly reading through a briefing. David accompanied Adam to most of the meetings that occurred that day, as he did most days. But the longer the day went on, the more concerned David became.

    As the hours ticked by the strict and attentive Adam Hayes who always wore a passive face, who never let his thoughts slip, and who never let his feelings show, began to wear a troubled expression.

    "Is something wrong sir?" David finally asked when the two of them were alone together.

    "She''s been on set for almost 5 hours but she hasn''t contacted me yet."

    "Things must be going well right? If something was wrong Elle would have told me, right? But if things are going well wouldn''t she also have been excited to let me know?" Adam sighed.

    David did his best to suppress a laugh. "It''s MK''s first production, it''s natural to feel worried." He said, not bothering to point out that he seemed more worried about Elle then the production itself. "It''s a shame your schedule is full. It would have been nice if the CEO could have dropped by on the first day."

    "Do you think so?"

    "Well there''s no requirement for you to, but since it''s our first production it wouldn''t be strange."

    "Hmm."

    ~~~

    Meanwhile, the filming was underway and progressing smoothly. It was the first time Elle had ever been on a film set before. Everything was new and exciting, and she watched it all with attentive and focused eyes.

    They were starting off with some of the smaller scenes on an indoor set. Because of this not everyone was needed for the schedule today. In particular, both Christopher and Amelia didn''t need to be on set since neither of them would have any scenes to shoot.

    Elle sat to the side of the set by herself from which she hadn''t moved for a few hours now. It was only when someone took the seat beside her that her focus was finally drawn away.

    She looked at the handsome face sitting next to her.

    "Christopher, What are you doing here? I thought the two leads didn''t have any scenes to film today."

    "I could say the same to you, you aren''t really required here either."

    Elle flushed slightly. "I just wanted to see for myself that the project started off well. I''m putting all my efforts into this."

    Chris flashed her a grin. "What a coincidence, me too."

    They watched together for a while longer, both of them concentrated on the scene before them, and neither of them bothering to keep up a conversation.

    It was just past noon when another familiar face joined them.

    "It''s Adam." Elle commented, a spark of joy in her eyes. "I wonder what he''s doing here."

    Christopher followed her line of sight and spotted Adam with the director and some other staff members.

    "You should go greet him." Christopher offered.

    "What?"

    "You''re the writer, the creator of all this. You''re in a high enough position to go stand next to him."

    Elle had the feeling the Christopher was hinting at more than just their roles in the project, but she took him up on his advice.

    "I''ll be back." She said as she left to go do as he suggested. Chris watched with a satisfied smile as she left.

    The filming of the next scene had resumed and the set was quiet. Elle tip toed over to Adam.

    "What are you doing here?" She whispered.

    "Well someone was being painfully silent so I decided to come during lunch to see for myself how things were going."

    "Sorry. I completely forgot."

    Adam ruffled her hair lightly. "That''s fine."

    Elle glanced around but everyone''s attention was on their jobs. No one seemed to notice them.

    "And how are things going?" Adam asked.

    Elle''s eyes lit up. "Amazingly well."

    Adam smiled back at her. "Then I can rest assured and go back to the office."

    "You won''t stay longer?"

    "No, I have to go back. My next meeting will be starting soon."

    "Okay." Elle said a little regretfully.

    There was a moment of silence between the two before Adam said, "I''ll entrust this project to you."

    Elle was surprised to hear those words. She looked up at him. Even in the dim light of the set she could see confidence reflected in his eyes. Him, who had probably never entrusted anything of significance to anyone before. Elle''s heart was touched by his words.

    She regretted that she couldn''t reach out for him among all these people. Instead she said "Yes, sir." with a fake salute and a broad smile.

    ~~~

    Amelia was the only key played who hadn''t gone to set today. She wasn''t filming any scenes and didn''t really see the need to waste her time there. Instead she was enjoying a leisurely day at home. One of the first ones she had had in many months.

    She had just gotten out of the bath and decided to call one of the supporting actresses she knew to see how things were going.

    "Not many people are here," The actress commented. "Christopher came by. He''s more handsome up close, you two will definitely look good on screen together. Adam Hayes stopped by too, but only for a short while."

    "What?" Amelia ask incredulously. "What was he doing there?"

    "It seems he stopped by to see that things had started off well." The girl sighed. "How lucky for us that he is also much more handsome up close."

    "Did he talk with the actors?"

    "No. Just the director and that writer, I forget her name. It seems she gets along well with Christopher too."

    Amelia gritted her teeth. Elle wasn''t even involved in filming, why was she there. And once again she was entwined with both Christopher and Adam.

    "I have to go." Amelia said in an even voice. "I hope your filming goes smoothly."

    Without waiting for the girl''s reply Amelia hung up the call. Her jaw was clenched painfully tight.

    If she had known Adam was going to be there, even for just a short while, she would have gone to the set too. Even Christopher had been there. She was the only actor that had missed out. What if Adam thought she was slacking off?

    With an irritated scream Amelia threw her phone. It whipped across the room and directly into her vanity mirror. With a sharp crash the mirror shattered into dozens of shards.

    Amelia crossed the room to where the fractured mirror laid in sharp and jagged pieces. Her unruly appearance reflected back to herself a dozen times among the shards. Even while looking at the mess, and looking at the appearance of her own twisted face, all Amelia could think was that it could have been her that had met Adam on set.

    "How irritating." She muttered.

 180 I Entrusted This To You Firs

    A few days had passed and finally Friday had arrived. Elle awoke peacefully that morning. She blinked against the early sunlight that streamed through a gap in the curtains.

    Adam laid still next to her in the bed, still asleep. Elle stared at him, admiring his messy hair, his soft lips, and his strong chest that rose and fell with his even breathes. After a moment, as if feeling her gaze on him, his eyes fluttered open.

    "Good morning." He murmured, his voice still rough with sleep.

    "Good morning, my love." Elle answered happily, burying herself into his ams.

    "Did you sleep well?" He asked in his gruff voice.

    "Mmm, it was okay."

    That seemed to wake him up. One of his hands ran reassuringly through her hair and his eyebrows furrowed together as he asked, "What happened? Did you have a bad dream?"

    "Nothing really, I just feel a little restless. Things have been very busy recently, I guess with everything going on my brain isn''t able to relax even in my sleep." Elle sighed. "Look at us, both of us woke up even before our alarms went off."

    "Is the filming too much? You don''t need to get overly involved, I can have David - "

    "No." Elle insisted, cutting him off. "No, it''s not too much. It''s a lot of extra work, but it''s also all the more rewarding. To think that a project this big is mine. To think you entrusted something this important to me."

    Adam chuckled lightly. "I''ve entrusted even more important things to you before."

    "When?"

    "You''ve forgotten?"

    "Do you mean the jewellery launch? Or the modelling for MK? Those don''t count. Those were important roles, but you were the one responsible for everything with them."

    "No, not then." Adam said. He gently took her hand and placed it over his heart. "I entrusted this to you first."

    Elle looked away in embarrassment. "Saying such cheesy things so early in the morning." She muttered.

    "But it''s true." As he whispered to her Adam leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips.

    In a blissful and leisurely way the couple enjoyed the company of each other until both their alarms began to ring. In synchronization both their phones went off.

    Elle groaned and rolled off Adam''s chest so that they could both reach for their phones.

    "I suppose you need to rush off now." Elle said reluctantly.

    "What should I do?" Adam asked as he reached over to pull her back into his arms. "Work has been pilling up, especially with the production going on. There''s a lot to catch up on and yet I don''t want to leave this bed."

    Elle pulled his lips to hers. "Then don''t go." She whispered willfully.

    That morning the two responsible and mature adults disappeared and both Elle and Adam called in to take the day off work. They forgot their worries and their responsibilities and focused only on each other.

    An hour later Elle was still laying in bed, now out of breath and resting in Adam''s embrace while laughing lightly to herself.

    "What is it?" Adam murmured as his fingers traced patterns up and down her back.

    "How old are we?" Elle teased. "To think that we both skipped work to spend the morning in bed. Are we teenagers?"

    "Hey, we''re not that old yet." Adam said as one of his hands mischievously snuck beneath the covers.

    "Again?" Elle asked.

    The couple finally made it out of the bedroom as the clock approached noon. First they went to go shower and then they made their way down to the kitchen to eat. Elle reheated whatever leftovers remained in the fridge from the day before and they both sat down at the table for a meal.

    Elle couldn''t get rid of the smile on her face as they ate.

    "You''re happy." Adam noted.

    "Of course I''m happy. I feel like it''s been a long time since you and I were able to spend time together like this."

    "I know." Adam said with a sad smile. "I''ve been too busy recently."

    "I didn''t mean it like that." Elle said softly.

    "I know." But he was already reflecting on himself.

    A few moments later Adam''s phone began to ring. Adam was determined to ignore it if it had been the company but they saw that it was his friend Marcus calling.

    "Go on, answer it." Elle encouraged.

    Adam put the call on speaker. "What is it Marcus?" He asked as he continued to eat.

    "I called your office. Your secretary said you didn''t go in today. Since when do you take days off? Are you dying?" Marcus teased.

    Elle couldn''t help but giggle at the joke. "I always liked Marcus." She whispered to Adam.

    "Did he also tell you that I''m not, under any circumstances, to be interrupted today?" Adam asked, ignoring their jests.

    "Are you really sick?"

    "No."

    "Perfect. The gang has arranged for a little hike and camp out. Won''t you and Elle come along?"

    "You planned a hike?" Adam asked skeptically.

    "The girls did." Marcus confessed. "It''ll be fun. You''re already playing hooky and tomorrow will be the weekend anyway."

    Adam was about to decline. He was determined to devote his time to Elle this weekend. It would be a poor compensation for all the time his work took away from them, but it was the best he could do for now. But when he looked up he noticed a spark of interest in Elle''s eyes.

    He looked at her questioningly.

    "It sounds fun." Elle replied sheepishly.

    "Are you sure you''re not too tired from earlier?" Adam teased.

    Elle blushed slightly and smacked his arm.

    Adam smirked. "Fine," He replied to Marcus. "We''ll come along too. Send me the time and address."

    "Okay." Marcus said excitedly, hanging up before Adam could change his mind.

    "Are we really going?" Elle asked. "Won''t you have to work tomorrow?"

    "For this one weekend we will do whatever you want. Besides, like you said, it sounds fun."

    Elle got out of her chair and crossed around the table to sneak into Adam''s lap. She put both arms around his neck.

    "I said it to you once before, it''s because are always considerate of me even when you are so deadly busy that I never get upset over you needing to work or us not being able to go on dates often."

    "You''re too good to me. Don''t hold back this weekend, tell me whatever you want to do and we''ll do it. In return forgive me for the times I''ll be busy in the future."

    "Deal." Elle said wrapping her pinky finger around his.

 181 Out of Breath

    Amelia got a call from her friends early Friday morning. Some of the other girls in their friend group had arranged an overnight camping trip and they had invited Amelia to come along.

    Since the filming had just started, and it had started with some of the smaller scenes first, her schedule left Amelia quite free. She was tempted to ask if Adam would be coming but she knew better. It was a Friday but it was still a working day. Even on the weekends Adam was often found in his office. It wasn''t likely that he''d leave work to join in on their group''s shenanigans.

    At first she felt disappointment but after considering it for a while Amelia decided that it might do her some good to just be with her friends even if Adam wouldn''t be there. She had been wound up too tight in recent days, so she happily agreed to go.

    It was later that afternoon that Amelia pulled into the parking lot where they had all agreed to meet. The spot was at the base of a large, rocky hill that they would hike up. At the top was a flattened area with the camping grounds they would stay at for the night.

    Amelia glanced around at the friends who had gathered so far. As she suspected Adam wasn''t amongst the crowd.

    "I hope I''m not late." Amelia said as she joined the others.

    "Not at all. We''re still waiting on a few."

    It was only a minute or two later that Amelia watched in surprise as Adam''s car pulled up. It was still too early for him to have left work and yet there he was, stepping out of his car looking handsome in his casual wear.

    For a selfish moment Amelia hoped that he had come alone. How nice it would have been to spend an evening under the stars with just themselves and their closest friends. But sure enough Adam crossed around the car, opened the passenger side door, and extended his hand to help Elle out of the car.

    "You made it!" Marcus said excitedly. "We''re all here now, shall we head up?"

