Chapter Two

Two years later.

Marilyn Oxford woke up to soft sunlight filtering through the curtains of her small apartment. Today was her first official day at Stewart Global Resorts, the company she had dreamed of joining ever since her sophomore year in college. Her heart beat faster as she climbed out of bed.

She moved through her morning routine quickly. After a quick shower, she dried her long red hair and pinned it up neatly. Then she slipped on her favorite blonde wig, adjusting it until it fell in soft waves around her shoulders. She loved the way the blonde looked. It made her feel polished and confident. Most people at work would never guess her natural hair color, and she preferred it that way.

She chose a simple but professional outfit: a fitted white blouse, a knee-length navy pencil skirt, and low black heels. Nothing too flashy, but enough to show she belonged in a luxury hospitality company. She added light makeup, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door.

The headquarters of Stewart Global Resorts rose tall and gleaming in the city skyline. Marilyn stood outside for a moment, staring up at the glass building. This was it. The place she had worked so hard to reach. A smile touched her lips as she walked through the revolving doors.

Inside, the lobby felt like a five-star resort itself, with marble floors, fresh flowers, and soft classical music playing in the background. She checked in at the security desk, received her employee badge, and took the elevator to the executive floor on the twenty-eighth level.

When the doors opened, a woman in her early thirties with a warm smile greeted her right away.

“Marilyn Oxford? I’m Claire, one of the coordinators on the Guest Experience team. Welcome to the executive floor. You’re early. That’s a good sign.”

Claire led her down a wide, brightly lit hallway lined with sleek offices. “You’re lucky they posted you straight up here,” Claire said as they walked. “They only send the sharpest new graduates to this level because Mr. Stewart likes fresh ideas from people who haven’t been stuck in the old ways yet. Most new hires start downstairs in operations for at least a year or two.”

Marilyn felt a rush of pride. “Thank you. I’m really excited to be here.”

They entered a large open-plan area with several desks. Two men looked up from their computers as Claire introduced her.

“This is Tyler,” Claire said, gesturing to a tall man in his late twenties with stylish glasses. “And this is Marcus.”

Tyler stood up first, offering a charming smile. “Well, hello. Welcome to the team, Marilyn. You brighten up the floor already.”

Marcus leaned back in his chair, his eyes lingering a second too long on her face and the blonde waves of her wig. “Yeah, definitely. If you need help finding anything, or if you want someone to show you the best lunch spots around here, just say the word. I’d be happy to volunteer.”

Marilyn smiled politely. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Tyler winked. “We mean it. Don’t hesitate.”

Claire rolled her eyes good-naturedly and steered Marilyn away. “Ignore them. They flirt with every new face. Come on, let me introduce you to your direct supervisor for now.”

Her main boss for the orientation period was a no-nonsense woman named Sandra, in her mid-forties. Sandra had short dark hair and a clipboard in her hand. She gave Marilyn a quick once-over and nodded.

“Marilyn, right? Good. We don’t have time for long introductions today. You’ll start with basic support tasks while you learn the systems. For the first week, that means helping with coffee runs, delivering documents, and assisting the executive assistants when they need extra hands. Think you can handle that without complaining?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Marilyn replied calmly. “I’m ready to learn.”

Sandra seemed pleased with the answer. “Good attitude. Follow me.”

The morning passed in a blur of activity. Marilyn moved between desks, learning names and procedures. She fetched fresh coffee from the executive pantry, arranged pastries on trays, and delivered them with a pleasant smile.

Some staff members were friendly. A few of the younger women complimented her outfit and asked where she got her wig, clearly impressed by how natural it looked. One older gentleman even told her she reminded him of his daughter starting out.

But not everyone was welcoming. As she passed a cluster of desks near the windows, she caught low voices.

“Did you see the new girl?” one woman whispered. “Blonde, fresh out of college, and they put her up here on day one? It must be nice to have connections.”

Another replied, “Or nice legs. Let’s be real.”

Marilyn pretended not to hear, but the words stung. She kept her head high and continued her tasks. She had worked too hard to let petty comments derail her. Still, the jealousy was clear. A couple of senior women gave her tight smiles that never reached their eyes and forgot to include her when they ordered lunch for the team.

By mid-morning, Sandra handed her a fresh tray. “Take this to Madison, Mr. Stewart’s executive secretary. Her office is at the end of the hall, right outside the CEO’s suite. Be careful with the coffee. It’s hot. And smile. Madison is strict but fair.”

Marilyn nodded. “I’ve got it.”

She balanced the tray carefully, two steaming cups of coffee, cream and sugar on the side, plus a small plate of fruit. Her heels clicked softly on the polished floor as she walked down the long hallway. Her mind wandered for a moment.

This was really happening. Two years ago she had been crying on the sidewalk after catching Simon in the worst possible way. Now she was here, in the building she had pinned on her vision board since college. She felt proud of how far she had come. No more letting men define her worth. No more reckless nights. She was focused, professional, and in control.

She turned the corner toward Madison’s desk, still lost in her thoughts. Her eyes were on the tray, making sure nothing spilled.

Then she collided with a solid wall of muscle and expensive fabric. Hot coffee splashed across a crisp white shirt and dark suit jacket. The tray wobbled in her hands.

Marilyn looked up, horrified.

For one heartbeat, her heart stopped breathing. She saw only the man from that wild, tipsy night two years ago. The tall, handsome stranger she had mistaken for the escort her friends had arranged. The powerful body wrapped in nothing but a towel, the intense eyes that had watched her fall apart under his touch. The man who had given her the first real orgasm of her life.

Then reality crashed in.

This was not some anonymous escort.

This was Raymond Stewart. CEO of Stewart Global Resorts. The cold, feared billionaire whose name made executives tremble.

Her breath seized. Her stomach dropped.

She forced her face into a mask of polite confusion. She pretended she did not recognize him at all. No flicker of memory. No widening of eyes. Just the embarrassed expression of a brand-new employee who had made a terrible mistake on her first day.

Gasps rippled through the open executive area.

Madison rushed forward, already speaking. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, Mr. Stewart. She’s brand new, still in training. I’ll handle this right away.”

Marilyn kept her voice steady even though her heart hammered wildly. “I’m so sorry, sir. It was completely my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Raymond said nothing. He simply looked at her for one long, charged second, his ice-blue eyes narrowing with clear recognition. Then his expression turned to stone.

He turned and walked away without a word, coffee still dripping from his ruined shirt.

Marilyn stood frozen, the empty tray shaking slightly in her hands. Her perfect first day had just collided with the one night she had tried so hard to forget. And now the man she had walked away from with five hundred dollars and a careless note was her boss.