Page 17 of Petals and Fangs

“Come on, Lily. It really is not that big of a deal. If you want to be decorating Rothschild Pharmaceuticals, you need to know what you are dealing with. The only reason we have a successful company is because we have the most advanced medicines available today. I think we can trust you with the information. So, do we have a deal?”

“But I don't get it. Really, I don't. I am a florist, Ethan. What do I have to do with any of this?”

“Well, you need to know many things to form the right aesthetics for this place. As you can see, it lacks-”

“Life,” I interrupt him, with a grin on my face.

“Yes, Lily. Life.”

“You want me to put some life into your lifeless building? Then, you got me, Mr. Rothschild.”

“Great! Take care of that file, then. I trust you, Lily,” he says and fixes the collars of his shirt ready to leave.

I eye the messy desk. There are so many things here. It might not look like a big deal what I did in Ethan's office, but decorating the desk was my proudest moment.

“Your desk is a bit troubling for the new decor now,” I say as I gather the files together and stuff them inside the folder, and back inside the drawers.

I grab the untouched water bottles and head toward the fridge to place them back in it. I need to keep the desk as I left it. I am but one step away from the fridge, till I hear Ethan's voice gradually rising.

“No, Lily. Get away from there.”

Chapter 4

Ethan

God, I feel so guilty for yelling at Lily. I shouldn’t have done that. She shouldn’t have approached my fridge, though. There are things there that she should never come close to.

“How did everything go with the florist?” Alfred asks.

“She proved how smart she really is. I guess her first day here was not perfect like I wanted it to be.”

“Why’s that?” Alfred asks.

“I kind of yelled at her. She was too close to seeing what was inside my fridge. I keep crucial things there, remember?”

“Oh, good grief,” Alfred sighs.

“The look she gave me as she closed the car door behind her did not tell any good. But I am willing to wait for a call back from her. She said she would call,” I say to Alfred as I light a cigarette.

I keep my eyes on my phone waiting for something from Lily. Am I this desperate? Or do I just miss her?

“She didn’t see what was inside your fridge, right? I am sure she will be fine.”

“Yes, but I practically yelled at her, Alfred. I feel so guilty.”

“You just had a moment, Mr. Rothschild. Did you talk about anything after that?”

“I drove her to her place. We didn’t talk much in the car, though. She was busy reading the file.”

“What file?” Alfred asks.

“One of our top-secret ones.”

“Mr. Rothschild. Do you know what you are doing?”

I look at him, smirking. I instantly read what he had in mind. The look of worry consumes his facial features.

“Is it what I have in mind?” he asks again.

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