Chapter 16 Caught In The CEO’s Elevator
Ezra had taken his time to prepare dinner for his sister just as the elevator door opened. This might be the last time he does so, as she would need to handle these tasks herself if she wanted to visit him from time to time.
As Winter pulled her chair to sit and placed her bag on the table, she was suddenly interrupted. "What did I tell you about putting your bags on the dining table? And remember to wash your hands before you eat. I value cleanliness."
"Hello to you too, Brother. Did you miss me?"
Ezra rolled his eyes. "You were here just a month ago." He returned to the kitchen to grab some cutlery, set it on the table, and then focused on his sister. "Why don’t you like spending time at home?" Ezra asked as he took a seat.
"Hmm. I don't think I need to explain myself if you've been living with your parents." She got up and walked to the kitchen to wash her hands. When she came back, her gaze moved around the room as if she was looking for someone. "Where's Cody? It's strange not to see him here. He's usually right next to you." As she settled back into her chair, she turned to her brother.
"He should be around. Somewhere." Ezra said with doubt. His dog loved to be everywhere. Hopefully, he wasn’t making a mess in the house like last time when he went off to hide.
"I also heard some news."
"What news?" Ezra grabbed the jug and poured himself some water. He paused. She must have something to say if she claimed she heard news, considering how well he knew his sister.
"Heather Walls is back. How do you feel about that? She always seems to bring out the worst in you. After everything she did to you in college, I really hope you're not still in love with her."
"Hey. Hey. I never said she did anything to me."
"You don't have to. I have my sources… everywhere."
"... And I am not in love with her."
Winter kept glancing at her brother while she ate. Something was bothering her, and if she mentioned it now, it could upset Ezra — which was exactly what she wanted: to make him mad and let him talk it out. She shook her head. Maybe now wasn't the best time to bring it up. Her brother looked a bit uneasy. As she paused her meal, she let out a sigh. "Have you heard there will be a party this weekend?"
Of course, he has. He was the CEO and also the grandson of Jada Queen.
“You are always busy, so I doubt you would have.”
He turned to face his sister. "Are you going?"
"Of course.” She exhaled. “Mother will be furious if I don’t attend grandmama’s birthday. You have an excuse not to attend. I don’t have a choice and it will be a big party since you know what grandmama is like. She loves when people adore her and praise her as if she is a goddess of some universe. You need to style me, Ezra. No, actually, you don’t have to. I’ve heard that the new designer they hired is really good at her job."
Of course.
Ezra shut his eyes.
He wasn’t surprised Winter would have heard. And he wasn’t ready to dive into this.
He tried to focus on his food, but his curiosity won. "You already know about her? That’s surprising."
"I told you I have inside info on both your work and personal life."
"That sounds like something a stalker would do."
"I’m your sister, not a stalker." She folded her arms, then took a deep breath to calm herself. "So, are you going to let her style me?"
"Do whatever you want, Winter. I’m not even sure if she’ll be invited."
"You have to invite her." She leaned closer, her brows lifting in insistence.
"Why? You’ve never even met her."
"But I've heard of her. That's all that matters." She lifted both hands dramatically, as if stating the obvious. "I need her to style me. Please, Ezra, I really do." She grabbed his arm and shook it lightly like a pleading child. "I want to stand out from my friends. Why is my brother the CEO of the biggest fashion company in the world if I can't look good?"
He nodded as the word praised his ego. So true. He was the CEO, which meant he had to give Emma another chance—and this time, she better step up, or she could miss out on future chances. "Okay. She'll be invited to the party. I'll make it happen. But does she really need to be there? She could style you at home and—"
"I want to hang out with her too."
"Winter!"
"What? You know how much I love meeting new people in the industry. Please, get her an invite to the party. You have the power, and with just a snap of your fingers, it’s done. I can't wait for my friends to see how amazing she is." Winter stood up, picked up her empty plate, and walked to the kitchen.
Ezra sat down, thinking about his sister’s words. He let out a small laugh. What is she up to now? This was exactly how she became friends with Heather when he first started dating her. It wasn’t like he had any romantic feelings for Emma; she simply worked for him.
After dinner, he picked up his phone and called Milan. “Get me a party invite.” He hung up before she could respond.
When he walked into his room, Ezra found Cody curled up in a corner. A wave of relief washed over him—at least he wouldn’t be cleaning up more messes before bed.
“You’re calm today. Is it because Winter is back?” Cody let out a soft groan. “She’s not that bad. She just hates getting dirty, and you love having fun. Don’t worry, I won’t let her yell at you.” Ezra got up, made his bed, and prepared to sleep.
A moment later, a knock sounded at the door.
Winter peeked inside. “Hey.”
He sat up. “What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to say thanks for letting me stay here. I’m not ready to go back to our parents’ house yet. They’ve been so annoying. But I will go back eventually. Is that okay?”
“Winter, this is your home too.” Ezra smiled. “How about we head to the company tomorrow? You’ll finally get to meet Emma in person. You can tell her how you want your dress designed.”
“Does that mean I have to wake up at 7 a.m.?”
“Nope. 6:30 a.m.—on the dot.”
Winter groaned and laughed. “I’ll try. Good night, Ezra.”
“Good night.” Ezra switched off the lights and went to sleep once Winter closed the door.
Emma got home around ten and decided to take a bath before hitting the bed. It had been a tough day for her, and she just wanted to look refreshed for work the next day.
The next morning, she woke up at her usual time and got ready for work. Before leaving, she popped into her mom's room to drop off a letter, letting her know she had finally found a place of her own. And would be staying there from now on. She also promised to call often.
She stepped out, called a taxi, and headed to work. As she walked into the company, she let out a frustrated sigh. "Good morning, Henry," she greeted the security guard and headed for the elevator.
Emma didn’t know about the elevator rules. The CEO used the first elevator, so no one else could ride it in the morning, evening, or anytime at all. It was his, and for the Vips.
She felt pressured to get to the office first so no one would see her already recovered. Emma waited for the door to open, then stepped into the elevator and let out a sigh of relief, glad no one saw her. She leaned back against the railing as the doors slid shut, hoping she would make it to the office before Ezra. She didn’t want him to see her looking all better.
Emma reached for her phone, but the door suddenly jammed. When she looked up, her eyes widened to see Milan, who had blocked the door from closing with full strength.
The door finally opened and Milan looked up and was taken aback. "Miss Facer. It’s you."
"Someone dares to use my elevator?" Ezra said as he stepped into view. "You." He was shocked to see Emma inside. "Haven’t you heard this elevator is reserved for me?"
She clearly had no idea. She was just starting out.
"You might want to take the other elevator, Miss Facer," Milan suggested. Emma tried to step out but was stopped.
"It's fine. She can ride with me," he said with a smile, turning to Milan. "Winter is in the car. Please bring her to my office."
"Sir?"
“Go.”
"I think it’s better if I leave," Emma replied, hoping she wouldn’t be stuck there with him. She definitely hadn’t planned on running into him that morning. She had avoided that from happening.
"The door is already shutting. You can’t get out now."
Emma moved to the corner, doing her best not to look at him—or sneak any glances. He leaned back against the steel wall and the door closed. The elevator began to move.
"How are you doing?" He looked at her.
"Sir?" She shot him a quick look.
"I mean, I saw your letter about missing work yesterday because you were suddenly sick. How are you feeling now? Are you ready to get back to work?"
She nodded. "Yes. I am."
They both stayed quiet until the elevator reached her floor. After she stepped out, Emma turned to him. "Thank you, sir."
She waited for the elevator door to close, then headed to the office.