The Color of our Love

Olivia folded the sheets she had just removed on the bed, she checked that everything

was spotless before closing the door. She hated this job but she couldn't quit at the risk of finding herself out of work. A foreigner, she had difficulty finding suitable work despite her diplomas and what's more, her skin color and her origins didn't help at all.

_My God Olivia, hurry up before the Snow Queen finds you here,

called out her friend Roxy.

-I'm finished, I was waiting for you, she replied.

Roxy was an unfailing support for her. When she came to this country, she didn't think

that life was going to be so complicated for her. She had been naive to believe in her aunt who had promised her heaven before realizing it was hell. She sometimes regretted having abandoned her beloved Africa to embark on an unknown world. The American dream had turned out to be a nightmare. Her aunt ended up throwing her out after accusing her of having an extramarital affair with her husband who turned out to be a scoundrel of the worst kind. She had wandered the streets of New York before heaven sent her this rare gem that was her friend Roxy. She not only found him a job but also a place to sleep. They left the room but found themselves face to face with the famous snow queen.

Carine Jackson was a frustrated and bitter woman who had been divorced four times and suffered several romantic failures. She had become bitter and took her frustration out on the hotel employees. An inveterate party animal and a greedy gambler, his cousin Zack Gordon couldn't properly take care of the hotel, so he had thought of his cousin who ruled the roost throughout the hotel.

_ So you have nothing to do? She asked them with the coldness that was known to her.

_ Of course if we went there, Roxy replied.

They didn't need to be asked, they almost ran.

_ Often I want to strangle him. Roxy said quietly once they were away from her.

_ Do you think the new owner will be friendly? Olivia asked suddenly.

_ I learned was immeasurably cold, he is so unpredictable that his employees don't know what to expect from him but they say he is also handsome.