    Adam glanced at the steep incline of the path up the hill. "Are you sure you''re not too tired?" Adam whispered to Elle, his fingers brushing down her lower back.

    Elle did her best to not to react despite the flush she felt. "I''m fine." She said calmly. "Let''s go."

    The group began their ascent up the rugged path, casually talking and joking around with each other as they went.

    Elle walked a bit slower then the rest. After a while she began to lag behind the rest of the group. Adam had been matching his pace to hers the entire way. Noticing that she was slowing down he called out to the rest of the group, "You guys go on ahead, we''ll catch up later."

    "Are you sure?"

    "It''s not that much further to the top, we''ll be fine." Adam reassured. So the rest of the group went on ahead, leaving the two stragglers behind.

    "Are you okay?" Adam asked once the others were out of sight.

    Adam sat down next to her. "You''re right. If we were facing the other side I think we could see our home from here."

    ''Our home.'' Elle smiled to herself. She could have never guessed before how happy those words would make her feel one day.

    "It''s our home but I still haven''t moved my things out of my condo." Elle sighed.

    "We''ve been too busy to bring everything over." Adam agreed. "We should do it soon, if not we might end up not doing it until the production of your novel is over."

    "Mhmm." Elle hummed her agreement.

    A few minutes passed as the couple leisurely enjoyed the view of the city. After a while the shadows began to shift as the sun lowered in the sky.

    "We should join the others soon. Should I give you a piggy back ride the rest of the way?" Adam teased.

    "No." Elle said stubbornly. "I have a better idea; race you."

    ~~~

    Amelia had felt anxious ever since Adam and Elle split from the group. She didn''t like seeing them together, but she liked the idea of them being alone together worse.

    In an effort to make herself feel better Amelia took smug satisfaction out of the fact that her endurance was better than Elle''s. Without being conscious of it, but she used the opportunity to put Elle down to the rest of their friends.

    "Should I go back for them?" Amelia commented aloud as the group reached the camping site. "I didn''t realize Elle had a weak constitution, I''m a bit worried. The hike must have been too much for her."

    "She seemed fine to me." One of the other girls said with a shrug.

    "Besides, Adam''s with her. I''m sure they were purposely lagging behind." Marcus added.

    "I don''t know. She seemed a bit pale to me." Amelia insisted.

    The others frowned as they contemplated, but before they could agree or disagree they heard fast footsteps quickly approaching the site.

    Adam sprinted into the camp first, coming to a graceful slow before stopping and taking long huffs to catch his breath. Elle came in behind him.

    "That''s not fair." She accused while panting, leaning forward to rest her hands on her knees. "You cheated."

    "Did I?"

    "I had an unfair handicap from this morning." She complained.

    "In that case you should have listened to me from the beginning." Adam laughed.

    "You''re right Amelia," One of the guys said sarcastically with a laugh. "She was definitely out of breath."

    "Did you run all that way?" A girl asked as she handed them both some water. "Adam shouldn''t you purposely let yourself lose to your girlfriend?"

    "But that would be no fun." Adam teased with his usual stern face.

    "Yes, and since he won his prize can be to help us set up camp." The guys called out for him.

    "Yes, yes." Adam left to go join the others, he ruffled Elle''s hair lightly as he passed by her. "Don''t push yourself too hard." He whispered for just her to hear.

 182 Jealousy and Envy

    Elle had only met Adam''s friends twice before but she was starting to recognize and become more familiar with them all. Adam left her to help some of the others setup the campfire, leaving Elle to her own devices.

    Elle glanced around awkwardly, looking for something she could help with when she spotted one of the other girls, Ruth, struggling with a tent. The tents were large, big enough to fit four people, so they didn''t need to set up as many. Half the group was helping setup the campfire while the other half set up the tents.

    "Here, let me help you." Elle said, taking the tent poles from her.

    "Thanks." Ruth said with a grateful smile.

    "How do you know the others?" Elle asked to break the awkward silence. "Did you also go to school with them?"

    "No, no. I wasn''t clever enough for that." Ruth said with a laugh. "I started dating Alan and he introduced me to the rest of them. He met most of them through business."

    "How long have you guys been dating?"

    "About five years now."

    "How nice." Elle commented.

    "I should be saying that to you." Ruth teased. "How long have you and Adam been seeing each other?"

    "Just over a year now."

    "Wow. He was always good at keeping secrets but none of us would have ever guessed that he would have been able to hide something this big."

    Elle flushed. "I hope you don''t think badly of him for it. I also wanted to keep quiet about our relationship at the beginning."

    "Of course not. I understand why you both did it. There are a lot of eyes on Adam." It was unintentional, but for the briefest moment Ruth''s eyes drifted to Amelia.

    "That''s right, but even after a year nothing has happened. Maybe his presence isn''t as big as I thought." Elle laughed.

    "I can help you guys finish if you need a hand." Amelia suddenly said as she joined the two.

    "Sure." Elle said with a smile, handing Amelia the other end of the tent poles.

    Amelia was in no way unpleasant but her presence had put an end to the conversation between Elle and Ruth. Neither of the two girls wanted to mention Adam in front of her.

    After working in silence for a moment the unspoken person called out.

    "Elle," Adam called, "Can you help me for a minute?"

    "Sure!" Elle called back. "Sorry guys, I''ll be right back."

    Elle hurried over to Adam, leaving Amelia and Ruth alone.

    "You know, don''t you?" Amelia asked once Elle was gone.

    "Know what?" Ruth replied.

    "You know that I like Adam."

    Ruth''s hands froze for a moment before continuing their work. "Of course I know. I''ve known you for five years now, I''d like to think I know you well."

    "We''re good friends, aren''t we?"

    "Of course we are."

    "Then would you help me?" Amelia asked.

    Again Ruth hesitated.

    "I''m not asking for that much." Amelia said, trying to reassure her. "I don''t want to break them up, I just want to know if I ever had a chance at all. I tried for years but he never looked at me twice. I just want to know what won his heart over. If I could just know that much I''d be satisfied."

    "If I can get you closure than I''ll try, but I can''t give you anything more than that."

    "I know. Thank you."

    Ruth felt a sourness in her heart. She liked Elle, and Adam had always been a good friend, but so had Amelia. It was hard to know that one friend''s happiness was another friend''s torture.

    As if the others could hear her thoughts out loud Ruth heard laughter from where the others were setting up the campfire. She looked over and saw Adam smiling brightly, sharing some sort of joke with Elle who was bent over laughing.

    Amelia also looked over. She watched Adam''s smile.

    To begin with a smile from Adam was a rare thing but this smile wasn''t the small chuckle or the satisfied smirk she knew. The smile he wore now was a big grin. A smile that reached even his eyes.

    It was a smile that Amelia had been trying to earn from him since she met him. That smile that she never received was easily obtained by this girl.

    Not by herself, or by any of the other girls who had tried to win his heart in the past, but by Elle who came into his life last. It wasn''t fair.

    Amelia''s whole body trembled. She no longer knew what the emotion she felt was. She could no longer separate jealousy and envy.

    As those emotions washed over her she fell deeper and deeper, because, though Amelia didn''t know it yet herself, she had already fallen into a dark hole.

 183 I Changed My Mind

No content

 184 Our Home

    A moment''s silence fell over the two girls until Elle eventually let out a light sigh.

    "I''ll head back first then. Sorry for intruding on your run." Elle turned around to head back towards the tents when Amelia suddenly called out to her.

    "You know I really did like you." She confessed. "At the beginning I really thought you would become a dear friend of mine. That''s why I hope you''re right. I hope your confidence isn''t misplaced."

    Elle heard the hidden meaning in those words. ''I hope your confidence isn''t misplaced'' but in other words ''I''m going to try to steal him away''.

    But if it was an attempt to unnerve her it was futile.Elle trusted Adam. In the past year he had never given her a reason not to.

    Elle didn''t bother replying to Amelia, she simply continued on her way back to the campsite. Back to where Adam was waiting for her.Elle smirked to herself as she wandered back. She felt empowered. She felt confident. Maybe it was a rude thing to do but it felt satisfying to have taken Amelia down a peg.

    Elle was so busy marvelling in satisfaction that she wasn''t paying proper attention to the uneven surface of the wooded ground. The next thing she knew, she suddenly tripped and was falling hard onto her hands and knees.

    Elle stared at a tree root that was sticking out of the dirt as realization of what had just happened settled on her. She quickly glanced around to make sure no one else had seen her fall, and then she began to laugh.

    "Karma sure works fast." She laughed at her own clumsiness as she stood up and dusted the dirt from her pants. She took a step forward and suddenly her laughter stopped.

    A dull pain shot through her ankle. Elle paused, rested her hand against the tree''s trunk and tested her foot by rolling her ankle this way and that. Fortunately the pain wasn''t bad and it didn''t seem too serious. Once she was satisfied that nothing was bruised or broken Elle quickened her pace back to camp.

    When she finally approached the tents she saw that Adam was indeed waiting for her. In the time that she had been gone he had woken up and was now watching her approach with his arms crossed and a tight smile spread across his face.

    ''Oh, he''s very angry.'' Elle thought to herself.

    She had been able to sneak out of the tent unnoticed but she hadn''t considered the consequence of not being able to sneak back in.

    As she got closer the smile disappeared from Adam''s face. In an instant it was replaced by worry and anxiousness.

    "You''re limping." He noticed. His voice was full of concern."No I''m not." Elle said, shifting her weight so that she could walk more evenly.

    "Don''t lie to me." He grumbled. "Sit down, let me see."

    Nonetheless she took a seat before him. Adam went through the same motions she had gone through earlier; poking and prodding at her ankle and was only satisfied after thoroughly ensuring that it wasn''t swelling or causing her any real pain.

    "You should have said something before you left in the morning. I was worried." Adam grumbled once he was sure she wasn''t severely injured.

    "You''re right." Elle said softly. "I''m sorry."

    It seemed it was her good fortune to have fallen down. It saved her from what she assumed would have been a very long lecture.

    ~

    The gang of friends hung out a little bit longer that morning. They made breakfast and enjoyed it together before starting to take down camp.

    Adam refused to let Elle help in anyway that caused her to be on her feet so she ended up mostly sitting idly as he helped the others pack up.

    On their way back down they once again lagged behind everyone else. This time none of the friends questioned it and simply went on ahead.

    Elle had refused a piggy back down the hill and so she and Adam had come to the mutual agreement of a slow pace back down to the lot.

    "You know it really barely hurts at all." Elle commented on the way down. "I think you''re exaggerating a little."

    "I don''t care." Adam said firmly. "I''d rather exaggerate than overlook your discomfort. No matter how small it is, if it''s about you it''s huge to me."

    Elle couldn''t fault him for that. Instead she snuck her hand into his and enjoyed their leisurely walk and the brisk morning air.

    Once they reached the bottom all the friends said their goodbyes and the couple got in Adam''s car. After a few minutes Elle noticed they were going in the opposite direction of Adam''s condo.

    "Where are we going?" Elle asked curiously.

    "To run an errand." Adam replied.

    Eventually they pulled up to Elle''s condo. "Why are we here?"

    "We agreed to move in together but you still haven''t moved your stuff out. I want to do it before we become ''busy'' again."

    For the second time that day Elle was moved by his simple words. And for the second time that day Elle sat around idly while Adam did all the heavy lifting. He only allowed her to do the things she could do while sitting.

    "I feel really powerful." Elle commented and she gazed hungrily at the sight of Adam with his sleeves rolled up. His strong arms and strong back put on a marvellous display for her. "I feel a bit guilty but the view from here is also very satisfying."

    Adam chuckled. "It''s only fair. Every day I''m greeted by a beautiful view."

    Luckily there wasn''t a need to move any of the large furniture pieces since Adam''s place was already well furnished. Over the course of their relationship Elle had also moved most of her clothes over. So all there was to do was to do was pack a few boxes of miscellaneous things and her suitcases with the remaining clothes and load them up.

    Soon the packing was done and they returned to Adam''s condo. While Adam took a few trips to bring up the boxes Elle put together a nice dinner for them.

    "That''s the last of it." Adam sighed as he put down a final box and fell back onto the sofa.

    Elle brought him a glass of cold water. "Thanks for all your hard work."

    "It''s worth it for the reward."

    "The reward?" Elle asked.

    "Yes. This is now officially our home." Adam said, causing Elle''s ears to turn red.

    Even though she had agreed to move in with him she supposed that she had still thought of it as Adam''s home. Now this condo that she loved was her own home. It was her place to return to.

