Chapter 3

After treating my blisters, taking a bath, and ordering Chinese food delivery, I sat down on my big hotel sofa alone. The sky outside was already very dark and it started to rain.

I tied my slightly loose sleeping coat and stared at the TV across from me blankly. This past hour my head has been busy trying to guess who my savior man is. Well, since I can't guess the name so I can at least guess the occupation.

With his stern and intimidating voice and face, he might just be a young banker. He doesn't look too old from my age, maybe around 30s? But there was something in those blue eyes that made him not look like he was in his 30s.

I bit the corner of my lip and frowned, then a knock interrupted my thoughts. I walked to my hotel room door and opened it. A bell boy stood up carrying my delivery and a black box. I gave my delivery money and tip to him then took the Chinese food I ordered.

"Miss Heather? This one is for you too." He said as he handed over the black box he had brought.

"For me?" I looked at the box hesitantly, it looked like an expensive box of godiva chocolates except they were bigger and no labels. "I didn't order it."

"A gentleman brought it twenty minutes ago, Miss." Then he handed over the paper tucked behind the box. A small envelope said Eleanor Heather.

I took the package from him then thanked him, he greeted me politely then returned to the elevator. I closed the door to my room and then put my delivery on the table next to the TV.

I put the mysterious box on the edge of the bed while looking at it doubtfully. When I opened the box, pieces of pastel pink paper filled the box, contrasting with the black color of the box.

Then something black and red protruded from the paper. My hand tugged at it, making pink pieces of paper fall around me. A shoe? Exactly the same shoes as Lana's, only new ones.

I stared at the black shoes with red soles in my hands for a few moments.

My heart started pounding faster. I put the shoes back in the box without looking at the pair and then opened the small white envelope beside me.

Inside there was only a thick plain white card and two lines of sentences;

'I can't sleep peacefully before making sure you're okay. Lunch tomorrow?'

Then a line of cell phone numbers underneath.

I don't have to guess who sent it. My stomach felt strange again when I read it, it felt like there were dozens of butterflies flying in it all at once. Without realizing it my body moved itself towards the hotel telephone, then dialed the number.

When I looked up I could see my own face in the reflection of the glass. I couldn't hold back a stupid big grin on my face right now.

"Yes?" A baritone voice answered me after the second ring.

No hello? OK.

"Um, hi!" I glanced at the clock on the hotel wall, 8 pm.

"Eleanor." His tone turned a little softer at the mention of my name. I had to bite my lip to hold back my stupid smile that was getting wider.

"I haven't had a chance to tell you yet but, thanks for this afternoon... And for the shoes. But I can't take them." My eyes caught my reflection in the mirror again, this time my fingers were twisting the telephone cord.

God, I look like a 16 year old girl in love. I let go of my finger then and there out of disgust.

He paused for a moment before replying to me again, "Isn't the size suitable?"

"Not that." I can't take shoes worth one time my salary for granted. "You don't need to replace it. I can't take it."

"And you can't give it back to me. I don't want it."

"Okay..." I bit my lip again, trying to find another way, "What if I change it?"

"With?" his voice turned deeper making my heart pounding even more out of control. Maybe I'll have a heart attack if I hear his voice any longer.

"I can send you a check—"

"I don't want it either." Cut him before I finished my sentence. He's really stubborn. But I also still have to return the money somehow later. Maybe I can mail a check to his office? But first I have to know his name first.

"I don't know your name yet." I continued, trying to divert the conversation.

He fell silent again, but this time somehow I could imagine his face smiling.

"I will tell you my name when you have lunch with me tomorrow, Eleanor."

I guess He never hears the word no. "Okay, how about half past one in the afternoon?"

"Erik will pick you up at your work."

"Oh, no! There's no need. I have to go somewhere else first." I have to buy a new cellphone before I forget it again.

"Are you sure? Erik wouldn't mind driving you."

Plum. Plum. Plum.

"Yeah, I can go alone. Where is it?"

"Antonio Lombardi. Two blocks from the Finley Bank building." he replied.

I passed that restaurant this morning, right next to the Laduree boutique, from the name I think it's an Italian or a French restaurant. "I think I know the place."

"Good. See you tomorrow, Eleanor."

A little feeling of disappointment infiltrated me, I still want to talk to him. "See you tomorrow, um..." Ugh. I don't know his name, "—bye."

Then after two seconds of waiting he finally hung up the phone. I looked at the phone in front of me, part of me was tempted to call Lana. But calling the hotel's phone is quite expensive, I abandoned my intention and then took my Chinese food package and opened it. The smell of kungpow chicken immediately filled my hotel room, reminding me of my hunger. I bit into the biggest piece of chicken then chewed it while putting on my stupid smile.

***

Mrs. Lynch has checked on me three times this morning, and she's been asking the same thing over and over to piss me off a little. I'm not even close to a quarter of the audit because of my flash drive I left yesterday.

I bite into the Herring Julio bagel I bought for breakfast this morning while staring at my laptop screen. The savory and salty taste of the herring melts in my mouth mixed with the sauce. I'm going to miss Julio and his bagels when I get home.

My eyes glanced at the clock on the wall for the umpteenth time. Two more hours. I've prepared a check to replace Lana's shoes. Either way, today I have to return the cost of yesterday's shoes to the blue-eyed man.

***

Exactly fifteen minutes before my lunch break, I turned off my laptop and checked my face briefly in the toilet. I let my auburn hair down to my chest, I stared at my reflection in the mirror and then applied faded lipstick. The two red dots on my neck have started to fade, but I still have to cover them with concealer every morning so they don't show. My mind always goes back to that night every time I see the wound on my neck.

