CHAPTER 4:
Emily's POV
I could barely breathe standing before Mr. Lee. But Alex's calm demeanor steadied me.
As I present, Alex's supportive nods boost my confidence.
Alex's expression calms my nerves.
"We've anticipated potential challenges," Alex explains.
I handed Mr. Lee the folder, trying to hide my shaking hands.
"Our projections indicate—" I started
Mr. Lee's intense scrutiny makes me nervous.
Alex noticed how nervous I was; he placed a reassuring hand on my knee under the table.
This is one of those moments when I need to trust someone.
My voice gained confidence.
Then there was Mr. Lee, who did not speak, and yet the silence was speaking.
I look at Alex, exchanging worried glances with him.
After the last slide of our presentation, Alex and I exchanged glances again, unable to make any further comments.
"Impressive," he says. "But I need... assurance."
His gaze lingers on me, making my skin crawl.
Mr. Lee, in a confidence-inducing posture, says, "Emily, shall I speak to you somewhere in private?".
Alex's eyes narrow, sensing something off.
"I'll wait outside," Alex says, his tone firm.
Mr. Lee nods, dismissing Alex.
As the door closes, Mr. Lee's expression changes.
"Emily, I'll invest if you... accommodate me," he says, his voice dripping with insinuation.
My heart sinks. I feel trapped.
"What do you mean?" I ask, dragging my feet on the ground as I tried to stall.
Mr. Lee's smile makes my stomach turn.
He says rather menacingly, "Let's just say... I need a personal guarantee."
His gaze drifts all over my body, which makes me extremely uncomfortable.
That does disgust me.
I breathe deep and force myself to sound calm, trying to suppress the bile of disgust that is rising within me.
"I'm not for sale, Mr. Lee," I say, standing up.
Mr. Lee, who is growing furious, looked at me.
"You're making a mistake, Emily."
I quickly exit the office, feeling shaken. promptly shut the office door from the inside and walk out, disgusted.
Alex POV
Mr. Lee's gaze suddenly flickers as he leans forward, glaring at Emily. "I want to be convinced."
"How do we convince you?" Emily asks with her hands shaking as she gives Mr. Lee a folder. At this moment, I can feel her stress.
"Our projections indicate—" Emily starts.
Mr. Lee scanned the documents, his silence stretching.
I could feel Emily's tension. I took a deep breath, ready to address any concerns.
Having finished her presentation, Mr. Lee now has his elbows on the table, and fingers are interlocked at the center of the table.
"That is impressive," says Mr. Lee. But I will require some... I will need some... assurance.
Mr. Lee's eyes are still fixated on Emily. I could see the lust in his eyes.
"Ms. Emily, could I talk to you privately, please?" Mr. Lee asked—there was a chill in his voice.
First, I did not like the idea of leaving him alone with Emily; moreover, it was my duty to stay within the vicinity if anything goes wrong with Emily.
I remained standing outside the glass door, looking at Emily and the way she was shaking.
Weird.
I saw Emily leave the room; her face looked pale.
"Hey… you okay?" I asked, concerned and frowning sternly.
Emily states that she is alright, but if looks could speak, they would speak otherwise.
"Can we go and talk on the rooftop? It would be ideal for me."
Emily gave me a nod as we walked in silence.
The first view presented itself differently with the usual working environment encounters.
"What happened in there?" I ask Emily, unable to conceal my curiosity.
Emerging from the echo of the wind, Emily gathers enough air to exclaim, "Mr. Lee wanted... something in return."
I understood immediately as I felt the anger building inside me.
"Please accept my apologies, Emily." I respond in sympathy towards her.
"I'm so sorry."
Emily's eyes well up.
"I felt trapped," she said, letting her tears out.
I instinctively wrap my arms around her.
Connectivity for the first time I create shielded arms around her head—it's a bear hug.
"Don't worry—we'll look for other investors." I said
She began to shake her head, and the tears started to flow down her cheeks.
Watching Emily cry broke something in me.
"Mr. Lee will pay for this," I muttered to myself.
"I'm sorry, Emily," I manage, wrapping my arms around her to keep her close.
"Don't cry; we'll find another investor that would respect your values," I promise her. "We are going to bring someone who will appreciate our service."
"Thank you, Alex," she says, her voice trembling.
I wipe away her tears.
"We're in this together," I remind her.
Emily's gaze lingers on mine.
"Alex?"
"Yeah?"
"Just wondering, if this deal was to be the only option available, then what would have been the case?"
I did not hesitate at all.
"Emily, for any deal, I am ready to cut it off. You're worth more than any deal."
Emily, with those words, starts glimmering.
"Thanks so much," she utters quietly.
The air shifts, bringing calm tension within us.
As I ran my fingers through Emily's ear, the connection was numbing.
Our gazes lock, the city skyline fading into the background.
For a moment, we just breathe.
"Partner," Emily aggresses, though in her case it's more of a nervous tone than anything.