    "Welcome home." Elle whispered.

    "Yes, welcome home."

 185 A Silent Storm

No content

 186 A Lonely Sky

    "Come in." Elle called out.

    She recognized her father''s secretary poke his head through the door. "Director Shaw, the Chairman asked to see you in his office."

    Elle frowned. "Okay, I''ll be there in a minute."

    Elle quickly saved her work before heading up to her father''s office.

    "You wanted to see me?" She asked as she entered. Her father frowned when he saw her.

    "Come take a seat."

    Elle took a seat in front of his desk. "What is it?"

    Her father sighed. "You don''t even greet me now?"

    "I''m busy."

    "If you''re so busy why have you applied for so much vacation?"

    "Huh?" Is that what this is about Elle wondered to herself.

    "You already applied for almost ten days off, I saw you requested another full day this morning."

    "And?"

    "Don''t you think it''s a bit too much?"

    "Not really. Most of the days are only half days. Even though it''s frequent it''s not like I won''t be here to oversee my division."

    "Why do you need to take time off like this?"

    Elle''s eyes narrowed. "Are you asking as my father or as the Chairman?"

    "Both."

    Elle scoffed. "To the Chairman I will respond that it''s private, to my father I will reply that it''s not really any of his business." With that Elle stood up.

    "We''re not done here."

    "I disagree. Don''t worry Chairman, I''ll do my work properly. If my division''s performance goes down then we can discuss the problem of my vacation then."

    Elle didn''t bother to wait for his response, she simply walked out of his office, mumbling ''hypocrite'' under her breath as she did.

    Elle wasn''t initially planning to go to set today. Adam had said he would pick her up from Tae after work so that they could go home together. However, Elle suddenly felt like she couldn''t stand to be in this building another moment longer.

    She quickly called Adam. He picked up on the second ring.

    "What is it?" He asked in a concerned tone.

    "What do you mean?"

    "You never call during work. Did something happen?"

    "No, it''s nothing. I just wanted to let you know that I decided to go to the set today. You can go straight home, I''ll meet you there after."

    "You didn''t bring your car today." Adam noted with a frown.

    "That''s okay, I''ll just take a cab."

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yup." Elle replied cheerily.

    "Fine. I''ll wait for you to have dinner so don''t stay too long. Call me if you need me."

    "Sure."

    The shooting was happening at an outdoor location today. Elle sat with the other writers as usual and watched the people around her rush about, trying to bring her silly piece of writing to life.

    A cool breeze blew by. Elle close her eyes and let it brush over her calmly. She let it blow away her frustrations and disappointments as well. They weren''t important, she didn''t want to cling to them, so she let them go and let the wind carry them far away.

    Elle continued in her own silent reflection until her melancholy spirit was suddenly joined but one much more cheerful than her''s.

    "You''re here again today." Christopher said as he took a seat next to her.

    A smile quickly assumed it''s place on Elle''s face. "I am. How is filming going?"

    "You introduced my character too late in your novel." Christopher complained in a teasing tone. "You should have introduced me sooner and given me more screen time."

    Elle laughed genuinely this time. Chris didn''t know that the novel was in fact based on Elle''s life. "Believe me, I wish your character had showed up sooner as well." She joked, thinking fondly of Adam.

    In between their laughter Christopher turned his head to look towards where, unbeknownst to Elle, Amelia had been standing and silently watching. Chris and Amelia locked eyes for a brief moment until Amelia gave him a slight nod in greeting and walked away.

    Chris watched the view of her back as she walked away. The smile on his face had vanished and something cold and hard had replaced the happy spark in his eyes.

    "Is something wrong?" Elle asked, noticing his attention was fixed somewhere else.

    "Nothing at all." Chris said with a light smile.

    The filming continued, Elle spent most of the time watching blankly from her seat, as if she was watching a tv show that she wasn''t interested in. When he wasn''t filming his own scenes, Christopher would come sit with her. Occasionally they would share a joke between themselves, or comment on how well a scene turned out.

    A few hours passed this way and the sun began to sink lower and lower into the sky. Elle took out her phone and glanced at the time.

    "I''m going to go now." She whispered to Chris so that she wouldn''t disrupt the filming.

    "Do you need a ride?" Chris asked her back in a hushed tone.

    "No, that''s fine. The main road is just a few blocks down the road, I''ll take a cab from there."

    Christopher looked at her reluctantly but Elle waved goodbye and set off before he could argue with her.

    As Elle wandered down the sidewalk she looked up at the dusky sky. It would be a clear night, without a cloud in the sky. A few evening stars were already out and shining brightly in the purple sky.

    "I wonder why," Elle said aloud to only herself, "the sky looks so lonely tonight."

    A few blocks down the street from where the shooting had taken place was a small parking lot. It had been too small for the crew to use but in the empty lot Elle happened to spot a familiar car with a familiar man leaning against it, blowing warm air into his hands.

    "Adam?" She said with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

    "I''m here to get you of course." Adam replied matter of factly.

    Elle was still surprised, she continued staring at him blankly. She felt as if he was a figment of her imagination and he might disappear if she looked long enough. But he didn''t disappear, no matter how long she studied him.

    "You must be cold." Adam noted, ignoring her questioning gaze. "Why would you come out without a jacket? It''s already late autumn and the nights are cold." He softly scolded her as he shrugged out of his woollen coat and draped it gently over her shoulders.

    "It''s so warm." Elle mumbled softly.

    She let out a long sigh and leaned forward to rest her forehead against Adam''s chest. His hands immediately came up to stroke her back.

    "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"

    "Ha." Elle let out a sarcastic laugh. Adam looked down at her quizzically.

    "I forget that you can''t actually read my mind." Elle said with a smile. "No one else in the world could understand me so perfectly."

    Adam didn''t know what happened but that reply was enough to satisfy him. He DID know Elle best and so he stood out in the cold with her a little longer. One gently recharged the other, before going back home together.

 187 A Day Full Of Nothing But Happiness

    Music played to fill the silence and Adam was beside her with one hand on the wheel while the other one was enveloped between Elle''s own hands in her lap. The morning air had been cold but now sunshine and warmth filled the car.

    "Are you sleepy?" Adam asked, noticing Elle''s dropping eyes. "You can sleep if you want. I''ll wake you up when we get there."

    "Hmm." Elle hummed softly as her fingers played with Adam''s hand absentmindedly. "I think this is what bliss feels like." She said as she leaned back and closed her eyes.

    Filming in the city had just finished and now the crew would be switching locations. Starting next week shooting would resume in a quiet, scenic, town a few hours out of the city. Today the entire crew would make their way up to the new location, and tomorrow evening MK would host a huge mid-way party for the crew.

    Since it was a large event, both Adam and Elle would be in attendance as well. They decided to use the opportunity to head up early so that they could enjoy some rest together.

    With a much needed, and much appreciated, calm atmosphere two hours went by before they finally arrived at the hotel. Another reason the two purposely left early was so they could check in without the rest of the crew seeing them together.

    Even though it would only be for two days both Elle and Adam were reluctant to spend the night apart. Even with their busy schedules, they had barely spent a night apart in the past year. It had seemed awkward to purposely get two different hotel rooms.

    Instead, Adam had gone to the trouble to make sure their room was a floor above the rest of the crew. If no one else had a room on that floor perhaps no one would notice Adam and Elle going into the same room.

    As soon as they entered their room Adam flopped onto the bed while Elle helped put their things away.

    "Am I getting too old?" Adam asked with his arm resting over his eyes. "I''m exhausted."

    "When was the last time you had a good rest? It has nothing to do with your age." Elle teased. "Do you want to sleep? I can wake you up when the rest of the crew start arriving."

    "No. Let''s go out."

    "Are you sure? You just spent two hours driving, you must be tired."

    "I am, but I''d rather go around town with you."

    Elle grinned. "Where should we go first?"

    Adam and Elle had actually been to this town once before. When they were finalizing the filming locations they had visited each site themselves. Thanks to that they already had good bearings of the town but last time they hadn''t had the chance to roam around leisurely.

    "Adam, over here!" Elle called out, gesturing for him to join her in front of a beautiful array of autumn trees. "Let''s take a picture together."

    "Here, give me your phone. My arms are longer."

    A grin was painted on Elle''s face as she huddled close to Adam and even his face had a warm smile on it as they quickly snapped a picture.

    Elle looped her arm through Adam''s and they continued on their way. But as they continued to wander around Elle was glued to her phone, looking down at it with a goofy smile.

    "Do you like it that much?" Adam asked with a chuckle.

    "I do." Elle said looking up at him with a smile. "Now that I think of it we hardly have any pictures together."

    "I suppose you''re right."

    "We have some group pictures with our friends and some from the holidays, but that''s about it."

    Adam''s grip on Elle''s hand tightened. "Let''s take a lot from now on."

    "Ahh," Elle sighed, "what should I do Adam? I''m so happy."

    He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Enjoy it while you can. Until we return to work on Monday."

    Elle groaned. "What a spoilsport."

    After walking for a while longer they ducked into a cafe to get a late lunch. The couple had gotten their food, and were enjoying it slowly, when a group of three young girls entered the cafe.

    They sat at a table together and quickly ordered their food. As they waited they casually looked around.

    "We got pretty fortunate with the filming locations. It''s a small town but it seems like a nice place to spend a two weeks."

    "You''re right. It''ll be an enjoyable time."

    "Hey," One of them suddenly said while looking across the cafeteria. "Isn''t that Adam Hayes?"

    "You''re right! What good luck we have. Should we go greet him?"

    "Look at that." Another one of the girls noted with a smirk. "That writer is attached to his side again."

    "Ugh, how annoying."

    "Don''t worry." One of them giggled. "We''ll get our opportunity to mess with her soon."

    Of course, as this was happening, both Adam and Elle only saw each other. Though other people might lower themselves to be bothered by them, the couple would never join them at their level. Elle and Adam continued to have a lovely time together, uninterrupted by the petty envy of others.

    The day passed joyfully. It was much later that night that Adam and Elle had finally snuck back to their hotel room, being cautious to not be spotted by any of the crew as they entered their shared room.

    Adam took a shower first while Elle reviewed their schedule for the next day. Once he was finished Elle took her turn, letting the hot water ease the past few weeks worth of built up tension. She only exited the shower once the bathroom resembled a sauna.

    She slipped into a bathrobe and rejoined Adam in their room. He was lounging on the bed in a plain t-shirt that was tight enough to flaunt the definition of the muscle that lay beneath, a pair of shorts, and still damp hair that had been slicked back.

    Adam had been on his phone but was interrupted by Elle who carefully climbed into his lap.

    "What''s this?" Adam asked, immediately setting aside his phone.

    "What do you think it is?" She asked as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Do you have any idea how handsome you look, sir? It''s almost criminal."

    "Then what about you?" He asked in a low voice. "Do you have any idea how stunning you look?"

    Adam pulled back Elle''s robe to reveal her shoulders. A trail of kisses went down her neck and across her collarbone.

    "Adam." Elle breathed. "The lights."

    "No." Adam said with a smirk.

    Elle opened her eyes to look at him with surprise. She couldn''t help but smile at the playful look that met her there.

    Maybe it was because they hadn''t slept together in a while but between Adam''s gentle whispers and his roaming hands Elle''s mind could barely keep up.

    After several long kisses, and the loss of a piece of clothing or two, Elle laid pinned beneath Adam on the bed. But in that moment, when they least expected it, there was a knock at the door.

    "Adam, are you there?" They both recognized the voice of the director.

    Adam''s face went blank and Elle''s heart pounded in her chest, as if it hadn''t been beating fast enough before.

    Adam moved first, quickly reaching for his discarded shirt and tossing Elle her robe from where it lay across the floor.

    "Just a second." He called out.

    Adam looked at Elle with eyes that begged the question ''what should we do?'' while Elle looked back with an expression that plainly read ''I don''t know.''

    Elle didn''t know what else to do. She pushed Adam towards the door while she ducked into the bathroom. Adam cleared his throat once before answering the door.

    "Director, how good to see you again." Adam said with perfect politeness though Elle, who could hear their voices from where she hid in the bathroom, knew him well enough to hear the sarcasm that laid beneath it.

    "I thought I''d quickly come greet you before the party tomorrow. I''m sure the whole crew will be very grateful to have you join us despite your busy schedule."

