Emily waited adamantly at the reception desk with no intentions of leaving, while the receptionist kept her waiting there with no further updates. Suddenly, the elevator doors slid open, and a tall man with blonde hair, probably in his mid-40s, stepped out and walked towards the reception desk.
"Good morning, Mr. Hess." The receptionist changed her tone immediately and greeted Hess politely.
Emily had read a lot about Hess on the Internet so she recognized him in an instant. Hess was described in the media as a demanding figure who kept a strict disciplinarian stance. His face looked much friendlier now than he did on the screen, but there was seriousness in him that unnerved the employees around him upon his arrival. His sharp eyes had already caught Emily's, observing and studying him diligently before she could hide them away.
"Who is the girl over there?" Hess asked his assistant, while curiously walking towards Emily.
It was hard for Hess not to notice Emily. She looked so extraordinary in the hall that everything else seemed to fade out behind her. This woman was born to be in the spotlight.
Emily was wearing a dark blue designer fishtail dress with fragmented diamonds over the hemline. The dress perfectly accentuated her body, turning her into a beautiful mermaid emerging from the sky of a starry night.
The strapless design highlighted her swanlike neck, on which rested a shining sapphire necklace that outshined all the other sapphire jewelry Hess had seen before.
Despite the radiant glamour, the necklace looked more precious only when it was on Emily's neck. She had a kind of understated beauty like a gorgeous mermaid who had all the treasures on her but was disarmingly unaware of her own charisma.
"Mr. Hess…"
"Excuse me, Miss…"
Emily and Hess spoke at the same time.
"You go first." Emily insisted and eased the atmosphere. Her English was as fluent as her German.
"I am sorry, but you are so…so…" Hess couldn't think of the right word to describe this stunning lady that had graced him with her presence. He thought for a second and asked, "Are you here to apply for the contest, too?"
"What?" she asked. Emily wasn't sure what Hess was even talking about. Contest?
Perhaps... Hess mistook her for a model competing in the Starry Night Modelling Contest.
"Mr. Hess, I think there's been a misunderstanding. I am here to talk to you about the sponsorship for the contest," Emily replied and went straight to the point.
"Oh, so you are not participating then," Hess frowned. Such a pity! The moment Hess laid his eyes on Emily, he was completely sold on her. It would be a great loss for him not having her on the runway or under the camera. Having been involved in the industry for a long time, Hess had a talent for spotting beauty, and Emily was definitely one of his rare findings.
Although, Emily didn't have the height for the modelling industry, there was an undeniable symmetry to her features and her body. She looked stunning at first sight, but the more you looked at her, the more you were attracted by her captivating beauty.
Besides, she had mysterious eyes that could trigger the interest of anyone to explore her secrets. She seemed to be a woman with a long story.
"I…" Emily stuttered, not knowing how to respond as she wasn't expecting Hess to say that.
The legendary Hess seemed very different from how she had imagined him.
"So you are here for the sponsorship?" he asked. Hess quickly constrained his expression and gestured with his hand, "Let's go to my office, shall we?"
Emily was pleasantly surprised. It turned out to be a lot more easier than she had imagined.
Even the receptionist was surprised. Was this the same, terrifying Mr. Hess she knew?
Mr. Hess had many visitors in the span of a single day. Most didn't even make it past the gate or were asked to leave just after a few seconds, but this woman...she was granted access into Mr. Hess's office...
Who on earth was this woman?
Puzzled, the receptionist wondered in awe. She reached for her phone and secretly took a photo of Emily. It would serve as a good source of gossip after work.
Emily's heart pounded in her chest, as she followed Hess. On the surface, she looked calm, but her mind was doing circles all over the place.
Did she get the chance? Mr. Hess's facial expression was too hard to predict, so she'd better be more attentive.
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