LV

LV

The day Princess Victoria dragged me to the dress stores in England was still clear in my memory. That was the time we became close because I learned many things about her. I also met Ben, her beloved one. When I remembered that night she set up Alexander and I in a restaurant, I could say that she became the main bridge of my romantic story with her brother.

However, it took only one mistake and shame covered those meaningful pasts. I still contrite to what happened to her and Ben, and I thought, I was already paying now.

Elena held my arm that took me out of my reverie. She showed me a dark pink cocktail dress, which would expose more skin of anyone who wore it.

"Are you going to wear that?" I asked and her forehead crumpled.

"What are you saying?" She handed me the dress. "You're the one fitted to it," she beamed, "Have it on the upcoming anniversary party of the hotel. That will be two weeks from now, right?"

I nodded. Thanks to my sister, I remembered the anniversary of the hotel where I worked. It would be an extravagant, not only because of twenty-five years anniversary of the hotel, but also I saw the budget of the said event. All employees were invited and all our regular customers and guests during that time.

"Lola also approved that," she pointed the cloth I was holding, "Try it in the fitting area."

I sighed in defeat. If Lola and my sisters wanted it, I had no place to disagree. That was life. "Look at Jared and Cassandra," I reminded her.

"Okay," she said.

I went to the fitting room behind the mountain of different dresses, suits and anything made of fabric. This was the tenth shop we went in since we entered the mall an hour or so ago. Everyone enjoyed this shopping, except me. Besides my feet hurt, I could not stand this kind of hunting.

Once I was inside of the small area, I immediately viewed myself in a large mirror. My usual long wavy brown hair cut up to my shoulder. I looked more matured in this hairstyle. My body was different compare before. I had bigger boobs resulted from having babies. My waist was still small because I had tried hard to maintain my body after giving birth. But, I was sexier than three years ago when Jared and Cassandra was not yet existing.

The dress was strapless and the material was like a second skin because it shaped my torso until my mid-thigh. The ruffles covered the material on my thighs made it more attractive. I did not prefer this kind of clothing, but for the sake of the hotel's anniversary, I would wear it.

"Hey, Shirley," I heard Lola from the outside, "Please come out now. We want to see you."

I slowly exited the room and walked to them. All of them grinned at my sight. Lola clasped her hands like a proud mother during graduation day. My twins were playing the toys-we bought in the store before we went here-on the bench beside the fitting area. Gladly, Chance did not join this trip and instead, he joined my parents and Cricket. Otherwise, he would be so bored.

"Oh my Elena," Lola spoke, "You have good eyes."

"I know right," my sister boasted.

"Ugh, I also saw that dress earlier but I was thinking that Ley doesn't like that kind of dress," Hana complained as if someone got the prize she won from a contest.

We laughed and I put my arms around her shoulders. Lola put a pair of stiletto in front of me without minding the terror it would bring me. I hated that kind of shoes.

"Oh, it will be perfect, Ley," Hana cheerfully said while helping me to put the pink shoes on.

"I don't think I can have it during the party," I whispered, but my best friend already knew that before I could say it.

"Shirley Woodman, you can't argue with this, you know that," Lola simply said and went to my kids.

I gave her an exasperated exhale. I gave up in protesting. In terms of fashion, I trusted Lola very much. She was more knowledgeable on this side of the world than I was.

After buying all they wanted and recommended, we went to a restaurant located inside the mall. My mouth watered instantly when I smelled the fried chicken and pasta. My favorites!

Jared and Cassandra sat on the high chairs while still playing their toys. It was comforting when my children were quiet and not throwing tantrums.

We ordered our food then wait for it in a few minutes. When our orders came, we started eating. We sometimes talked, but more on eating. Elena and Hana were planning to go to the bookstores after here. Lola suggested that she and I would go to children stores so we could buy the twins new clothes.

I paid for all we ate as my treat for them because of unknown reason. They just let me paid and spent my money. We were about to go out of that expensive restaurant when my mobile phone rang.

It was the latest version of IPhone I bought last month. My old phone I used when I was still in England said goodbye to me and died three years ago together with my heart. I never bought a phone since then but my ever insist best friend told me nonstop to buy a new phone so they could call me in case of emergency.

I got my IPhone in my shoulder bag and saw the caller ID.

"Who is calling you?" Lola asked, curiously and annoyed.

"Sir Legend," I answered her before I accepted the call and put the phone on my ear. "Hello, sir," I said.

"Miss Woodman," sir Legend's voice was always like static even not in phone. He was fifty something years old man and my boss. He was the head of accounting group. "I need to talk to you now. I hope you have time," he stated politely as if I was in the higher position.

"Umm. I have free time, sir," I responded and looking back at where the others were standing. They were busy talking that they did not mind me at all.

"Okay, can you go now in the hotel so we can talk personally?" He asked.

"Sir, what are we going to talk about?" I questioned back, "Can we do it on phone call?"

"Uh, Miss Woodman, I'm sorry that we can't talk about it on the phone," he replied and I could hear people chattering on the other line, "This is an important and confidential matter. We need your presence here now."

"Yes, sir. I will go there in a few," I hung up and walked to my companions. "Hey, I need to go," I told them in a hurry.

Lola raised her eyebrow and gave me the interrogated face, "What? Why?"

"Mr. Legend said that it was about an important and confidential matter, I think it is about Mrs. Roach's resignation yesterday and her papers not yet done," I explained my conclusion. I kneeled down and looked at my two kids, "Jared, Cass, behave, okay? Mommy will go to work for a while but I will join you again later."

