Rosalie batted her lashes as she tried to make a meaning out of her words.
She was her boss' date? Was that why he never answered her question?
But why did he take her as his date? Sophia was there, wasn't she?
Despite her doubt, she felt important. He was an elegant man and taking her as his date, a sudden flare of joy bloomed inside of her.
"Oh my" the lady exclaimed and Rosalie turned to her.
"I am Mia" Mia stretched her hands still wondering who Rosalie was. She thought he'd come with Sophia. Why didn't he?
"Rosalie" Rosalie forced a smile and took Mia's hand. Mia's face was full of puzzle but all Rosalie figured out was contempt.
Her insides churned as she wondered who Mia was. Was she some sort of her boss' ex-girlfriend?
"I'll just wait here for Alex" Mia mumbled seeing Alexander didn't reply to her text.
"Hmm" Rosalie forced a hum and averted her gaze back at the ballet dancers. No matter how hard she tried, her brain couldn't register their performance any longer.
She wondered who the lady beside her was. Why wasn't Alexander present? Why'd he leave her in the midst of people she didn't know?
He took her there without an explanation and then, he left her? She scoffed mentally at his behavior.
Mia's phone rang and Rosalie turned to her immediately. Her brows puckered up as she watched Mia scowl.
"Yes, I'm with her Alex. Who's she?"
Rosalie rolled her eyes mentally knowing it was her boss. But why was the lady asking who it was?
"No Alex!" The girl suddenly screamed out and Rosalie forced her orbs back to her. "I'm not representing you in that goddamn meeting!"
Rosalie stared mystified. She really wanted to know what her boss was saying to the lady. A part of her wanted to know what their relationship was.
She scolded that part of herself instantly. Yes, her boss had shared a few moments with her but she was sure there were just mistakes.
She was at fault.
A cheer erupted and Mia stood up, her frown still plastered on her face.
Lonesomeness hit Rosalie as she watched Mia walk away. She sniffed and gripped her clothes. Where was her boss? Where did he go?
She had to call him. She grabbed her phone when Mia dashed back to her with a scowl, "come with"
Huh? Rosalie's brows puckered up as she took the meaning of her words. Come with? To where?
"Ohh common dummy, let's go" Mia huffed and grabbed Rosalie's hand.
"Where are you taking me?" Rosalie queried as she trudged after Mia. Mia scoffed and stopped in her steps.
"You'll talk to him now, okay? You only have to leave the crowd" she deadpanned and Rosalie nodded with a frown.
They got out of the curtain and immediately, Mia punched her phone. "Here, talk to him"
"Rosalie —" Alexander's voice came up and Rosalie blinked rapidly. Heat scourged through her and chills ran across her skin.
"I'll be busy and you stay with Mia, okay? You'll attend business meetings with her. Gather every information needed okay?"
"Alright sir" Rosalie licked her lips as she tried to muster up courage. She had to ask where he was. "Where—" the sound of the call disconnecting made her stop.
He gave her no chance to talk.
She sucked in her cheeks as she pondered on his order. Didn't he bring her as his date?
She scoffed and turned to Mia who narrowed her eyes.
She heard Rosalie use sir for Alexander. That heightened her doubt; she wasn't close to Alexander.
"Let's go" Mia ordered and led the way while Rosalie followed, her chest heavy and aching due to the feeling.
Despite how keen she was to know, she had high hopes for his reason to go to Italy. And when he took her to that room, she thought it was something special.
She reprimanded herself immediately. Something special with her boss?
It was surreal.
She casted her gaze back to the lady leading her to God knows where. Her steps were fast even though they were forced. She sighed and ruffled her hair. She had to see What'd happen.
They passed through different hallways until Rosalie finally saw a giant steel door. "A conference, we're in this together. I'm acting as Alexander."
Acting as? Rosalie's mind twirled around as she tried to pinpoint the relationship between her and Alexander. Why was she acting as him?
Mia rearranged her hair and grabbed a card from her purse. "Let's go in."
Rosalie braced herself up immediately and they walked into the room. A man probably in his mid fifties was giving tips for business.
Mia and Rosalie scurried through the people around and took a seat with Mia as the CEO. As Mia listened to the lectures while Rosalie struggled to jot down, Mia felt angry.
Why'd he tell her to attend his business meeting without informing her ahead? Yes, she was the family's daughter but she hated anything business.
She handed Rosalie a couple of files while Rosalie jotted the information needed.
Soon, the conference ended.
"Till we meet in the next one" the man gave a slight bow and the people cheered. At that moment, Rosalie glanced around.
Her brows knitted in an arch seeing men dominated the room. They were probably the only ladies. She sighed and casted her gaze to Mia who was staring intently at her.
"Who are you to Alexander?" Mia threw the question at Rosalie.
Rosalie swallowed the clog in her throat at that question. Who was she to Alexander? She didn't know.
Or yes, she knew.
"Secre—" she wanted to say but a voice beat her to it.
"His secretary."
She raised her head at that voice and her orbs widened immediately they rested on the owner of the voice.
Williams!
Her insides twitched as memories of him awoke inside of her. His eyes on her that day, how he ate her up with his gaze. How he made her spill a drink on her boss.
She scoffed and turned from his gaze.
"Mr Williams?" Mia smiled and looked from Rosalie to Williams. "His secretary?"
