My Most Precious Human novel Chapter 24

I was walking along the castle corridor following Mr. Gotha. We were clearly going towards the north wing. I only went there once while taking a tour around the castle with Martha, and even there I wasn't allowed to enter any of those rooms, since they were off-limits as the Duke's private chambers. While walking I kept clenching my fists, encouraging myself to keep my emotions at a minimum level and focus solely on business. I knew that I could be confident and strict as long as I keep it all around my area of expertise.

I assumed that we were going to the Duke's study room which I was told was combined with a grand library. I was sincerely looking forward to seeing it since until now I could only look at its door…

We were getting closer, and I even became a little excited about entering that grand library, but Mr. Gotha passed Duke's study room and kept walking.

"Um… Am I not supposed to meet the Duke in here?" I pointed at the door we passed.

"Master will meet you in his private bedroom," Mr. Gotha replied in a tone filled with annoyance.

"His… His bedroom?! Why there?!" I burst out in panic.

"Don't ask me. I was surprised myself. Master never allows anyone to enter his most private space. Make sure you will behave respectfully," he advised me like I was some kind of savage.

His words irritated me, but I decided to bite my tongue before I let a few invectives out of my mouth. I took a deep breath, trying not to punch him. His remark almost made me skip the fact that we were going to Sariel's bedroom! With realization, my panic arose.

"Lilith! You were supposed to stay composed! What the hell happened with your recent resolution?!" I tried to get my act together, lecturing myself inside my mind.

I took another deep breath, trying to tell myself that everything was going to be all right. My heart was slowing down, and my confidence was growing back within me. Mr. Gotha stopped in front of the door at the end of the corridor. He knocked.

"Come in," Sariel called from inside the chamber.

Mr. Gotha stepped aside and said, "Enter by yourself, Ms. Fleming."

I gulped and grabbed the door handle. I took another deep breath.

"Calm down, Lilith," I motivated myself while opening the door. "You are here to talk business. Besides, it's not like he's going to sit there naked…"

I raised my eyes and froze. Sariel was sitting on the sofa in a loose bathrobe, revealing his perfectly shaped collarbones and most of his muscled chest. His hair was slightly wet and combed up, exposing all of his masculine facial features.

"Aren't you going to come inside? It will be uncomfortable to talk to you while you are standing on the threshold," Sariel pointed out, sarcastically.

I smiled awkwardly, closed the door, and walked towards him. He leaned back to sit more comfortably and smirked. I bet he did it on purpose since his bathrobe loosened up even more. I had a hard time focusing on his face rather than the rest of his body. He thoroughly looked me up and down.

"Turn around," he commanded.

"W-what?"

"Turn around," he repeated more decisively.

I gulped and obeyed him.

"I liked the previous dress better," he tossed, looking at the fitted blue jeans and simple yet elegant white shirt that I wore.

"Well… I had to change since the dress got torn," I stated, feeling irked.

"Did it?" Sariel chuckled teasingly while gazing straight into my eyes.

It was quite obvious that he knew that he was the one responsible for it. I tried to focus on my irritation, but my mind had already displayed the circumstances in which the slit of my dress got torn. I clenched my teeth and looked away to avoid his stare and decided to ignore his taunts.

"Did you look into the Estelle Development?" I asked, desperately trying to get to the business subject.

"I did," he replied.

"And?" I was impatient to hear his decision.

"I must congratulate you on your discernment. My company has already annulled the contract with them. I must admit it you saved us from losing serious money," he stated slightly nonchalantly.

"Thank you…" I muttered and looked at him hesitantly, still waiting to hear something more.

He suddenly chuckled and stood up. He stepped closer, then walked around me. I started to get nervous.

He stopped, standing behind me, and leaned over my ear, "Your heart is pounding again," he whispered.

I flinched, then my heart rushed even more. He chuckled.

"What do you want? Why do you keep doing things like that?" I gritted my teeth.

"I told you before, didn't I? You smell nice. You smell even nicer when you are nervous like that," he replied casually while leaning closer to my neck.

I gasped but didn't dare move. My instincts were telling me that if I started running, the predator standing behind me would attack me at once. He kept testing me like that for a few more seconds, then he walked back away. I sighed in relief.

"You start tomorrow. Certainly, you will stay in the castle while working for me. I want you to review every contract from the last ten years up until the most recent ones, and I expect you to write a full report by the end of the month. The car will be ready for you at 7:30 to get you there," he stated suddenly, then went back to sit on the sofa.

"T-thank you!" I called out, my voice trembling.

He smirked and looked deeply into my eyes.

He said, "Do your best not to make me regret making this decision," and pointed at the door, telling me to leave.

"You won't regret it!" I bowed and rushed towards the door.

As soon as I left his room, I silently screamed out of joy, then I ran back to my chamber. I wasn't entirely certain why he suddenly disregarded the fact that I was the daughter of his enemy and was now willing to protect me. Somehow, I doubted that he made this decision solely based on the fact that I saved his company's money. Nonetheless, I decided not to dwell on that matter too deeply. I was so relieved that I could earn his protection.

The excitement I felt before my first day at work made my night sleepless. Nevertheless, I was full of energy even while taking a shower at 5:30 in the morning. It was the first time I was going to work in an office as an employee of a big, prestigious company. It was something I had never even applied for before since it was impossible for me to sign a long-term contract. Now, I dreamt of staying and working there as long as possible.

At exactly 7:30, the car arrived at the castle's front entrance. The driver got out of the car and bowed to me. Then he rushed to open the door.

"Here you go, Ms. D'Apolito," he called while lending me his hand to help me get into the car.

"Please… Don't call me D'Apolito. This name was never given to me, nor did I want to use it. Call me Lilith instead," I said, nervously smiling.

"I apologize, Ms. Lilith. You can call me Mike, Ms. Lilith," he responded with a warm grin.

Mike certainly looked like a human. I never had a chance to ask Martha whether everyone working for the Duke knew about vampires or not. Now it was awkward to ask Mike if he was a human or a half-human, half-vampire like Martha. I ended up staring at him the entire way to the Argent Investment Bank, hoping that his behavior would give me some clue. Of course… his behavior wasn't helpful at all. He was carelessly cheerful as if he had overdosed on Prozac or drank three liters of coffee at least. He was disarmingly talkative, and with his big bright eyes and ginger hair, he resembled a little squirrel. He was respectful, but hearing too many words before eight o'clock was slightly annoying.

"It's going to be a beautiful, sunny day, a lovely day for Ms. Lilith's first day at work. Don't worry, Ms. Lilith. I am sure that you will love working at the Argent Investment Bank. No one would ever be impolite to such a beautiful lady as Ms. Lilith, especially when you were employed by the Duke of Calvet…"

"Mike…" I cut him off, stopping his verbal diarrhea, "Thank you, but the more you say, the more nervous I become."

"I apologize, Ms. Lilith. I will shut up now," I stated humbly.

"Thank you, Mike," I said, awkwardly smiling.

I enjoyed silence only for a minute since we arrived in front of the bank's headquarters. Mike helped me get out of the car, wishing me a great day. Then he drove away, and I had to muster up my courage and enter the building. My first day of work was about to start…