5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lily

W hat a hectic day it has been. I can't believe what I got myself into. My mind is still processing seeing Ethan after all these years.

The day didn't have to end the way it did, though. And now, I am sitting in front of my laptop, reading one of the weirdest messages in my blog. The words are burning through my eyes the more I read them.

"You've got to be kidding me," I say to myself as I re-read it, only with more focus this time.

"I believe that is not a professional answer. I am willing to triple your payment if you rewrite the response and give me a detailed answer to my question. I have a serious issue on my hands, and I can't afford to waste any time. I don't think you can be this disrespectful just because the website is public. You might be as anonymous as a ghost, but I am contacting you from an anonymous email. You have no idea who I am, and you shouldn't act like an asshole just because you are hiding behind a little alias. Do your job and be useful for once since you label yourself as a passionate matchmaker. I will not repeat myself again, and this will be the last time you hear from me in case I receive another absurd response. Here is a humble amount of money coming your way. I just need a bit of genuine advice on how to win back the heart of my ex-girlfriend. She is all I have left, and if your wise self is willing to help me further, I assure you I am a massive squander, so you will not regret dedicating some of your precious time to me."

"Who does this person think he is? And how can he possibly expect me to do my job properly if he's being this rude?" I ask myself out loud, looking around the room as if someone was listening.

This is definitely not the kind of messages I should be getting. And the money; the nerve!

"I must deal with you, you freak," I begin replying to the message, till Arial, my best friend, calls.

"Are you home?"

"Well, hello. Yes?"

"Open the door," Arial hurriedly says.

"Oh, thank God," I hang up and rush to the door to let Arial in.

I don't need to deal with such a self-absorbed freak online. At least not now. Arial's presence is much needed after this chaotic day.

"What's with that look on your face?" she asks as she places a bouquet on the kitchen counter. She says it is a gift to congratulate me on my project at Rothschild Pharmaceuticals.

"Long day."

"I bet it was, since you met Ethan Rothschild. The feared businessman."

"Oh, shut up," I say, shaking my head as I walk into the living room.

"How was he?" Arial asks.

Arial and I have been best friends for over five years. She knows everyone I dated, except for Ethan. For the longest I can remember, I kept Ethan as my own personal secret. No idea why. I guess I just wanted to keep him to myself.

"He was nice," I answer her, looking away.

"Nice? Come on, give me something more. What was he like?"

"I mean, the media does not lie about him. He really is the way he appears on TV. Arrogant."

"Arrogant?" Arial asks, her face full of questions.

"It turns out that he is not only the CEO of Rothschild Pharmaceuticals, but also the only heir to it."

"Oh. So, he's going to inherit his father's business?"

"That has already happened," I tell her. I don't want to get into details, because once Arial and I start talking, we never stop, and it will be a long night.

"Interesting. I heard he is quite young. He is in his late twenties, I suppose?"

"Do you want a drink? Or would you like a can of soda?" I ask as I make my way towards the fridge, completely ignoring her question. I wish she would just stop asking questions.

"A glass of wine will do," she says as she walks over to the window, looking out.

"Shall we order some dinner?"

"I would love that," she answers with a smile on her face.

I don't have a lot of things that make my days easier, but Arial makes everything better. And she knows how to keep the conversation going, even when there is nothing new to talk about.

"The view from here is amazing. You are so lucky. Living in the heart of the city, surrounded by so many people," she says, her eyes mesmerized by the view.

"I am surrounded by so many people indeed, yet it feels so lonely. Sometimes, I can't stand being here," I answer.

"Don't be dramatic. I am always here for you, remember? I live here with you in this big city."

"You know what I mean, though," I say, looking out the window.

"Are you sure you are alright?" Arial asks as she looks over at me, her eyes wide open.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"When was the last time you went on a date, Lily?"

"It's been a while," I tell her.

"That I know of. My point is that we should find you someone to have a fun with."

"I don't know about that."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I guess I am just not ready for a relationship right now."

