Chapter 4

Upon getting hired, Simone knew that she was playing with fire. She also knew that her feelings, which seemed ever-growing, might get discovered. But she never expected the workload to be as insane as it was.

She barely had time to breathe during the day – that thankfully helped chase away her daydreams – and would each day go home too tired to do anything but eat and sleep.

Soon, it was the end of the second quarter, and there was a party to be thrown – which naturally needed her supervision. She needed to learn many names but also had to make sure everything would be on point.

She was busy with a couple of documents when William called her in. She left them on her desk and went to his office at once.

“How are the preparations going?” He soon asked, his deep chocolate brown eyes looking right into her soul.

“Everything should be ready for tomorrow evening,” she assured him without delay, a little bit of a proud smile stretching her lips.

She appreciated how he slowly eased her into the role of his PA, and had now begun to give her more responsibilities.

“Did you get yourself a dress?” He then asked matter-of-factly.

She was like a deer caught in headlights, completely and utterly shocked. She knew she needed to attend, and had been preparing everything for this party for 2 weeks already… And yet, she had totally forgotten to get herself a dress befitting of her role as William Stone’s PA.

“Oh my God!” She uttered in disbelief. “How could I have forgotten that?”

“Why am I not surprised?” He chuckled, and she gave him the stink eye for a brief moment. “You always have an issue with priorities when you’re involved,” he commented, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s not funny, Will,” she pouted at him, only half sulking.

His only answer was another chuckle.

“I have so much to do,” she went on, face-palming as she said so. “And I don’t believe I have a dress in my closet that would be fitting for the evening…”

“Thank God I got you a dress then,” he cut in, his tone of voice beyond amused.

“You did?” Her eyes bulged again. “How did you know I would forget getting a dress?”

“Because I know you,” he let out, shrugging.

Simone felt like a failure for a moment there. She had known she was expected to be there from day 1… And yet she had forgotten all about getting a damned dress, but not William.

“Thank you,” she told him timidly after a beat.

“It’s in my car downstairs,” he then added. “I’ll give it to you as I give you a ride home.”

“Oh, you don’t have to,” she said at once. “It’s already too much.”

“Nothing is too much for family.”

His words had the knack to make her heart drop, and not for the most pleasant reasons too.

Here, William saw her as he would a little sister, not knowing that he starred in all her wet dreams as of late.

“Thank you,” she nodded at him curtly, and soon left his office, her heart heavy, the words he had uttered making her feel like the least attractive woman ever.

** ** ** ** **

El Plazza wasn’t a place commoners like Simone had the privilege of entering at leisure. And yet, she had overlooked the preparations all afternoon, before heading to her place and taking a shower in haste.

She opened the box in which the dress was delicately placed. She couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her lisp at the sight of it, even though she had seen and tried it yesterday already.

It was green in color, had a flattering and classy V-neck, and flowed down into cascades till her ankles. To add to its elegance, the bust of it was peppered with shimmery pearls. And it fitted her like a glove, outlining her curves in a beautiful way.

Simone put it back down and decided to do her hair first. She then wore the dress, before doing her make-up at long last, so that there would be no chance of her ruining it with make-up.

She was as clumsy as they came after all.

She checked her wristwatch, and sighed as she realized she was just on time.

William had offered to be her ride, but she had refused vehemently. She didn’t want him to go out of his way for her more than he already did.

Besides, she had already agreed on going with a guy from the marketing department. Ryder had been nothing but sweet to her ever since she joined the company, and had asked her out twice already. Sadly, she had been too busy with work, and thus couldn’t seize the perfect opportunity to forget her devillish stepbrother.

When he called to let her know that he was downstairs, she smiled big, rejoicing at the idea of the party, but also at the possible fun to come – even though it was a business setting.

When Ryder’s eyes fell on her, he looked awestruck for a moment there, and was speechless too.

“Take a picture. It’ll last longer,” she told him sassily, winking even.

“I just might,” he let out in a joking tone of voice. “You look absolutely ravishing.”

“Thank you,” she nodded at him, a little bit of a blush creeping up under her skin. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He was naturally in formal attire as well, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t charmed by his easy smile and twinkling blue eyes. Nevertheless, she knew how well William could clean up too, and this was nothing like it.

Ryder opened the passenger door to her gallantly, to which she simply smiled and thanked him before getting in.

They made small talk during their ride to El Plazza, and Simone could say that she felt at ease with him… But he didn’t make her heart beat the way William did. He didn’t have her stepbrother’s undeniable charm, his wit, or his charisma.

When they arrived at the venue, there were already a few faces she recognized there. She greeted each and everyone with a smile on, and took the compliments she received with a shy smile.

She knew the dress was splendid but hadn’t expected to stand out so much.

It was 8 pm when William arrived, a leggy blonde on his arm. Simone felt her heart drop at once, and had to keep herself from sighing heavily. The woman was absolutely stunning in a shimmery golden dress… And Simone felt like she couldn’t breathe for a moment there.

“Good evening, Mr Stone,” she greeted him with the respect he was due.

Indeed, considering they had different last names, the employees didn’t know they were stepsiblings. She thus had to act cordial and respectful when they weren’t alone.

“Evening, Simone,” he nodded at her, a small smile stretching his lips, even though his eyes were narrowed on Ryder.

She knew that William might not even know his name, for Ryder wasn’t relevant up the corporate ladder… So she didn’t know why his eyes were narrowed, and wasn’t about to ask now either.

“Is this the greedy good-for-nothing PA you told me about?” The blonde next to William spoke up, envy dripping off her words, her eyes glaring daggers at Simone.

Before Simone had the chance to give the woman a piece of her mind, William let out in a clipped tone of voice, “I don’t keep incompetent people around, Laura.”

The woman had the decency to pale before she tried to get herself out of the mess in a typically female manner – by acting coy.

Simone knew right then and there that this was going to be a long night… She just didn’t know she would be kissed.