Olivia slapped her forehead when she saw her friend who was still lost in the clouds at this last remark. She had a tendency to get lost in her bubble. They separated in a corridor.

~~~

Justin's private jet had just landed. He collected his jacket that he had taken off during the trip, he also took his briefcase and went downstairs. He found his assistant already waiting for him, he came to take his briefcase, a gesture that Justin hated but no matter how much he explained it to him, the young man didn't seem to understand.

_Is everything ready? he asked her.

_ Yes sir, they are just waiting for you. Mr. Kyle stayed at the hotel to wait for you.

Justin just nodded. He put on his sunglasses and got into the car. It has been several years since he left America to start a new life in another country. It had taken him twenty-five years to recover this hotel which had great sentimental value for him. His father Peter Hamilton had fought body and soul before building a real empire but he had the misfortune to cross paths with Tyrone Gordon who not only betrayed him by sleeping with his wife but took all his property for which he had fought so hard for. Justin was only five years old but he remembered this filth, he had sworn at the time to make them pay for their betrayal when the time came. Zack Gordon was very greedy, it had been easy for him to get him. He had only been able to recover the hotel because the other property had been squandered by these scavengers. The car parked in his private parking lot, he took a secret passage known to him and his father. He found himself in the office that had once been his father's. He found Zack Gordon putting his things away.

_ I thought you had already left? Asked Justin who had just surprised him. To his great delight, he jumped.

_ Well I was putting away the last things, he replied with a forced smile.

Once finished, he left the office. Justin began to stare at it, this office reminded him so much of his father. It had certainly changed but it remained the same office. He was going to give him the look he had before.

The door opened to reveal his friend Kyle who still had the same smile on his face. He came to give her a brotherly hug. Kyle Cyrus was more than a friend to him, he was a real brother.

_ So how is the man who finally got his due? he asked.

_ I don't think I'm getting better since this bloat from Gordon almost destroyed everything my father took so long to build. Justin replied. But I'll fix it, did you find what I asked you for?

_ Of course, a luxurious apartment in the middle of Manhattan, perched on the fortieth floor in a building all to yourself. Besides, only you can rent a building for yourself so that no one comes to bother you.

_I am like that, what do you want? Justin replied with a smirk.

_ Well I'll leave you, I'm going to see the progress of the preparations for the famous ceremony this evening.

Once Kyle left, Isaac Parker, his assistant, came in and put his briefcase on his desk. He informed her that her suite wasn't quite ready. Justin clenched his jaw visibly angry but he decided to keep a low profile, he was not going to let this recklessness pass. He had decided to clean the hotel from top to bottom in order to remove all traces of Gordon, he was going to start with the employees.

Olivia was almost finished cleaning the suite. This suite was the most luxurious of all, it was always occupied by businessmen, celebrities and other high society people. When we see the beauty of what comes next, we just want to stay there all day, Olivia refrains from dreaming too much, she wanted to keep her feet so as not to have a sudden fall. She smoothed the bed sheets before checking that she hadn't forgotten anything, it was routine in this job. The slightest mistake was punishable. She left the room and closed the door.

Justin entered the suite, without delay he headed into the bathroom. He came out

a few minutes later with a towel around his waist. One thing caught her eye, a pearl bracelet on the coffee table. It was nothing special ,

he didn't think it was a customer who had forgotten it, maybe an employee. He looked at it carefully before putting it back on the table. He decided to get dressed but the door opened behind him. He turned around and decided to put this

reckless person in his place.

-Oh sorry, I didn't know there was anyone. Exclaimed a young woman in uniform whom he guessed was an employee.

_to be sorry you must be because your gesture could be fatal to you, he replied, carefully articulating each word spoken.

Olivia remained standing in the doorway, not knowing whether to go out or enter. The man

in front of her looked at her viciously, she didn't dare look up at the body she had seen from behind. From what she had seen, This man was the most handsome she had ever seen.

-What are you doing here, young woman, she asked him in a threatening tone.

She jumped instantly, although this man was handsome he was no less terrifying. He came closer and came to stop at her level, he took her chin and looked into hers.

- I asked you a question, answer he continued but with a softer tone.

- I am.....Come.... Bracelet...forgotten...here. she stammered.

He considered her for a moment then released her chin. He took the bracelet which he

showed her.

_ Is this what you are looking for? he asked.

She just nodded. He turned around and put it back in its place. Her eyes widened in confusion.

- I'm keeping it, I found it so I'm keeping it.

-But.... She managed to say.

He raised a questioning eyebrow. He moved forward but she backed up until she hit the wall,

he placed his hands on each side making her prisoner in his grip.

-But what? Hmm.

She didn't answer, she constantly tried to avoid his gaze. To

tell the truth, it was the first time that Olivia had been so close to a man, it was completely new for her and this proximity made her nervous.

_File now, he announced, releasing her.

She runs almost making him smile. Justin looked at the young girl

who was fleeing. He had been struck by the beauty of this employee. He had especially been struck by her shyness, for a moment he had felt sorry for her, it must be admitted that he was not the gentle type. He had taken the time to observe her entire form, she was strikingly beautiful. He took

the bracelet which he sniffed, it smelled of a fruity flavor which he guessed was the

young woman's perfume. He picked up the phone and put it to his

ear after calling out a number. Roxy was alarmed by her friend's expression.

-What is it? she almost shouted. You're trembling.

She brought him a glass of water, she quenched his thirst before telling him what she

had experienced. Instead of being sorry, Roxy was rather excited.

-My God Olivia, if what you just told me is true then I envy you

my darling I'm rather jealous, you had the privilege of seeing such a beautiful body.

Olivia slapped her forehead at her friend who seemed to be lost in the clouds.

_ You are irrecoverable Roxy called Olivia before going back to her business.

Justin was a little on edge, this manager was really contemptuous of the other employees, he had only asked her for information on this

employee who had African origins given her accent and the color of her skin, but instead , this woman was only denigrating her to give her a bad image of herself. He regretted not calling Kyle for more information instead. With a wave of his hand he silenced her and sent her away, promising to fire her once he had put everything back