"Any potential, romantic interactions with the new Rothschild guy?" Arial asks, smirking and winking.

"Ethan? God, no," I say and look away. My mind wanders to our intimate interaction on top of his desk earlier today.

"Are you sure? He's single, hot, and extraordinarily rich. The perfect recipe."

"I told you I'm not interested. And besides, you should not be talking about him like that. I am just a contractor at his company now. Plus, he really isn't my type."

"Oh, come on, Lily."

"What?"

"Are you sure he was the one you've met? The man is every woman's type. He's perfect," she says, giggling.

"I didn't know you followed the news."

"I don't have to. I see him occasionally. The last time I saw him, he was driving a Mercedes, in a dark suit. Do you think any regular man in New York can afford that?"

"I didn't know you were into cars, Arial. You keep surprising me," I say.

"I have also been told he owns yachts and takes yearly trips to Monaco. I'm just saying."

"Wow. You really do love gossip," I whisper.

"See. Even you are impressed. So, now that you are working for him, you-"

"With him."

"Excuse me?" she asks, confused.

"I'm not working for him, Arial. I am working with him. He's not my boss. I am a contractor."

"Whatever. The point is that you will see him a lot more now. You are foolish if you don't give it a chance."

"He is not my type, Arial," I answer.

"You are exhausting, Lily. You are my best friend and I love you, but sometimes you can be such a killjoy."

"He was a little rude with me today."

"How so?" Arial asks, her eyes sparkling.

"I don't know, I expected something else from him. Something different."

"Different? Why? Because he's the most eligible bachelor in New York?"

"No, Arial. That is not why," I scoff at her as I take a sip of my drink.

"How so, then?"

"So, I began work today. His office was a bit challenging to decorate since he lacked any taste for colors. The task was easy, though."

"And?" Arial says, nodding, eager for me to continue.

"Well, he loved it. He loved the fresh look. We talked for a bit, and he showed me around, but then I found myself involved in the workplace gossip."

"How is that?"

"Alright, gossip is not the right word. He introduced me to his advisors, and they were talking about a rather serious issue that the company is facing right now."

"How did you get involved in that, Lily? I don't get it."

"For whatever reason, Ethan confided in me, and told me more than I should know about his company," I answer, trying to remain calm.

"Like what? I am dying to know here."

"Like how his company produces substances that are not sold anywhere else. That made the FDA go after it, I guess."

"Do you mean whatever they sell is not FDA-approved?" Arial asks.

"No idea. All I know is that he looked tense, alongside his advisors."

"But their company is very reputable. That is very odd, indeed. I am guessing they are doing something illegal, then?" she asks.

"I'm not sure. Ethan said the opposite. I don't want to know more about this issue," I shrug, lying to myself. I want to know about this mysterious issue. The thought of it all keeps me anxious.

"You don't have to deal with it, Lily," Arial says, patting me on the shoulder.

"I know I don't have to, but I will be spending a lot of time there now, so I can't really avoid it."

"I am sure it will work itself out, dear," Arial says, smiling and holding my hands.

"I hope so. This is an interesting opportunity for me, I guess."

"It is, and you are doing just fine. It is but the beginning."

"I really don't want to interact with Ethan. I feel like he will only bring trouble to my life." I whisper.

"That is a bit extreme, Lily."

"Maybe, but I just can't get over how arrogant he is."

"Why don't you give him a call and have me witness your interaction with him, huh? I am sure he is not that bad," Arial suggests.

"Are you out of your mind, Arial?" I gasp at her, not believing the words that just came out of her mouth.

"Oh, come on. Don't be so dramatic."

"I am supposed to either call or email him and inform him of my work plan for tomorrow."

"Go for it. A call is a lot better," Arial says with a mischievous smirk on her face.

Before I can say anything else, Arial grabs my phone and scrolls through my contacts.

"Oh, you have him saved as Mr. Rothschild? Cute," she says and hits the call button.