    "Of course, after all, this is a very important project for MK. I want to see it succeed more than any one else."

    Elle was surprised at how fast he could slip into ''work mode''. Even when caught off-guard he sounded completely reliable.

    "Yes, of course. Let''s both do our best together."

    Adam smiled. "Well if that''s all, I have some important work to get back to."

    "Of course, of course. Let''s have a long chat at dinner tomorrow instead."

    After a moment Elle heard the door shut and the lock click into place. She waited a minute longer before cautiously stepping out of the bathroom.

    "Is the coast clear?" Elle whispered.

    "Yes, it''s fine now. He should be long gone."

    There were a dozen feelings Elle should be feeling. Annoyance at being interrupted, relief for not being discovered. Instead she glanced at Adam and began to snicker.

    "I''m glad one of us finds this situation funny." He said.

    "No." She replied as she bit her lip to try to keep from laughing. "It''s not that."

    "Then what is it?"

    "Your shirt is on backwards." Elle pointed out. It was barely noticeable, but the faint outline of the label could be seen from what was currently the front of his shirt. Adam sighed and shrugged out of the shirt as Elle''s laughter grew.

    "That''s enough out of you." Adam finally said, bending forward to pick Elle up over his shoulder. He tossed her lightly onto the bed and used his kisses to finally quiet her laughter.

    From the morning to the moment they shut their eyes, it was a day full of nothing but happiness.

 188 Is He Angry

    "Sorry, did I wake you?"

    Elle opened her eyes and saw Adam standing across the room. He was already dressed in a white button up shirt and dark jeans.

    "It''s okay, you didn''t wake me. Are you leaving already?"

    "Yea, there''s a lot to prepare before the banquet tonight. I need to make sure that production is finished setting up for their shooting before we leave tomorrow as well."

    "Hmm." Elle hummed, still half asleep.

    "Stay here and rest before the party." Adam instructed softly, as he came over to press a kiss to Elle''s forehead. "I''ll be off now. I''ll see you tonight."

    "Have a good day. Call me if you need me for anything." Elle offered as he left.

    Elle continued to lounge in bed for a while longer but she was never one for sleeping in. After an hour or so she grew bored and finally got up.

    She took a shower and ordered room service and by the time she was done eating it was early in the afternoon. She had initially intended to just rest in the room until it was time to get ready but now that she saw how much time she had to burn it seemed too dull to waste it away in a hotel room.

    "Should I get some fresh air?" Elle wondered aloud. She quickly changed into her casual wear and headed down to the hotel lobby.

    She wandered around town and enjoyed the scenic fall view. Elle stopped by the first filming set as well, to see how their set up was going.

    "You''re the second person to drop by. I feel the pressure to finish quickly." One of the camera men said with a laugh.

    "Oh? Who was the first?"

    "Mr. Hayes."

    Elle blinked in surprise. He had mentioned the set up but she hadn''t thought he would come all the way out here to see it for himself.

    "In fact you just missed him. He left only a few minutes ago."

    "Is that so? What a coincidence." Elle said with an innocent smile.

    She continued to chat with the crew members for a while before heading back to the hotel. The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky, it was about time she head back and start getting ready.

    Elle returned to the hotel and she made her way back up to her room she decided to pass by the hotel''s banquet hall. She was hoping to catch a glimpse of Adam, but it seemed Elle was destined to have bad luck today.

    She didn''t see Adam but instead Elle bumped into three of the actresses with supporting roles. Quite literally bumped into them, as they all turned the corner at the same time.

    The coffee one of them had been holding splashed out, staining Elle''s white shirt.

    "Oh, no!" The actress cried. "I''m so sorry."

    "That''s okay, thankfully it''s just a small amount."

    "Sure." Elle followed their suggestion while the three girls followed her into the bathroom. With her back to them Elle couldn''t see the smirks on their faces.

    Fortunately, only the bottom of her shirt had gotten coffee on it. Elle turned on the tap and leant forward, tugging the end of her shirt under the running water.

    "I''m so sorry." The girl apologized again.

    "It''s okay, it was an accident after all." Elle reassured her.

    "What should we do? It looks like such a cheap material. I''m worried the stain won''t come out of it." One of the girls said while hiding her snicker.

    Elle continued to wear a smile. In truth, this incident reminded her of a similar one that happened long ago. Bumping into someone and something spilling onto her clothes on an autumn day.

    "It''s not coming out at all." Another said.

    "I''m sorry. Let me at least pay for it in return. It seems like it barely costs anything anyway."

    Elle looked at them, noticing for the first time that something was off. "Excuse me?"

    "Ah, I didn''t mean it in a bad way. I understand, you''re just a writer. You don''t have to worry about your appearance the way we do."

    "Yes," another agreed, "you''re just a writer."

    "Ah, we''re all going to be late if we don''t start getting ready now. We''ll leave first but I''ll have my assistant bring you the money for the shirt later."

    Elle watched them go with a blank look on her face. ''Was....was I just made fun of by them?'' She wondered. ''Was that bullying?''

    Elle wanted to laugh. What a pathetic attempt at bullying. Did people like that really exist outside of fiction? She wanted to laugh but she couldn''t bring herself too.

    Elle quickly left the bathroom and headed back up to her room. Unbeknownst to her, Adam followed close behind. They met each other in the elevator.

    "What a coincidence to meet here." Elle said as they rode the elevator up together.

    "You''re right."

    "Are all the preparations for tonight done?"

    "Yea."

    "You must be tired. Good work today."

    "Mhmm."

    They returned to their room together in silence. Adam had always been on more of the reserved side so Elle didn''t notice anything strange in his quietness. She was too busy lost in her own thoughts.

    Was this really an issue? She didn''t care about three petty girls at all, but she shouldn''t let them undermine her either. Not when it was work related. How should she deal with it? Elle wondered it all with a furrowed brow.

    They entered their room and Elle headed straight for the shower while Adam began getting ready for tonight. When she emerged again Adam was already dressed in a fitted, classic black suit. He sat on the edge of the bed and fiddled with his watch as Elle went and sat in front of the vanity.

    "Is there something you want to tell me?" Adam finally asked.

    Elle froze. She looked forward and their eyes met through the mirror. Could he tell something was upsetting her? Could it be that he noticed that quickly?

    ''It''s not really a big deal.'' Elle thought to herself. '' Is it better to just tell him about it after all? But if I tell him about it he''ll surely take matters into his own hands, won''t he. The truth is that this is something I need to resolve with my own hands, right?''

    Adam watched as Elle considered the matter back and forth in her mind. After a moment he let out a sigh.

    "If you don''t want to say it that''s fine." He spoke calmly, rising from the bed as he did, and leaving first. Elle watched him go without having the heart to call out and stop him.

    She looked back to the mirror with bewilderment. "Is he angry ?" Elle wondered softly.

 189 Without Even Knowing Hes In Danger

    He had seemed odd when he left. Almost as if he was angry, or disappointed. But what would he have to be angry about? Elle didn''t know what to make of it.

    Once she was ready she made her way downstairs with her stomach in knots on the way down. Elle didn''t feel like herself. Her mind wasn''t prepared to face all these people. Though she didn''t know what type of expression was reflected on her face, with her head held up high, Elle confidently walked into the banquet hall.

    The party was already in full swing. Most of the staff were already there and mindless chatter filled the air. Adam stood by one of the tables, having a conversation with the director, while many others swarmed around. Some of them were just innocently waiting for a chance to speak to him, hoping to be remembered for a future opportunity. Others stood by hoping for the opportunity to catch his eye.

    All of them failed to catch his attention, however, Adam''s eyes wandered to the entryway the second Elle walked in. Even with all the noise and colour to distract him, Adam noticed her presence the second she came in. His gaze fixated upon her.

    He had always thought she was beautiful. Even with no makeup and in the most simple clothes she looked beautiful. She always looked beautiful, but tonight she looked stunning.

    Elle wore a muted, lilac coloured dress. It was a short dress that had embroidered flowers falling down the skirt and long, sheer sleeves. Through the sheer material her delicate collarbone and her slender arms could still be admired. The softness of the material and the elegance of the embroidery mirrored the softness and elegance in her features.

    It was modest but still modern, and elegant without being plain. It was just like her.

    Without knowing that she had bewitched him yet again, Elle wandered into the room. Her eyes scanned the room until she spotted Adam and the director. Elle did her best to keep her confidence up as she made her way over to them.

    "Director, Mr. Hayes." She greeted politely. Elle studied Adam''s face. She hoped to read his feelings there, but as usual, he gave away nothing. His face was perfectly blank, the only hint she received was something dark in his eyes.

    Adam spoke before anyone else could. "Why don''t you have a seat." He offered, pulling out a chair at the table for her.

    Elle couldn''t refuse him, so she sat down and watched nervously as he took a seat next to her. The others that had been surrounding him watched Elle sit down with jealous eyes.

    ''Believe me, I would trade places with you if I could.'' She offered in her mind.

    Elle glanced at Adam again but all she could see now was his profile as he kept his gaze pointed forward.

    "You really seem to pay special attention to the writer." The director teased from the side. Speaking the thoughts that everyone around them had. "You usually don''t have eyes for women but it seems our Elle is an exception."

    Elle''s heart dropped as she looked up at the director. Her eyes were wide and her face blank with shock, but the expression lasted for the smallest part of a second before a painted smile assumed her face. Meanwhile her hands clenched into fists under the table.

    ''This fool. Why couldn''t he keep his mouth shut?'' Elle thought. ''He''s walking on a mine field without even knowing he''s in danger.''

    "That''s right." Adam said. His voice was calm but Elle could hear the dark warning that ran beneath it. "It''s thanks to her that this project even exists. She''s an important person and yet,, after speaking to some of the crew members, that important person has been showing a distressed face."

    Elle''s head snapped towards Adam. How much did he know?

    "Perhaps," Adam continued, "One of you know the reason why? It seems Ms. Shaw won''t tell me even if I ask her but I have no intention of ignoring anything that goes on behind the scenes of this production. No matter how small."

    Adam''s face was dark and his eyes were hooded. It was the first time Elle had seen him look so intimidating. A heavy atmosphere fell over the room and no one dared to speak. The director looked sorry that he had opened his mouth in the first place.

    Elle looked around at the guilty and worried expressions. Amongst the worried crowd Elle could see the three girls with pale faces. If this wasn''t handled carefully this entire project could end, all because of a little pettiness.

    "It isn''t like that." Elle finally said, flashing Adam an innocent smile as she rested her hand softly against his arm. "I''ve just been a bit worried because I''m unfamiliar with the work. You needn''t trouble yourself over it Mr. Hayes."

    Adam gauged her for a minute before the anger in his eyes faded. "Since she says it''s fine I''ll let it go this time but you all ought to be mindful of your behaviour. It might be allowed on other sets but not even the smallest issue will be overlooked while you''re working for MK. "

    The room let out a sigh of relief and everyone resumed their conversations. Those who were once swarming Adam backed away, going off to seek enjoyment somewhere else.

    "You really have a gentle heart." Adam murmured softly, quiet enough for only Elle to hear. "You should have let me punish them."

    "I want to do my job well. I didn''t tell you because it was my problem to overcome, not yours." Elle replied in the same hushed tone.

    "It''s fine if you have things you want to overcome on your own but I want you to at least discuss your problems with me. Not as the CEO Adam Hayes who is responsible for this project, but as Adam who is your partner."

    "You''re right. I was wrong this time." Elle said, taking a hold of his hand under the table where the others wouldn''t see. "I won''t make the same mistake again."

    Adam nodded in acceptance and a peaceful silence resumed between the couple.

    "You look really beautiful tonight." He whispered again after a moment.

    "Thank you." She said with a bashful smile.

    One of Adam''s hand rested on her leg under the table, his thumb rubbing circles against her skin. "I don''t know how I got so fortunate. I thought my heart might stop when you first came in."

    Elle prayed her face wasn''t as red as it felt. Adam succeeded in ensuring she noticed nothing but him for the rest of the night.

 190 Im Seeing Someone

    Work had piled up since she had been away on Friday. There was a domineering tower of items that needed her attention so Elle begrudgingly rolled her sleeves up and started going through them one by one.

    The day went by in a tedious but productive way. The sun was already beginning to set when Elle decided to go for a walk and stretch her stiff legs. She was passing through the lobby of Tae''s building when she bumped into a friendly face.

    "Elle!" Abby called out. She was walking with her arm linked through Jacob''s.

