The fountain was the first thing Natalie noticed when the car pulled up in front of the entrance. It was bigger than her flat and way prettier, too. But then again, everything about this place was incredible, from the well-maintained gardens she'd caught a glimpse of when they drove into the solid Cape Dutch facade.
The hotel supposedly housed one hundred and twenty-five guest rooms and fifteen suites. Natalie believed it. The place was massive. She'd need a map to find her way around.Thankfully, Paul was already waiting for her at the entrance before the sheer size of The Empress could overwhelm her completely.She'd expected a tall, gorgeous man in his thirties. But from his looks alone, Paul had no right to be the self-absorbed jerk Emily had described."Noelle?" He asked in a deep voice before he took her hand and kissed it.But since he was such a gentleman, Natalie could almost put aside her first impressions of him. Almost."You must be, Paul," she said with a smile, slipping into her biggest role yet. When all this was over, she expected an Oscar or a nomination at the very least.Without the help of her 4-inch heels, Natalie was on the short side, and Paul, in his insanely expensive but ill-fitting tuxedo, was heavyset and somewhat shorter than her.He looked like a man who enjoyed an abundance of good food and wine, and she pegged him somewhere in the late forties to early fifties. Time had caught up with him rather too soon; the side part in his blond hair could not hide the thinning crown.Natalie smiled at the irony. For someone obsessed with beauty and perfection, Paul had too many imperfections."You are—" he said, pausing as his pale blue eyes roamed all over her body, his thin lips curling upwards.Please don't say it, please don't say it, Natalie prayed silently, her smile growing so wide her cheeks hurt. It was her biggest pet peeve, a deal-breaker. She hated it when people called her exotic simply because she was coloured, and if Paul so much as implied it, she was out. Nothing was going to stop her from turning around and calling an Uber."—Exquisite!" he finished off the compliment, and all the tension drained from her face as she relaxed her shoulders. It was a little overboard but not offensive. She grasped his sweaty palm lightly as he led her inside.Cameras flashed as soon as they entered the glamorously decked-out lobby. But they were all trained on the man of the hour. Cell phones were shoved in Paul's face as reporters demanded a quote, a statement, an interview, anything to give their news rags the hottest headline.Natalie hung back and blended in with the wallpaper, making sure to pass her first test and not steal Paul's thunder.He wrapped up the impromptu press briefing in under ten minutes and guided her to The Blue Room. There were no traces of blue anywhere, though, and Natalie wondered where the name came from.Paul was happy to clear up her curiosity.The Blue Room was simply the name of the conference room now beautifully decorated in a black and silver motif and transformed into a venue fit for a gala in his honour.The theme for the night was reminiscent of The Great Gatsby, with the women dressed in elegant flapper dresses of different colours and lengths and their hair sleeked back in 1920s hairstyles. The men looked equally dashing in their tuxedos and three-piece suits.Aware that she was the only one not in theme, Natalie felt a little self-conscious and wondered if Emily had missed the memo. But then again, this was probably the best her friend and Aunty Viv could do at the last minute.The whole time she hung on Paul's arm as they flitted around the room, shaking more sweaty hands from men whose names she forgot almost immediately and accepting cheek kisses from women she'd never see again, Natalie expected someone to rush up to her and expose her con.She looked the part of an oil heiress in her fancy dress and Louboutins. But she felt like a complete fraud, and in many ways, she didn't belong here.She was probably the youngest person in the room and the least accomplished. Everyone she'd met so far was either a doctor, lawyer, hotelier or CEO of some Rock Union Stock Exchange-listed company, and they'd all studied at big-name universities.Surely these people, with their fancy clothes and impressive titles, could tell that the furthest she'd ever been from home was church camp at Pine Crest, an hour away from Sparrow Beach, and she could only dream of seeing the inside of a plane, let alone a private jet."Smile!" Paul pulled her close to his side as he led her to their table, and Natalie flinched when his warm breath fanned her bare neck.She really should have asked why it mattered so much to please him. But blinded by the idea of spending an evening at The Empress and ticking off at least one item from her bucket list, she'd gone along with Emily's suggestion and kept her hair pinned up.She couldn't wait to get home, take out all the pins and throw them in the nearest bin. The makeup would be the second thing to go."It's so hard. All these people. So many names to remember." She smiled brightly at Paul, convinced she looked like one of the Stepford wives."I get it." Paul gave her an understanding nod, and at that moment, he reminded her of a kindly father