Chapter 10

**Lily**

I entered the office very subdued, I felt guilty and stupid. Very stupid. I know I need to reach out to Zara or Noah and come clean about this, but what if they hadn’t figured it out yet? Would I then be signing my own death warrant? So many questions running through my mind, but no answers.

At least the weather was getting better outside, and I had figured this morning that I should do all I could to make me feel competent and professional. So, I had put on my favorite midi skirt and top to look the part of a career woman.

In the morning I try to do my work without drawing too much attention to me, but at lunch I must face everyone. So, with a deep breath I try to pull myself together and I plaster a smile on my face.

“Hi! How was the gala?”, Zara asked Noah as she sat down. “It was good, food was amazing. Right Lily?”, he answered. “I spoke to Nero Bruno there on the option of becoming their go-to bank for more of their business.”, he added, and he took a bite of his lunch. After he swallowed, he continued. “I also spoke to Vita Rossi to move their business transactions to us, by the way. She would reach out to make an appointment.” Zara nodded, smiling. “Very promising and exciting!”, she said.

“Did you enjoy yourself at the gala, Lily?”, she asked curiously. I nodded, swallowing my food too fast, ending it in a coughing fit. “Yes, I did.”, I said, wiping the tear from my eye. “It was beautiful. And indeed, the food was fantastic!”, I added. This was a conversation I could have, but it still felt a bit too strained on my part. More small talk about the food helped me to slowly relax. When we walked back to our offices my smile was almost genuine. At least I was comfortable enough to grab a cup of coffee together before hiding in my office again. Slowly, but surely, I was feeling myself again.

“Lily!” I need you to join now!”, Noah shouted as he walked down the hallway before he even reached my office. Oh no, he figured it out! I froze in my seat and couldn’t figure out what I should do now. I was panicking, my palms were getting sweaty, my heart jumped into my throat, and my cheeks were getting red. What was I supposed to do now! In my head I was going over my final speech to plea innocence.

With a red, flustered head and a panicked look in his eyes, he walked into my office. “Lily, grab your stuff. I need you to join.”, he said again, pacing in my office. “I need to join what?”, I asked confused. “The business meeting with Vita Rossi.”, he was almost hyperventilating while he kept pacing in my office. “They are here now! Apparently, she said to have a meeting today, but I was too drunk and didn’t remember at all! I didn’t prepare anything and now we need to present our pitch and pull them in, and… and…”, he rambled.

I sighed when I realized this was not the moment I was going to get fired. I didn’t really care about all the rest at this point. I saw Noah still pacing, but at least he was taking deep breaths now. “I need you to help me, Lily!” He was practically begging me at this point. “Doesn’t Zara do these meetings with you normally?”, I protested weakly. “Zara is meeting with a different client.”, he said. “Please come fast. They are already in the meeting room!” The panic was back in his eyes, and so was the hyperventilating. My eyes grew large at his last statement, and I quickly grabbed my stuff. I led Noah to the meeting room. I had done these meetings before, and it wasn’t a big deal in my mind, but obviously Noah felt differently. I had just never held these meetings before, and looking at Noah I didn’t think he was going to be of much use today.

I pushed Noah into the meeting room first. He was the boss, so he had better start acting like one. I took a deep breath and entered the room as well. The first person I saw was the lady Noah spoke with at the gala. Or rather, the lady he abandoned me for. She had seemed older from the distance there, but up close she was young and breathtakingly beautiful. Her dark brown hair was styled meticulously, not even one stray hair to be found. Her light make-up made her blue eyes stand out. And her body was to be jealous of.

So, naturally I acted to be unimpressed as I shook her hand to introduce myself seeing as Noah wasn’t going to do this. “Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Lily Brown, I will be assisting Noah today.”, I said with a professional smile on my face.

“Hello Lily, I’m Vita Rossi. Please meet Giulia Gallo.”, she said, pointing at another stunning woman next to her. “Both of us are representing Esposito SRL business units that we are considering moving here. And please meet Matteo Esposito, who is the head of the full company.”, she introduced kindly. I looked around to find the third person she mentioned. That was the point where my heart stopped beating for a second, and I could feel myself starting to get hot. There he was the man better known as Asshole. He was leaning back in his chair, comfortably talking with the woman just introduced as Guilia. He looked at me quickly, nodded to me in acknowledgement and continued his talk.

It hurt; I won’t deny it. No sign of recognition, no sign of surprise, nothing. Like he didn’t remember me at all. I swallowed my pride and ego and prepared myself to behave in the most professional way possible without letting his presence affect me.

“Let’s start, shall we?”, I proposed. I saw Noah was still working to get himself together so that he could help me where needed. Everyone around the room nodded, and so it began.

I tried to concentrate as hard as I could, I also needed to know if we were going to convince these people unprepared. I just couldn’t help my eyes slipping towards Asshole occasionally. Well, I guess I should really start calling him Matteo Esposito now. Or the CEO of Esposito SRL. But he was behaving like an asshole, so it was more suiting him. Anyways, not once did I catch him looking my way. It was definitely not good for my ego. After the making-out we did, I would expect at minimum a glance. Surely one could not make out the way we did and not be a tiny bit attracted, right? But this guy had an unreadable look on his face.

Noah continued to struggle though he was trying, but any of the questions that needed more content knowledge, which obviously we didn’t prepare and needed to dance around, he pushed to me. I guess it was good, it forced me to keep away from any distraction in the room. What they wanted was the same as any larger corporation: earn as much as they could, while paying the least amount of taxes legally possible. I did thoroughly enjoy having this conversation with Vita and Guilia though. These women knew their stuff! Matteo didn’t utter a word, but I didn’t think it was because he didn’t know. He was completely invested in the discussions, but obviously he trusted these women to do the right thing.

“So, to conclude. You will send us some mock data to work with, and at the next meeting we will show you the most optimal routes and the profits these will bring to you?”, I stated, but looked around to see if everyone agreed. I saw four heads nodding, so I took it as a yes. I signaled to Noah to take over again. He had pulled himself together now, and I saw a relieved look in his eyes. Thankfully, he understood what I wanted him to do, and once he started talking, I took the opportunity to make some notes.

When I looked up, I saw Noah, Vita and Guilia moving to the door. “Lily, I will show miss Rossi and miss Gallo around the bank for a bit.”, he said. I guess he left me alone in the room. I packed up my stuff and I was about to go back to my office when I heard him. “Lily.”

I don’t think I ever turned around as fast as I just did.