    "Abby!" Elle said with a smile. "How are you?"

    "I''m fine. What about you? I haven''t heard from you in so long."

    "Things are fine." Elle said stiffly. "The same as always, extremely busy."

    "Why don''t you go wait in the car." Abby said to Jacob who nodded and followed her instruction. Once they were alone Abby continued their conversation. "How is Adam?" She asked in a hushed voice.

    "He''s doing well. The both of us are really busy, but he''s really good about spending time together."

    "That''s good to hear! I know what you mean, you don''t realize how much time a relationship eats up until you''re in one yourself."

    Their conversation continued on. Abby spoke for the most part, telling Elle how her work was going, and bringing up some of their old friends from their school days. Elle nodded along, adding a word or two in here and there.

    Abby glanced down at her watch and realized how much time had passed. "Jacob will be waiting for me, I should go now."

    "Sure, sure. Let''s catch up soon." Elle offered. She watched Abby go with a smile fixed to her face but with a sullen feeling in her heart.

    Abby had once been her best friend in the entire world. The one person who she told everything to. The person who she confided in and sought advice from. Without even realizing it their relationship had changed.

    Elle no longer sought Abby''s advice or confided in her. To be perfectly honest, Elle didn''t know how much she valued Abby''s advice anymore. She still loved her dearly, and remembered her fondly, but what was this feeling?

    As Elle stood in the lobby, still staring off in the direction Abby had left, someone came and stood by her side.

    "Is something wrong?" Director Collins asked. He was the Director of the Sales department. He was known for being strict, but he was respectable. Elle recalled how his stern face had once smiled as he celebrated her victory with her.

    "I was just reflecting." Elle replied lightly. "It seems I''ve grown quite a bit as a person without even realizing."

    "Shouldn''t you be proud of that?" Collins asked with confused frown.

    "I see." He nodded. "It''s not a good feeling, but it''s a natural part of life. Hopefully having a few drinks tonight will lighten your somber mood."

    "What do you mean?" Elle asked.

    "You didn''t know? The Chairman has called for a business dinner tonight. All the directors will be there."

    "When did he send the notice?"

    "It was sudden, I think it was only last Friday."

    Elle groaned. "I was away last Friday. I''m still catching up on my work, I must not have seen it yet."

    "Well then it''s good luck that we bumped into each other here. Why don''t you go grab your things and I''ll wait here for you. We can head to the restaurant together."

    "Sure. I''ll be right back." Elle said as she rushed off.

    After a few minutes and a short drive they arrived at the restaurant where the dinner was being hosted at. As they walked in Elle saw that most of the others had already arrived.

    "How fitting for sales and marketing to arrive hand in hand." One of the other director''s teased.

    "It would have been more fitting if we had raced each other here." Elle teased back, ignoring her father''s looming gaze.

    Elle had always found such events to be dull. Everyone spoke business around her while Elle smiled politely and snuck texts to Adam under the table.

    After a couple drinks had been had the conversation began to shift.

    "You''ve been taking some time off recently right, Director Shaw?" One of the older Directors asked. Elle knew him well, he had worked at Tae for a number of years and had always been something of a friend to her father.

    "That''s right." Elle replied.

    "Where did you go in your time off? I hope you were able to relax comfortably."

    "Just here and there. It was nice."

    "You should have taken more than just a few days here and there. I always thought you worked too hard."

    Elle smiled stiffly. "Really? Doesn''t everyone work this hard?"

    "No, no. Our Chairman is very fortunate to have such a daughter; beautiful and accomplished. You''re still so young. You should be out dating instead of wasting your evenings at the company."

    "Is that so?" Elle asked, just trying to end the conversation.

    "Are you seeing anyone now? I have a nephew who''s about your age. He''s very successful as well. You two are well suited, should I set you up?"

    Elle saw the Director Collins frown and open his mouth, surely to shut the nosy director down, but Elle replied before he could.

    In a clear and happy voice she said, "There''s no need to sir, I''m perfectly capable of working hard while dating someone too."

    "Really?"

    "Yes, I''m seeing someone right now."

    "Ah, what a shame. I should have guessed that some man would be wise enough to snatch up a diamond like you."

    Elle forced a smile, and thankfully the others all forced the conversation to something else. It was some time later, dinner had finished and everyone began making their way out to the front of the restaurant. Elle had already gone out first and was on the phone when the others joined her. She quickly hung up and joined them.

    "Thank you for the meal Chairman. Should we call you a cab?"

    "No need, Elle and I will head home together." He replied. "Good work today everyone. I''ll see you all tomorrow."

    Elle said her goodbyes before hailing a cab. As one pulled up in front of her she held the door open and gestured for her father to get in.

    "Aren''t you getting in as well?" He asked.

    "No sir, my home is in the other direction."

    "Why don''t you just come to the family home tonight and rest well. It must be tiring living on your own. Come rest easily and have a home cooked meal."

    "Thank you for your concern, but I''m perfectly fine. I''m not living on my own after all." Elle replied.

    Her father stared at her blankly. "What?"

    "You didn''t hear me earlier? I''m seeing someone now. We''re living together so you needn''t worry about me being on my own."

    "I thought you were only saying it to avoid the director? Who is this person? What does he do? How did you meet?" A slew of questions began.

    "You don''t need to worry about such things." Elle replied. "You raised me to be clever. I''m perfectly capable of finding a good match on my own."

    "You should have told me." Her father said sternly.

    "The way you told me when you found someone new?" Elle rebuked. Her father stepped back, an emotion Elle didn''t recognize was reflected in his eyes. Something close to guilt. "It''s late. You had better go home."

    This time he obliged and silently let Elle help him into the cab.

    Elle was about to shut the door when she quietly added, "You''re not as young as you were before. You should drink less and take good care of your health." With that she quickly shut the door and the taxi pulled away. Elle stood and watched it leave even after it had driven out of sight.

    "Are you okay?" A warm voice sounded from behind her.

    "I''m fine. Just tired."

    "Come on then, let''s go home." Adam said, reaching out for her.

    Hand in hand they returned home together. It was a day of many emotions but Elle slept especially peacefully that night.

 191 Black Spiri

    This morning the scene being filmed was one between Amelia and Chris, meant to be one of their first meetings.

    "Cut." The director called for the seventh or eighth time. They had been shooting the same scene all morning but had yet to get a single clean take.

    "Amelia, focus more." The director chided. "You''re supposed to be conveying innocence but you''re expression isn''t innocent at all."

    The crew around them were fussing, they had all grown tired of the multiple takes.

    The director sighed. "Let''s take a break. Amelia why don''t you go clear your head for a bit." The crew thankfully dispersed.

    "Why can''t I convey it properly?" Amelia grumbled in frustration. She was only speaking to herself and yet a clear voice answered her.

    "It''s because your spirit is black but the spirit of the character is very clear." Christopher commented quietly from beside her.

    "What?" Amelia asked almost angrily.

    "You''ve become twisted up inside." Christopher commented. Not in a mean way, but in an honest and matter-of -fact tone. "It doesn''t suit you Em."

    "I don''t recall giving you permission to call me by my nickname." She snapped.

    Christopher simply shrugged his shoulders. "You''ll find a lot more peace if you''re honest with yourself." Was the advice he gave as he walked away.

    It was some time later when the director finally called cut on the last scene for the day. Chris glanced around and saw that Elle was still sitting by in the shadows. She met his eyes and flashed him a thumbs up. With a smile Chris went over to her.

    "Good work today." She offered.

    "Do you really think so?"

    "Yes, of course."

    "Then will you treat me to dinner?"

    Elle laughed. She knew he was close in age to her but he was exactly like the little brother she never had. "Sure, sure. I''ll treat you so go get changed."

    "Wait here," Chris instructed. "I''ll be right back."

    Christopher quickly got out of his makeup and his character''s clothes and changed into something casual and comfortable. On his way out of his dressing room he spotted Amelia who was leaning against the wall, seemingly waiting for him.

    "Did you need me?"

    "Can you really tell?" She asked softly.

    "Tell what?"

    "Is my spirit really black?"

    Christopher gauged her for a moment. "You already know the answer, don''t you?"

    "How do you know about it?" Amelia asked.

    "Maybe you never took notice of me, but we''re in the same business. I''ve run into you a lot, it isn''t hard to tell if you look properly."

    "This...you already know this too, right? You have to let go of the ugly emotion in yourself."

    "What if I can''t?"

    Christopher scoffed. "Of course you can. Your problem is that you don''t want to."

    Amelia frowned. Christopher reached forward and ruffled her hair lightly. "Cheer up. You''ll feel much better after letting it go. Trust me."

    Without waiting for her response Chris walked off to where Elle was waiting for him. Unbeknownst to them both, Elle had seen the intimate interaction between Chris and Amelia.

    "You seem to get along with Amelia very well." Elle said suggestively. "Do you like her?"

    Christopher reached out to playfully push her head forward. "Do I like her?" He asked, mimicking Elle''s tone. "What is this, high school?"

    Elle laughed and walked on ahead while Christopher lagged behind a few steps.

    "I don''t like her." He said, only to himself. "I pity her."

 192 An Unexpected Invitation

    It was a quiet night in the condo they now shared. Both of them had come home from work at a reasonable hour.

    "Are you sure you''re not too tired?" Adam asked as he hovered over Elle who was preparing dinner in the kitchen. "We can just order food in."

    "No, it''s fine. I want to have a home cooked meal every now and then too."

    "Let me at least help you." He argued.

    "No, no. I''m sure you''re exhausted too. Just go wash up, I''ll be done soon enough."

    Adam was reluctant but he had no choice but to except her resolution to prepare dinner alone. He trudged up the stairs to go shower while Elle hummed happily to herself as she prepared their meal.

    A few minutes passed and Elle heard the shower shut off upstairs. After another few minutes went by Adam made his way back downstairs with damp hair and casual clothes on. Elle could hear his voice carry down the staircase.

    ''He must be on the phone.'' Elle thought to herself as she curiously glanced his way.

    "Yes, yes, let me ask her." Adam said as he approached Elle.

    "My mother is inviting us over for dinner." As he explained he pulled the phone away from his face so that his mother wouldn''t overhear them. "If you don''t want to go that''s fine, I''ll make an excuse for us."

    "I..." Elle hesitated. It seemed like it would be awkward and uncomfortable but she couldn''t refuse his mother could she? No. In the first place his mother had always been perfectly nice and polite to her. Elle had no reason to refuse.

    "It''s very kind of her to invite us, let''s go." She said resolutely.

    Adam frowned. "Are you sure? You already started cooking dinner. I know you were looking forward to just resting tonight."

    "That''s fine, I can put what I cooked in the fridge for tomorrow." Elle said with a warm smile. "I''ll go get dressed now so tell her we''ll be there."

    "Alright." Adam nodded before speaking into the phone again. "Elle said okay. We''ll be there in thirty minutes." He conveyed to his mother as Elle rushed off to get ready upstairs.

    "Make sure you dry your hair properly." Elle called down the stairs.

    "Make sure you dress warmly." He called back to her. "The nights are getting colder."

    It was indeed a cold night. December was almost upon them and with it came a wintery chill. Elle could see her breath fogging against the glass window as they drove to Adam''s family home. Even though it was still quite early in the evening it was already pitch black outside.

    "The sun has been setting earlier and earlier." Elle noted with a frown.

    "We''ll have snow soon enough." Adam replied.

    Just then they pulled up to the Hayes residence. Elle had been here once before, and though it was quite recently, she had been so nervous to meet his parents formally that she hadn''t bothered to take in a proper look at the home. She took it all in now as Adam drove up the long driveway.

    Her own family home was quite big but it was really nothing more than just a very large house. The Hayes family home, on the other hand, was something closer to a mansion than a house. Elle did her best not to gape at it as they arrived.

    Adam parked the car and came around to open the passenger door for her. As he held out his hand to her Elle let out a light sigh.

    "I can''t decide if I''m with you for your looks or your money." She said with a shake of her head.

    Adam laughed heartily in response. "I''m with you for your looks so it will be a better balance if you were with me for the money." He teased back.

    Elle''s light mood quickly faded and her heart grew heavier and heavier as they approached the front door. She wasn''t sure if it was her pounding heartbeat or her clammy hand in Adam''s grip that gave away her anxiousness.

    "You don''t need to be nervous, love." He reassured her.

