Chapter 5
Emma sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the ID card in her hand. The name Frank Parker stared back at her in bold letters. She still couldn't believe it.
Her heart raced as she thought about him. She couldn't piece together everything from the night before, but the ID card made it real. Frank Parker wasn't just a random guy at the club. He was someone powerful, someone important.
But why had he been there? Why had he chosen her?
She shook her head, trying to push the questions away. None of that mattered now. What mattered was figuring out what to do next.
Her phone buzzed on the table. It was Lila again. Emma picked it up, taking a deep breath before answering.
"Hey, Lila," she said softly.
"Emma! You've been so quiet. What's going on?" Lila asked, her voice full of concern.
Emma hesitated. She wanted to tell Lila everything, but the words felt too heavy. How could she explain something she didn't fully understand herself?
"I'm okay," Emma said, forcing a small smile even though Lila couldn't see her. "Just... thinking about stuff."
"Thinking about what? Did something happen last night?"
Emma glanced at the ID card again. "Yeah... something happened. But I don't know how to explain it."
Lila's voice softened. "Emma, you can tell me anything. You know that, right?"
Emma sighed. "I met someone at the club. We talked, and... things got a little out of hand."
"A little out of hand? What does that mean?" Lila pressed.
Emma bit her lip. "We spent the night together."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Lila said, "Wow. Okay. Was he nice at least?"
Emma thought about Frank's warm smile and how gentle he had been, even when she was a mess. "Yeah. He was... different. Kind, I think."
"Then what's the problem?"
Emma hesitated. "He's not just anyone, Lila. He's... well, he's rich. Like, crazy rich. And I don't think I'll ever see him again."
Lila let out a low whistle. "Okay, that's a lot. But Emma, don't sell yourself short. You're amazing, and you deserve to be treated well, no matter who he is."
Emma smiled faintly. "Thanks, Lila. I'll figure it out."
After they hung up, Emma sat quietly, her thoughts spinning. She didn't know what she wanted to do or if she even wanted to see Frank again. But deep down, a part of her couldn't forget the way he had looked at her.
Meanwhile, at Parker Enterprises
Frank sat at his desk, tapping his pen against the wood. He had been staring at the same document for twenty minutes, unable to focus. His thoughts kept drifting back to Emma.
What was it about her that he couldn't shake? She wasn't like anyone he had met before. She didn't try to impress him or act like she wanted something from him. She was just... herself.
But what now?
Frank leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. He knew he should just move on, let it go. One night didn't mean anything. At least, that's what he told himself.
A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Come in," he called.
Claire, his assistant, stepped inside with a clipboard. "Sir, the board meeting is in ten minutes."
Frank nodded. "Thank you, Claire. I'll be there."
As she left, Frank glanced out the window. The city stretched out before him, full of people going about their lives. Somewhere out there, Emma was probably trying to move on, too.
But for some reason, he couldn't.