Now, this could be even more fun.
Chapter Two
Violet
“Having fun yet?” Stella asks me after we step inside one of the elevators of The Mistral.
It’s a thirty-six story building just ten minutes away from the office. It has a doorman, a security guard, a pair of polite receptionists and a spacious lobby with minimalist furniture, a huge chandelier, mirrors and a succulent garden. I like it already.
But that’s not what Stella’s asking.
Fun? Let me think. What have I done so far? I had lunch with Asher. The food was good but the company wasn’t, so no, that wasn’t fun. Although I did enjoy that stupid look on Asher’s face when he was struggling to decipher my words. At least, I would have if I wasn’t so annoyed that he didn’t recognize my name or my face just because I was wearing a pair of contacts. Jerk.
Then I had a tour of the office building. Everything looked fine. The people were warm. But I was also with Asher, who was clearly well-liked, especially by the women, so that wasn’t fun either. That conversation I had with Asher at the end? Maybe, because I was in control, but it was also a bit excruciating to relive that horrible night.
So let’s see. My answer is…
“Too much fun, which is why I’m looking forward to slipping under the covers. After a shower, of course.”
I can’t believe it’s been sixteen hours since I had one.
Stella turns to me with a smile. “Don’t worry. Your apartment definitely has a shower. And it’s fully furnished with fresh linens and rugs and curtains. In fact, everything in it is new. It’s a gift from Eth—I mean Mr. Ethan Hawthorne, the CEO.”
I wonder why she keeps doing that. I don’t really mind her calling the CEO by his first name. I used to call Simone by his first name.
Wait. Did she say my apartment is a gift from the CEO? It’s free?
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t quite catch the meaning of that. Are you saying I don’t have to pay any rent?”
“Oh, no. You do,” Stella answers. “I meant the furniture and the appliances and all the trappings, those are Mr. Hawthorne’s welcome gift. Mr. Ethan Hawthorne, that is. But you still have to pay rent. Don’t worry, though, because Hawthorne Holdings owns this building, so you get a huge employee discount.”
“I see.”
I figured a free apartment was too good to be true. But hey, at least I get a discount. Hopefully, it’s at least twenty-five percent.
“You can make arrangements downstairs if you want to have your rent deducted straight from your salary,” Stella adds.
I nod. “I’ll think about that.”
The doors open and we get out on the thirty-fourth floor. I find myself at the start of a long carpeted hallway. I only see two doors, though, one at the end and another just a few feet away from me.
“The units in this building are spacious with high ceilings,” Stella explains. “So there’s a maximum of seven units per floor. But on the thirty-third and this floor, there are only two units.”
Okay.
She unlocks the door near me and pushes it open. “And this is yours.”
I step inside. As soon as I see the space, I gasp. Spacious? This place is bigger than any apartment I’ve lived in. It may even be bigger than the whole first floor of the house where I grew up. And the furniture is lovely. Modern but cozy. The design has a feminine touch—warm, soothing pastel colors and a few pieces of floral decor. The view of the city from the floor-to-ceiling windows is spectacular.
I wrap my hand around my throat as I take in the view. The sun is setting so the building facades are gleaming golden. In the distance, the surface of Lake Michigan glistens as it captures the final remnants of daylight.
“I know it’s not Zurich, but Chicago has its own charm,” Stella says as she stands beside me.
“It sure does,” I agree.
She looks around. “So do you like the apartment?”
“I do,” I admit as I turn around. “It’s… amazing.”
“I’m glad you think so. I chose some of the pieces myself. I’ve been dabbling in interior design lately.”
“Really?”
That would explain the feminine touch.
“I’m setting up a nursery soon.”
“A nursery?” My eyebrows furrow, but as soon as I see Stella’s hand on her belly, I understand. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes. I’m not that far along, so it’s not obvious yet, and maybe it is too early for me to be thinking about nurseries. I mean, we don’t even know if we’re having a boy or a girl. But I just can’t help but be excited. Well, I wasn’t excited at first. I was really scared, actually. But now I am.”
And it shows.
“It’s fine,” I tell her as I give her hand a squeeze. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
“And please tell Mr. Hawthorne, Mr. Ethan Hawthorne that is, that I graciously accept his gift and am very grateful.”
Stella nods. “I will.”
“I’d thank him myself, but I don’t want to take up any of his time. I know he’s very busy.”
“He is, but you can just thank him the first chance you get, like when you bump into him in the corridor or happen to share an elevator ride with him.”
I give Stella a puzzled look. “I would have thought he had his own private elevator.”
“He does, but every now and then he takes the other one just to let himself be seen, remind his employees that they’re all working towards the same goals.”
“Really? He didn’t strike me as someone who cared about his employees when I met him in Zurich.”
Stella grins. “That’s because he looks so serious most of the time. Scary even. But he does care. He’s actually a big kid at heart.”
Her words—and more particularly the tone of her voice—give me pause. There’s also that look on her face when she’s talking about Ethan Hawthorne. Is this how an assistant talks about her boss? My female intuition tells me no.
Is Stella Ethan Hawthorne’s girlfriend? She doesn’t seem to be wearing a ring, so she’s not his wife or fiancée, and yet there’s something there. But she’s pregnant. Is it Ethan’s? Is that even allowed?
I suddenly have a lot of questions, but I decide to keep my mouth shut. I’m new. I’m curious, but I don’t want to be nosy. Besides, who the CEO knocks up, whether it’s his assistant or some foreign-born heiress, is really none of my business. I’ll give this the Swiss treatment and leave it alone.
Just then, Stella’s phone beeps. She looks at it.
“Oops. I have to go. If there’s anything wrong with the apartment, you can just call downstairs.”
“Okay.”
She places her hand on my arm and gives me a warm smile. “Again, welcome to Hawthorne Holdings. Welcome to Chicago. And I wish you all the best.”
I pat her hand. “Thank you.”
She walks towards the door but stops right in front of it and turns.
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“I know Asher can come on a little too strong sometimes. He can seem careless, thoughtless. Sometimes, it seems like he speaks before he thinks…”