ISABELLA
Pulling up to the Stone Mansion, I couldn't help but gasp at the beauty that surrounded me. I knew the Stone family were wealthy and love beautiful things but this beauty stunned me.
The heavy iron bars of the gate rang a clank sound as it rolled open, disclosing a perfectly tendered garden decorated with bright flowers. Roses and jasmine filled the air, intermingling with the bubbling thrill that surged through my veins.
Our car moved along the cobblestone path of the driveway and parked at the big entrance of the mansion, where five domestic staffs were waiting for us.
Washed to perfection in their neat uniforms, they bent down simultaneously as I left the car. Scenes were opulent, and I felt like a small guest in this luxurious world.
Stepping beyond the threshold, into the mansion, time seemed to freeze.
"Please make yourself comfortable, Mr Stone would join you soon" one of the house keepers said as she ushered me into the lounge
"Thank you" I said with a smile.
"Would you like me to get you anything?" She inquired.
"No, thank you I'm fine, if I need anything, i would let you know" I lied.
Actually, I skipped dinner and I was extremely famished, but I felt it was rude to request for anything when I haven't seen my host yet. The house keeper bowed and left me alone as her footsteps faded away walking down the hall.
A dull silence filled the room, accentuated only by the soft ticking in the corner of a clock. Minutes transformed into an hour, and still, Mr. Stone did not show up.
Just as I was starting to consider asking for food, a door creaked open on the opposite side of the lounge. My heart skipped a beat as a tall figure emerged from behind it, adorned in an expensive-looking custom-made lounge wear, exuded an air of sophistication and another level of beauty.
"Ah, Isabella," Mr. Stone's voice carried across the room with a hint of amusement. "I apologize for keeping you."
I blinked, momentarily awestruck by Mr. Stone's presence. I knew the man was hot but this was my first time seeing him out of a suit, and he looked extremely hot as hell.
"It's okay," I managed to reply, my voice portraying a hint of nervousness.
"I hope you are hungry because I went ahead and ordered my chef to prepare us something nice for dinner," He said as he approached me.
"Yes, I am. I actually skipped dinner," I responded with a smile.
"Okay, then let's go and eat," He said as he gestured for me to follow him.
We entered into a magnificent room, which I figured was the Dinning from the furniture. Mr Stone took his seat at the head of the table and gestured me to seat at his right hand.
Immediately, we sat down, the domestic staff began serving us different scrumptious foods. The smell of the food filled the air and increased my hunger. Every dish set on the table was a culinary masterpiece. When I took my first bite, the tastes danced in my mouth like a harmony of taste and texture.
Mr. Stone observed me carefully with a faint smile on his face.
"Glad you're having a good time with the meal," he said, in a smooth, velvety voice.
I was unable to talk; all I could do was nod and indulge myself with the feast in front of me.
After dinner, Mr Stone decided to show me to my room. We walked through a beautiful corridor that has every magnificent artwork one could think of. We got to a door by the end of the corridor, and Mr Stone stopped walking.
"This would be your room" he said as he opened the door, leading to the most beautiful bedroom I have ever seen. It was so big that my whole house could fit inside. I walked in ,still in awe and looking around.
"I'll leave you to settle in. Good night, Isabella. See you early tomorrow. I know tomorrow is Saturday, but remember we have a lot to work on.
"Good night, Sir," I replied as he shut the door.
Eager to explore the room and make it my home temporarily, I jumped on the bed that seemed to be calling my name.
I reached for my bag, intending to unpack my things, just as I was about to start, my phone rang, and it was a call from Chloe.
"Hey, love," I said, feeling joyous.
"It seems someone is in a good mood," Chloe remarked, curious.
"I'm always in a good mood," I replied jokingly.
"Anyways, guess where I am."
"Where else will you be aside from work or the staff quarters?" she quipped.
"C'mon, is my life that boring?" I teased.
She laughed. "Okay, spill. Where are you?"
"I'm at Alexander's home."
"What? Why?" Chloe asked almost simultaneously, not even giving me room to answer.
"I moved in with him because we're working on a project together." I chuckled
"Isabella, when have you ever heard that moving in with your boss is the only way to guarantee the success of a project?"
"Chloe, this is different, and you know I'm still on trial, so I don't have many options."
"I know you don't, but why do I feel you also want to be around him?"
"What? Can you stop trying to insinuate that I have feelings for him? I only admire his work ethics. This is clearly for work."
"I'm pretty sure this won't end well, and someone will get hurt, and by someone, I mean you"
"Stop worrying, I got this. I just need to focus on the project, and besides, my stay here is just for a short time."
"Isabella, I know you, and I cannot get rid of the feeling, that this is more than just a professional collaboration, moving in together with your boss is a big step, especially with someone like Alexander," Chloe said, her concern was reflected in the voice
"Chloe, you're overthinking it. Alexander is my boss, and this project is crucial for my career. Living here is just a temporary arrangement," I reassured her.
"I hope you're being careful, Isabella. Mixing personal and professional boundaries can get messy," Chloe cautioned.
"I appreciate your concern, Chloe, but I've got everything under control. We're focused on the project, and that's it," I insisted.
"Alright, if you say so. Just keep me updated, okay?" Chloe conceded, still not entirely convinced.
"Absolutely, Chloe. Now, I have to get back to unpacking. We'll catch up soon," I said, hoping to steer the conversation away from any further speculation.
"Take care, Isabella, and remember, I'm here if you need to talk," Chloe said before we ended the call.
I unpacked my bag and placed few pieces of mine on the desk to make the room mine. As soon as I laid down, I dozed off.
I was woken up feeling excited and energised. I got up frrom the bed looking forward to what today holds, picked an outfit for the day, which was just a plain white t-shirt and a blue jean trouser. I took a quick bath and styled my hair in a messy bun.
"It's a bright and beautiful day," I hummed, opening my laptop. I noticed an unread email related to the project.
"What?" I exclaimed, surprised.
"The Veritas Project is in three phases, and we are just being informed about this." I asked myself, a smirk playing on my face.
"Why several adjustments for a single project?" I need to inform Mr. Stone about this sudden development. The workload has just skyrocketed.
After a final glance at the mirror, I grabbed my laptop and left the room. Mr Stone was already sitting in the lounge when I got out.
"Good morning ma'am, would you like a cup of coffee?" The house keeper asked as I walked in
"Good morning...Yes please, coffee with cream is fine" I replied with a sweet smile.
"Good morning sir," I greeted Mr Stone who was engrossed in the documents he had in his hands.
"Good morning Isabella" He responded without looking up
"Sir, I got an email this morning stating that the Veritas project would be in three phases. The first phase, which is coming up on Monday, we have to pitch what we have to offer, and we would be going head to head with other reputable firm like Pharrell." I explained the content of the email I got from Veritas.
Mr Stone listened keenly to my explanation, but I noticed a frown appeared when I mentioned Pharrell.
"That's a big one." He finally spoke after a long silence
"Yes, sir, it is, but I have an idea for the pitch."
"Let me hear it then" He said, putting down the files in his hands.
I began pitching my idea to him. I knew this was an opportunity for me to prove myself.