    "I know, everything went perfectly well the last time I was here, but I can''t help it. I want them to think well of me."

    "There is no part of you to think badly of." Adam brought her hand up to his face and kissed the back of it . "Just relax."

    Elle nodded. They rang the doorbell and after a moment they were greeted by Mrs. Hayes herself.

    "Come in, come in." She encouraged, shutting out the cold behind them. "I''m just finishing up dinner, you guys can go have a seat in the living room. Make yourselves comfortable."

    "Are you cooking yourself?" Elle asked with some surprise. In a house that was staffed it wasn''t uncommon to have kitchen staff to cook for them. Elle recalled that Adam''s mother had also cooked for them herself the last time they had come for dinner.

    "Of course." His mother replied enthusiastically. "For such important guests I have to cook myself."

    Elle flushed slightly. "Can I help you with anything?"

    "No, that''s fine. Just have a seat and relax. I''ll be done soon."

    Adam took Elle''s hand and led her to the living room. After a few moments Adam''s father joined them there.

    "Mr. Hayes, how are you doing?" Elle asked politely.

    "I''m doing fine, and you?" He asked in return.

    "I''m doing well."

    He nodded and the room fell into silence once more. Elle''s fingers fidgeted nervously as the room grew painfully quiet. Adam was unbothered by it and sat comfortably. His father was exactly the same. Elle wondered how Mrs. Hayes put up with such an atmosphere all these years.

    "MK will be hosting their annual company party in December, won''t they?" Elle asked when she finally grew sick of the silence. "Will you be attending this year Mr. Hayes?"

    "I hadn''t thought about it." Adam''s father replied honestly.

    "I''m sure it would be encouraging to the employees to see you attend." Adam offered.

    "Will you be attending Elle?" Mr. Hayes asked.

    "Me?" She asked with surprise.

    "Though it''s only a contract and not through a regular position, you are still working for MK right now." Mr. Hayes pointed out firmly.

    "Ah, I hadn''t thought about it."

    "You should attend this year." Adam added in. "Save me from enduring it alone."

    Elle hid the embarrassment that came from having this conversation in front of his father. "Okay, I''ll attend this year then."

    Adam nodded his acceptance and a light conversation carried on between Elle and his father. Without his knowledge a smile had crept on to his face.

 193 A Family Meal

    "Dinner is ready now, come sit down." She led them over to the grand dinning table. Once again a large spread of foods had been prepared for the small group of four.

    Elle only took a small plate of food to start but at his mother''s invitation she began freely pilling more and more food on.

    "It''s really delicious Mrs. Hayes." Elle complimented. "I''m surprised Adam hasn''t complained about my cooking if this is how you feed him at home."

    Mrs. Hayes laughed at the compliment. "You must have not been eating well because of the project." She noted. "Eat more."

    "How is the project going?" Adam''s father chimed in.

    "It''s going well." Adam replied dryly.

    "Filming will be over soon." Elle added. "It''s going very smoothly."

    And with that it seemed Elle and Mr. Hayes had found a common interest. They delved into a steady conversation, talking back and forth about the project and their work. Adam chimed in every so often only to echo Elle''s good work on the project.

    "They''ve switched filming locations, right?"

    "Yes, they''re filming in a small town just outside the city. The shooting will wrap up there soon and then they''ll move to the final location by the sea."

    "Who picked the locations?"

    "The staff members narrowed down the possible locations and then Adam and I went to each one to pick for ourselves."

    "I heard you barely attend the filming." Mr. Hayes said to Adam, bringing him back into the conversation.

    "I go from time to time but it''s rare and I never stay long." Adam agreed. "Elle has been so good as to take charge of every aspect of this project. She attends the set at least once a week. With her there I don''t need to busy myself. I can rest easily knowing she''s on top of everything."

    "Good, good." Mr. Hayes nodded his approval while Elle focused on her plate and tried to hide the faint blush that coloured her cheeks from being praised so well.

    "Enough about work." Adam''s mother chided. "Tell me more about yourself Elle."

    "I''m pretty boring." Elle said with a shy laugh. "There''s really not much to say."

    "You''re the Shaw family''s daughter, right? The one''s who own Tae."

    "That''s right."

    "What is your family like? Do you have any siblings?"

    "Ah," Elle hesitated. She wasn''t sure how to answer such a question.

    Adam''s hand suddenly held her own under the table. "She has a half sibling but they''re not particularly close." He answered for her.

    "I see." Mrs. Hayes said, sensing the mood. "And what about favourite foods? I only cooked things I know Adam likes but you should tell me what your favourites are. I will cook them next time."

    "It''s no trouble at all. It''s easier if you tell me now than for me find out for myself." Mrs. Hayes encouraged.

    "I like seafood quite a bit. I like crab and shrimp." Elle offered.

    "She likes spicy food but nothing too hot." Adam added without looking up from his plate.

    Mrs. Hayes nodded intently, making a mental note of it all. Once they had finished eating they cleared the dishes and Mrs. Hayes hurried back into the kitchen to bring out dessert. While she was gone Elle looked around the dinning room.

    It was a large room and it was decorated ornately but it was also quite cozy. It was a different feeling to sit at a big table with a small group and eat until she was full without restraint. It was a feeling she wasn''t used to.

    Her family had never eaten together. Not since her mother passed away at least. Her father was busy and so she always ate without him. Once he got remarried Elle didn''t want to be around them and purposely went out of her way to eat her meals in her own room.

    Honestly Elle had never thought anything of it. She ate out with Adam and her friends of course, and she had been to plenty of crowded work dinners, but this was the first time in many, many years that she had a meal as a family.

    "Is something wrong?" Adam whispered, noticing that her gaze had wandered far away.

    "Nothing''s wrong." Elle said. "I just realized that I like it a lot."

    Adam gave her a warm smile. "Good."

    Mrs. Hayes was quickly back with dessert. They ate enough that Elle was quite sure she wouldn''t be hungry for days. Even Adam seemed stuffed and comfortably leaned back in his chair.

    Mrs. Hayes stood again and began collecting the dishes.

    "Let me help you clean up." Elle offered, as she began collecting the rest of the dishes.

    "Here, I''ll take it." Adam said, reaching to take the dishes from her but his mother smacked his hand away.

    "Leave me and Elle to it. Why don''t you go have a drink with your father in his study."

    "I need to drive tonight." Adam said with a frown.

    "I''ll drive us back. You should go with your father." Elle encouraged.

    He gave her a look as if to ask ''are you sure?''.

    "I''ll take good care of Elle." His mother snapped. "Leave us girls to chat comfortably. Go keep your father company."

    So Adam followed his father up to the study while Elle followed Mrs. Hayes to the kitchen. They each set down a stack of dishes on the counter next to the sick before Mrs. Hayes took Elle by the hand.

    "Follow me." She said as she led Elle towards the back of the house.

    "Shouldn''t I quickly help in the kitchen?"

    "The staff will take care of the cleaning, you don''t need to worry about that." His mother insisted. "While the men talk we should take our opportunity to as well. Come take a stroll in the back garden with me."

    So Elle followed Mrs. Hayes out through the back door and into the night air, feeling uncertain about what sort of conversation was about to occur.

 194 Id Be Grateful

    The back garden was every bit as well kept as the front yard. It was too cold for any flowers to still be in bloom but there were plenty of trees and bushes to keep the scenery alive. A grassy stone path wove throughout the garden to create a walking path.

    Mrs. Hayes looked up at the sky and let out a soft sigh. "What a beautiful night." She commented.

    Elle followed her gaze and looked up at the stars herself. "It is. It''s a perfectly clear night. The stars are shinning brightly."

    They continued to walk together while admiring the night view around them.

    "You seem like a very capable girl." Mrs. Hayes commented after a moment.

    Elle was surprised by the remark. "I try to be." She answered honestly. "Though I''m no where near your son''s level."

    "I don''t think anyone could match Adam or his father." Mrs. Hayes agreed with a smile. "But I think you''re still quite impressive. I wasn''t capable at all when I was your age."

    "It''s hard to imagine that." Elle said encouragingly.

    "I''m not sure if you knew this, but I''m the daughter of a very old and well-off family. I was born as the second daughter, and the third child, so I was doted on but even then my parents had very high expectations of me when I was growing up."

    Elle wasn''t sure what to say so she simply glanced at Mrs. Hayes and listened intently.

    "I was bad at a lot of things when I was younger." Adam''s mother confessed. "My grades weren''t so bad but they were terribly average. I was bad at the arts, and bad at business. I was absolutely horrible at cooking and all the finer things a young lady was expected to do."

    "Was it hard for you growing up?"

    "A bit. There were a lot of lectures, and tutors, and disappointment when I was younger but once I got to high school there weren''t many expectations of me to do well. As long as my grades weren''t too bad I was left to my own devices."

    "I see." Elle replied, not knowing what more to say.

    "I met Adam''s father when I was in university. He''s a few years older than me so he had already graduated and had been working at MK by then. I happened to run into him at a cafe that was close to my campus."

    "Who was interested in whom first?" Elle asked with a grin. She couldn''t tell if the redness that crept into Adam''s mother''s ears were from the cold or from embarrassment.

    "I''m not sure." She confessed. "At first we met by chance and talked for a bit. Then we slowly started meeting there more and more often. He''s a very quiet man but he''s also very attentive. As someone who was mostly left alone I guess it was his attentiveness towards me that led me to fall in love."

    "How did he propose?" Elle asked, her smile growing wider. She couldn''t imagine it at all.

    "It wasn''t very romantic." Mrs. Hayes replied. Her words seemed regretful but her smile told Elle otherwise. "We were on a vacation together and we were having dinner in our hotel room when he simply said ''let''s get married''. When I asked him if he was serious he gave me the ring which was still in it''s box."

    Elle couldn''t help the light laugh that came out of her. Even Mrs.Hayes had an amused grin on her face.

    "It wasn''t romantic at all but it was just like him." She said happily. "He was someone that it was so easy to be married to. He''s quiet and severe but he didn''t care what I did as long as I was beside him. He took care of everything and let me handle what I was comfortable handling. Even things like my cooking gradually improved because he ate everything I made without a word of either complaint or praise."

    "You must be very happy."

    "We had our bumps and fights of course, but nothing shook us." Mrs. Hayes grew silent. Her eyes seemed to be looking at something far in the past. "I was surprised when Adam''s father proposed to me and I remember I was so worried when I became pregnant. You see, I thought I would be bad at those things too. But somehow I have a peaceful marriage and I''ve raised a good son."

    "You raised an excellent son." Elle said, more serious now.

    "After all these years I see, for everything I was bad at, it seems that I was somehow good at love." Mrs. Hayes smiled to herself. "It''s rare that I get to see such a relaxed smile on Adam''s face. You know, I love my son above all else in this world. That''s how I know you truly love him."

    "I do." Elle said, looking at his mother meaningfully so that she might see how much she meant it.

    "Then I''d be very grateful if you continued to stay by his side."

    "Of course." Elle said, fighting back the tears that threatened to build up in her eyes.

    His mother led them over to a bench where she sat the young girl down and held her hand between both of her''s. "You must bring Adam home for dinner more often. In the past few years he''s hardly ever come home."

    "Yes, of course."

    "Ah, but you should also come over whenever you want. Even if you come without Adam."

    "Okay."

    "And you must make time to come to our family''s Christmas party this year. I know you both don''t plan on announcing your relationship and that''s fine. You don''t need to tell anyone about it but I absolutely must show you off to everyone."

    "Yes." Elle squeaked.

    His mother laughed. "Why are you tearing up?" She asked as she wiped a tear that was building in Elle''s eyes.

    When was the last time Elle had felt this? It was something she had lost long ago. After so many years Elle had accepted that she would never feel it again. She certainly didn''t expect that she would find it here. The warmth of a parent.

    After a moment Adam came out to them. He carried two heavy, woollen wraps in his hand.

    "Why are you both out in the cold." He asked before he spotted Elle''s red and watering eyes. "Why is she crying?" He asked his mother, almost angrily.

    His mother laughed and wrapped one of the woollen shawls tightly around herself. "Come in and have some hot tea once you''ve comforted her." She said to Adam as she headed back to the house first.

    "Why are you crying?" Adam asked more softly once his mother was out of sight.

    "I''m not crying." Elle insisted, wiping at her eyes stubbornly.

    "You are." Adam insisted in turn as he wrapped the woollen shawl around her tightly.