"Yes" Williams mumbled with his gaze fixated on Rosalie. He could clearly read her uncomfortability. "Rosalie" he stretched out his hands to her but Rosalie only stared blankly at him.
She casted her gaze to his hands but only scoffed. "Still mad?" Williams chuckled and Mia stared puzzled.
"Hitting on her?" Mia queried and Rosalie turned to her immediately. "Oh perhaps I'm the third party, I think I should leave" Mia chuckled and stood.
Rosalie rose to her feet too, grabbed her things and Mia turned to her with creased brows, "Mr Alexander clearly said I should follow you everywhere you go" Rosalie answered the question on Mia's mind.
"Oh yeah" Mia rolled her eyes and turned to Williams.
"Your friend is a friggin asshole, look, he made me attend the meeting" she shook her head which caused Williams to laugh.
"Let's go to the party"
Rosalie nodded and they walked out of the conference room. As they headed to the party room, Rosalie made sure to put a space between her and Williams.
She paid less attention to him and soon, he wasn't by her side. Where did he go? Her brows creased as she glanced around. Where did he disappear to? She shrugged and plodded after Mia.
They got back to the room and the ballet dancers were done, what remained was the people uttering incoherent words into her ears. She rolled her eyes because they were all speaking Italian.
"Ohh good, now we wait for Alexander" Mia settled down and Rosalie did the same. Immediately, Mia began punching her phone; smiling at intervals.
Rosalie yawned repeatedly as she glanced around. She used her phone but got bored as minutes passed by. At last, she rested on the seat as she drifted into her own thoughts.
She was in Italy; she thought it'd be adventurous. Well a part of her did. She didn't know her boss was going to leave her with a human she didn't know about.
She sighed and hugged herself. The AC sent cold chills on her skin but she loved it. It reminded her of Alexander's kisses.
At that thought, she paused. She batted her lashes as Alexander's beautiful face filled her mind. He was pretty; from his thick brows, his eyes that fitted his high cheekbones to his perfectly shaped jawline.
She remembered the moment she gripped his shirt when he kissed her face. She loved it.
Yesterday night, she wished she could stay in his arms forever.
But she knew it was a fantasy. He probably did all of that without a reason. He had Sophia and she didn't forget that.
Even though the relationship between them wasn't a good one, she knew they were more than intimate.
"I'll be back" the voice jolted into her thoughts and she turned to Mia immediately.
"I have to receive a call" Mia grumbled and walked away. She couldn't believe Alexander made her stay with a girl.
She hated it!
Rosalie sighed as she watched Mia leave. She felt lonelier than ever. She sighed and glanced around. As her eyes darted around for anything to keep her busy, her eyes rested on the door people were trooping in and out of.
Perhaps she could get a proper view of the city. She smiled and trotted to the door immediately. She pushed the door open and realized it was the balcony.
Her smile widened as she viewed the city. Italy was such a beautiful place. Ranging from the skyscrapers she saw ahead to the light that glittered across every house, she loved the whole setting of the city.
"Rosalie?" She whipped her head to the voice and her brows shut up in surprise seeing Williams. He stalked her?
She scoffed and averted her gaze sideways when Williams spoke, "seems like I made a pretty girl angry" Williams chuckled and stood beside her.
"You seem to hate me" he spoke up when she kept his gaze fixated on the view.
"I do" Rosalie verified without sparing him a glance. His actions were creepy.
"Oops I'm not really a fan of pretty girls hating me" Williams chortled, his eyes on her. She had an angelic face and her cheek bones made more of her beauty visible.
He knew she'd do a perfect job in being a model; if not because of her shy nature.
"So, I'll just apologize for being weird," Williams laughed and Rosalie turned to him. "I'm sorry."
Rosalie's brows rose in surprise. She stood unblinking before she scoffed, "is that so I can like you?"
"Maybe" Williams mumbled with a smile. "I actually didn't know I made you uncomfortable. Alex had informed me."
Rosalie paused. "Alex?" Her brows raised at the mention of her boss' name. Her boss told him she made her uncomfortable?
"Probably why you spilled that the other day" Williams chortled before he straightened his collar, "we didn't have a nice introduction but here, a proper introduction" Williams stretched out his hands.
"Nice meeting with you Rosalie Jones, hope we can be good friends."
Rosalie skeptically examined his finger before she took his hands, "fine" she huffed and they shook hands.
"So, a drink?" Williams glanced around and raised his hands for a waiter. "Posso avere un bicchiere di vino— can I have a drink?" He asked and the waiter handed him the drink.
He gave Rosalie the glass and she took a sip, "so, how's it in Italy?"
"Huh? I've only been here for a day" Rosalie chuckled which left Williams stunned. Her dimple aided her beauty perfectly.
"You're pretty," he confessed before he could stop himself.
Rosalie stiffened. Her lips curled up and a surge of heat rose to her cheeks, "thank you" she darted her eyes away to the people around her to hide her blushing cheeks.
"So, let's talk about business," Williams suggested and Rosalie agreed.
As they settled discussing business, Rosalie paused at the incessant stare piercing her skull. She raised her head and her eyes locked with the familiar set of eyes she had been craving.
Williams whipped his head to her direction and through the crowd, his orbs rested on Alexander.
But something was off, his brows were contorted and his hand fisted into a ball.
"Rosalie" he marched towards them and grabbed her hand. "Let's go" he led the way, holding her firmly.