Chapter 7: The Invitation

Ella Lattone’s POV

After my weekend in New York, I was happy to know that I was back in Seattle again. It was nice and I loved it. I was listening to music when I was editing some articles that needed to be translated in the romance language. I was humming as well when I was listening to music and doing my editing.

I am a good multitasker!

I did not aware of the body heat that was leaning against me from behind. I was still doing some of my work as I did not bother to check who was it. I think it was just one of my co-workers or someone.

But it was horrible than I thought.

While I was listening to music, I heard someone was clearing their throat before me. I ignored it as I thought they were thirsty or something. Then, Fauna was eyeing me before I stopped in my action.

“What?” I almost shouted at her as the volume of my music was above the roof. Someone removed my earphone as I was looking into the green eyes that I detested so much.

“If you have been paying attention, Ella, you would have known that I have been calling you so many times. My office, now!” Hayes said as he was releasing the earphone and I was closing my eyes, trying to control this anger inside me. I threw Fauna a glare.

“Why you did not tell me that he was back in town?” I hissed at her. She shrugged before I rolled my eyes and I was heading toward his office again.

“I look forward to knowing that the article was done. Yes, thank you. Talk to you soon,” Hayes said before I knocked on his door. He ushered me in before I stood in front of his table. I think this guy was a hot mess. Papers were everywhere and I have the urge to clean his table.

Not that I would offer freely.

“You wish to talk to me?” I asked him as he eyed me before he was searching for something. He then cursed under his breath before he pulled something out and he gave it to me. I arched my eyebrow before I was looking at the paper that he gave me.

It was an invitation to a ball.

“What is the meaning of this?” I asked him before he looked at me, irritation was obvious in his beautiful emerald orbs.

Wait, what!

“I wanted you to go to this event with me. It seems that I almost forget that you can speak 4 languages and English was not included in that. I wanted you to be my translator for the conference meeting here in Seattle tonight,” he said as I was looking at him with my eyebrows arched.

“You want me to be your plus one?” I asked him as my heart was beating face. That would mean I will be seen with him in public, the cold man of WWF magazine. He tsked at me before he rolled his eyes.

“Will you be willing to go or not? I don’t want to involve Fauna since she was already married and I know that she will be there with her husband. So, I was left with you. Will you do it?” He asked me as I felt something in my chest. Was that triumph that I sensed?

“What’s in it for me?” I asked as I was trying to play too hard to get. His eyebrows shot up as he was looking at me.

“Well, you get to go to a fancy dinner,” he said as I scoffed at him.

“Yeah, right. I don’t think so. I wanted you to have a favor for me then,” I said as I was smiling at him. He was narrowing his eyes at me.

“What kind of favor?” He asked. I smirked.

“That was for me to know and you to hold onto it, sir,” I said before he was calculating what could I possibly want from him. Only if he knows…

“Very well, I will hold you a favor. Not more than one, is that understood?” He asked before I picked up the invitation as I was looking at it.

“Will this be a formal event?” I asked bluntly before he sighed as he was rubbing his face.

“I thought you already know that. Don’t you get invites from people?” He asked me but I refused to answer it.

“I don’t have the appropriate dress,” I said before Hayes was waving his hand dismissively at me.

“None of my business. Now, off you go. I got work to do as do you,” he said as he was sending me one of his icy glare before I stared back at him before I exited the office. I went to the bathroom first with the invitation safe in my secure place. I don’t need people to know about my invite.

Once I was inside the toilet, I was screaming like a hellion. What an exciting feeling! I cannot believe that I will be making an appearance with Cameron Hayes in public and it will be one of the conference balls. How exciting.

“I cannot believe my luck. Thank you, my Lord!” I said as I was clearing some evidence that I was head over heels with Hayes to consider me as his plus one. I need to conceal it so that he would not have advantages over me.

I went back to my cubicle and started to work on my works as I was waiting for tonight.

Cameron Hayes’ POV

I have received an email from Ella Lattone that she was ready and I have to pick her up at her address. I scoffed when I searched the address, it was on the other side of town, which means I have to waste more fuel to pick her and then go back to the conference ball which was near my neighborhood.

“Why do I have to choose her for tonight?” I asked myself as I was shifting the stick to D and I was doing some speeding before I was in the unfamiliar territory of Seattle. It was nice and all but it was still considered a second class neighborhood.

All the wealthy were on the other side of the town, where I lived, and the working class was…here. I thought Ella was rich but I guess she was not. She even asked me if I have a gown to borrow for her tonight!

I scoffed even more before I was parking in front of her apartment. It was a shabby apartment when I was looking at the building. She had sent me the number for her mobile that I can call when I arrived in front of her house.

Without further ado, I called her.

“Hello?” She answered after 2 rings and I was clearing my throat. I don’t even know I was doing it.

“I’m here. You can come out now. I’ll be in the car. Do you know which one?” I asked her as I don’t think she ever sees me when I was approaching my car. She went to work on public transport. She was conserving her carbon footprints.

Unlike me.

“Was it the red Porsche or was it the sleek Tesla one?” She asked me as I was shocked to know that she knew my cars.

“Porsche,’’ I replied before I heard that she was walking and she was dragging something.

“Oh, I see. Okay, I will be there in a minute,” she said before she hung the phone. I was looking at the phone before I scoffed as the woman has some nerves to hang up on me. I threw my phone onto the cupholder before I saw some movement to my right.

Ella was wearing a big coat that conceals her dress inside. She was smiling as her blonde hair was pulled into a French twist that suited her face. I never knew that she has a heart-shaped face.

Unintentionally, I wanted to make her get inside the car herself but when I saw her, I was getting out of the car on instinct. I don’t know what was controlling me but I was ensnared by her beauty under the moonlight right now.

“Good evening, sir,” she said as I was blinking at her. She was waving her hands in front of me before she was smiling.

“Are we going to the ball or are you just going to gawk at me like that all night?” She asked with amusement in her voice as I was blinking a few times before I was shaking my head.

“Right, sorry. Here let me help you,” I said as I was opening the door and I offered my hand to help her get inside.

“Why, thank you, my fair gentleman,” she said as she took my hand and slid inside the car. Her hand was soft compared to my calloused one. I smiled before I closed the door and I went to the driver seat. I shifted the gear and sped off from the shabby neighborhood.

I think I might have won a prize after all tonight.