The Matchmaker's Secret

CHAPTER 1 The rain poured heavily as he stood at their usual spot where they had agreed to meet. He held his umbrella as he stared into the distance, awaiting her arrival. Emily had called him and spoken about having something important he needed to know. He was anxious as he stood while it rained. Emily and he had always met at an old abandoned school that had been on fire years back. He could see the road leading there from the terrace where he stood. How long had he waited? He checked his watch; it was already an hour, and she still didn't show up. Asher got worried but decided to believe perhaps something held her back, maybe her parents, he thought. A few more hours passed as he sat on the floor, leaning against the pillar close to him. It was already late; the moon hung perfectly in the sky, filling the street with its radiant light. The stars, however, were still not fully visible to him as the rain still poured but had reduced. He walked out, not bothering to use the umbrella he came with. He walked to her house; he was worried. He needed to make sure she was alright. He had tried calling her multiple times, but she didn't pick up. He got to her house, staring at the tall fence and electric gate. The mason-like house was one he had dreamed he'd build later on in life, as he was going to definitely reap from the labor he'd sow. He followed the back as he climbed the fence, jumping over. He climbed the tree that could let him see what was happening from the room walkway to her room. He heard her parents' loud voices and the slamming of her door as she angrily locked it, ignoring the calls of her parents. He could see this and felt her pain. He wanted to be there and support her, but he couldn't. He raised his phone, dialing her number from where he stood. He saw through the transparent curtains as she picked up the phone. Seeing the caller ID, she dropped the phone. Clearly, she was avoiding his calls. He decided to go back; perhaps she didn't want to talk about it at the moment. Given there was nothing he could help her with, he left just as he came in. However, that was going to be a decision he would forever regret, as he should have nevertheless gone into her room, no matter what was happening, and been there for her. The next day at school, as he sat by the desk close to the window, an announcement was made in the class: Emily Willson would no longer be a student. The realization struck him hard, as this meant he wasn't going to see Emily or find out what she wanted to tell him. FEW YEARS LATER. Lily Rose sat at her desk, sipping her coffee and staring at the stack of files in front of her. Her short brown hair was packed in a ponytail. Her natural long lashes, backed by light makeup, were enough to complete her look. Her pink and attractive plump lips added to her beauty. She had an oval face, being the perfect definition of pretty and cute. Her flowery white mini gown and black boots had her looking cute. Lily's matchmaking business, also known as Rose Matchmaking Agency, had taken off in the past years, and she was proud of the success she'd achieved. As she began to sort through the files, her mind wandered back to her own past. Growing up in foster care, Lily had always felt like an outsider. But when she'd stumbled upon a job as a matchmaker, she'd discovered a sense of purpose and belonging. Lily's phone buzzed, bringing her down to earth. She answered, and her assistant's voice came through the line. "Lily, you have new client info you have to see; it's a huge catch," her assistant said. "Come on in then," she replied. Lily's curiosity was piqued. "Who is it?" she asked as her assistant Maya entered, handing her the tab that showed the information of all the clients. "Asher Blackwood," her assistant replied. "He's the CEO of OmniCorp, and he's looking for someone to help him win back an old flame." Lily's eyes narrowed. She'd heard of Asher Blackwood, of course. Who hadn't? He was widely known, not to mention how much the media loved him. Lily had been in this matching business for a couple of years and had stories of couples who found their better half by coming here. Both she and her matchmaking agency were getting famous. She wouldn't have ever believed that Asher Blackwood would choose her agency out of all others. This was going to be the booster her agency would need to top the charts. She went through the info he had submitted online. She read about his search for a lost flame and wanting to have that flame rekindled. After going through his info, she asked her assistant, "When have you scheduled a meeting for him?" Lily asked, still staring at the tab. "Um, Miss, he's here, currently in the waiting room," Maya said, catching her off guard. "Huh, for how long?" "A few minutes now," Maya said, adjusting her glasses. "I'll go over to him," Lily said, standing up and smoothing out her dress. As she walked into the waiting room, she saw Asher standing by the window, looking out at the city, staring with his deep green eyes. His dark curly hair was well-styled as he slayed a navy green tuxedo with black polished shoes. He also had an ice watch on his wrist, complementing his look. He turned as she approached, and their eyes met for the first time. Lily felt a jolt of electricity run through her body. There was something about Asher's piercing deep green eyes that seemed to see right through her. "Hello, Mr. Blackwood," Lily said, extending her hand. Asher smiled, taking her hand in his. "Please, call me Asher," he said. Lily felt a flutter in her chest as she pulled her hand back. She was a professional, after all. She couldn't let herself get distracted by a charming smile and a pair of attractive eyes. Lily led the way to her office to get the full story of his quest. "So, Asher," Lily said, as they took their seats. "Tell me about this old flame you're trying to win back..."