Chapter 5
“Mariah!” James called as she rushed toward the door. “Wait, Mariah!”” She didn’t turn around. A moment later, she was out the door in a flash of red. He stood shocked for a second and then bolted after her. For someone so petite, she was fast. He burst out of the piano room and into the main lounge to find Greg on his feet, looking around in a daze.
In one of Greg’s hands was a binder of files he was supposed to be sorting out for James. His other hand was running across his head, trying to smooth his sleep-moussed hair.
“What was that all about?” Greg yawned, dropping the file on the brown coffee table. He rubbed his eyes behind his wire-rimmed glasses and sat back on the forest-green camelback couch. “I tried to stop her, but she looked like she couldn”t breathe, so I–”
“I’ll go after her,” James said and rushed past Greg towards the secretary”s desk–where Greg should have been originally seated. “Just ensure you have that all sorted out when I return.”
“Aye, aye, Captain!” Greg saluted, suppressing another yawn, and picked up the files again. James was out the door and in the hallway the next minute. If Mariah had run through that hall, there was no indication. The hallway was quiet, save for the hum of air conditioning. He knew she wasn”t okay and needed to find her, but Ore HQ was massive. She could have gone anywhere, and she had run out without her belongings--including her phone.
He dialed Greg when he got into the elevator. “I thought I just saw you,” Greg groaned.
“Want a break from staring at papers?” He asked, pressing the button for the ground floor.
“Maybe,” Greg”s voice sounded tired. “What”s in it for me? A bigger pay? More vacation times?”
“A chance of not being fired by your boss. An opportunity to prove that you are invaluable.”
A chuckle sounded from the phone. “What can I do for you?”
“Call security. I need to locate a certain redhead. Text me her location,” he said, and Greg promised him Mariah”s location in no time. He hung up and stepped off the elevator onto the ground floor.
The atmosphere in the lobby changed when James entered. Several people greeted him and some sat up straighter. Others huddled together, whispering among themselves. It was a well-known fact that James’s father was about to step down as Ore’s CEO and James was in favor of taking the spot. His stepbrother, Martin, was vying for the spot too, but James knew his father better than to entrust Ore to his older brother.
Martin was as callous as he was incompetent. He spent his nights partying and his days lounging off at the Sorenson house or on an extravagant hobby. Many envied Martin and his wealthy lifestyle.
James knew he commanded more respect and trust than Martin did. He had risen from a salesperson at one of the Ore stores to CFO. People could argue that James had a leg up because it was his family’s business, but he had worked his way through the ranks. He knew his father was proud of him, and that was enough reward.
James walked towards Ruby, the receptionist. She smoothed her green dress and shifted her attention to him the moment he stopped at her desk. “Lovely morning, Ruby.”
“Lovely morning to you too, Mr. Sorenson,” She beamed, her cherry-red lips parting with a wide smile.
“Did you notice a redhead, about this tall–” he placed his hand at his chest level “–run past here?”
Ruby shook her head, and her ringlets of brown hair bounced. “No one ran past me. But I did notice a redhead walking by in a hurry. She wore black pants and a gray shirt.”
“That”s her,” James replied as his phone beeped. He opened his phone. It was Greg. He read it.
Greg: Security found her by the fountain in the garden.
He smiled and looked up at Ruby, who was still glancing around as if looking for where Mariah might have gone. “It’s fine, Ruby. Thank you for your help,” he nodded and walked straight for the large door on the west wall. He emerged into the bright sunlight and walked the glass terrace leading to the garden, nodding at greetings from staff. He broke off at the path that led to the garden and sighed in relief when he caught a flash of red amidst the green.
The garden, as it was fondly called, was more of a greenhouse, with some parts completely housed in glass observatories and filled with plants of medicinal value, herbs, and fruit trees. It covered an expanse of almost three football fields, but at the center of it was a fountain similar to the one at the entrance of the Ore estate. There, he found Mariah. She was seated on a stone bench by the fountain, with her head resting on the edge of the fountain.
James walked gingerly, not wanting to startle her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and he could see her breaths were still shallow. Once he was within earshot, he called out in a soft voice. “Mariah?” She turned, and his heart broke. Her eyes reflected the physical discomfort she was in. Her skin was clammy and as red as her hair. For a second, he worried she was running a fever.
“I”m so sorry,” she cried with a shaky voice and shut her eyes as if she was in pain. ”I… I didn”t mean to run. It was just that… to explain anything…”
James sat beside her quickly, reached out, and pulled her to his side. Her head fell on his shoulder. She felt small and vulnerable next to him. A strong sense of protectiveness washed over him, and he wrapped her in his arms. “I get it. Another episode?”
