Chapter 1

Emeraude arrived at the entrance of the building where she lived, and the doorman handed her a piece of mail. She headed towards the elevator, pressed the button, and waited for the doors to open. She took the opportunity to open the mail. As soon as the doors opened, she entered and pressed the button for the sixth floor. She took the paper out of the small white envelope and began to read.

"Hello Emeraude, I'm writing to inform you that I haven't received the rent payment for this month, and it's been over three weeks since the due date. I regret to inform you that I've already rented the apartment to someone else. Within two weeks, I hope you've found another place to stay. I'm sorry, but we've discussed rent delays before. Mrs. Finn."

Emeraude opened the door to her home and placed the letter in her hand on the table. Great! She was unemployed, doing odd jobs that barely paid anything, and now she was facing eviction. Could things get any worse? She put her bag on the couch and headed to the bedroom, undressing and then stepping into the shower.

The hot water cascaded over her body, briefly allowing her to forget her problems. Emeraude was 25 years old, had graduated in fashion, and was unemployed. Finding work in this field was complicated. She finished her shower and wrapped herself in a robe. She took a small towel and began to dry her hair as she made her way to the living room. Her cell phone was ringing loudly. She picked it up and brought it to her ear without checking the caller ID.

Emeraude answered the call and placed the towel she was holding on the sofa. She hoped it was a potential client for her closet organization service. On the other end of the line, a man asked for her.

"Good evening, is Miss Kensington there?" he inquired.

"Yes, this is she," Emeraude replied, hoping it was another potential client interested in her services. She returned to her bedroom while continuing the conversation.

"A friend recommended you to me. I need help with my closet. I've recently moved, and it's still unorganized. Can you assist me in organizing my clothes?" the man asked. Emeraude smiled with relief, realizing that it was indeed a potential client. She went to her closet while continuing the conversation.

"Yes, of course. What day would work for you?" she asked cheerfully.

"Could it be tomorrow morning?" he suggested.

"Yes," Emeraude promptly replied. "May I have your name?" she asked the man and grabbed a pen and paper to jot down the information.

"Cassian St. Clair," he said, and she noted it down.

"Mr. St. Clair, your address, please," she requested.

"Give me your email, and I'll send all the details there," he replied. Emeraude provided her email, and the conversation continued. "Thank you; we'll meet tomorrow," Cassian said.

"I appreciate it," Emeraude replied, and the call ended.

***

The next day, Emeraude was finishing getting ready. She put on a black dress and pointed-toe sandals. She chose to leave her hair down and applied light makeup. She grabbed her purse and checked the email that Cassian St. Clair had sent one more time. She left her apartment, locked the door, and headed to the elevator. Upon entering, she checked her reflection in the mirror before heading to the waiting taxi.

She provided the address to the taxi driver, and the journey was smooth. The taxi stopped in front of the café she had chosen. She paid the driver and stepped out of the car, heading to the café's entrance. The café was somewhat empty, so she chose a table and waited for her client to arrive.

A very handsome man approached her, apologizing for the delay. He recognized her as Emeraude Kensington.

"Yes," she confirmed, smiling shyly.

He sat across from her, and the waitress came over to take their orders. Emeraude couldn't help but notice how handsome and elegant he looked in his suit.

"We won't take too long, but the housekeeper is off today, so we wouldn't have anything to eat there," he explained with a slight smile.

"That's alright," Emeraude replied, still observing him. Her order arrived, and she focused on sipping her cappuccino.

Cassian watched Emeraude enjoy her cappuccino. She was beautiful and seemed like a pleasant person. An idea crossed his mind, and he smiled to himself. He took out his phone and sent a message to Liam, his trusted aide.

"Research a woman named Emeraude Kensington. I want to know everything."

"I'll send you the information by the end of the day."

"Okay."

She would make an excellent candidate to be the mother of his child.