I can't help but feel excited as I acknowledge her with a simple nod.
"Of course," I answer, adding with a bit of discomfort, "in every sense."
Emily shyly turns her face scarlet, holding back more tension than I was.
The corners of our lips naturally rise in excitement, but the intensity of the air suffocates us.
Emily's phone rang and appeared to be a final straw as she fidgets and eventually decides to pick it up.
"Rachel?" was all that Emily said, a bit of apprehension lingering in her tone.
I heard the subtle change in Emily's expression.
"What is the matter?" Emily questions, the panic level increasing.
Over the phone, the wailing of Rachel is heard.
Knowing that Emily is going, I felt rather powerless.
What is the issue with Rachel?
And what could be of help to Emily?
Emily's POV
I made a frantic dash to Rachel's apartment because I felt anxious.
As I entered, Rachel's teary face broke my heart.
"What happened?" I ask as I managed to rush towards her to hug the distressed girl.
"Ryan wants to move for work," Rachel says, sobbing.
My concern shifts to empathy.
"I don't think I can manage a long-distance relationship," Rachel confesses.
I embrace her affectionately.
"Yes, of course, you will," I say.
"You'll figure it out," I assure her.
Sharing my own struggles with Mr. Lee left her in disbelief.
Rachel's mouth opens, and she is in disbelief.
'You are strong, Em.' Rachel says.
"I appreciate it, thank you," I added, laughing.
Our discussion was an edifying exchange of giggles and sobs.
Soon, I received a text from Alex.
"How is your friend?" he asked in a curious manner.
"Better than the round," I answer back.
"Would you like to meet me on the top of the roof?" he says.
This made my heart skip a beat.
"Why?" I ask her in a humorous style.
"Why?" I tease.
"Just come."
I agreed
As soon as I got onto the rooftop, the romantic setting took my breath away completely.
'Oh wow, incredible,' I told him. 'I love this, Alex!" I said
'Alex, thank you; it looks amazing,' I quickly added.
As we sat, Alex poured the wine into our respective glasses. The golden liquid was cut by the flicker of the candlelight as it sparkled.
"Here's to new beginnings," Alex offers.
"Here's to partnership." I took out the stem, and we clicked our glasses together.
We talked and laughed and shared stories.
The night deepens, and we lock our eyes.
"Wow! You look so beautiful, Emily," Alex says in a whisper.
I felt shy.
"Neither do you look that bad," I tease him.
"Okay," Alex says and reaches across the table, his hand grazes over mine.
I feel jolt.
"Emily," he says quietly.
Our gazes meet.
The skyline fades away.
"Do you mind?" Alex says in a soft voice.
I don't speak but nod my head in answer.
Alex's hand clutches my hand.
We get up, and our bodies close together.
The gap between us gets lost.
We danced to the music.
Our lips meet in a fiery, passionate kiss.
"Alex," I breathe.
"Emily," he replies.
Intense moments blend together.
Hands roam, exploring.
Our lips devour each other, hunger and desire unleashed.
Alex's hands explore my curves, sending shivers down my spine.
I wrap my arms around him, deepening the kiss.
The city lights blur, our world narrowing to touch and sensation.
We move in perfect sync, our bodies yearning for closeness.
Alex lifts me onto the rooftop's edge, the wind whispering secrets.
Our gazes lock, the moment suspended. With one swift motion, Alex pulls me into his arms. We sink into the night, lost in each other.
"Emily," Alex whispers.
"Yes?" I breathe.
"I've wanted this for so long," he admits.
"Me too," I confessed.
Our lips meet again. As we merge, our senses ignite.
"Emily, you are incredible," Alex whispers.
My fingers dig into his shoulders.
"Alex," I breathe.
Our bodies dance, lost in sensual bliss. Every touch, every kiss, every whispered promise.
The world fades; only Alex and I remain.
"Emily, I'm yours," Alex whispers.
"Forever yours," I replied.
At this point, going against the work ethics was worth it. I wanted to give my all to Alex; he was all that mattered.
Alex POV
As I held Emily close, I felt my soul awaken.
"Emily, you're my everything," I whisper.
Her fingers dig into my shoulders.
"Alex," she breathes.
I deepen our connection. Our love explodes. The world around us dissolves. Only Emily remains.
At this moment, I knew I'd never let her go.
"Forever yours," she whispers.
My heart soars.
"Mine," I reply.
I feel every inch of her. Every curve, every tremble, every whispered promise—Emily's eyes lock onto mine. Our gazes burn.
As we move together, our love reaches a crescendo.
Emily's eyes sparkle.
"Alex," she whispers.
"Emily," I reply.
Our lips meet. The world around us melts. Our love becomes the only reality.
Every thrust, every kiss, every whispered promise, our bodies entwined, soul-deep connection.
Emily's voice rises.
"Alex, I'm..."
"I'm with you," I whisper.
Emily's eyes lock onto mine.
Our gazes burn.
At this point, I forgot work ethics; only Emily mattered.