in place in this hotel. He had a negative report about this woman who was Zack Gordon's cousin, he refused to have a member of this family in his hotel at the risk of having problems in the future. He called Kyle who arrived within a few minutes, he explained the situation to him, he remained silent for a long time.

After a few minutes of thought Kyle asked him the question that was burning on his lips.

-Why go to all this trouble for a simple employee, and since when did you care so much about women, I thought you hated them.

Justin stood up and clenched his jaw, in fact he didn't know it himself. He didn't know exactly why he necessarily wanted to get to know this employee who had only intrigued him since he met her. He put his hands in his pockets and stopped

near the bay window which gave a magnificent view of Central Park.

-To tell the truth, I don't know, Kyle. I don't know but this young woman has a mystery surrounding her that I want to unravel. You know me my friend, I always get what I want, arrange to find me the information on this girl the rest is up to me.

With a shake of his head, Kyle withdrew without saying anything else. Once alone, Justin removed this bracelet that he had kept, he looked at it once again, it bore the young woman's first name.

_Olivia, he whispered

Kyle returned thirty minutes later with a well-stocked file which he handed to her.

_ Here you will have all the information you want about this girl.

-I prefer that you give them to me yourself, Justin replied before pouring two glasses of whiskey.

_So her name is Olivia Fierlaha Touré. She comes from a country in West Africa called the Ivory Coast, precisely in the north of the country. She is twenty-four years old and studied accounting. She lived with her aunt Monique who kicked her out because she suspected her of having an extramarital affair with her husband. So she

found herself on the street and then taken in by her friend, a Mexican woman named Roxana Gonzalez, they have been living together for two years. She has all her papers and has no problems with the law. That's all I could get about her, other than that she seems to have no social life, no hobbies or pastimes, what I learned is that she is a withdrawn young girl whose only company is books.

-Thank you Kyle, you are very efficient as always.

Kyle smiled before taking a sip of the contents of his glass. Justin retrieved the file which he carefully kept in a drawer.

-Is everything ready? he asked Kyle.

-Of course they are only waiting for you, replied He, getting up.

- Then let's go.

all the employees of the establishment were already there .

As usual, Mrs. Jackson launched into a long monologue before announcing the one they were all waiting for, that is to say the famous Justin Hamilton. It wasn't long before he showed up dressed in an impeccable suit. He faced the employees with a serious expression without any visible emotion on his face. Olivia when she put her hand to her mouth as the effect of surprise had immobilized her.

-Oh my God, she stammered.

As if fate was working against her, the stranger or earlier the new owner of the hotel she had met just a few hours ago had just fixed his gaze in her

direction before looking into hers. Olivia closed her eyes before slipping away.

Justin listened with one ear to the manager's monologue, unable to wait another minute he rushed off in search of the young woman.

Olivia had reached the locker room to catch her breath. She could never imagine that the stranger she had just met and who had disturbed her was in reality her new boss. She took a deep breath before heading back to join the other employees. But when she turned around she hit something hard, or rather a massive chest. She looked up and saw Justin with an impassive look. He was a good two heads taller than him. She moved backwards

, he continued to stare at her as if he wanted to read her or glimpse her soul.

Justin took the necessary time to observe it better, he had not had the opportunity to do so a few hours earlier. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her cheeks had two magnificent dimples when she spoke or when she smiled. She had short hair and dark skin. What intrigued her a lot was the color of her eyes, blue eyes, she had generous shapes. The young woman's breathing was ragged, which served to annoy him; he couldn't accept that she was expressing a repulsive reaction towards him.

He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes for a moment before putting his hands in his pockets, he couldn't control the flow of desire that burned his loins and this irresistible urge to kiss her. Was it possible to feel such an attraction to someone you had just met? Justin didn't have the answer, he was one of those who didn't believe in love or love at first sight.

_Why did you leave the ceremony? he asked in a voice that he wanted to be soft.

-I came to get some fresh air, I was planning to go back, she replied in a whisper.

-What is your name? he asked again even though he knew the answer.

-I think you already know that since I entered your suite without permission.

-Indeed I already know that but I wanted to hear you say it, it makes a little

difference.

-Olivia, she replied weakly, Olivia Touré.

Justin removed his hands from his pocket and moved closer to her, a little too close.

She looked down but he lifted her chin so that she could look at him. He looked into hers to gaze into her eyes.

- Your eyes..... He whispered.

She looked away, a little embarrassed by this proximity. Olivia saw herself as a monster with her eyes. In her country it was rare or almost impossible to see a person with this color of eyes, most men have dark eyes, she never understood why she had different eyes from others. She had to endure the contemptuous looks of others and even certain members of her family. Fortunately his father was always by his side.

-They have nothing in my eyes, she replied in a hoarse voice.

She tried to free herself from his embrace. Not wanting to rush her, Justin had to

make every effort in the world to loosen this embrace. He could see fear, sadness and shame in those eyes. Maybe the color of his eyes was a problem for him, he didn't see any problem with it, he found them beautiful. God, he was going crazy he thought. This young woman had something mysterious and attractive about her that pushed him to get closer to her. He then promised himself that he would do everything to discover this special thing that was driving him crazy even though he had just met her.

She had managed to free herself from his grip and walked away, leaving him alone to his thoughts. He decided to stop this ceremony which had lasted to his liking. He needed to regain his calm in his new apartment.

Olivia's heart was pounding hard against her temples. This man was playing

to test his nerves. Barely a few hours since she had just met him and already he was driving her completely crazy. She found the entrance hall determined not to spend another minute in this place. MadameJackson was certainly going to kill him, but come what may. She started towards the exit.

-My God, Olivia where have you been? Roxy asked in a worried voice. I looked for you everywhere.

- I'm going home, we'll see you there, she replied.

-You're going to have problems with Frozen if you leave without permission. Roxy warns her.

-She won't risk getting any if she leaves with me. A voice appeared that she had preferred to forget for today.