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kohl and a hefty amount of mascara. Then I was set for tonight.
    Now, if I could simply settle the jittery feeling that was running all over my body, I could start heading out soon.
    I attempted to breathe evenly as if it would help put some sense into me, but nothing seemed to work. Glancing towards the wall clock that stated it was eight at night, I wondered where Claire was. Had she been here, her presence and her sarcasm would seriously drive all the nervous nonsense away. Regardless, since she wasn’t around, I had to resort to alcohol, sadly.
    Half a bottle of red wine later, I was set on my stilettos, ready for a night of somewhat tame debauchery, aiming to seduce a man who wasn’t so keen on any sort of seduction coming from me. Alas, I was tipsy, randy, and ready to live out my fantasy.
    The ride from my flat in Tottenham Court Road to The Ritz was a series of nervous flutters, derogatory remarks aimed solely at myself, and images of the worst case scenario possible. It wasn’t an easy journey to be in quite frankly, yet at the same time, I knew I had to mentally prepare myself for his rejection since he hadn’t been exactly that warm and accommodating towards me earlier on.
    Therefore, with my faux brazenness in hand, I strutted my way into the hotel’s foyer with the confidence of a runway model, channeling Chantel’s je-nais-sais-quoi attitude before giving my name to the chic hotel attendant.
    “ Mr. Xavier is expecting you, Miss Callas. Benoît is the head of Mr. Xavier’s security and should be down here to get you shortly,” she kindly informed me with a smile. “Can we get you a glass of champagne while you wait?”
    Another dose of alcohol? Yes, please. I needed as much Dutch courage as I could gather.
    “ That would be lovely, thank you.”
    After I was handed my glass, I barely had less than a minute after my first sip when I saw the familiar face that used to give me kind smiles. Our conversations had been mostly limited, but I always knew he was a good man. It was in the air he carried himself, always so self-assured and fairly reasonable when it came to dealing with the rest of the household staff.
    “ Benoît, it’s nice to see you again.” Greeting him with a smile, I almost had the gall to give him the typical air kisses, but when I motioned to do so, I saw him tense, making me profusely blush and halt in the process. I had totally forgotten how reserved he was, and since I was practically his boss’s ex-lover, it wouldn’t be deemed appropriate. Still, I couldn’t dampen my enthusiasm from seeing him, so even though I was blushing mad, I was brimming with glee.
    “ Miss Callas, always a pleasure,” he greeted me with the heart-warming smile. Gesturing with his hand, he gave me a pointed look. “Shall we?”
    Taking his lead, I followed him along as my ears perked up at the sound of my clicking heels that went with ever stride I took.
    “ How’s your family? Everything is well, I hope?” One thing I knew about this man was how he cherished his wife and children.
    Entering the lift, he pressed the button and waited for the doors to close before finally responding to me. “They are perfectly well and healthy, thank you for asking. And you, how is London treating you? It looks like it’s treating you well enough.”
    “ More or less. It’s been great, I suppose.” A flash of memory of Damen’s hurt face came out of nowhere, unsettling me a little.
    “ That’s very good to hear, Miss Callas.”
    Lost in my own thoughts, my fears, and the disconcerting way Damen seemed to have bubbled out of the blue, the elevator dinged our arrival much too soon. Licking my lips as I heard Benoît clear his throat before exiting the lift, I trotted a few steps behind him, nervous as a kitten on a hot tin roof.
    “ The boss is right through the door,” Benoît instructed the second we reached the daunting door.
    Flushed, I directed him a tight smile. “Thanks…”
    “ Try not to let him