“The conference room is ready, sir. Please come this way! I’ll escort you to your rooms,” said an eager Mr. Albizzi, leading the way to the elevator.
“Thank you, Mr. Albizzi. Have you informed the others about today’s meeting?” Skylar followed him quietly, listening to his conversation with Mr. Albizzi. She was angry at him for not introducing her to his staff. She was his fiancee, after all. Shouldn’t he have introduced her?
“Yes sir. I have. They should arrive an hour before the scheduled time.”
“Good! You can hand the keys over to me and get back to work.” Mr. Albizzi handed the keys and left them at peace. Bursting with curiosity, Skylar couldn’t contain herself anymore.
“Why have you booked two rooms?”
A small smile played on his lips as he turned to look at her. “For you. I hope you’re happy now! You won’t need to share a room with me.” Skylar glared at him as her heart protested against it. It should have made her happy, but it didn’t.
“Won’t your staff consider it weird? After all, I’m your fiancee.”
“They don’t know. I haven’t introduced you as my fiancee.” Realization hit her hard. So that was why he didn’t introduce her. Anger bubbled inside her at the realization.
“You didn’t do the right thing, Christian. I’m your fiancee and you ignored my existence in front of your staff. I felt insulted.” She walked on ahead with a grim look on her face while he followed her excitedly.
“I didn’t only to please you. Do you realize you have to sleep with me in my room if I announce our relationship to all?” Skylar whirled around to face him, her face flushed with annoyance.
“Yes. I’ve been sharing your room. Right? At least they will respect me if you introduce me formally.”
Christian’s face brightened up with a wide smile and he pocketed the set of keys to her room. “I’m glad you think so. I will formally introduce you in the meeting.” He unlocked the door to a room and they went inside.
“Why don’t you freshen up? I’ll get your luggage from the other room and cancel it as well. The meeting will start in an hour.”
After he left, Skylar freshened up and waited for her clothes. She suddenly realized that he had forgotten to buy her formal wear. What would she wear now? She would have to repeat the ones she wore in Frascati. There was a knock on the door and she opened it to see a hotel staff with her luggage and some shopping bags.
“Buongiorno signora! Sir has sent these for you.” (Good morning, ma’am!)
“Thank you!” She took the shopping bags from him while he placed her luggage inside.
After he left, she opened the bags and gasped with surprise to see around ten sets of expensive formal wear for her. Christian didn’t forget. His thoughtfulness made her smile. She picked up a dark blue set and tried it on. The clothes fit her perfectly, as if they had been made for her! How did Christian know her size?
A warm blush crept up her cheeks as she got ready, wearing the clothes he chose for her. Staring at her svelte figure in the mirror, she smiled with satisfaction. She really looked like his fiancee, his future life partner! Had she turned into a hopeless romantic overnight?
How did this miracle happen? She never believed in such trivial things, unlike her friends who waited for their prince charming. In fact, Eva and Hayley had already chosen theirs at a young age. Sienna didn’t get a chance before when her dad was alive, but after colliding with Lucas, everything changed in her life. Alyssa, however, was the coolest, just like she was! She was happy being single!
The door opened, and Christian walked in, disrupting her thoughts. When did he come back? The man walked so stealthily around that his sudden appearance startled her every time.
She could feel his eyes checking her out minutely. “Thank you for these. I didn’t want to repeat the only suit I have every day.”
He pointed at his lips with a wink before heading towards the en-suite. Skylar blushed, knowing what he meant. He wanted her to thank him with a kiss!
She sat waiting for him outside in the living area. Not to kiss him, but to accompany him to the meeting! After ten minutes, he appeared, freshly showered and clad in a matching blue suit! Skylar rolled her eyes but couldn’t erase the smile from her face.
“Aren’t we looking like soul mates?” he asked with a wink and a skew little smile tugging at his lips.
“Nope, siblings wear similar clothes,” she corrected him.
“Even married couples do.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room. “Let’s go. They’re all waiting for the meeting to start.” Skylar tried hard to keep up with his long strides. She could feel all eyes upon her as Christian pulled her along to the conference room. What they might think about her?
“Christian, everyone is staring. Can you stop manhandling me?” she muttered, but he turned a deaf ear to her protests.
He pushed open the conference room, which was full of people, all waiting for them. Skylar blushed to feel all eyes upon her the moment they went inside.
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! Sorry to keep you waiting! Please be seated, and let’s start the meeting right away. My grandfather and my brother couldn’t attend the meeting today because of prior commitments. That wouldn’t inconvenience us. We can always have a video conference later.” There was a stir and everyone took their seats. Christian patted the seat beside him for her to occupy. “Before we start, I’d like to introduce my fiancee, Skylar Carnell, to you. She is training to take over as the future GM of Saint James Intercontinental Suites.”
There was another stir amongst the people around them. Some greeted her politely, some with jealousy, while others gave her judgemental looks. Skylar ignored the negativity and smiled politely at all of them. She had already studied the agenda of the day and was ready to work hard. There was the board of Directors present along with GMs from all the hotels under the Saint James Intercontinental Suites, Europe. She already knew Mr. Costa, who too had joined the meeting today.
“Skylar, this is Mr. Fairbanks, the current GM of Saint James Intercontinental Suites. He has been with us for the last forty years since its very inception. He wants to retire, but we cannot afford to leave him yet.” Skylar shook hands with the old man, who smiled at her.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Fairbanks,” said Skylar, realizing that Christian was planning to appoint her in his place.
“Don’t worry. I’ll train you well before retiring,” said the kind old man.
“Thank you. I’m looking forward to it.”
Everyone settled down and the meeting started in full swing. Skylar noted everything down. Although a fresher, she tried her best to follow everything they discussed. For the next three hours, they discussed the company’s administrative, marketing, and fiscal policies followed in their European chapter.
Christian announced a lunch break of forty minutes, and everyone dispersed momentarily. “Let’s go to the restaurant. I’m treating our board of directors to a special lunch.”
“Can you go ahead? I’ll freshen up and join you.”
“Fine. Come over to the restaurant. I’ll be waiting for you.” He handed her the keys to their room. Skylar nodded and smiled at him, forgetting all her earlier moods. He was so thoughtful, so caring!
She rushed towards the elevator to go up to their room. However, the sound of voices near the lounge area stopped her in her tracks.
“Savannah, ma’am is so upset. She might leave the meeting and return to LA,’ said a female voice.
“Yes, it’s natural for her to feel upset. As the Deputy GM, sir, should have appointed her in Fairbanks’ place,” said another woman.
“I thought Mr. St. James would marry Savannah, ma’am. She loves him so much. They always attend corporate parties together,” said another female voice. Skylar stood frozen in her tracks, trying to understand the situation. Her blood boiled with jealousy. Now who the fuck was Savannah? She hardly noticed the Deputy GM at the meeting. If she were so important, why did Christian not introduce her to the woman?
“That’s the reason I think she’s going back to LA. Mr. St. James ignored her at the meeting. I didn’t like his so-called fiancee. Do you think he will really marry her? Isn’t she too young for him?” asked another female.
“You never know, Mandy. These bitches know the right tactics to grab rich men. Such marriages don’t last long! I’m sure Mr. St. James will learn his lesson soon if he marries her.”
“He doesn’t deserve such a woman. I would have made him happier if he chose me instead.”
Skylar walked ahead to face the bitches, to stop their malicious gossip. She wasn’t one to let this go. It was time to put them in their place. She approached them and stood quietly behind them.
“Discussing me, are you?” she asked them gruffly, with her hands on her waist.