CHAPTER 2

EMILY

Four of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen sat confidently, their presence exuding money and power.

Each of them was draped in expensive Armani and Prada suits, broad shoulders filling the seats like they owned the place.

Is this heaven? I thought. If it is, someone please pinch me.

A light bump at my side snapped me back to reality.

“Are you okay?” Elle asked, her voice soft but laced with worry.

“Uhmm…” I cleared my throat. “Yeah. Yeah. I’m fine.”

My eyes darted back to the men. They were staring right at us, and I suddenly forgot how to breathe.

Elle moved forward as if their attention didn’t faze her, but my feet felt like they’d been cemented to the floor.

“Gentlemen,” she announced smoothly, placing the tray down. “We brought whiskey and vodka for each of you. Pick your poison.”

Their attention shifted to the drinks, except for one.

The one whose gaze stayed on me.

My focus pulled towards him despite my better judgment. Even sitting, he looked tall. The bar’s low light softened his dark features, giving his face an effortless glow that made my skin warm. There was something about the way he watched me, steady, unreadable, that made it hard to look away.

I couldn’t even tell what color his eyes were, but they held me, studying me like I was something he was trying to figure out. My grip tightened slightly around the tray as that strange feeling crept in again, subtle, but enough to make my chest uneasy.

Something about him didn’t seem right.

“Emily!” Elle snapped, breaking my trance.

I flinched, tearing my eyes away, though not fast enough to miss the faint curve of his lips.

I shot her a puzzled look. “What?”

She rolled her eyes and nodded towards my hand. “The tray. Put it on the table.” Then she muttered under her breath, “And stop drooling.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, fighting back a laugh as I stepped forward. But before I could set the tray down, it all happened so fast—

A slip. A crash. A spill of amber liquid.

“What the fuck,” someone growled, voice low and sharp.

The noise, the stares, the embarrassment, it all blurred together until I realized who I’d landed on.

Him.

The man whose gaze had been fixed on me since I walked in.

And now, I was sprawled across his solid chest, clutching his suit like my life depended on it.

I squeezed my eyes shut, mortified. “Oh, no… no, no, no,” I muttered.

His deep voice rumbled beneath me. “You know you’re supposed to get off me, right?”

That voice. Rough. Low. Controlled.

A shiver slid down my spine.

I scrambled to my feet, mortified, and immediately stepped back.

‘Emily! Pull yourself together,’ the voice in my head snapped.

“I’m so, so sorry, sir,” I stammered, fiddling with the hem of my apron as I avoided his gaze.

He adjusted into his seat, eyes still fixed on me.

A silent beat passed, and then his voice cut through.

“Is this how you treat customers?” His jaw tightened. “Pouring drinks on them?”

“No… no, sir.” My eyes darted to Elle for help, but she only gave me a sympathetic look and mouthed ‘sorry’ before dropping her gaze.

“It wasn’t intentional,” I started, “I was just—”

“Distracted?” He interrupted, tone sharp. “Thinking about something else while you should’ve been focused on your job?”

I closed my eyes briefly, forcing myself not to snap. One more day, Emily. Just one more day until you start your new job.

But God, why did a man like him have to be so insufferably arrogant?

“You still haven’t apologized,” he said through gritted teeth, his hand curling slightly as if holding himself back.

I let out a small scoff, already fed up. “I already said it was a mistake, and I was sorry.”

He didn’t blink. “You.” He pointed at Elle without breaking eye contact with me. “Go call your boss.”

Elle’s eyes widened. She mouthed another sorry before rushing out, leaving me under the heavy gaze of four men—three amused, one furious.

The silence stretched, and suddenly, something shifted.

My chest tightened.

The room blurred for a second, the noise fading into the background as something old and unwelcoming stirred beneath the surface.

A heavy familiar memory.

I swallowed, forcing it down, refusing to let it take shape.

And yet, I couldn’t shake the unease sitting in my chest.

“Emily! My office. Now.”

Terry’s voice made me jump, cutting through everything.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Emily…” Terry dragged out my name as I sat across from him in his office. “You’ve been one of my best employees since you started here four weeks ago, but the way you spoke to one of my most important guests can’t, and won’t, go unpunished.”

The rage bubbling inside me sharpened.

“Sir,” I said through clenched teeth, forcing a polite smile. “I’m really sorry about what happened, but you have to understand, it wasn’t intentional. It was a mis—”

“No.” His voice boomed. “I don’t want to hear it. You’re suspended for two days. That’s final.”

“But, Sir—”

He raised a hand, cutting me off. “Emily, I don’t want to hear it.”

I shook my head slowly, disbelief settling in. How could people treat service workers like this? The arrogance, the entitlement, it was exhausting.

And did I once say he was good looking for age? Scratch that.

I stood to leave, but Terry’s voice stopped me cold.

“And during your break, use it wisely. Work on your attitude.”

That was it.

The last straw.

I’d spent years letting people walk over me, pretending I didn’t have feelings just to keep the peace. But putting all odds aside and deciding to move to New York had reminded me that I had responsibilities, and I needed to be strong, not just for me, but for my family.

Something in me snapped.

“You know what, Terry? I quit. I was going to tell you tomorrow, but today seems like a perfect day for it.”

I tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, smiled, and walked out before he could say anything to change my mind.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I let out a shaky breath.

Oh. My. God. I can’t believe I just did that.

I stormed into the break room, grabbed my bag, and started stuffing my things together when Elle appeared at the door, worry written across my face.

“Hey,” she said softly.

“Hey,” I replied.

“I’m sorry I did nothing to defend you back there.”

“It’s fine. Honestly, I would’ve run for the hills too if I were you,” I joked.

We both laughed, and for a moment, things felt normal.

Then she paused.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s great,” I said, forcing a grin. “Just packing up.”

“He fired you?”

“No. I quit.”

Her mouth dropped. “What? Emily, why?”

“I’ll be moving out of the city soon. Today just… felt like the right time to quit.”

She hesitated, then smiled softly. “That’s… actually great.” She pulled up a stool. “Want help?”

“No need.” I slung my bag over my shoulder. “Do you need anything?”

She shook her head, still watching me. “Nah. Just came to check on you… and to tell you something.”

I paused.

The look on her face shifted, less teasing now, more serious.

“What?” I asked.

She hesitated, then said quietly,

“That guy… the one you spilled the drink on?”

My grip tightened slightly on my bag.

“Yeah?”

Elle exhaled.

“He said, he was going to make sure you never get a job.”

I scoffed.

“And who exactly does he think he is?”

Elle stared at me.

“Emily…”

My smile slowly faded.

“You seriously don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“That’s Mr. Ways.”

My heart stopped.

The owner of the company I was supposed to start working for next month.