The Billionaire's Request

Episode Two

ELENA’S POV

Oh my God! What did I get myself into? “Think fast, think fast” I muttered calmly to myself, and then I cleared my throat and finally looked up into those deep eyes. I gave an awkward chuckle. “Um… Sorry for the drama just now, I wasn’t trying to escape. Matter of fact, I have a spare extra-large hoodie you can wear right here with me while I take it to the laundry unit” I said, gesturing to him to take off his shirt while playfully sizing up his muscles and laughing awkwardly.

“Ok, not a joke person, noted”, I whispered to me while looking at his poker face.

And just then, like a freaking psychic, I remembered myself dropping the supposed hoodie I had on my bed this morning while rushing to work. If it’s at home, what did I put in my bag? I stylishly peeked into my bag and my jaw dropped. No!, is this how I die? In a bathroom? Would they at least allow my body to be seen? No, murderers usually clean up their messes.

I can’t just give up that easily. At that moment, I saw him reach out for his buttons.

“Um…… Sir. "Why don’t we do the changing and exchange in a side-by-side bathroom stall? "We don’t want you stripping for us for free”, I said, still giving that awkward chuckle I knew they’d never accept. He nodded.

Yes!, I mentally screamed and then we both entered the stalls. He took off his shirt and handed it to me above the stalls, and I finally pulled out the exchange equipment I had and, instead of my huge gray hoodie, it was my bright pink hello kitty hoodie with sparkles and a hood cap. I took him through the openings below the stall, and immediately I did. I slowly walked out of the stall, visibly holding his shirt for his guards to see, and immediately, I got past the last guard. I bolted out while yelling “I'll be back in 30 minutes, I promise”.

I dropped off the shirt at the laundry unit and hurried to my workstation. As I mentioned earlier, I work as a receptionist. The company is very large, so we have many reception units, but I’m the receptionist of the private section, where all executive staff have their own offices, including the CEO, Andrew Kingsley.

“You look like you just ran cross-country” Victoria, my colleague, echoed as I walked to my seat. I gave her a small smile, “I wish” I responded, before slumping into my seat and breathing out the air I didn’t know I was holding.

“Well, I covered up for you, for that“ she paused, looking at her watch. “10 minutes you were late,” she said, looking up at me with a knowing smile. I sighed loudly. “Yes, you can have my chicken for Tuesday’s lunch break”, I added.

“Thank you, Elly, I want to grab a coffee, do you want one?” she said, picking up her purse.

“Yeah, the usual,” I said while trying to log into my computer.

“Do you want any snacks?...... "Why’d you look like you just saw a ghost?“ she said, looking at my face before following my gaze.

Why’d I look like I saw a ghost? I’m staring at one and my ghost is no other person than my coffee spill victim from this morning in my fluffy pink Hello Kitty bathrobe staring into my soul. I gave him a quick smile while slowly standing up and using my peripheral vision to search for the closest exit.

“Don’t even think about it”, one of the guards spoke up and then, before I could answer, Victoria quickly pushed my chair away and stood in front of me, “Sir, how can we help you today?” she spoke up sharply, her voice holding recognition. Like she knew who this strange man was.

“He’s here to meet with Mr. Andrew”, one of the guards, spoke up.

“Is it a scheduled meeting?” she added while skimming through the calendar on the laptop, before she could look back up. My victim walked up to me and bent down to my level, since I was sitting, and said with a low growl “I'll deal with you later”, he said, before walking to the private penthouse elevator, leaving my heart in my throat.

“Wait, Sir, you can’t just go there“, she sighed, seeing the elevator door closing. “That rude with the fashion sense of a cartoon-obsessed toddler?” she muttered with a snarky look of distaste evident on her face.

“He probably knows Mr Andrew. "He knew the elevator pin”, I added softly while trying to calm my beating heart. Would he deal with me later? Should I be on the next train to the countryside?

“I need some air,” I said to Victoria before rushing to the bathroom. I walked up to the first sink in sight and threw up. Why do I always get myself tangled in the worst situations? And now, I’m at risk of losing my job because of my clumsy self.

I defeatedly walked back to my office and worked till it was time for lunch. I forgot about the shirt that caused all this chaos. “I’d go grab it and have lunch, and then I’d beg my supervisor to let me off early and make Victoria return the shirt”, I said quietly, creating a mental map in my head.

I got to the laundry unit and, as if my day wasn’t bad enough, the shirt was missing, the flipping expensive shirt of a threatening stranger was missing! Is this my cue to run away and never turn back? I’m slowly losing my mind and today is not just it.

I decided to send my supervisor a text that I was feeling ill, and I left work. I needed to breathe.