figure, and she would have trusted him with her life. But when his gaze caressed her neck and rested a little too long on her bare shoulders, Natalie wished she could curl up into a small ball and disappear.The dress was another goddamn thing she was starting to hate.Back at her place, she'd felt like a princess when she'd put it on. But out here in this room full of strangers and under Paul's hungry gaze, she felt like a piece of meat on display."Champagne?" Paul asked when they'd settled down.Before she could even make up her mind, he'd already grabbed two glasses from a waiter doing his rounds. She took the drink, her skin crawling at his touch when his fingers deliberately brushed hers.The six other faces at their table were completely absorbed with their money, status, and power. They immediately lost interest in Natalie as soon as they learned she was not in the medical field, and the only thing she'd ever dissected was a frog in her Grade 8 Biology class.Natalie spent a large part of the awards ceremony secretly texting Amber, her hands safely hidden on her lap by the voluminous black tablecloth. She made sure to clap the loudest though when Paul accepted the evening's grand prize. She even recorded his speech and replayed it for him when he returned to their table, beaming with pride she didn't feel.When the three-course dinner rolled around, Natalie found herself in a mini-crisis. She was so caught up with playing dress-up earlier she forgot to research the menu. There were too many fancy dishes with strange names and no photos to show her what she could be eating.Thank heavens Paul didn't like his dates to think for themselves, let alone order their own food. He took care of everything for her, from the starter to the dessert and the drinks in between, and Natalie hated him a little more.But her big, bright smile never faltered. No matter how painfully embarrassing and tiring it all became, she kept smiling because, on Paul's arm, she had to look deliriously happy, like she was having the time of her life.The dreaded dance came much later, and Natalie tried every excuse in the book to avoid being up close and personal with Paul. 'No' wasn't a word in his dictionary, though.He forcefully led her to the dance floor, squirming when he gripped her waist tightly, pulled her close and rubbed himself on her thigh. She struggled and wiggled for some room, but her discomfort seemed to excite him even more."Smile and look pretty," he said, grinning wickedly at her, his lecherous gaze lingering on her bare shoulders and the tiny hint of her cleavage peeking over the dress.Levi finally figured out what was different about Mark halfway through the main course.It was his hair.Three months ago, his friend had a faux hawk. But he'd cut all his hair now, and his bald head glistened under the shimmering chandelier.Mark's new look reminded Levi of a younger Samuel L Jackson. He had the foul vocabulary to match, too, but their table of hoteliers didn't mind. They were all enraptured by him and his stories, hanging on to his every word as he recounted his glory days as Rock Union University's fly half and Chassis' early struggles before it became a powerhouse. By the time the waiters wheeled in their dessert, they were all eating out of his palm. But, Mr Rice was still on the fence about jumping into bed with Van Holt Industries, and Levi suspected it was all his fault. Mark had given him one job today: to keep the young Mrs Stephanie Rice happy.He was failing miserably at the task.He didn't shower Stephanie with as many compliments as she had clearly expect
Natalie wanted to weep with joy when Paul's phone buzzed in his pocket. God had heard her prayers and given her a moment of reprieve."Excuse me. I have to take this," said Paul, releasing her from his vice-like grip."Take your time." Natalie nodded, relief thrashing her body as she watched him vanish in the crowd.She waved down a waiter for a glass of champagne and drained it in one go before dumping the empty flute on a nearby table.She didn't care where the ornate-looking door straight ahead led, just as long as it took her away from here, even if it was only for a few minutes. So she dashed for it and was pleasantly surprised when she landed on an empty balcony.For the first time since she arrived at the hotel, Natalie allowed herself to relax as she breathed deeply and filled her lungs with as much air as possible before slowly easing it out.Horrified tears pricked her eyes, but she quickly blinked them back. She didn't want to acknowledge what had happened on the dance floor
The man carried on with his banter, "let me guess, you are a doctor, lawyer or CEO of some Stock-Exchange listed company, and you bought yourself a shiny award by making a large donation to The Foundation?""God, no!" Natalie pretended to shudder, and there was that laugh again. Rich and warm, like coffee on a cold winter's morning."What's wrong with doctors, lawyers and CEOs?" he asked, a perplexed look in his eye."Other than being self-absorbed, pompous jackasses, absolutely nothing!" Natalie smiled."So you are?""Passing through town," she said, embracing her role as Noelle for the moment. "Monday, I'll be back in my hermit's cabin, living out my reclusive life away from all the doctors, lawyers and CEOs of this world.""What a shame!" he said, disappointment etched on his face. But as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, leaving Natalie wondering if she'd imagined it."I'm Levi Van Holt, and it's an honour to share this balcony with you, Noelle," he added.The name sounded f
