Page 5 of Strings Attached

I feel my face flush. "I... I'm not sure I have anything suitable for a black-tie gala."

He waves his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about that. I'll have something sent to your apartment. Just make sure you're ready to leave by two PM next Friday."

I nod, still feeling a bit dazed. "Of course. Is there anything else you need?"

"No, that's all for now. Thank you, Mireille."

As I turn to leave, I notice the chocolate I left earlier is gone. The empty wrapper sits neatly on the edge of his desk. I can't help but smile to myself as I exit his office.

Back at my desk, I slump into my chair, my mind whirling. A charity gala. With Evander. In a hotel. Wearing a dress he's going to provide. This entire thing is new to me. I’ve never been to an event with Evander before.

Being around Evander during work hours is hard enough, but being around him outside of it at a fancy event will be the death of me.

Chapter 3

Mireille

I barely slepta wink last night, my mind racing with thoughts of the upcoming gala and what it might mean. He's invited me to the gala and he’s buying me a dress for it. It's so out of the norm for Evander, I have no idea what the hell to think. Now I have Lil's words in my mind on a constant loop. I look like crap, I have bags under my eyes, which I've had to cover with a thicker layer of makeup than usual. Not to mention, the extra shot of espresso helped me feel semi-human.

I've decided to see if Lil's imagining things about Evander, so I decided on a fitted black pencil skirt that's just a touch shorter than my usual work attire, paired with a crisp white blouse. I leave an extra button undone at the top, revealing just a hint more skin than normal. My hair, usually pulled back in a sensible bun, I wear down today, soft waves framing my face.

As I exit my car, I can feel eyes on me. A few passers by do double-takes, but I keep my focus ahead, moving through the lobby and into the elevator that leads to Evander's office with my usual stack of papers and his morning coffee in my arms.

I knock and enter without waiting for a response, as is our usual routine. "Good morning, Evander," I say brightly, setting his coffee on the desk.

Evander looks up and for a brief moment, I see his eyes widen slightly before he schools his features back into their usual impassive mask. "Good morning, Mireille," he says, his voice a touch gruffer than usual. "You're early today."

I shrug, leaning over his desk to arrange the papers I've brought in, fully aware that this gives him a clear view down my blouse, if he chooses to look. "I thought I'd get a head start on the day. We have a lot to prepare for next week's gala, after all."

Evander clears his throat, his eyes firmly fixed on his computer screen. "Yes, well, that's... that's good initiative."

I straighten up, smoothing my skirt. "Is there anything else you need this morning, sir?"

His eyes flick to me briefly before returning to his screen. "No, that will be all for now. Thank you, Mireille."

As I turn to leave, I can feel his gaze on me. I add an extra sway to my hips as I walk out, closing the door behind me with a satisfied smile.

Throughout the morning, I make sure to find reasons to go into Evander's office more often than usual. Each time, I notice his eyes lingering a little longer, his voice a little tighter. It's subtle, but it's there.

Around lunchtime, I pop my head into his office. "I'm heading out to grab lunch. Can I get you something?"

Evander looks up from his computer, his eyes briefly scanning over me before quickly returning to his screen. "No, thank you. I have a lunch meeting in an hour."

I nod, trying not to let my disappointment show. "Alright. I'll be back in about thirty minutes then."

As I turn to leave, Evander calls out, "Mireille?"

I pause, looking back at him expectantly. "Yes?"

He seems to hesitate for a moment before speaking. "You look... different today."

My heart skips a beat. "Oh? Different how?"

Evander's brow furrows slightly. "I'm not sure. Just... different. It's not a bad thing," he adds quickly. "Just an observation."

I can't help the small smile that tugs at my lips. "Well, thank you for noticing. I'll see you after lunch."

As I walk out of the office, I can feel a warmth spreading through my chest. He noticed. It might not have been the reaction I was hoping for, but he noticed.

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