The Unlikely Encounter

The hall was decorated and ready for the occasion. Adults, male and female trouped into the expanse with their handbags and purses, all dressed and ready for the exhibition.

After so many months of planning the high-profile occasion for CEOs and entrepreneurs, it finally came to pass in the hearts of New York. Amongst all who walked into the hall stood Emily Hartley, a woman in her twenties and staff at NovesTech corporates. Her black gown fitted well in her petite body, and so was her blonde hair fixed into curls to match the golden shoe on her feet.

"I should not be here," she acknowledged. "This is the last place to be in." She declared again, walking into the hall. It felt like all eyes were on her, and she didn't appreciate the fact that she took an appeal on the occasion.

"I mean, I could have watched it live from home," she muttered, identifying a woman from her office. "You don't say!"

"Miss Hartley," the woman who she recognized, identified her as well and walked in her direction. "I thought you were not supposed to be here in the first place."

"Shouldn't I be?" Emily asked, growing a smile on her lips. "I thought I should be, Mrs. Blackwell."

"It's nice to see you at the occasion, anyway," Mrs. Blackwell said, taking her hand briefly. "But we know you don't have to be here."

"It is not obligatory, Victoria," Emily replied. "I know my position in the company does not conform to this occasion. But we are learners, and I am here to discover. So are you."

"I see," Victoria said. "How is it coming with you?"

"Very well," the younger lady answered, taking a glass of wine from the man with the tray. "This occasion is one we waited for, almost all our lives."

"Hmm hmm," Victoria nodded in agreement. "I have waited for it all these months. I hear that one of the multi-billionaires in New York would grace the occasion."

"I heard too," Emily said, sipping from the glass. "I came with my Bic and note. Everything that is said will be jotted down, and recorded on my phone!" She waved her handbag in Victoria's face.

"This is alcohol," Victoria cried. "How was I supposed to know they serve alcohol on a business occasion?"

"Hello?" A male's voice cut short the moment. The women veered around to see who it was and unfurled their mouths in astonishment.

"Hello," Emily greeted first, straightening her dress. "I'm sorry, are you lost?"

"Hello again," the man greeted. "Do I have to get misplaced before halting to speak with you?"

"Of all people in this hall," Victoria cut in. "We are the last people you want to hold a dialogue with, Mr. Stone."

"This is no dream, is it?" Emily asked, facing Victoria for a second. "Alexander Stone, or are you twin to him?"

"Last I checked, I don't have a twin," he laughed at the woman's remark. "May I know your name?"

She nodded, not speaking yet. He was the multi-billionaire Victoria referred to a few moments ago, and from her response, she sounded like she didn't care about him gracing the occasion or not.

Good God! She cares. "My name is Emily," she introduced, taking his outstretched hand. "Emily Hartley."

"I am—"

"Alexander Stone," she cut him short. "I know who you are. You are a multi-billionaire and CEO of Stone Enterprise."

"Well, it's not so big," he cracked up, his short auburn curly hair shifting from its initial position. "I thought I could speak to someone before the occasion started."

"Ohh, yes," she assured him, turning to see Victoria. But the woman was gone. "She is my colleague."

"She left a while ago," he told her. "While you were introducing yourself."

"So what do I do for you while the program is yet to begin?"

"A little secret about you won't be bad, will it?" The man asked, chuckling. "Don't mind me, have you grabbed a seat?"

"No, not yet."

"We should grab one for you already. Don't you think so, Emily Hartley?"

The amazement of meeting with the last person she imagined, dominated her. Jesus Christ! She thought he stopped to speak with Victoria, as Victoria claimed she knew a lot of people in the hall than she did.

He looked attractive in a suit, and his curly hair did a perfect job on his small face. His perfume stung her in the nose, and she suffocated in its sweetness. But what will this man want with her? She was not even a CEO or entrepreneur.

"So, are you a CEO?"

Emily scoffed, exactly what she thought he would ask her.

"I wish," she smiled at him, taking his hand while they walked in a row of arranged chairs. "I am an ordinary staff member, Mr. Stone. You have every right to leave me and go find a fellow CEO."

"Come on!" He let out a laugh. "Who says I need a CEO friend? Or do you not know these are competitors in the business field?"

"I don't know," she scoffed. "My status in my place of work is the lowest. I came here to gain some knowledge and go back to my house. That's all I need for tonight."

"Is it?"

She took a seat, straightening her dress on the chair. Her handbag dropped to the floor on her command after picking up her Bic and notebook. "Yes, it is," she replied after a long thought. "So, please mind the speech you give to us tonight, I've got a lot to take home with me."

Alexander chuckled. "I don't regret ending whatever conversation you and that woman were having."

"Nah," it was her turn to chuckle. "You saved my ass, you don't know."

"Well," he said this time, rising to his feet. "I guess I'd see you around after the occasion. We should talk about what you learnt, and I'd love to see how pretty your handwriting is."

"I don't know, Mr. Stone," she fumbled with words. "I may head home immediately. I didn't come to make friends at the occasion."

He loved her sharp mouth. "Not even with a CEO?"

"Well…"

"I'd see you around." He said this time, finding his way out of the row.