Chapter 4

The Billionaire’s Escort~

Nothing in life is permanent. Things change. People change. We love, we fight, regrets sets in, but overall we live and conquer.

Elizabeth Walters~

The rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. The golden rays of sunlight shone brightly that could blind one's eyes, I raised my hands, trying to block out the sun, but it was of no use. A  grunt escaped my lips as I stirred awake, sitting up and rubbing my eyes sleepily.

I stood up and walked towards the window, pulling the blinds down so I could sleep more. I groggily walked back to my bed, laying down on it and closing my eyes to sleep.

All of that became a fantasy when I heard someone bang the door loudly. I groaned as I pressed a pillow on my head, hoping whoever it was would take the initiative and leave, but it was quite the opposite.

Whoever it was kept banging as their life depended on it.

I eventually got out of bed, slipping on my palms, and walked out of the room. I paused to look at myself in the mirror. I got home late last night and slept in my clothes. Thankfully I was sensible enough to pull off my boots.

I snapped out of my thoughts when the banging on the door went louder. My heart skipped a beat just as I approached the door. What if it were the people from the loan shark.

“Who is it?” I called out, sneakily looking at the laying holes in the door.

“Izzie!” Hazel yelled as she banged the door, nearly banging my eye in the process.

I stood straight and opened the door. A bright smile sat proudly on her face as she stared at me. I couldn’t help but notice the pleasant way she was dressed.

She looked like she was dressed to conquer all sadness.

“Why do you look so happy?” I stated frankly, walking away from her to my room.

I heard the door shut loudly. “Why do you look so sad?” She asked

I paused in my steps, turning to look at her. I pursed my lips into a thin line and raised my eyebrows. I was staring at her with my eyes wide open.

“Pardon?”

I rolled my eyes when she sighed, dropping her bag on the floor. I opened the door to the room and walked in. I could no longer sleep since Hazel was here, but I could at least get out of yesterday’s clothes and wear something okay.

“Izzie, you have to snap out of this heartbreak sadness,” Hazel says as she walks into the room.

I swirled slightly to look at her. She crossed her arms against her chest. She raised her eyebrows. The creases on her forehead were enough to tell me she was serious.

“I am not sad because of heartbreak,” I stated as I pulled my jeans off. I noticed she was still quiet and turned to see her still staring at me in the same posture.

“Fine. Maybe I am a little sad because of the heartbreak, but I can assure you the majority of it is because of the damn loan he took, and I have to pay and the fact that I am totally bankrupt now, so yes. I think I do deserve to be sad.”

I placed the clothes I just pulled off into the laundry basket and stepped into the bathroom.

I stepped into the shower and had a cold bath. I finished up and towel-dried myself, walking out to meet her sitting on the bed with her phone.

She looked up at me just as I stepped out of the bathroom, a sly smirk appearing on her face.

I furrowed my eyebrows together, confused by the reaction I was getting from her.

“What’s it?” I asked

“Oh, nothing much, just the fact that you might have done what I suggested, you know?” She says, wiggling her eyebrows.

I couldn’t understand what she meant until she began to flash the phone in her hands openly, yup. It wasn’t her phone she was holding but mine.

I rolled my eyes and walked towards my wardrobe, pulling it open, and looked at her for a brief second.

“I mean, there’s no harm in trying, and I was going to tell you after I had my bath,” I say to her, pulling out a huge top that I own. I wore it and dried my wet hair. I tied it into a loose bun after I was done and hopped back to my bed

“So? What have you decided?” Hazel asked me.

I sighed as I remembered yesterday. We confirmed the deal, and I left there, but I wasn’t at peace. I still felt so troubled. Perhaps it was because of my dad’s voice that I heard or because of the issue with Olivia and Liam, or maybe the Loan shark problem, but something was quite correct. I was not at peace.

I ended up taking a long stroll, I had no idea where I would go, but I let my feet take me. I eventually got to the Tan River.

When I was younger, I would always go to the beach with my dad. I loved seeing the water, how clean and purifying it was. There was a particular thing about the river. It was absolutely calming.

I ended up sitting by the river and staring into space. I had a lot of self-healing moments as I sat there staring at the river. I had no idea I was streaming tears until I touched my cheeks. I guess I was really broken, and my feet brought me here. The one place I would always feel safe, the one place I would feel comforted and calm. The only place that made me feel close to my Dad.

Watching the river wave flow at liberty, looking at the sunset brought me inner peace.

“Dear Elizabeth Walters. Come back to the land of the living.” Hazel snapped her fingers right in front of my eye, jolting me out of memory lane.

I rolled my eyes at her, pushing her slightly while she laughed.

“Come on, tell me.”

“I met up with the man, I mean his assistant, and we finalized everything. I will be getting 1,500 bucks today and the rest after the business dinner.” I tell her.

Her eyes widened invariably. She gawked openly at me, her lips parting ways as she assimilated what I just told her.

“Oh, my fucking Jesus. Are you for real? I,500 bucks for a business dinner? Are you sure I am not in the wrong line of work?” She burst out, standing up abruptly from the bed as she paced around.

“And you will just be going for the business dinner, right?” She paused, looking at me in the eye

“Yes, according to what he told me, it is just dinner, and I am back home but then again. Weren’t you so sure about it just being an ‘escort,’ or is there something else I am missing?” I asked, watching her keenly.

“No, silly. I am just trying to be safe. That’s all.” She tells me.