Levi watched Noelle's fingers slip away as she eased herself from both their grasps, his heart screaming at him to not let her leave with Paul.But even when he felt it deep in his gut that things would not end well for her if she left with this man, he still allowed her to pull away.The door closed softly behind them, solidifying the visceral feeling in the pit of his stomach.Shivering a little, Levi watched the moon slowly make its way up the clear night sky, wishing he'd done more to keep her with him."Noelle!" he sighed in frustration. He should have added her as a contact as soon as he saw the fire in her eyes when she called dibs on the balcony.The door yawned open, and he turned expectantly, relieved she came to her senses. "Noelle?"But his shoulders sagged when he saw his partner cross the small area in a few quick strides."I thought I'd find you hiding in some dark and depressing corner. I was wrong. This view never gets old!" Mark said, his arms spread out as if to embr
Paul didn't give Natalie any room to object. He grabbed her hand and led her out of the Blue Room."This isn't necessary, you know! I can walk on my own. Let me go!" she tried to shake off his hand, but he held on tightly and twisted her wrist as he dragged her out of the hotel, her shoes sliding on the gleaming floor.When Paul's driver pulled up in a sleek Lexus, Natalie kicked up a fuss, refusing to get in the car. She felt it deep in her gut that if she got in, she might never come out. Not alive, at least.She was so damn relieved when the security guard came over to check on the commotion. But her hope quickly vanished when the thick wad of crisp one hundred Rand notes from Paul's wallet proved to be enough to buy his silence.He helped Paul shove her into the back seat and closed the door, ignoring her pleas for help as she slammed her palms on the window, her eyes wide with horror and panic.As soon as the car slid away from the entrance, Paul slipped on a pair of brass knuckle
They left the hotel just after 7:00 PM, with Mark still buzzing from the free-flowing booze he'd guzzled throughout the evening. He fiddled with the stereo, searching for upbeat tunes to keep him all fired up. Eventually, he settled on some house music and cranked up the volume, sending the metal walls of his car shuddering. "We did it, man! Woohoo!" he cheered, slapping Levi hard on the back. Levi breathed in sharply, wincing in pain. He'd never get used to his friend's strength; he was a mass of muscles, thanks to his strict daily sessions with a personal trainer. "So, did we kick butt or what?" Mark asked, linking his hands behind his head as he leaned back in his seat, content with himself and life in general. After being fondled half the evening, Levi would not have expected anything less, and he was mighty glad the gala was finally over. Now that he'd fulfilled his duty to Van Holt Industries, he hoped his father would not ask him for anything else for at least another year.
Natalie roused to life in total panic when she realised she was in a stationary car, dead sure it was Paul's, and he'd somehow come back for her.It had to be.It had the same luxurious interiors and leather car seat smell—a smell she would now associate with the beating she had endured at his hands.With dread, she turned to the man beside her, expecting to see his cold, pale blue eyes staring back at her.She trembled with relief when she found Levi focused on his phone.She was so happy it wasn't Paul, so relieved she was safe— for the moment at least—she said a small prayer of gratitude, sobbing when the memory of Levi holding her so gently after he almost ran her over drifted through her mind."You're awake," he said as he peeled his eyes away from his phone and gave her his undivided attention.Behind the wheel sat the man from earlier, the same one who'd wanted to call an ambulance, and Natalie immediately tensed up, remembering Paul's warning. She had to leave before the ambula
They followed her for a while, and Mark was irritable the whole time. He didn't understand why they couldn't just snatch Noelle up and drop her off at the nearest hospital or police station."You heard her. No hospitals," Levi said again when the same suggestion to make her someone else's problem came up."I know a lot about bad ideas, and I can spot them a mile away. That woman is a bad idea waiting to happen. Why are we getting involved with her?"Levi explained for the third or fourth time. "Because we almost ran her over! Do you not feel guilty at all?""But we didn't. I don't see why I should feel guilty. Besides, weren't you the one who wanted to run back to Chassis for the patch deployment?" Mark asked, appealing to the workaholic in him.But Levi held steady, refusing to change his mind. "We have an army of developers. What the fuck do we pay them for if I have to monitor them constantly?"Mark sighed and looked through the glove compartment for his Dunhills. He rolled down his