Chapter 1 THE FIRST ENCOUNTER

"Sophia, stop staring" Nancy hissed, her voice laced with annoyance. "He's way out of your league."

Sophia sighed, pouting her lips at the mesmerizing figure of the CEO waltzing his way through the receptionist hall, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes.

"I know, Nancy," Sophia mumbled, her gaze lingering on the handsome figure of Benjamin Hayes, "But he is ridiculously attractive."

"And completely unobtainable," Nancy retorted. Just then, the manager's voice boomed through the lobby, snapping them both to attention.

"Are you two gossiping instead of working? Get back to it!" he barked.

"Yes, sir" they replied in unison, getting started on their individual work. The rest of the day crawled by in a blur of fielding phone calls and welcoming guest. Three minutes until their shift neared its end, the phone rang.

" Hayes Hotels, how may I help you?" Sophia picked up.

"Hi," a smooth voice replied. "Can I get a bottle of whiskey and some ice sent up to the penthouse?"

Sophia's breath hitched. The penthouse? That meant... "Certainly, sir. What brand of whiskey would that be, sir?"

"A Macallan," the voice chuckled.

Sophia's heart hammered in her chest. Mr. Hayes himself? In a daze, she confirmed the order and hung up.

"You'll never guess who just called!" she exclaimed, whirling towards Nancy.

"Can we just go? I'm beat." Nancy responded, already gathering her things.

"It was Mr. Benjamin Hayes!" Sophia blurted.

Nancy's eyes widened. "Seriously? You're delivering his order?"

"To the penthouse!" Sophia exclaimed, buzzing with disbelief.

"Wow!" Nancy murmured. "I'll wait for you outside, hurry up!" She responded.

Sophia squealed internally, her heart racing with anticipation as she made her way to the wine cellar. The bustling hotel kitchen seemed to fade away as she descended the staircase, her steps echoing on the cool, concrete floor. She reached the bottom, surrounded by row upon row of gleaming wine and alcohol bottles in different shapes and sizes.

Consulting the catalog for the whiskey she came for, she carefully made her way through the aisles, taking her time to admire the labels and read the descriptions of each vintage.

After several minutes of browsing, her eyes fell upon the Macallan bottle containing a rich, mahogany-colored liquid. She reached out and picked it up, observing it with keen interest. The label was a work of art in itself, with intricate designs and elegant calligraphy. The glass was smooth and cool to the touch.

Satisfied, Sophia carefully placed the bottle in her cart and made her way back up to the main level. She stopped to pick up a bucket of ice, knowing that the drink would be best served chilled, and added it to the cart.

She stepped into the elevator and took a deep breath and tried to steady her nerves. She clicked on the button for the penthouse and waited patiently as the elevator ascended, the bottle of rich, mahogany liquid safely cradled in her cart.

Finally, the doors opened once again, but directly into the penthouse suite, she stepped out into the vast space, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of the luxurious surroundings.

"Leave it on the table ," a voice instructed.

She followed the sound of the voice from the wall to ceiling windows. It was Mr. Hayes, now minus his suit jacket with his hair slightly tousled, with a phone to his ear.

Sophia stammered a response, stealing glances around the room as she complied with his instructions.

"Wow," she breathed, her voice barely a whisper.

"Thank you. You can go." He acknowledged, giving her a curt nod.

She gave a soft bow and took the elevator down to where she came from completely dazed. For four years she had been working here, and in those four years she had never answered a call from him until today, and not only that she was privileged to visit his penthouse. She let out a shaky breath trying to keep her composure as she walked back to the receptionist area to pack up her things.

Nancy lounged sprawled across an armchair, the picture of nonchalance. But Sophia could see a flicker of curiosity beneath the carefully constructed facade.

"Sophia !" Nancy perked up practically oozing with Curiosity battled with a hint of skepticism in her gaze.

"Nancy, you wouldn't believe it," she gushed, her memory of the place still vivid. "It was like stepping into a glossy magazine! And the view from the window seemed to stretch on forever, like a vast, endless horizon. I felt like..." She trailed off, searching for the right words to capture the sheer extravagance of the place. "Like a .... a queen in a palace!"

"Sounds fancy," she mumbled, her eyes already scanning the exit. "Can we go now? I'm starving."

"Alright, fine grumpy" Sophia responded, while Nancy gave her a deadpan look.

____

The cab ride home was a blur of city lights and Sophia's excited chatter and Nancy's halfhearted hums.

"I'll just hop in the shower," Nancy declared immediately. The cab pulled to a stop at their apartment. Sophia paid the cab driver with an appreciative smile and then also made her way into their shared apartment.

Left alone in the living room, Sophia busied herself with dinner preparations. Taking her time to keep herself grounded in the present.

The sound of the bathroom door opening caught her attention, and she looked up to see Nancy stepping out.

"Hey" Sophia said, smiling at her friend. " You seem awfully in a better mood?" She teased.

"Don't try to be a sassy girl," Nancy replied, squeezing her hair in the small towel. "You know I always feel so much better after a good shower."

Sophia nodded, "I know what you mean. Dinner is ready now. Are you ready to eat now?"

"Definitely," Nancy responded, her stomach grumbling in agreement. "What are we having?"

"I made some spaghetti with meatballs". She responded.

"That sounds perfect," Nancy replied, walking into the kitchen. "You always make the best food."

-----

They sat down at the table, and Sophia served up the spaghetti. Sophia took a few bites before her mind was transported to her obscene crush on her boss again. She poked and prodded her food lost in the memory of him and occasionally let out a dreamy sigh.

"Sophia ," Nancy called out gently, her voice laced with concern.

"Yeah" she responded absentmindedly.

"You seem a little...out of it. Everything alright?" Nancy queried.

Sophia forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess." But the words sounded hollow even to her own ears.

"Listen," Nancy responded sternly, "infatuation can be blinding. This guy, he's rich and lives in a penthouse. Don't let that cloud your judgment, okay? He's our boss before anything else. Don't do anything stupid". She scolded.

"I know what I'm doing, Nancy. Sophia bristled, a defensive edge creeping into her voice. It's not that deep."

"I know you, Sophia, and you look..."

"I'm no longer hungry" Sophia interrupted, cutting her off. She threw her cutlery down and stood up, forcefully sending the chair flying back. She then stormed off to her bedroom like a cranky teenager.