Nicolas sat behind his dress sketching his latest design. It was too late to put it in the next line but he would make it work. He was glad he had accepted the invite to the last fashion show he had gone to. He had not wanted to go but he had done it. The designs were good but they were not what had tugged on his interests. It was the model. She had looked like a goddess on stage. One of magic. From his place, he had watched her long limbs glide gracefully across the runway. Her hips had swung gently and her play with the fabric had been entrancing. The dress had looked good on her but she had overshadowed it. It wasn't just her body; she had that je ne sais quoi.
He had wanted a drawing pad that night. He had wanted to look at her and create an outfit that was befitting her beauty. Nothing that would be overshadowed or would overshadow; he would make her something that would match her. Something that would highlight her features. She was a goddess among lifeless puppets, a diamond in the midst of glass. He would put her in the right setting and make her shine.
He leaned away from his sketch and examined it. It was okay, but he did not do okay. His designs were better than okay. With the help of Aurelie, they would be magnificent. He pictured her in his mind and he began gliding the pencil on the paper again. Long strokes combined with short ones. His wrist moved elegantly and his brow furrowed as he tried to see the dress on Aurelie. He would do better with her in front of him. He dropped his pencil in frustration and pushed away from his table. He was not getting anything done. He walked to the wall on the side of his desk and clicked a button. He stepped back as the white wall lifted and a television was reviewed.
He walked back to his desk and opened a drawer. He went through it and picked up a remote. He clicked on the power button, his arm extended to the television. It turned on. On the television, Nico was watching models doing the catwalk on his last show. He dispassionately watched them. His mind was already noting the differences between them and Aurelie.
They lacked emotion. They were just walking. They had no life. No passion. He was not impressed. He had already been looking for a new set of models for his next line but his search had not gotten him far. They had all been the same. All lifeless dolls with obviously artificial additives.
Their movements were either jerky, too exaggerated or just too deliberate. This is why he had sought out Aurelie. She was unique. She had energy. Her movements were smooth and her face was not made of marble. She could make any woman want to buy whatever was on her body. She could make any man want her. She would be the perfect image for his company. He was sure of it.
There was a knock on the door and Nico lifted the remote and muted the sound coming out of the television.
"Come in," his authoritative voice carried.
He lifted a leg and sat on the edge of the desk. His secretary walked in with a cut of coffee in her hands.
"What is it, Dani?" he asked her impatiently.
A frown marred his otherwise perfect face.
"I thought you would need a cup of coffee," she said with a deliberately suggestive smile.
Her eyes slowly ran over his form and she licked her lower lip. She lifted her eyes to his face and their gazes connected. Her eyes were dilated and shone with passion. His were blank, bored and uninterested. He knew what she was offering. He did not want it.
Nico just stared at her. Waiting. Her smile faltered. He was not amused by her antics. Daniella had been using any useless means to get into his office ever since he had made the dreadful mistake of dallying with her months ago. He was getting tired of her. She was getting more invested in him than was wise. How could she not understand that she was nothing more than an employee who had gotten into his bed once? And that too had been a drunken mistake. He had explained that to her.
"Miss Lena Leroux is on the line for you," Daniella said her face showing her dissatisfaction with him brushing her off.
"Thank you," Nico said as he turned his torso around to reach for the phone behind him.
He picked up the phone and then turned round as he put it to his ear.
"Lena, what do you want?" He spoke into the phone.
He noticed Dani still stood there and he lifted an eyebrow at her. A look of hurt flashed in her eyes and she spun on her heels and walked out of the room.
"Is that a way to talk to your baby sister?" Lena replied her voice in a slow drawl.
"You could have called my number directly," he told her as he got up from the desk and walked to the window illuminating the office.
"I could have but this guaranteed you would answer," Lena's tone was humoured.
"Okay," Nico said, "What is so important?"
"I need your help," Lena's voice became serious, "Father is not being helpful."
"What do you need?" Nico asked.
"Can you come home this weekend?" His little sister's voice became small as she pleaded.
"Sure," Nico said, "I will be there."
He would always stand by her. She was his sister and he was proud of her. She was doing good for their family business but she would do better if their father was not standing in her way.
"Thank you, Nico!" his sister said, relief and joy coming through her voice clearly.
"You're welcome," Nico said but his sister had already hung up.
He hated that she had to ask. Nico had needed to help his sisters more than he thought was fair. They should have the same opportunities as he did. Just because they were women it didn't mean they were less.
The girls should have meant more to his father since they chose to stay in the family business. Nico, on the other hand, had chosen to go his own way. His parents had not been happy. They had refused to help him start up. They had also figured that he would come back when his plan flopped but the joke had been on them. He had turned his passion into a billion-dollar corporation. He had never wanted to join his father's company and he would never want to be part of that business. He hoped his father would recognise that and acknowledge the effort the girls were putting in to make the business flourish.
Nicolas realised that he was staring blankly out the window and he lifted the phone in his hand to his view. If he was going home, his mother would worry if he did not bring a certain woman along. He got his cell phone out and he dialled a number. He pressed the call button and put the phone to his ear.
He listened to the phone ring for a few beats before it was answered.
"Hello," A female voice came through.
"I am going to my parents this weekend," Nicolas said flatly as he turned away from the window and faced his office.
"You want me to come with you?" The woman on the other end of the line asked.
"It would be best if you did," Luca told her as he walked to his seat.
"Okay, Nico," the woman's voice was tinted with a hint of emotion that he could not and did not care to pick up.
"Thanks, Val," Nicolas felt the need to say before he hung up.
He was putting the phone back in his pocket when there was a knock on his door. The door opened before he said anything and Dani's blonde head popped in.
"What is it?" He asked her not without annoyance.
"There's a Ms Sharon Wilde for you on line two," Dani said meekly.
The hurt was clear in her eyes. Nico felt a tiny tinge of guilt but he ignored it. She had to know her place. And Aurelie's agent was on the line. She was more important than Dani's hurt feelings.
"Put her through," he ordered and she ducked out of the room.
He waited for the light on the receiver to go off and then he picked up the phone.
"Ms Wilde," he said his tone formal.
He listened to the woman on the other side of the phone and his mouth slowly stretched into a smile. Things were going his way. Aurelie was interested in his offer. Why would she not be? Working with him would be the biggest boost of her career. He knew she would be popular in less than half a year. How could she not? She was a stunning young woman. He was glad he found her before anyone else did.