"Arial! What the hell?!" I scream, my eyes wide open. I try to get the phone back, but Arial holds it away from me, giggling.

"Good evening, Mr. Rothschild. This is Lily. I was calling to let you know what I have planned for tomorrow," Arial says, mimicking me and rehearsing.

"Are you serious right now? I will never forgive you, Arial," I whisper as I watch her, trying to reach for my phone.

When I finally manage to get the phone, I hear a stern greeting on the other end. His voice makes me shiver. I am not sure if it is out of stress or excitement. Whatever the feeling is, I am not the biggest fan of it.

"Hello?" Ethan's voice sounds distant and faint.

"Hey, this is Lily," I say, my heart pounding against my chest.

"Yes, what is it?" His voice is cold.

"I am calling about tomorrow. I was planning on-"

"Is this important, Ms. Snow?" He interrupts me.

"Yes, it is, Ethan- I mean Mr. Rothschild."

"I'm in the middle of an important meeting right now, Ms. Snow. Could this wait until morning? You can email my secretary," he says, his tone annoyed.

"I am sorry. Yes, this can wait."

"Have a good night, Ms. Snow," he says. The phone goes silent. I stare at it for a few moments, until he hangs up.

Why is he talking to me like this? Does he not like me? What is it that I did wrong? So many thoughts are racing through my mind.

"You look pale."

"I can't believe I am going to have to face this person every day for the next month or so," I mutter and throw my phone on the bed.

I feel annoyed at Arial, but I also needed to hear Ethan's voice. I was going to call him eventually. I must admit that I expected him to be much warmer, especially after our encounter in his office.

I look up at the ceiling, wondering what is waiting for me the next day. I feel tired. A nice, warm bath would do wonders for my mood right now.

"He does have a nice voice. It matches his looks," Arial teases, trying to cheer me up.

"Yeah. Too bad he has the personality of a brick," I reply.

"You should give him a chance, Lily. He could be the one," Arial says.

"Oh, please. He has been this stern since he drove me home. He also yelled at me in his office."

"What? Why?" she asks, shocked.

"I was too forward, apparently. He didn't want me touching his stuff," I tell her.

"Could you elaborate more, please? I am intrigued," Arial asks, smiling.

"Well, when we were alone, he handed me this file that I am supposed to read to get to know the company's policies and everything. As he was leaving, I was about to rearrange the rest of the files and place them in the drawer that he left widely open, by the way."

"And?" Arial nods, seeming very invested.

"He snapped at me and told me to never touch his stuff again," I say.

"Ouch," Arial whispers.

"Yes. Ouch."

"Well, maybe he has his reasons. You don't have to assume anything. You said you touched his stuff, right?"

"I was just rearranging them, but why was he so rude to me?"

"Who knows, Lily? Who knows? Maybe the guy is just secretive."

"Maybe."

"Now, stop worrying about that."

"I am not worried about anything. But it is the fact that he trusted me and confided in me which made me feel like I could get to know him a little. The change in energy just gave me mixed signals."

"I agree. But maybe he is not used to being around people. He could be introverted."

"A billionaire introvert? Come on, Arial."

"Okay, okay. I get it. Bad guess. How was the drive home, though?"

"I don't know. I avoided his small talk. He didn't even apologize. He dropped me off and said 'Have a nice evening' and then left."

"Oh."

"Exactly," I nod, agreeing.

"Well, this is even more reason not to worry about anything. And remember, if it doesn't work out, there are other rich and eligible men in New York, honey. Don't forget that."

"Arial, this is not about making Ethan Rothschild fall in love with me. His behavior is just odd."

"Alright. Just try not to overthink and focus on the opportunity you have there."

"I know, I know."

"Are you going to finish your drink?" she asks.

"I have a better idea," I say as I look at my wine glass, and then the bottle of liquor on my kitchen counter.

"What's that look for, Lily?" Arial asks.

"I must tell you something first. Promise me you won't tell anyone?" I tell her, grabbing her arm.