Chapter 7 - Emily
EMILY
Emily stared at the pen the agent held out as if it were made of glowing iron. Her fingers twitched slightly, unsure if she should take it. In his other hand, he held the shiny black briefcase on whose surface the contract lay like a promise - or a curse. Her stomach tightened uncomfortably, and for a moment she thought the air in the mall was getting thinner as her unease tightened her throat. She had never signed a contract in her life without reading it thoroughly. No, not just read it thoroughly - she had always gone over every contract carefully, page by page, paragraph by paragraph. And now? Now she was supposed to just put her signature on it without knowing what she was getting into?
“Emily, I beg you - Alexander Fitzpatrick is already waiting for you!” Oliver urged, his hunted eyes darting back and forth impatiently, as if a reporter would appear at any moment and expose this transaction.
She closed her eyes, tried to compose herself, and took a deep breath. The sounds of the bustling mall around her became muffled, as if heard through cotton wool. Something inside her rebelled, a voice warning her that this was the moment she lost control. And yet - why did everything feel so urgent, so inevitable? Why did it feel like there was no other way out but to do exactly what he wanted her to do?
She let out a sigh as she opened her eyes again. The pen felt heavy in her hand as she picked it up. The world around her seemed to stand still as she wrote her name in the blank field, the ink gliding silently across the paper. Emily Saron, she scrawled in elegant letters, as if this signing were a mere formality with no consequences. But deep down, she knew that wasn’t true. With that signature, she was giving up a piece of her private life.
“When can I read what I just signed?” she asked, her voice hoarse and low, almost as if she was afraid to ask the question out loud.
Oliver was about to snatch the pen from her hand. “Send me an email with your details and we’ll get back to you. Okay?” He smiled briefly, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and carried no trace of genuine friendliness. Rather, he seemed stressed, though relieved. Before Emily could think of anything else, he had put the pen back in the inside pocket of his expensive suit, turned abruptly and was already on his way out.
She stared after him in disbelief as he moved quickly through the crowd. The briefcase, which now contained her contract, was tucked tightly under his arm as if it were the most important cargo in the world. Without looking back, he disappeared into the crowd, pausing briefly in front of a men’s clothing store and then entering the boutique with casual elegance. It all seemed so insignificant, so mundane-as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
But for Emily, this was not the case. This situation was unusual and frightening. Her heart pounded in her chest like a wild animal desperately beating against the bars of its cage. It suddenly felt all wrong. Besides, she had no idea how to approach her boss. Good heavens, he was a much sought-after bachelor! She was just a lowly employee in his company. He had probably never even noticed her, not even when they happened to take the same elevator. He was just a little too elegant and too rich.
“I can do this, I will do this,” Emily whispered to herself, forcing herself to take a deep breath as she walked towards Alexander Fitzpatrick. Each step made her heart beat faster until it felt like drums in her chest. This man, who would be standing right in front of her in a few moments, was not only gorgeous - with his bronze tan, perfectly shaved face, and perfectly tailored suit that accentuated his muscular build - he was, quite simply, the epitome of perfection. The kind of man women dreamed of.
And he knew it. His confident gaze, the way he casually placed his hands in the pockets of his tailored suit, revealed that he was more than aware of the attention he was attracting. Add to that his wealth, his billions in the bank, which only made him more desirable. But that wasn’t all - he wasn’t just wealthy, he was intelligent, creative and had built his fortune through hard work. Alexander Fitzpatrick was every woman’s dream, and for many, the perfect husband.
“He’s just a man,” Emily muttered again, trying to calm herself while forcing a smile to remain on her lips. But the closer she got to him, the harder it was to keep up appearances. “Just a man. Imagine he’s your brother, inviting you to go shopping together.” The absurd thought made her cringe inside. Brother? She didn’t even have a brother. And even if she did, what kind of nonsense was this? Shopping with her brother? No, that idea was just as inappropriate as her current situation. She had no idea how she was going to get through this, and the creeping panic inside her grew stronger with every step she took towards him.
She was about twenty steps away from her boss. The pressure in her stomach became unbearable, almost like a stone that felt heavier and heavier. Her mind spun around while her body tried to stay in control. She had to stay calm. Don’t freak out now, she reminded herself. But that was easier said than done. Alexander Fitzpatrick was no ordinary man. He was the head of Fitzpatrick Designs. The man who could decide her future - and not just professionally. One wrong move, one misunderstanding, and she could lose not only her job, but the roof over her head. How would she pay the rent if he fired her?
A cold shiver ran down her spine as she thought of her last big hurdle: the name. Amelie. She had pretended to be Amelie! What the hell was she thinking? The thought almost made her sigh out loud. How could she explain this? How could she make Alexander understand that her name was really Emily without looking like a total idiot? Would he really believe that she was too stupid to know her own name? Probably not - but the question alone made her heart beat even faster.
Ten steps. Her legs grew heavier as the distance between them narrowed. With each step, her uneasiness grew. Suddenly a new thought flashed through her mind: Do I have to kiss him? The idea hit her like a punch in the gut. Her throat tightened and for a moment she felt as if someone had sucked the air out of her lungs. Should she really kiss him in greeting? Or would a quick, superficial embrace suffice? The thought of kissing Alexander Fitzpatrick - even on the cheek - made her jump involuntarily. The idea of getting that close to him, of touching him, made her blood freeze in her veins. She would never be able to walk through the company again with an open mind. She would have to keep reminding herself that she had come indecently close to him.
Breathe, she reminded herself, but her lungs refused to obey. Maintaining control of her body seemed to be getting harder and harder. She was a bookkeeper, not an actress. In her world, numbers, facts, and precision counted. Any mistake, any deviation - even one cent - could be fatal. And now she was supposed to play this perfect, adorable fool who could only giggle and smile? It was as if she had been cast in a farcical play for which she had never auditioned.
What if I can’t do it? Another thought that worried her deeply. What if she failed in this role? Worse, what if she couldn’t live up to the contract? What exactly did it say? What were the consequences if she didn’t complete her mission satisfactorily? Emily felt the ground slip out from under her feet. Her thoughts were a chaotic jumble of panic and uncertainty, and her ears began to ring as her pulse quickened. She stopped and took a deep breath. It was too late for such fears. She had no choice. She had bound herself with her signature - or had she not? Was there not a cancellation clause in every contract?