Amelie took a sip of white wine and looked at the rectangular screen of the old mobile phone. She hadn't received a message from the mysterious man since that day and wondered whether she should text him first to find out how long she was supposed to hold onto this "valuable" item.
Perhaps it was the wine that gave her a bit of extra courage, but Amelie's fingers moved on their own. She finally pressed the send button, delivering a message to the enigmatic recipient.
"Why did you say your name was Captain Pantaloons?"
The man replied almost immediately.
"It is the name of one very annoying dog who is being treated like a king."
That message was quickly followed by another one.
"Do you want to know who I am?"
"I do, but I won't insist if it's uncomfortable for you."
His reply was only a smiling face emoji, and Amelie thought their conversation was over. Suddenly, the phone vibrated once again.
"I am one of the guests for the benefit."
Amelie's eyes widened in shock. Her assistant Anna handled the guest accommodations at the Emerald Hotel, but for security reasons, all guests were registered under aliases. If Amelie wanted to find out who they were, she would have to go through their credit card history. Given that most people used company-wide accounts to pay for business trips, this would be a tedious task.
And even then, what would it give her?
Her busy mind was interrupted by yet another message notification.
"If that helps, my room number hasn't changed."
Amelie felt more disappointed than intrigued. She couldn't believe the man staying in the suite next to hers was one of their guests all along. Not only had she failed to greet him properly, but she had also been rude to him on the phone, and now, she was being too casual with her messages.
It was embarrassing.
Still, the man's behavior was equally rude, and it was already too late to change her own attitude.
"How shameless of you to put me in such a difficult position! You should have told me who you were right away."
His immediate reply was just as brazen.
"No, it's more fun this way."
Amelie scoffed and shook her head. He was right; it was fun.
***
Since the benefit was taking place at the Emerald Hotel's VIP venue, Amelie spent all her time in her office there. The hectic preparations for the event's opening night demanded her constant presence, and after her message exchange with her mysterious "friend," she felt too anxious to overlook any detail related to the important guests staying at the hotel.
As she was scanning one of the financial reports, Anna Hayden knocked on her door and entered once Amelie granted permission.
"Mrs. Ashford, Mr. Liam Bennett is here to see you."
Caught off guard, Amelie almost dropped the papers on the floor. She instantly recalled their first encounter, and hot blood rushed to her cheeks.
She felt embarrassed to face him, but at the same time, there was no way she could refuse to see him. She had already managed to neglect one important guest; she wouldn't make the same mistake again.
"Please ask him to come in."
Anna nodded and invited Liam into Amelie's office.
The moment he stepped inside, the room filled with the assertive scent of his cologne—a leathery aroma mixed with woody undertones. She found his scent soothing, yet somewhat hypnotizing.
The initial discomfort brought on by his presence instantly dissolved when Liam stretched his lips into a warm smile, addressing Amelie in the most friendly tone.
"Hello, Miss Ashford! I heard you were extremely busy preparing for the benefit, so I came here to be an even bigger burden!"
Amelie arched her eyebrows. "Pardon? And it's Mrs. Ashford."
"I consider it a crime to be cooped up in the office all day when the weather is so wonderful! I came here to steal you... No, to ask you to take a walk with me and show me around the hotel. It's so beautiful and vast that I feel like I need some guidance or else I will get lost."
Mrs. Ashford's confusion lingered. It was true that the Emerald Hotel was more of a city resort than a mere hotel, but it wasn't so grand as to require a personal tour. The designated members of the personnel could have done that in her stead if needed.
Nevertheless, given that Liam Bennett was one of the most influential figures in the business world, she had to be attentive to his request. And she had to admit, she did need a break.
"Very well, let me show you around then."
Their tour inside the hotel was brief because Mr. Bennett was already quite familiar with its interior. Instead, they headed straight for the hotel's most famous feature—the flower gardens.
As they walked in the shade cast by the tall, meticulously tended trees, Amelie found herself overwhelmed with strange feelings. With her busy and hectic life, she couldn't remember the last time she had come here and actually appreciated the garden's beauty, despite it being part of her own domain. She almost felt regretful.
Amelie was instantly jolted out of her calm state when she heard a familiar female voice calling out her name.
"Mrs. Ashford!"
She turned to her right and saw Samantha rushing towards her.
'What the hell is she doing here?' Amelie furrowed her eyebrows as Samantha came to a halt before them, breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath.
"Hello! I had no idea you'd be here, another pleasant coincidence," Samantha said cheerfully.
Mrs. Ashford didn't reply, her eyes narrowing slightly. Samantha, however, seemed uninterested in Amelie's reaction. Instead, she turned her attention to Liam and smiled brightly. "Good afternoon. My name is Samantha Blackwood. I'm a friend of Mr. Richard Clark."
Liam quietly examined her appearance with his sharp gray eyes, taking in the new presence with an unreadable expression.
'Richard Clark's friend? Ahh... I see.'
He, too, offered her a polite smile and nodded. "Liam Bennett, nice to meet you."
They shook hands, and Amelie noticed Samantha blushing. This time, it wasn't an act—she was genuinely flustered to meet Liam.
Recalling her husband's words, Amelie decided to let Samantha be. Being rude to her in front of Mr. Bennett really wasn't worth it.
She forced a smile and looked at Liam. "Mr. Bennett is the youngest son of the Bennett family and is about to inherit the Diamond Group. He has just returned from abroad."
Samantha's eyes lit up with excitement. "From abroad? Where were you exactly?"
Liam chuckled. "Just... all around Europe."
"Wow, I've always wanted to visit Europe! Do you mind telling me how it was living there? I can show you around, and we can get to—"
Suddenly, Liam cut her off with an unexpectedly cold tone. "I'm sorry... Miss Blackwood, was it? I was in the middle of my walk with Miss Ashford, and our conversation isn't one that involves someone I have just met. Please excuse us."
He gently touched Amelie's arm and quickly led her away, leaving Samantha alone and completely bewildered.