    "Your mother is just like you." Elle whimpered, burying her face in Adam''s chest. "I just didn''t expect it to feel so warm."

    Adam held her tightly in his arms for a long time before they eventually returned to the bright and warm house together.

 195 Date Nigh

    All the while, Adam had been blankly staring at the presentation being given before him. His eyes stayed focused, but his mind could not. For the first time in his life he found himself unable to concentrate during a meeting. He was too busy worrying about the weather outside. His eyes betrayed him and he glanced down at the time.

    Finally, after at least thirty minutes of having carried on this way, Adam gave up. If he waited any longer he''d run out of time. The grey clouds were already threatening him with snow. If it fell before he left he would be delayed even further.

    "No one wants to work late on a Friday." He said to his team. "Type up the presentation and send it to me. We can discuss improvements next week."

    They all looked at each other in disbelief. They were preparing themselves for reprimand and instead were told to finish work for the day? It was unheard of but no one questioned it. They all counted their good luck and hurriedly grabbed their materials and left before Adam could change his mind.

    Once everyone else had filed out of the room Adam himself left. He went back to his office to grab his things and let David know he would be leaving on time, which was extremely early for him. Then he braced himself and headed out into the cold.

    Adam drove for a while before arriving at his destination. Once there he parked outside, sent a text message, and then he waited. Only a few minutes had passed when a beautiful girl came rushing out to meet him.

    "What are you doing here?" Elle asked as she got into the car.

    "I came to surprise you."

    "Well it worked." She said with a laugh. "What about your work?"

    "There''s nothing that can''t be done later." Adam assured her. "For the rest of the evening my time belongs only to you. Tell me, what do you want to do?"

    Elle''s face flushed slightly and she rested one hand against her stomach. "I''m hungry." She shyly confessed.

    "Dinner it is."

    ~~~~

    Elle leaned forward in her seat as she saw their food arrive. She picked up her chopsticks and eagerly began poking at the steaming bowl of ramen in front of her.

    "Did you not eat lunch?" Adam asked with a frown.

    Elle shook her head no. "I was in back to back meetings all day. Before I knew it it was already the end of the day."

    "Even if you''re busy you should eat." Adam chided as he added more meat to her plate.

    "Are you sick?" He asked after flagging down a waitress to request some hot water for her.

    "No. My throat is just a bit dry." She gratefully accepted the water when the waitress returned and took a long sip, almost chocking on the water when she noticed the troubled expression Adam wore as he watched her.

    Elle let out a light laugh and leaned forward to massage the furrow in his brow away. "I know not to get sick at such a crucial time as well. I''m telling you that I''m fine."

    After dinner they headed back home, but neither of them were in the mood to simply let the night go. Even when they returned home they lingered in the living room, watching tv from the sofa to draw out the time.

    Elle laid comfortably within his embrace and Adam wrapped both arms tightly around Elle''s waist. He frowned slightly as he did.

    ''When did she lose so much weight?'' Adam wondered to himself as he noticed how slim she had gotten. ''Why didn''t I notice sooner?'' He silently chided himself.

    Elle, who was oblivious to his worry, nestled into him. She burrowed her back deeper into his chest, feeling like a piece of a puzzle that was crafted to fit perfectly between his arms. Adam''s worries were quickly lost to the comfort of Elle''s soft and warm embrace.

    "This is so nice." Adam murmured against her skin. "How long has it been since we were able to spend time together like this?"

    Elle felt her heart swell. She leaned up and gave him a careful kiss.

    Adam closed his eyes slowly. It wasn''t anywhere near enough but it was also rare for Elle to be the one to initiate intimacy so he let her lead for a moment, happily accepting her string of chaste kisses before eventually prying her lips open and letting his tongue slip into her mouth so that he could kiss her properly.

    After a few minutes Adam slipped his arms under her legs and easily lifted her. Elle''s lips were too busy to laugh at his urgency as he carried her to their bedroom. The cold day was quickly lost to a warm night.

 196 Holiday Chapter 1

    This year was different. The holidays came so quickly and suddenly that neither of them had the time to put effort into the festivities. They had both only realized how close Christmas was when the annual holiday party for both MK and Tae arrived.

    It was a few days before when Adam approached Elle in their study. "MK will be having their holiday party this Saturday." He announced to her. "Will you attend?"

    Elle looked up from her book with a disappointed look in her eyes. "I only reallized today that Tae will be having their holiday party this Saturday as well. What a coincidence."

    Adam frowned. "That''s fine, we''ll just switch MK''s dates then. What day is better for you?" He asked casually.

    "What?"

    "I''m the CEO, do you really think I can''t do so much as change the date of a party?" He said with a low laugh.

    Elle flushed. "I know you can, but I don''t want you too. Your employees worked hard to plan it. I''m a bit tired anyway." Elle confessed. "I''ll be attending your family''s holiday party as well. I''ll skip MK''s party and just attend Tae''s."

    Adam didn''t dare object one she had brought up being tired. They had both worked much harder and longer than usual in the recent months.

    "Okay." He agreed as he crossed the room. He stood behind her chair and began massaging her shoulders. "Don''t over exert yourself."

    Elle smiled and relaxed against his touch.

    ~~~

    The remaining days in the week passed by quickly and soon enough, Saturday arrived.

    "You look especially handsome tonight." Elle noted as Adam got dress in a simple black suit.

    Without a second''s pause Adam replied, "Not as good as you look tonight though."

    Elle smiled. She was wearing a deep red velvet dress. It was a colour that she rarely wore but it brought out the faint blush in her cheeks.

    The two admired each other a little longer before reluctantly going their separate ways. Adam drove off to the restaurant where MK would be hosting their party this year, while Elle headed to the hall Tae had reserved for theirs.

    Once there, Elle did her proper rounds and greeted the other director''s and senior management members before taking a seat at a table with her own team members. They laughed and joked with a light and jolly mood.

    Elle listened with a smile and laughed occasionally but didn''t join in the conversation herself. All this time she had been running back and forth between Tae and the movie set and yet she found socializing more exhausting than all of that.

    "What''s going on?" She asked.

    "It''s time for the Chairman to give a speech but we can''t find him anywhere." One of them informed her. "He''s supposed to speak before we begin the dinner."

    "Director Shaw, why don''t you speak in his place." Someone else quickly whispered.

    Elle glanced around the room but indeed her father was nowhere in sight. She sighed internally as she walked towards the mic. She stood behind it awkwardly.

    The view from the front of the room was something she wasn''t used to. From behind the microphone she could see hundreds of employees all staring blankly at her.

    ''This is what Adam''s view must be like.'' Elle suddenly realized. She herself had seen Adam speak in front of crowds a few times. He always stood confidently, and spoke with certainty. Even before they had begun dating she had taken notice in how he spoke, and how he made even simple words carry a heavy weight.

    In that short moment, Elle wanted to be even just a little bit like him. She straightened her back and dropped her shoulders, hoping it would make her seem more elegant and confident.

    "You''ve all worked hard this past year. Each and every department has shown great results. I''m very proud of my own marketing team, of course, but every department performed exceptionally this past year." Elle quickly recited what achievements she could recall from each department''s reports during the director meetings she sat at.

    "I hope you all enjoy yourselves tonight. Let''s all reap the benefits of our hard work together next year as well." Elle quickly finished before stepping back down.

    The employees clapped and cheered, and Elle herself was quite satisfied with her speech, but she suddenly felt awkward.

    ''I''m not like Adam after all.'' Elle decided. ''I''m too shy for this.''

    Feeling embarrassed Elle didn''t want to head back to the table she had been sitting at. She decided to take a quick walk outside the hall to get some fresh air instead.

    As Elle strolled through the hallway in silence she came to realize how much more she preferred to be on her own than in the large but stuffy room where she had to always be mindful of her surroundings and her behaviour.

    As she continued to enjoy her walk Elle suddenly came across someone. She turned the corner, quite literally almost bumping into someone who had been standing on the other side, enjoying a bit of silence himself.

    "Father..." Elle said, with her eyes wide in surprise.

    "Ah," He said, quite shocked himself, "It''s just you."

    "Have you been hiding out here?"

    "Not hiding. Just taking a little break."

    Elle frowned. "You should have at least given the speech before abandoning the party."

    Her father glanced at his watch. "I didn''t realize it had already gotten this late." He confessed.

    Elle did her best to not roll her eyes. "I had to speak in your place. I won''t tell you what to do but I''d appreciate it if you don''t make more work for me."

    Her father let out a rare chuckle. "Yes, you''re right. We''re both the same after all. We both hate things like this, which is why we''re both out here rather than enjoying the festivities inside with everyone else."

    Elle was taken back. He wasn''t wrong, but the comparison didn''t sit well with her.

    "You''re right." Elle admitted. "We both prefer to be alone, so I''ll go ahead and leave you now, Mr. Chairman."

    Elle took a few steps when she heard her father''s voice call out behind her.

    "The family party will be tomorrow." He said suddenly. "Don''t be late."

    "That''s quite short notice." Elle complained.

    "We hold the party on the same weekend every year."

    He wasn''t wrong, but just like her father, Elle was also quite stubborn. "I''m afraid I already have plans. I won''t come this year."

    Her father frowned. "Are you serious?"

    "Yes." Elle began to walk away again.

    ''Maybe,'' She thought to herself, ''I can be a bit more like Adam after all.''

    Adam was a person who didn''t hesitate regarding things he wanted. He was straightforward and unapologetic. Elle headed back to the hall and quietly grabbed her coat. Without gaining anyone''s attention she quietly slipped out of the building and into her car.

    ~~~

    It was much later in the night. After a long evening Adam was finally returning home.

    He sighed as he closed the front door behind him. He slipped out of his shoes and began loosening the constricting tie around his neck. As Adam stepped into the living room he suddenly froze in his tracks.

    The condo had been bare just a few short hours ago. That bare condo was now decorated from top to bottom. Lights were strung up on the walls, garlands decorated the doorways, and a decorated tree now stood in the room, imposing its festive presence on the entire room. In the midst of it all stood a girl with a smug look on her face.

    "What on earth is all this?" Adam asked incredulously.

    "The party was too boring. I left early and came to enjoy what I really wanted to be doing. Do you like it?" Elle asked excitedly.

    "I like it." Adam agreed. "You should have told me you left early, I would have joined you."

    Elle laughed lightly.

    The clock ticked past midnight and the couple were both snuggled close to each other, still up, and talking about the night''s they had had.

    "Merry Christmas Adam."

    "Merry Christmas Elle." He wished her back in kind.

 197 I Might As Well Have Nothing At All

    It made for a cold and uncomfortable day but it provided the perfect scenery for filming. The production crew worked quickly to take advantage of the fresh snow.

    It wasn''t unusual for Elle to be on set to watch the filming but in a rare move Adam had joined her on set today. He sat beside her now, watching the crew work with perfect concentration. Elle shifted uncomfortably beside him.

    Elle had grown quite comfortable being on set and likewise, everyone else had become accustomed to her presence. Now her and the crew were united in their nervousness around Adam. Elle had no real job on set and yet even she could feel his impeding presence and even she was nervous about everyone''s performance with him here.

    Amelia on the other hand was thrilled. It was another rare opportunity for her to impress him. Among the dozens of people on set, she was the only one wearing a confident smile.

    "Why did you come today?" Elle whispered to Adam when everyone else''s attention was on the scene unfolding in front of them.

    The corner of Adam''s lips turned up ever so slightly. "Why? Am I not allowed to attend?"

    "Of course you can. I was just curious..." Elle trailed off.

    Elle could hear the sincerity in his voice when he gave her his serious response. "The crew have been working hard, especially in the cold weather. Filming will be over soon enough as well. I thought I should at least show my face once or twice."

    "Cut!" The director called, interrupting their hushed conversation. "Why don''t you all take a 15 minute break before we shoot the next scene."

    Everyone dispersed to go get warm while the director walked over to join Elle and Adam.

    "What do you think?" The director asked Adam as he approached them.

    "I''m more interested to hear your thoughts." Adam replied.

    "Both Chris and Amelia are exceptional. The story is well written, and everyone is putting their full efforts in. I think we can all look forward to a spectacular result." The director replied optimistically.

    "Good. I''m just here to watch quietly so please continue working without paying attention to me."

    Elle held back her scoff. As if anyone could ignore his presence. The director seemed to think the same. He laughed awkwardly and said another word or two of conversation before heading back to instruct the crew.

