Lilly looked at her reflection, checking her outfit one more time. She's wearing high-waisted black jeans, paired with a fitted white tank top, and put on her Chanel blazer to dress up her casual look. A personalized Rolex was on her wrist. Her father gifted her the watch on her 16th birthday. It has twelve stunning blue diamonds—her birthstone.
Remembering that Matthew was a towering six-footer, she put on three inches ankle boots to augment her one hundred sixty-seven centimeters height. She didn't wear any jewelry other than the Rolex on her wrist. She tied her hair in a high ponytail and checked her barely-there makeup, except for the red lipstick on her lips.
She knew that she looked good and she was just going to school for god sake but then, her heart was beating so loudly in her chest for today is Monday. The scheduled day of the week for her to visit Matthew Grayson—her future husband, in his office to ask for her allowance.
She still cringes at the thought of asking a man for money. Technically she just asked for money from her father but Matthew, despite being her future husband, was a total stranger.
She hasn't met him personally. The time that she saw him with her friends at Morgan's, shopping with the famous supermodel was the nearest that she was in the same room with him, and today, she will go to his office, introduce herself and ask for her allowance. How crazy is that?
She doesn't want to go to his office. She had delayed going there but by telling everyone that she caught a terrible cough. But last night her friends were discussing their trip to Mykonos and she needed some money. She shook her head, grabbed her purse, and left her room in its natural state—a chaotic mess.
Walking down the stairs, she heard some faint argument coming from her parent's bedroom. She quickened her steps because she didn't want to hear her parents fighting. Their fights are constant nowadays for her father kept on snapping at her and her mother or anyone in the house for no apparent reason.
"Good morning, miss." One of their helpers greeted her cheerfully when she reached the living room.
She returned Emilia's smile and sighed. She was one of the few helpers that were left in the house. Yesterday, her father fired three of their helpers and she could guess that it was one of the reasons why her parents were fighting so early in the morning.
Her mood was sullen when she got on the backseat of the black sedan, ignoring Pete's greetings. She folded her arms and buried her back on the soft leather seat of the car. It's a different car from the one that she usually uses. Not only the helpers in their mansion were dwindling but the cars in their garage as well.
"You look amazing, Lil. I'm sure it's going to be fine."
She heaved a deep sigh and smiled at Pete in the rearview mirror. He must have thought that her sour mood was because of the fact that they were on the way to the Gray Empire's main building downtown.
It's going to be her first time in that building but won't definitely be the last. Apparently, Matthew demanded that she come to his office every Monday to get her allowance in person. She knew that Matthew was a hell of a hot guy but she didn't expect him to be a jerk! Why in the world would he want her to come to his office to ask for money when he could just wire her allowance or send his secretary? He already did it before. He's acting weird and she doesn't like it.
She was still in a bad mood when she alighted in front of Gray Empire's building. Pete walked her to the lobby where she asked to see Matthew Grayson and was blatantly refused for she didn't have an appointment.
She was fuming mad when she turned around and faced Pete. "Why don't I have an appointment with Matthew freaking Grayson?"
Pete raised his hand in surrender. He knew the look that Lilly was giving her. It's the look that erupted into many tantrums in the past. "I have no idea why you are not in Mr. Grayson's schedule. Uhm," he glanced over Lilly's shoulder and looked at the receptionist that was eyeing them as if they were a disturbance in her busy morning. "Lilly, why don't we call your father's secretary to ask?" He said, stepping backward.
"No need." A friendly voice said behind Pete. "Good morning, Miss Morgan."
Lilly slumped her shoulders when she saw the familiar man. "Mr. Gallard," she said in a resigned voice.
"I apologize for the mistakes of my assistant. I'll make sure to reprimand her later." He gave an inquiring look to Pete.
"Mr. Gallard, this is Pete Green, my chauffeur, and bodyguard. Pete, this is Mr. William Gallard, Mr. Grayson's assistant."
William smiled inwardly when Lilly Morgan formally introduced her driver to him. He had already known at the restaurant, where he first met Lilly, that she's polite and treats working individuals fairly and kindly. He likes her, but he could not speak on Matthew's behalf. He knew his preference when it comes to women, and Miss Morgan does not fit the bill.
"I'm on my way to Matthew's office. You can come with me." He offered with a smile.
Lilly smiled weakly at the old man. It seemed that she had been meeting Mr. Gallard in such an awkward situation. She let him talk on their trip to Matthew's office and she just smiled, nodded, and pretended to care about what he was telling her. She wanted to show interest in his stories but her heart was about to burst with the thought of meeting and talking to Matthew.
"Good morning, Mister Gallard."
A young woman in her early twenties energetically greeted them as soon as they entered the enclosed area that had signage—office of the Chief Executive Officer, etched on the automatic glass door.
"Miss Roberts, this is Miss Lilly Morgan."
Hearing her name, Miss Roberts paled. "I-i–" she looked at Lilly apologetically.
"Make sure to pen her name in Matthew's calendar every Monday."
Lilly's nervousness swelled up, listening to the conversation of Matthew's secretaries. Hearing that Mr. Gallard knew that she would be coming every Monday, made her feel small. And her slipping confidence was broken on the floor when suddenly the door to Matthew's inner office opened and a beautiful woman came out.
The woman looks like she came out of the front page of a magazine. Something that wasn't far from the truth for she recognized her as another famous international model.