This was the hardest thing ever, to be away from my children for hours. Every day was a struggle, but I was thankful there was Sunday. However, not this Sunday. My boss needed me in the office and stole the time I had for my babies.

-----

I could hear several voices of panic and problematic people when I was already outside the office and holding the doorknob. There were also rings of telephones and sounds of someone typing on the computer's keyboard.

This was unusual in ordinary business cycle, but this was normal if there was a big client visiting the hotel.

I entered the office without knocking and they all looked at me, expecting, once the door created a noise. Reliefs flooded on their expressions when they realized I was the one who arrived.

"Shirley is here!" Violet shouted and stood beside me. She held my hands, as if persuading to spare her life, "Shirley, thank goodness, you came. We have...we have... we have a disaster."

"What's happening?" I asked, confused.

Mary, who was already near us, responded, "We have to offer the hotel to a foreign client, but not just a simple foreigner."

I furrowed my eyebrow. My confusion enlarged as every word passed through her mouth. "What's wrong with that? We usually offer the hotel to a foreign client and they always accept us," I stated, trying to calm everyone down in the office. I was stunned that all the employees of our division were here, even those who also had their day off.

"Yes, Shirley," I stared at Violet who was too tense for this situation, "But the client needs a hotel here in Atlanta next week."

"What?" This was the only word I could say because of shock.

"How can we prepare or plan for the best offer we can give them?" She added.

What kind of client were they? Were they so special that they looked for a hotel a week before they need it? Usually, VIP clients searched for a hotel at least a month or two before they stay so we could prepare a great plan, to give them the best offer. However, what would happen to that one-week kind of client? Oh my, this was really a disaster.

In addition, our biggest problem was not the client, but the one who created the budget for the guest. Budget was very important, especially, when we were offering the hotel to the customer. She resigned only yesterday. Probably, she knew that this would happen.

As if hearing my thoughts, Candy handed me three-page documents. "I prepare the budget earlier so you could sign it immediately when you arrived," she explained, "I copied that budget from last year's offer to the visitation of the president of South Korea. If they have amendment if ever they accept our budget or you want to persuade them, you can call their person after Mr. Legend talk to you."

I read the budget first so I could amend already if there was a mistake or unnecessary expense. However, before my eyes found the first amount, Mr. Legend came out from his office.

"Miss Woodman, can you please sign that budget because the client needs it as in now? Don't worry, I already check that and you won't have any problems," he said while walking toward our place.

"Wait sir," suddenly something crossed my mind, "Why am I going to sign here? I'm the billing department manager, remember?"

He scowled and gesturing me to sign immediately, "Mrs. Roach resigned yesterday and we have no time to look for another manager because this offer is urgent. I assigned you as the temporary manager of budget for a while. So if the other party accepts the offer, we can now take a deep breath and find another manager. Understand?"

I nodded. I had no choice but to put my signature on the last part of the document where my name was already printed.

Candy instantly got the documents from me and ran to the fax machine. I crossed my arms on my chest and sighed.

"Why do we need to offer the hotel to that kind of client who seeks for VIP treatment a week before their stay?" I irritably queried my boss.

Mr. Legend was a good person and an ideal boss. He knew and used to my attitude being outspoken and not a supporter of wrong behavior. He would just laugh and gave me warm words like a father.

"This will be a great opportunity to our hotel," he said, nodding to himself, "In two weeks, we'll celebrate the silver anniversary and having a popular businessman at that time will increase the promotion of Opulento Hotel, if we get their yes in our offer."

Today, everyone was right but me. Mr. Legend had a point. Whoever that popular businessman, it would be a great opportunity to our hotel. Because not only it would increase our revenue for the month, but also, it would be the promotion he could bring us.

"So, who is the lucky client?" I asked, not interested anymore on the topic. Whatever name he would say, I did not know who it was. I was unfamiliar to foreign businessman.

"Isaac Warden," he simply said that caught my full attention.

"Who?" I knew I misheard the name.

"Isaac Warden, the owner and CEO of Warden Security Company. The most popular billionaire in Europe. Don't tell me that you don't know him?" He returned to his office after saying the last sentence. He suddenly halted and faced me again, "I almost forgot, he will go here tomorrow to have a meeting with us. You must be there, okay?"

I gulped when that name played repeatedly in my mind. Isaac Warden, Prince Alexander's one and only best friend, would come here tomorrow as our newest client and I must face him.

-----

The fax machine beeped as a sign that someone sent a document. He stood from his swivel chair and reached the machine. He was disappointed when he saw an offer from an unpopular hotel named Opulento Hotel. He heard some gossips that this hotel had good surroundings, but he had already decided the hotel they would stay while they were in Atlanta.

He got the document and lazily scanned it before throwing it in the trash can. However, the name on the last part of the third page saved it from being garbage. He returned his gaze on those names to make sure he had read right.

Isaac Warden laughed when the name of the long lost accountant appeared on the faxed document. It seemed like, something changed on his decision.

He dialed the number of his best friend and before the other could curse, he sang, "I think I already found her."

(A/N: I'm going to post the next chapter once we reach 100K reads, okay? I'm not trying to be rude, demanding or something here. Let's just help each other.  Please. Love lots :) See you on the next update. Don't forget the chapter you want to be written in Prince Alexander's perspective. Comment it as in now. You can also message me! )