After being satisfied I looked at my reflection for the last time then came out of the toilet. My lunch appointment is still half an hour away, but I have to stop by the cellphone shop first. I grabbed my bag and walked towards the elevator.

The sky was a little overcast when I came out of the Shaw&Partner building. The last two days of rain have never been absent in Manhattan, I made a note in my head to buy an umbrella later. The first is the cell phone.

After five minutes of searching I finally found a cellphone shop, I bought a cellphone model with minimal features and the cheapest price. After inserting my new simcard and turning it on, the first thing I did was call Lana. My fingers pressed Lana's number I had memorized by rote. He picked it up on the fifth chord.

"Hey." I greeted as I walked out of the shop, the wind brushing my hair as I walked. I pressed my blazer with one hand.

"Ella! I've been waiting for you since yesterday. How's Manhattan?" Lana's cheerful voice made me smile.

"Not so bad. You still working?"

"I was just about to go to lunch. Did you meet the Shaw brothers?" Lana is terrible at lying. I can hear her curious tone that she's trying to hide.

"Of course not, I only deal with the financial manager... But I met someone."

"Somebody?" Lana's voice sounded suspicious.

"Yeah. He helped me when I was almost run over���"

"Wait a minute, you almost got run over?" he interrupted in a panicked tone.

"Hh-mmm. I'm fine. Back to that guy—"

"Wait a minute, who helped you, a man?"

I'm starting to get a little annoyed with her. "You think I'd tell you if it was a woman who helped me?" I asked annoyed. Lana just laughed at my question. I turned at the crossroad from the Shaw&Partner building, just a few more minutes before arriving at the restaurant I was headed for.

"Well."

"I think he's a banker. He even got his personal driver to take me back to the hotel afterwards."

Lana whistled quite loudly. "Whoa. Nice Ella. Quite a step up from Oliver. Is he handsome?"

This time it was my turn to laugh.

"Okay, he's very handsome." Lana doesn't have to wait for my answer to know, she knows it by the sound of my laughter. "What's his name?"

"I don't know his name yet." I answered honestly.

Lana was silent for a few seconds then laughed again, "Okay, that means he's very, very handsome, huh?"

"I didn't have time to ask, but he'll tell me at lunch."

"He asked you to lunch?" Lana's voice was rising. My eyes captured the Antoni Lombardi restaurant building from where I was walking.

"Yeah, I'll tell you later. I'm almost there. Bye, Lana." I hung up my phone without waiting for an answer from him.

I put my phone in my bag and looked at my watch, I arrived fifteen minutes early. Well, better early than late.

A waiter in uniform opened the restaurant door for me, I entered this elegant restaurant and then stopped in front of a long queue.

Do you have to queue first? I thought as I stared at the queue in front of me hesitantly then looked at my watch. I have to go back to the office in 45 minutes. I bit my lip while standing in the queue at the very back, suddenly a waiter approached me and smiled. "Miss Heather?"

"Ya?"

"Your table is ready, Miss. Over here."

I stared at him for a second with a confused look before following him through the red carpeted hallway. Various paintings filled one side of this long hallway, while the other side was filled with large windows.

This restaurant is quite full at lunch time, I barely saw an empty table. I glanced around the restaurant. Then I saw him.

He sat down at a table at the end of the room, in front of him was a glass of red wine that was only a quarter of a glass left. I couldn't take my eyes off as I walked towards him. He wore a dark blue suit that matched his eye color and an ivory white shirt, no tie.

Even when he was sitting as usual he exuded a domineering aura. Her eyes have been looking at me ever since. When our eyes met my heart was pounding again. One of his hands rested on the white-clothed table, his fingers lightly tapping.

The waiter in front of me pulled a chair for me then gave me the menu book. After I thanked him he left. My attention returned to the man in front of me.

"Hi." I greeted as I put my bag next to my chair. He didn't answer me, but his eyes were still looking at me kindly.

"You're not wearing the shoes I sent you." He muttered while slightly frowning.

"I don't want to spoil it again. Those shoes are not mine." I answered with a smile.

This time the corners of his mouth were slightly pulled down. "Eleanor, I already gave it to you. I will not take it back."

I smiled at him again "The shoe I broke yesterday belonged to my friend. She lent it to me so I have to return it." I can't afford shoes that expensive, I added to myself.

When he didn't reply again, I opened the menu in my hand then started looking through the menu lines. There's no price listed on it, which means there's only one thing; the whole menu is expensive.

I bit my lip while guessing what menu is the cheapest. "Have you ordered yet?" I asked, glancing at him. He was quieter this time, making me even more nervous.

He just nodded "Are you ready to order?" he asked, raising his hand to call the waiter. Two seconds later a waiter appeared next to our table. "Are you ready, sir?"

"As always, Giorgio." He replied without taking his eyes off me, "Eleanor?"

"Caesar Salad." Salad can't be too expensive, can it? "And... Cold Chamomile." The waiter named Giorgio nodded, smiled, then disappeared as fast as he came. I suddenly wanted to be at Julio's bagel restaurant more. I can eat comfortably and not have to worry about the prices at the restaurant.

"Eleanor." His voice broke my thoughts, I looked up at him again. "What are you thinking about?"

Without noticing I was still biting my lips. "Oh nothing. Just a job. So you ready to tell me your name?"

"I don't know where you work yet."

I don't even know your name!

I mentioned the name of the accounting firm I worked for. "But I'm auditing a client company. Shaw&Partner Company." I added.

A surprised expression graced his face and he furrowed his brows, "You work for me?"

Huh? My nervous feelings slowly turned into a little uneasy. "Sorry, what?"

"Eleanor, Shaw&Partner is my company."