She nodded weakly. “They never came like this before. In the past, I could control it. I learned to. I could…” she sniffed, and he stiffened. James knew how to do many things but was always stunned and clueless whenever a girl seemed like she was about to cry in front of him. He was never sure if he was doing or saying the right thing.
Hugging her tighter, he whispered, “It’s okay. You”re okay here.” Words failed him, and he patted Mariah lightly on her arm until her sniffling gave way to silence. Then he felt her pull away from him.
When she pulled away, he let her go gingerly, worried she would fall into another episode.
Her eyes and nose were red. Yet, her smile was bright enough to minimize the noticeable effects of crying. “You must think me the worst person you”ve ever worked with.”
“No,” he replied, straightening his suit jacket. “That award goes to Greg.”
“The sickest then,” she dabbed at her eyes, and he noticed she wasn”t wearing her glasses. They were carefully folded and placed by her side. “With all these recurring episodes.”
“Maybe…” James teased. An impish smile played on his lips. “But I feel responsible for the reoccurrences. My amazing personality and presence must be too much for you to bear. It must be what triggers your episodes.”
Mariah chuckled lightly, and then a peal of laughter filled the air. Her laugh was soft and had a musical lithe to it. James couldn”t help but close his eyes in a sigh of relief at the sound. He was drawn to it, like a plant to sunlight. When he opened his eyes, she was smiling. She seemed to be surrounded by a warm glow.
“You must think everyone is fascinated by you, don”t you?” she asked, picking up her glasses. She put them on and rubbed her still-red nose.
“I’d like to think everyone needs a healthy dose of my presence daily, and you seem to have had enough for today,” he said, rising to his feet and offering her a hand. She took it and allowed him to help her to her feet.
Then he started walking and gently pulled her along with him. They left the garden and returned to the glass terrace. When they emerged at the reception area, he stopped, “I like the third sketch, by the way. The one that looked a lot like a manor. Gives off a historic feeling. The children will love it.”
“Thank you,” Mariah smiled. “I’ll get started on the interior and layout right away.” He felt her try to tug her hand away from him, and he released her. He walked several steps before he realized she wasn’t following him. She stood a few feet away, looking like she wanted to disappear.
It was then that James noticed the lobby was filled with people, and a few of them were giving Mariah curious glances. He thought of taking her to a more private place.
He urged her to continue to walk with him. Taking a left, they walked towards a group of green settees stationed by a vase of bamboo and sat down. Mariah followed, taking a seat to his right. From where they sat, an electronic billboard showing Ore advertisements was blocking them from public view.
Mariah shuffled in her seat and looked around. James watched her, trying to determine if she was truly okay. The red in her face had receded into the rosy color of her skin. Her loose red curls were once again held in a high ponytail, with stray strands framing her heart-shaped face. Her lips were bare, and her hazel eyes shone behind her glasses.
Her hair and skin stood out against the gray shirt she wore. Suddenly, her lips parted slightly, and she smiled. That was when he noticed, for the first time, a dimple on her left cheek. It was almost impossible to see. However, from his angle, he could see it.
He followed her stare to an Ore advertisement on a screen.
It was a new one about how the right clothes, shoes, and accessories helped women feel better about themselves. He found everything about it cliche, but marketing was marketing. Apparently, the message resonated with women. It had gotten them a lot more customers.
It probably also helped that the model they used–his cousin, Diana Rosewood–had that swish beauty to her features. Golden blonde hair, high cheekbones, piercing blue eyes, and tan flawless skin. He had teased her once that most women didn”t need her kind of beauty to turn heads.
Diana had thrown her shoe at him and told him she had a doctorate in psychology and had more certificates hanging in her office than he did. She had been right, but so was he. Watching Mariah”s eyes widen in longing at the ad made him want to give her what she wanted.
Time slowed, and his heart sped up. It was like he was in a bubble with little air, and he couldn”t breathe. The world blurred and narrowed on her cute face as she turned towards him with a smile.
She said, “Everyone I know just loves Ore’s fashion line, and the jewelry is to die for.”
“Do you like the products?”” James asked, casting a bored look at the screen. He didn”t think he could hide his eagerness to hear her answer if he looked her in the eye.
“Well, I do like it,”” Mariah answered, “but I can”t afford it, so…”
James shifted his gaze to watch her intently now. She had her hands folded in front of her lap and stared at them. “And if you could afford it?” James said softly, “Would you spoil yourself in Ore fashion?”