I slowly relaxed back to the bed. I understand what she is going on about, which is why I would be going there with pepper spray and a pocket knife. It could come in handy if something happens.

“When is the dinner, and how are the arrangements? What do we do? How do you prepare?” She asked series of questions that I honestly didn’t want to answer but then again. I had to if I keep quiet. She will bombard me with a thousand more questions.

“Uh, today, and they will take care of everything,” I tell her, darling, the severs around me.

“I came here to take you out, not watch you sleep, get the fuck out of that damned bed, and yeah, lest I forget, please leave your location on and maybe share it with me. I know we aren’t that close, but it would be nice to know you’re safe.” She tells me but whispering the last part awkwardly.

I smiled softly as I looked at her, The Hazel, I know, isn’t always shy to state precisely how she feels about anyone, but now she seems nervous, telling me she knows we aren’t that close, but she would still be worried. I felt glad to have someone like her here with me while I went through this phase.

What she did for me in two days, my supposed best friend or sister didn’t or couldn’t do in ten years.

“Thank you, Hazel, really thank you,” I tell her, and she smiled. I could miss the tears glinting I her brown eyes.

Suppose there was one thing I absolutely adored about her, even while we were just co-workers. It has to be the fact that her eyes literally matched her name. Her parents did a number there while naming her.

                                      ***

Time went by, and soon it was five pm in the evening. Hazel, who was here to take me out, ended up spending the day in the house, dragging my ass down so she could style my hair.

While styling the hair, the parcel which I was expecting got delivered. She immediately ditched my hair for the package, opening the large box open. I gasped as soon as I saw the things I was sent.

The dress was simply breathtaking, I don’t think it has ever crossed my mind to wear something so elegant, and it could only make me feel of the kind of business dinner this is.

“Oh my, you are living the dream, bestie,” Hazel says as she admires the dress.

“You think?” I asked. She looked at me for a split second and rolled her eyes when’s he understood what I meant.

I chuckled and looked at the dress, my fingers touching the thin fabric as I ran my eyes through the clothing.

It is an ivory brush train satin with spilt, a sweetheart, neckline sleeveless sweep. I couldn’t take my eyes off this beautiful work of art, but I did when Hazel opened the second box.

She gasped as she brought out the heels paired with it.

“Are you going out with Elon fucking Nusk? because these are hella expensive.” She says, carrying the pair of heels like they were diamonds.

I took the pair from her and admired what I saw. These were so freaking beautiful, black velvet mules with crystal strap heels. I couldn’t stop staring at them. I admired every little detail of the heels. They were perfect in my hands.

I dropped the heels and picked the tiny box waiting to be checked, glancing to see Hazel still starting at the dress dreamily.

I opened the box and was stunned, yeah. I am now convinced I am going for some sort of human auction because what the actual fuck.

Inside the box sat a gorgeous Cubic Zirconia Crystal pear Y drop necklace. I carefully brought it out of the box, placing it on my palms as I admired the crystals. I have no words to describe just how incredible it looked.

“Wow..” Hazel says behind me. I didn’t even know she was standing so close to me, staring at the necklace too.

“This person must have a Godzilla-filled pocket.” She tells me.

I smiled softly as I dropped the necklace into the box, picking the last of the item delivered to me. I have to say. The man definitely took the time to go through all of these.

I opened the box and brought out a bag. Now, this isn't just any kind of bag, and I know because I have a picture of this purse saved in my phone—a black Saint Lauren monogram bag with a front flap.

I gulped nervously, dropping the bag on the bed, and stared at the things delivered to me. These were worth more than the money Liam borrowed from the loan sharks, and I would be wearing all of these today.

“Izzie, as much as we would both love to stand here and look at these beauties, you have an hour to get dressed. The driver will be here by 7 pm.” She tells me.

I sighed and nodded, walking to my bathroom to wash up again. From the things sent over to me, it is more than clear that whoever or whatever business dinner this is, I need to be on my best behavior, not like I wouldn’t, but this just spelled it out for me.

I finished having my bath and walked back to the room, thankfully my hair was still in place and not rumpled. I began to apply my makeup, trying so hard not to mess the thing up. It’s been months since I did my makeup. Work drained me, family responsibilities drained me, and I couldn’t think of myself anymore. It felt more like I was living for people. Satisfying every wants and need of Liam, helping the family back home as hard as I could, working nonstop to get money so I could pay for Dad’s surgery. It overwhelmed me, and I forgot how to live like I used to.

That was one of the things I realized yesterday.

I had lost touch with make-up and could only do something really minimal to my face, I wasn’t the one to use bright makeup, and so I used nude.

I set my hair correctly as I looked into the mirror. I am good to go with my face.

I turned to face Hazel, who nodded in approval. I picked up the dress off the bed, staring at it like it was the world.

I eventually put it on, and being shocked would be an understatement. It fitted like a second skin. Not only did I look sexy, but I also felt sexy in the dress.

Hazel whistled loudly as she saw me. A big smile embraced her face as she looked at me

“You already looked so gorgeous.” She says, helping me with the necklace so carefully. It settled into my neck gently. I ran my fingers against the crystals as I stared at my reflection.

I wore the heels, and they fitted me perfectly. I was still surprised as to how the man knew my shoe size, dress size, and even preference.

“You look Amazing, Izzie,” Hazel says, smiling so brightly at me.

“Thank you,” I tell her, still looking at my reflection. I feel beautiful.

I looked at my phone and saw that it was exactly 7 pm. I guess the time has come.