Chapter 5: Whispers of Affection

ACADIA

Or rather, someone caught my attention. The person's eyes widened when they looked towards me.

"Acadia?" the person called.

"Anderson." I smiled and hugged him.

"Oh, my word, Anderson. How are you?

"I'm fine Acadia, you look…  as dashing as I can remember." 

"Thank you, you don't look bad yourself. What are you doing here? Last I remember you moved to Washington, D.C. with your girlfriend.  By the way, how is she?" I asked. 

Anderson was my high school crush. His boyish grin was his highlight in high school, his blonde hair was always neatly arranged, I always liked him but he liked someone else. His girlfriend. I tried to keep in touch throughout the university but he ended up moving to another city to start a new life with his girlfriend. This made me sad, I archived his contact in order to gain closure of the situation.  This had left me heartbroken for weeks but I was thankful for the opportunity to overcome my unrequited love.

However, seeing him now seemed to awaken buried emotions. It wasn't as strong as before but it was still there. It didn't help that he was now more masculine and his smile more charming. I felt my stomach twist up in tiny knots.

Chuckling, he answered. "Woah, slow down, that's a lot of questions to answer, don't you think? How about we talk over lunch tomorrow? And I'll reply to every question you may have." he suggested and winked.

"I would love to but I'm here for only a short while. I'll check my schedule if it's possible. Regardless, I'll get back to you this evening. Call me."

With that, I headed to the receptionist. 

"Hi, I'm with Mr. Dante Maximillino."

"Right, I'll show you to your suite. Come with me.” She smiled and gestured for me to come with her. 

Did she say suite? She followed her into the elevator. They got to a door and the lady handed the key card to her."

"This is your suite. Mr. Dante's is the opposite. I'll take my leave now. Call room service if you need anything." with a smile she left. 

I walked into the room and was astonished at its elegant decor and sense of sophistication. The living room had plush sofas and an elegant coffee table. The bedroom had a king-sized bed with high-quality linens, multiple pillows, and a comfortable mattress for a restful night's sleep. The view from the balcony caught my breath. It had a perfect view of picturesque cityscapes. The bathroom had granite countertops, a deep soaking tub and a separate walk-in shower. The bathrobe and towels were folded neatly on the countertops.

Intoxicated by everything I saw, I squealed and swirled. I let herself fall backward on the bed. Smiling dreamily to myself, I remembered the piece of paper that was given to me by the lady from the airport. I quickly fumbled through my bag to find it. Mr. Dante had written something for me.

    ‘The chauffeur will take you to the hotel. Get settled in, there’s going to be a dinner party by 8pm. The chauffeur will also bring you to the party. Prospective clients will be there. A full outfit will be delivered to you by 6pm. Till then, order whatever you need , I'll see you at the party.

   ‘

I wouldn’t get to see Mr. Dante till the party. I had mixed feelings about it. We haven’t had any conversation since the incident at the Jet earlier today. Anyways, I was still thankful that I didn’t have to deal with his daddy issues. I freshened up and fell asleep. A knock on the door disrupted my sleep.

I stood up reluctantly and opened the door. “You have a package”. I nodded and received the package. I didn’t have to ask who it was from. When I was about to unbox it, an idea popped in my mind. I grabbed my phone and made a phone call. “Hello? The voice asked.

“Hi Anderson. Are you free this evening?

“No, I’m not but i guess i could make out time for you”

“Great! I’ll be attending a dinner party this evening. It’s a formal party however, we could hang out a little after or during the party. 

“Alright, what time is it? I’ll come pick you up.

“It’s by 8 p.m. and you don’t have to go  through the trouble. The office chauffeur  would be driving me but we could meet and walk in together, if you can make it early enough.”

“Alright, that’s fine. See you there.” I hung up and began my preparation for the party. I ordered an expensive wine. If the office gave me all this luxury, I might as well use it. I put in little effort to look extra clean. I shaved my face, skin and my underarms. I applied my lotion first and body oil to enhance my lustre. I never fancied makeup. However, ‘different calls for different measures’ right?

My makeup was very light. Not to brag but I had glass skin so I didn’t have to cake up my face. I lined my eyes, applying mascara to my already long natural lashes to give it volume. Red was my colour, it brought out the best in me. I applied the brick shade lipstick which I bought one time when I went shopping with Emily. Just doing that brought vibrance to my face. I wasn’t ready yet but I was already impressed with my progress. I had done my hair previously, my waves were more defined and now complemented my look.

I unboxed it and gasped. It was the most beautiful black dress I had ever seen.  It was an epitome of timeless elegance and sophistication. The dress was a deep, rich black with a classic silhouette. It gently flared from the hips, creating an elegant, flowing shape. It was silk, and was intricately beaded.

I wore it and gasped. I brought my hand to my mouth. I was staring at a different person. The dress was comfortable and enhanced my hourglass shape. It had long sleeves which gave it more elegance. The dress had a sweetheart neckline and an alluring off-the-shoulder design. ‘How did he know what would fit her perfectly?

The box had a shining silver collar choker, simple earrings to pair with it. I felt guilty for all the package, My salary would not be able to cover all this even if I got a raise. I'll treat it with care and return it later. My shoe was a brick red too matching perfectly with my lip shade. I looked breathtaking. The time was 7:50 p.m, so I quickly clutched my silver purse, the most expensive thing I had ever bought. I smiled, feeling grateful that I bought it. I walked with as much grace and sophistication into the elevator. ‘Damn girl! Where is the confidence coming from’ I thought to myself. 

The chauffeur from the morning was already waiting, he opened the back seat and I got in saying a polite ‘thank you’. Offering a slight nod, he shut the door and slipped into the driver’s seat.

“I’m Acadia,” I offered in order to initiate a conversation. “You are?

He took a glance at the rear view mirror and hesitantly replied, “Noah” ‘oh thank the heavens, he speaks, finally’ I thought.

“Nice to meet you” I said.

The drive to the party was a lot less boring than earlier. I found out that Noah was Dante’s chauffeur for every time he came to London. They talked about a variety of things. I spoke about New York and he spoke about London. When we arrived, I thanked him and hoped to see him again while he smiled at me. 

I texted Anderson and he said he already arrived. I saw him leaning towards a car I perceived as his. He looked handsome. I felt him take a sharp intake of breath when he saw me, this made mé smile inwardly. “Acadia… you look… very beautiful” planting a kiss on my knuckles. I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. “Thank you, you look handsome.” 

He intertwined our elbows, and we both walked into the arena. The arena reeked of old and new money. On a normal day, I didn’t fit into this world but for today, today I would be a perfect fit. I looked around to look for Mr. Dante. My eyes found him standing across the room. He was cladded in a maroon suit. 

The maroon was rich and deep giving it a regal and confident aura. Beneath the suit, he wore a crisp, white dress shirt with a neatly spread collar. The shirt was impeccably ironed, highlighting his attention to detail. He balanced the maroon suit with a silk brown tie. His shoes were polished leather black. He wore an expensive wristwatch. My breath got caught up in her throat.

As if on impulse, his eyes met mine. And his eyes got dark with unreadable emotions. I looked beside him and felt my heart constrict. He wasn’t alone. His elbow was intertwined with someone else.