    His eyes were fixated on the filming. Amelia would use this opportunity to show him the result of her years and years of hard work. She would show him how reliable she was.

    Elle watched on as well. She wasn''t bothered by Adam''s lack of conversation. They were there to work, not socialize, but more than that, it was Adam''s unfazed concentration that Elle found so admirable in the first place.

    The minutes passed by quickly and soon enough the director was calling on them to resume. As he called action the scene in front of them unfolded. Amelia and Chris disappeared, replaced by two characters that Elle recognized from her own imagination.

    In the scene Amelia''s character was meant to be running after Chris. As Amelia chased after him her shoe caught a patch of ice that had been hidden beneath the snow.

    No one could have predicted it and yet every heart sunk as they all watched Amelia lose her balance. She hit the ground hard. A horrible thud echoed as she fell flat on her back against the cement.

    Everyone froze in horror as they saw the twisted expression on Amelia''s face. She let out a strained groan as she rolled to her side.

    Chris was the first to react. He rushed over to her; helping her sit up and making sure she hadn''t hit her head. Some of the crew members and a medic they kept on site rushed to her side.

    Elle was still frozen in her seat. Any feelings she had for Amelia were forgotten and replaced with only worry. She didn''t dare blink, as if her gaze was somehow supporting her.

    "She didn''t hit her head, right?" Elle asked Adam with panic laced through her voice. "Please tell me you didn''t see her hit her head."

    "You wait here. I''ll go take a look."

    Adam began to head over to where Amelia was still sitting in the cold snow. As he left her, Elle became unable to sit still. She got up and headed closer but didn''t approach the rest of them for fear of overcrowding the injured actress.

    "I''m okay, really." Adam heard Amelia insist as he approached them. Her words said she was fine but her voice was taught, and thin with pain.

    "How is she?" Adam asked the medic.

    "She didn''t hit her head very hard but she fell pretty hard. She''ll likely have a bruise but I''m more worried about her ankle." The medic replied honestly.

    "I''m fine." Amelia insisted more intently, this time pleading to Adam directly. "I don''t want to hold up the filming. It''s probably just a light sprain. If I can just put some ice on it for a few minutes it''ll be as good as new."

    Adam stared at her for a moment. Looking between her swelling ankle and the determination in her eyes. He judged for just a moment before finally announcing her verdict.

    "Go to a hospital." He instructed. "If the doctor gives you the okay then you can come back to set after healing for two days. In the meantime we''ll continue filming any scenes that don''t include you."

    Amelia''s eyes protested and pleaded with him but she didn''t dare say a word of it out loud.

    He looked back at her with just as much determination. "Do you plan make your injury worse? Do you want to hold back filming with your recklessness?"

    Amelia looked away and Adam let out a light sigh. "Go see a doctor first. We can decide on the rest after that." He said less sternly.

    "Okay." Amelia unwillingly relented.

    Her manager came over to help her up. As she stood up she let out a yelp and grabbed onto her manager''s arm for support. She stood on one foot and looked at the injured one helplessly.

    "I''ll help her to the car." Adam said to her manager before effortlessly scooping Amelia up in his arms.

    Elle could hear the murmur of some of the girls around her whispering their jealousy as they watched Adam carry Amelia off the set, but Elle felt no jealousy of her own. All she felt was worry and sympathy as she watched Amelia reluctantly leave.

    The director began having hurried conversations with the crew as they tried to figure out what could be done to keep the production moving forward without the female lead.

    Meanwhile, Amelia looked up at Adam as he carried her. His eyes betrayed the slightest bit of his inner feelings. Amelia could see worry reflected in them. She hid her face against his shoulder and smiled inwardly.

    ''Sorry Elle.'' Amelia thought to herself.

    She recalled the advice Elle had once given her. ''You better stop before you ruin the relationship you do have with him.'' She had told Am.

    ''I know you tried to warn me. I know you were confident and told me that I would only end up pushing him away, but I too cannot give up so easily. I''m not interested in only being friends with him. I might as well have no relationship with him at all if I can''t have him.''

 198 Holiday Chapter 2

    Mrs. Hayes had delayed their usual Christmas party and opted to host a New Year''s party instead. So late in the afternoon Elle nervously got all dolled up and headed to the grand home with Adam.

    They arrived early so that they could arrive ahead of the rest of the guests, but also so that Elle could help Mrs. Hayes with the preparations, however, as she arrived she realized there was nothing left to be done.

    The entire home had been decorated to the tens, garlands and decorations hung and extra lights were strung across, making the home feel especially bright and warm.

    Eventually guests began to arrive. Some of them were Adam''s relatives, but some were just friends of the family, or good acquaintances made through work. Thankfully Amelia didn''t show up. Elle suspected she hadn''t known that Adam and Elle would be here tonight, and that she was with their group of friends as usual on New Year''s Eve.

    Adam stuck around Elle''s side at first, greeting the guests together, but after some time he got called to speak to someone on the other side of the room, leaving Elle to fend for herself.

    Elle had been to dozens of parties before, and had navigated them on her own, and yet this some how felt different. Though they hadn''t formally announced themselves as a couple, Elle couldn''t help but fear the pressure of being introduced to his relatives.

    While Adam was away she did her best to appear elegant and polite while talking to as few people as possible.

    She had been standing by a window, admiring the view, when she sensed Adam approach her again. Elle felt his fingers brush down her arm lightly. A shiver went down her spine.

    "Come with me." He whispered in a low voice. Elle''s hand reflexively covered her ear as she tried to maintain her expression without getting flustered. Elle quickly glanced around to make sure no one else had seen before quickly following after Adam.

    He led her upstairs to the second floor. Compared to bright and bustling floor below them, the upper level of the house was dark and dead. It seemed almost ridiculous the the second floor should be so abandoned and quiet when such a grand party was happening just steps below them.

    The only sounds were the dimmed out chatter that carried up the stairs and the pounding of Elle''s heart as Adam held her hand and firmly led her into one of the many dens the family home seemed to have.

    Elle glanced around, admiring the room. Bookshelves lined either side of the room, and a heavy wooden desk stood between them. The only light in the entire room was the pale moonlight that shone through the window. The curtains were pulled back and the clear night sky could be admired.

    One of Adam''s hands was still enveloping hers, and the other came down against the desk, trapping her against him.

    "You look so beautiful." He murmured in a rough and low voice. "I can barely stand it."

    Elle felt fire run through her cheeks and warm her heart. "What''s gotten into you." She said shyly, avoiding the hooded gaze of his eyes.

    "It''s your fault." He replied, as his lips slowly inched closer to hers. "It''s your fault that I feel this happy."

    Elle could have died from happiness in that small room. She linked her arms around Adam''s neck and stood there for a long time, her lips locked in a slow battle with his.

    It felt like a long time later that they finally left to rejoin the festivities downstairs. Elle pressed her cold hands against her cheeks to quell the flush she was certain she wore.

    "Ah, Adam," His father called as he saw them come down the stairs together. "I was just speaking about you, come here."

    Adam squeezed Elle''s hand firmly in his once before letting it go and joining his father. Elle watched him go, content to circle the room on her own while he was gone, but suddenly someone called out to her as well.

    "Elle, there you are." Mrs. Hayes called out to her. She was surrounded with other ladies who all looked her age. "Come join us." She invited.

    Elle shyly joined them and greeted the women she had never met before.

    "These are some of my friends," Mrs. Hayes said, introducing her to them one by one. "And this," she said to the women, "is Elle. She''s that spectacular young girl I was telling you all about."

    Elle glanced at Mrs. Hayes curiously. She began to pour praise for Elle, bragging about her achievements as if they were her own. She never once mentioned Adam, or how she met Elle, she only continued to praise her, mentioning her work with MK as well as at Tae. Even going so far as to mention she was responsible for a huge project at MK at the moment.

    Elle was shocked by it. It didn''t feel forced, it didn''t feel like Mrs. Hayes was trying to brag about Elle''s achievements in order to convey what an accomplished person Adam was dating. In fact, she didn''t bring up Adam once, and no one would have known that the two were together unless they had seen them sneak back down the stairs together. It felt as if Mrs. Hayes was bragging about her own family, directly.

    ''I see.'' Elle thought to herself.

    She had worked hard all these years for her father''s acknowledgment. Of course Elle was proud of her own work and accomplishments too, but no matter how proud of herself she was, she couldn''t deny that she had once worked hard only out of desperation for her father''s praise.

    ''It wasn''t worthless.'' Elle realized. ''In the end I was acknowledged by somebody else. It wasn''t for nothing after all.''

    Midnight arrived quickly that night. Adam was back by her side as the counted down to the new year. As it arrived Elle closed her eyes and quietly prayed that she would continue to be just as happy, and just as loved, as she had been this past year.

 199 Less Love

    The filming had been paused for only a day so that everyone could work to rearrange the schedule. From then on the team carried on filming whatever scenes were left that didn''t include Amelia in them.

    It was hard to film for so many days continuously without the main character. Elle was thankful that the staff worked hard to keep production going even without Amelia. She was also thankful that although Amelia was hurt, it wasn''t a severe injury.

    However, despite her thankfulness and her initial worry for the actress, Elle did not bother going to visit Amelia as she recovered. She didn''t want to but she also guess that Amelia wouldn''t care for a visit from her.

    Adam didn''t visit her either, but his absence was more understandable since everyone knew him to be so busy. Unlike Elle, he had at least called her once to make sure she was recovering well.

    Amongst the crew some of the secondary actors and staff members went to visit her and wish her a speedy recovery and some of her friends visited her as well. Other than that the only other person who paid Amelia a visit, and the only person who''s visit she was excited by, was Mrs. Hayes.

    "Mrs. Hayes!" Amelia greeted her excitedly when she saw her arrive.

    "Ah, you poor thing." Mrs. Hayes said sympathetically as she took a seat next to Amelia who was laying in bed since she couldn''t walk around freely. "Does it hurt?"

    "Only a little bit. It''s much better than it was the first day."

    "That''s good. I cooked a bunch of food for you and put it in your fridge. Make sure you eat properly so you can heal quickly."

    Amelia smiled warmly. No matter who else went against her this was a person she could always rely on. Amelia had always been fond of Mrs. Hayes, and likewise, Mrs. Hayes had always been fond of her in kind.

    Mrs. Hayes had known Amelia since she was a young girl and had watched her grow up. She treated her as her own niece and had come to visit today because she was genuinely worried about Amelia''s injury.

    While Mrs. Hayes was there she never once thought about Adam or Elle. Amelia frowned slightly as she came to the realization. But if Mrs. Hayes wouldn''t create an opportunity for her she would just have to create a chance for herself.

    "Have you spoken to Adam recently? He hasn''t come to see me once. I hope he''s not angry with me for holding up production." Amelia said carefully.

    Mrs. Hayes frowned. "You know he''s not like that. He might not have come to see you but he''s the type who would have checked in with the hospital directly to make sure you were alright."

    "You''re right. I guess I''m just feeling a bit sensitive since it''s affected our work."

    Amelia''s jaw clenched as she heard Mrs. Hayes rattle on. "You spoke to Elle about it?" She asked, forcing herself to keep a sweet voice.

    "Ah," Mrs. Hayes said as she realized how much she had accidentally let slip. "Adam introduced her to us properly and since then we''ve continued to talk now and then."

    "I see." Amelia muttered as she looked down at her hands.

    "Listen darling, I know you told me you had feelings for Adam, and I would have been very happy to see you become a couple, but since he''s already found someone else that he loves there''s nothing either of us can do." Mrs. Hayes explained.

    "I don''t think there is anymore room in his heart for you then what you already have." Mrs. Hayes continued with the unkind and hard truth. "I know it''s difficult but once you move on you''ll realize that it isn''t a big deal. I''m sure you''ll find someone even better in the future."

    Amelia smiled brightly. "Yes," she agreed bitterly. "I hope so too."

    Mrs. Hayes smiled back, pleased that the young woman hadn''t been too upset. "You''re a bright girl after all. You''re a great catch."

    They talked for a while longer before Mrs. Hayes finally excused herself. Amelia watched her go with a smile. Even when she was alone again, Amelia hadn''t felt the familiar rage she was accustomed to when things didn''t go her way. She didn''t feel fury for being abandoned by even his mother.

    Amelia simply fell back in bed and let her head rest against the soft silk sheets.

    ''I see." Amelia thought to herself. ''I have even less love than I thought.''