HIS POSSESSION

A familiar face

"Mad? No, I was worried." Becca sighed and went to pick up her coat. Emma followed her in and Lucia closed the door.

"I'm sorry. The night just went so fast and I lost track of time and I forgot to call you back to tell you I wouldn't be coming home." Emma explained with a little sprinkle of a lie. The night wasn't as fast as she was saying it was. It was a slow, long night of kisses and moans and Matteo's thick voice in her ears and his face in her...

"So where'd you sleep?" Lucia asked, turning on the TV and turning to Emma while waiting for it to load up.

"Uhhh, somewhere." Emma answered, her face turning red. "I'm late," She tried to change the topic. "I have just one hour to make it to work. How are you guys here and not at work?"

Becca gasped. "Don't try to change the topic. You went home with a man, didn't you?" She was very sure at this point with that answer from Emma.

"No. Maybe." Emma bit her lips shyly.

"Oh, she definitely did." Lucia laughed.

"Was he handsome? Was it the guy I saw you with? I didn't really get his face, just his back when you were..."

"He was definitely handsome," Lucia chirped in, cutting Becca short. "Emma has good taste when it comes to looks."

"PLEASE," Becca objected. "Have you seen Derek? Her ex?"

Lucia laughed. "Yeah, he's a horrible piece of s**t, but you gotta give it to him, he is handsome. That's basically why Emma let him..." Becca widened her eyes at Lucia to stop her from going further and it worked, but only because Emma was still surprised they weren't at work.

"No, really, why aren't you guys at work?" She asked.

"I exchanged shifts with the new girl at the hotel." Lucia answered.

"I called in sick," Becca shrugged.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Emma pouted."Now you've got what, two sick days left?"

"No, three. But it's fine. I needed a rest anyways. You better go get ready, I can't believe you stayed till this late before remembering you had work." Becca reminded her.

"She probably forgot yesterday was a Sunday. I mean who throws a wedding on a Sunday." Lucia shrugged.

"I'll tell you who, Derek." Emma started while headed to her room. "He must have thought that..."

Emma's phone rang in the middle of the conversation and Emma reached for it. It was work. When she got off the call, she had a frown.

"What's wrong?" Becca asked.

"Lisa's being taken off the project. I've been put in charge of it," Emma said without a hint of excitement.

"Okay." Becca smiled. "Why aren't you excited? You finally get to take credit for all the hard work you've put into that project, and Lisa doesn't get to use your brilliant suggestions like they're hers anymore."

"I'm worried about why she quit, that's why." Emma sighed. "This whole project is only successful if the people we're preparing it for actually like it and buy the idea."

"Oh." Becca's smile softened, she just realised her friend was nervous again. "Don't worry. I know you. You'll do great."

"Will I?" Emma asked. "If Lisa, with all her confidence, is quitting this project, should I even accept it? I mean..." She sighed again. "I guess I should take the opportunity. If this goes well, I could finally get promoted."

"Now, that's my girl." Becca pulled her into a hug.

****

Later.

Emma's workplace.

Emma stood in the middle of the conference room, taking slow breaths through her nose and releasing them through her mouth.

She'd practiced the presentation so many times that she could probably give it in her sleep. Still, the moment she imagined the clients sitting across from her, judging every word that came out of her mouth, her stomach twisted.

"Everything ready?" Emma turned. The head of her department had walked in.

"Yes, sir." She nodded quickly.

They had arrived nearly an hour earlier to make sure everything was in place. The projector had been tested twice, the presentation was ready, and the conference room had been arranged exactly as it should be.

His eyes moved around the room, "Where are the files?"

"Right here." Emma walked over to the table beside the projector and pointed at the stack of folders.

"Not these. The ones we're handing out to them to go through while you present."

"Oh." Her eyes widened. The handout files. She'd forgotten them. "I'll go check in the office."

"Alright, hurry up. It's almost time."

Emma hurried out of the conference room, then slowed when she passed the restroom. She should probably fix her makeup first.

She turned toward the bathroom, but stopped. A man was walking down the corridor. Emma stared. She remembered those rectangular half-rim glasses.

Her stomach dropped. She quickly stepped behind the wall and waited until he passed. There was no way. She slowly peeked around the corner. The man with the glasses was already walking away.

Drew. That's what she remembered Matteo calling him when he brought the food. Emma hurried into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror.

"There's no way he's here," she whispered to herself. She tried to smooth her hair, but her lips were trembling slightly. She didn't want to see Matteo here, where she worked, and especially not when she had a presentation to give, but it would be nice to see him again.

Her mind drifted back to Drew. If he was here... Emma stared at herself in the mirror... Did it mean Matteo was?

‘What are you doing, Emma?’ She caught herself mid-thought. She quickly left the bathroom.

She wasn't going to think about it, at least not till the presentation was over. She had a presentation to give.

She reached her department's office, grabbed the stack of handout files, and turned to leave but paused in her steps when she saw Lisa.

"Good luck convincing Mr Mortelli to work with us." Lisa was standing in the doorway with her arms folded.

"I don't have time for this, Lisa. Get out of my way." She tried to walk past her, but Lisa's words suddenly registered.

Emma stopped.

Slowly, she turned back.

"What did you just say?"

Lisa scoffed. "Why do you think I dropped the project this morning?"

Emma's grip tightened around the files."Stop playing around. Now isn't the time. Are you sure of what you're saying?"

"Yes, I am." Lisa folded her arms again,a smirk on her lips. "It's Mr Mortelli you're pitching to." Emma stared at her, worry consuming her. "This is going to be sooo funny." Lisa laughed.

"Lisa..."

"You know the last time our department tried to bring Mr Mortelli in, he wasn't impressed at all." She smiled. "I heard everyone on that particular project got fired because they couldn't bring him in."

Emma's mouth went dry.

"But good luck, anyway. Bye. I have work to do." Lisa walked away.

Emma remained standing there, alone in the doorway. She swallowed, trying to stay calm and not let her nervousness wreck her before she even started her presentation but Lisa's words were getting to her.

Mr Mortelli was a big name in their company. Everyone new in their department, including her, had heard stories about him from the older ones and they weren't soothing stories.

Emma's thoughts crashed into one another so when her phone vibrated, she nearly dropped the files. She pulled it out of her pocket. It was her boss calling.