Isabelle
I took the key to the penthouse out of my pocket and let myself inside. Sterling was still at work finishing up but let me off a little early. He had given me a key the night he first brought me back here. He wanted me to feel at home here and told me I could come and go as I pleased.
I figured since I was off before him I could take the opportunity to surprise him. He was clearly tense after this article had been published. Especially since it referred to a mystery woman who we both knew right away was me. It didn't say my name but really there was no one else it could be.
Elise knew things had happened with Sterling, I made that clear the day I ran into her in the city. Now she was trying to use that information to her advantage. She wanted to make Sterling look awful and act as if she had been a saint that whole relationship. However it didn't work as a new article emerged a few hours ago and redacted the one that was previously put out.
I closed the door to the penthouse and headed right for the kitchen. I placed the bag of groceries on the counter and began to unpack all of my ingredients. To help relax him I decided to bake for him. If he thought my baking out of frustration was good then he was going to love what I could throw together while in a good mood.
I searched the cupboards for a mixing bowl. His cupboards were pretty bare to be honest. He had about four big plates, a few cups and then one cupboard dedicated to food items. It wasn't bad, just definitely what you'd expect from the apartment of a bachelor. The more I came around though these cupboards won't be as bare.
I finally found some mixing bowls and some spoons. I started throwing various ingredients into the bowl. Instead of cupcakes I intended to make just one whole cake. I was going with chocolate because last I knew that was his favorite kind. If it has changed over the years then I'll make another if I have to.
I mixed everything together and placed the batter into the pan. The oven was preheating as I got everything together. I opened it up and put the cake pan inside. As I finished getting it situated my phone began to ring.
I ran over to the counter and noticed Sterling's name on the screen. I answered it quickly and put it up to my ear. "Hello?
"Where are you at currently?" He asked.
I bit my lip as I thought about how I should respond. It's not like I felt like I was in trouble for being here without him, I just didn't want the surprise to be ruined for him. I couldn't tell him I was somewhere else either though. Then he'd expect me to meet him somewhere or he'd want to pick me up.
"I'm at your penthouse." I answered honestly. He didn't necessarily need to know that there was a reason for it. He was the one who told me to come and go as I pleased anyway.
"Great." He responded in a pleasant tone. "To be honest I wasn't sure if you'd even use that key. Anyway I've just left work. What would you like to eat tonight? I figured since it was already a little later I could just pick something up for us."
"That sounds like a good idea." I placed him on speaker phone so I could work on my frosting while he talked to me.
"Well, what would you like then?" He questioned.
"It doesn't matter. Just get something and I'll eat it, I'm not picky." I was more focused on making my frosting than making this decision.
"Okay, but if I get you something you hate that's on you." He joked.
"I'm aware." I let out a small chuckle.
"I'll see you shortly then." He spoke once more.
"Sounds great!" There was probably a little too much excitement in my voice there but I was just trying to get him off the phone as soon as possible. I needed to focus so that everything turned out perfect on this cake.
"Alright." He then proceeded to hang up the phone.
I went back to focusing on my frosting. While it would have been easier to pick up a premade frosting, that's not how I did things. I make everything from scratch. I had perfected my recipes over the years and they were better than any of the mixes you'd get in the boxes.
I finished the frosting up as the cake was done baking. It looked better than expected as I pulled it out. I set it on the counter top so that it could have a good thirty minutes to cool. I waited anxiously to see if Sterling would come home before I finished.
The cake had cooled in just enough time that I was able to start frosting it. I was finishing up just as Sterling walked into the door with a bag in his hand. "Izzy?" He called out my name.
"Over here." I responded from the kitchen.
He turned and headed in my direction. "What's all this?" He asked as he looked at my creation. I had just finished up.
"You were stressed so I wanted to do something to help take the edge off." I answered.
"It looks great." He smiled. "Why don't we eat and then we'll dig into it?"
"Sounds good." I nodded.
I followed him into the dining room where he unpacked the food. He wasn't sure what I would like from this place so he got a little of everything. As we ate we both talked about the day we had. The topic of the article came up and he gave me more of the details on how it had come about, including the phone call that had been made to Damon.
"Killian told me what she has planned next." Sterling's icy blue eyes held a hint of worry in them. "I'm worried that she's going to come for you at some point no matter what I do."
"Even if she does, her only weapon is her money." Elise didn't really bother me honestly. I viewed her more as a nuisance than a threat. "Sterling I've been in the real world, I've worked for people like her. She has a weakness somewhere. They all do."
Sterling's look of worry was replaced with one of curiosity. "You think so?"
"I know so." I confidently responded. "Elise Tunt isn't as invincible as she tries to seem. There's something there, something that will bring her to her knees. You just have to find out what it is."
"How do you suggest I do that?" He asked.
"Does she have an assistant of her own or someone that's like an assistant?" I questioned.
He gave a nod. "She does."
"I guarantee that her assistant hates her as much as everyone else." From my experience it didn't matter how well she was known. Her personality was enough to make anyone who worked for her hate her. "That assistant is your key to getting Elise gone for good."