The Elevator Incident

The first thing Emily wanted to do was run.

The second was to disappear.

But instead, her feet remained rooted in place.

She just stood there, staring at him like a fucking idiot because, apparently, her brain had chosen that exact moment to stop working.

Ghost was standing right in front of her.

The man she had been thinking about all day.

The man she had been planning to get close to.

The man she had told herself she needed to be careful with.

And now he was standing only a few feet away from her.

Emily couldn't move.

She couldn't even remember how to breathe properly.

"Miss, isn't this your floor?"

The person behind Ghost asked.

Emily heard the question.

Her brain understood the words.

But her body refused to respond.

She just kept staring like a brainless idiot.

Ghost didn't say anything.

He only looked at her.

Those cold eyes settled on her for a brief second.

There was no flicker in his expression.

Finally, her brain started working again.

She quickly moved aside.

The two men walked into the elevator.

Emily immediately pressed herself against the side, giving them as much space as possible.

She suddenly became painfully aware of how close Ghost was.

She could smell his cologne.

It was the same kind of scent she remembered from six months ago.

Dark.

Clean and expensive.

Her stomach tightened.

The man standing beside Ghost reached forward and pressed the button for the floor they were going to.

Emily watched the numbers light up.

The elevator doors closed.

And that was when her brain decided to start working properly.

This was the floor she was supposed to get off.

She had just stood there staring at him like some stupid fangirl.

She wanted to scream.

She would really, really like to disappear right now.

Yes, she wanted revenge.

But right now, all she wished was for the ground to do her a favour and swallow her whole.

God.

She must have looked like a fucking idiot.

What was wrong with her?

She let out a quiet sigh.

There was nothing she could do right now.

She had to wait for them to get off.

She stood still behind Ghost, trying her best not to look at him.

She really tried.

But it was impossible.

Her eyes slowly moved toward his reflection on the elevator wall.

He looked exactly like Damien.

But at the same time...

Nothing like the Damien she had met.

Ghost's eyes looked cold.

He looked like someone who didn't know how to smile.

Someone who had never learned how to be soft.

But Damien had smiled at her.

He had joked with her.

They might be the same person.

But they were not the same person.

At least not the versions she knew.

She pressed her lips together.

How on earth was she supposed to approach this man?

Her original plan suddenly looked ridiculous.

She had thought she could slowly get close to Ghost.

Gain his favour.

Make herself useful.

Find a way into his world.

Maybe even make him trust her.

But standing behind him now, Emily wasn't so sure anymore.

Maybe she should start thinking of another plan.

Maybe she could seduce another powerful person here.

Someone who could help her get revenge.

Someone easier to approach.

Someone who wouldn't make her feel like her heart was trying to escape from her chest.

Because the man standing in front of her looked like an impossible mission already.

But he was just so beautiful.

Emily closed her eyes and bit her lips.

What the hell was that thought?

She immediately scolded herself.

This was not the time to admire his face.

She was standing behind a dangerous man who could probably kill her without blinking.

Dangerous.

That was the only word that could describe the man in front of her.

She needed to remember that.

She needs to remember exactly who he is…..

A monster.

A crime lord.

The man everyone feared.

The elevator continued moving upward.

The silence became almost unbearable.

Emily could hear the faint sound of the elevator machinery.

She could hear her own heartbeat.

She could even hear herself breathing.

She stared at the floor.

Don't look at him again.

Don't look at him.

Don't–

"Are you Emily?"

The other guy suddenly asked.

She looks up immediately….

Her eyes widened.

The guy had turned around and was looking directly at her.

For a second, she froze all over again.

How did he know her name?

Her mind raced.

She opened her mouth.

"Yeah, I uh, yeah."

She stammered out embarrassingly.

Her cheeks immediately heat up.

Great….Just great.

She had already embarrassed herself earlier, and now she is doing it again.

She still wanted to ask who he was but seeing him with Ghost already explained that question.

He obviously works with Ghost. He was holding a file….Maybe his assistant or secretary?

“Your floor is the 15th floor correct?,” the man says.

Emily opens her mouth and closes it.

She feels so embarrassed she was tempted to hide her face in shame. Of all the ways she could have met Ghost again….

“Yeah,” she finally admits.

“What an idiot.”

She hears Ghost say it.

Her eyes widen slightly as she looks at the back of his head.

He didn't turn around.

He didn't even look at her.

It was clear he was talking about her.

She couldn't respond though. What exactly was she supposed to say?

The last time she had even called his name, she was locked up and slapped ten times.

She can't act with familiarities around him.

So again, she presses her lips together and keeps quiet.

The elevator continued moving, and it was looking like they were going up to the sky at this point cause why on earth has it not gotten to their floor.

“When you get to the VIP card room, ask for Manager Mike,” the man says, pulling her attention back. “He is going to assign you to your specific card room.”

Emily nods quickly.

“Thank you, I uh…”

She closes her mouth.

Should she thank him too?

Her eyes move toward Ghost's back.

She is very sure Ghost made this happen for her.

Everyone had been shocked by her job at the casino.

Even Florence had looked angry.

Which means this job was assigned by Ghost.

She couldn't have just gotten lucky?

So does this mean….

Maybe this was his way of helping her?

Her heart gives a small flutter.

“Da…”

She stops before she can say the word.

Her lips part slightly before she corrects herself.

“Thank you, Ghost, for the job.”

The words come out smoothly.

At least she didn't stammer this time.

The elevator door chooses that exact second to open.

Ghost walks out.

The man she is assuming is his assistant walks out too.

Emily staggers back a bit, almost pressing herself against the elevator wall.

She releases a breath she didn't know she was even holding.

The doors begin to close.

For a second, she watches Ghost disappear behind them.

How can the presence of one man drain all the energy from a room?

She doesn't understand it.

She quickly puts in 15th floor again and tries to steady her breathing as the elevator starts going down.

She presses her palms together, staring at the numbers changing above the door.

She needs to get herself together.

She has a long way to go with her revenge.

Her fingers slowly curl into fists.

She came back for a reason.

And she isn't going to waste her second chance.

Her back-up plan is finding someone powerful enough here who can help her with her revenge.

Someone who can protect her.

Someone with enough power to be her weapon.

And most importantly someone who doesn't look like he is a second away from slitting her throat.

She shivers at the coldness she saw in his Ghost’s eyes.

She let out a loud sigh.

Whoever her chosen person will be, she will have to get that person's heart.

The thought makes her sigh again

Thinking about it feels easy.

Actually doing it is another thing entirely.

She knows nothing about seduction.

She doesn't even know how women manage to walk into a room and have men fighting over them.

She has never had that kind of life.

Her entire life had been about surviving and staying quiet.

She never learned how to manipulate powerful men.

It's not too late though….

There is no rush.

First thing first, she needs to learn her environment.

Learn about everyone and everything.

She needs to know who works here, who has power, who doesn't, who she can trust and who she should stay away from.

She needs to get good at her job.

Get paid and get a damn phone.

The elevator slides open.

She steps out slowly.

A huge hallway stretches before her.

People move around her, busy with their own lives.

For a moment, she simply stood still.

This place is completely different from the mansion but she doesn't care though.

Wherever they will throw her in she has to survive.

She can't fail.

Failing is not an option for her.

She already died once.

She refuses to die again without getting what she came back for.

Another world is waiting for her, and Emily will conquer every obstacle that she will face, one after the other.