“We can”t get all our wishes granted, but I would if I could,” Mariah said, lifting her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes blazed behind her round glasses. “I would love to be able to shop at Ore all the time.”
“Then you should,”” James said with a clap of his hands. “Today is such a beautiful day. Picturesque enough to walk in the park dressed in Ore’s finest,” he rose to his feet and crossed the short distance to Mariah, who stared at him in confusion. He chuckled. “That’s if you are up for it.”
Mariah’s mouth opened and closed in rapid succession before she settled on jumping to her feet. “Mr. Sorenson, I don”t understand?” she asked in shock at his offer.
James scoffed. A smile played on his lips. It was their fourth meeting, but James was convinced he enjoyed watching her process her emotions. Her face was easy to read, and her expressions were genuine.
“Oh, I think you do. It’s almost lunch–” he glanced at his gold Rolex wristwatch, “–but I think we can make it to the nearest store in time for you to get one wish granted.”
“But Mr. Sorenson,” Mariah protested, stepping into his path. “You have work to do. I have to return to the office before 3:00 pm. You and I shouldn”t even be seen in public together.”
“First of all, call me James,” James raised a finger in correction. “Secondly, I”ll have Greg send me the files he has been working on and I can work on the go. thirdly–”
“Thirdly?” Mariah asked with a scoff.
“Yes, thirdly. I”ve met you several times. Why would you not want to be seen with me in public? I feel hurt,” James gave her a little pout that disappeared the next second. “Fourthly, I”ll have Greg bring your things from my office down. Fifthly–”
“All right, all right… James,” a smile broke on Mariah’s face. “You made your point. Maybe today is a great day for having one of my wishes come true.” she laughed, stepping out of James”s path. “Thank you, genie, for granting my wish.”
James arched a thick brow in amusement. “Genie? I was thinking along the lines of Wish Master James.” He held out his arm for her, both as a force of habit and for fear that her episode hadn”t passed yet. She laced her arm through his with a resigned smile.
“Lead the way, Wish Master James.” She smiled as they left their hidden spot. They walked back into the stares and whispers from Ore employees. It was obvious to the onlookers that she wasn”t an employee of the company. Also, the workers were no doubt curious about why she was being escorted by the company’s leader.
James tried to distract her from the glances thrown their way by explaining how Ore didn”t make empty promises. He told her that once she stepped into an Ore store with him, she would step out of the store as a changed woman. He teased that she had to choose what kind of woman she wanted to become while in the store.
As they joked about the kind of woman she wanted to be, James noticed she started to laugh and talk more freely. She seemed to forget that she had been shy about being seen with Ore’s boss a few moments ago.
While they talked, he sent Greg a text of his change of plans.
Soon, Greg appeared at the entrance to the main building in a maroon Bentley. James dismissed Greg’s questioning look when he opened the door for Mariah and gave directions to the nearest Ore fashion store.
As Greg drove to the store, the men talked about a meeting James would have later that day with the Vancouver Branch director. Before that meeting, Greg and James needed to go through the shortlist of proposals from their investment bank. He had needed to go through them all to approve funding where necessary.
As Greg described each proposal in depth, James’s thoughts drifted to the woman seated beside him. Mariah’s sketchbook was out, and her pencil was scratching across the paper. Her face was scrunched in concentration. Occasionally, she muttered to herself and looked out the window.
Their ride ended too soon. The car pulled into the parking lot of a shopping mall. Immediately, Greg was at the door letting Mariah out. James ignored the looks of admiration he got from women around as he walked through the crowded floors.
He consciously walked closer to Mariah when men glanced her way. He breathed easy when they got into the Ore store and was surrounded by the familiar forest green decor.
At once, he was accosted by staff, eager to serve him. He pointed them in Mariah’s direction, and they pulled her away to find her new look. He sat for over thirty minutes with Greg, who grilled him on his spontaneous attraction to Mariah.
He gave Greg vague answers. He wasn”t sure what he felt either. Eventually, he asked Greg to stop talking while he tried to go through some of the proposals.
James had gone through two proposals when the shuffling of feet broke his concentration. He looked up at the excited faces of two store associates. Mariah was not with them. He dropped the proposal in his hand on the soft couch and asked, “Where is she?”
One of the women, an older brunette with sharp features, answered. “She’s a bit shy, sir. Give her a minute.” She turned back toward the dressing area. “Come on out, please, dearie,” she called, her excitement obvious in her voice. “You can”t keep Mr. Sorenson waiting for so long.”
James arched a brow at her when Mariah didn”t emerge behind the doors of the dressing area. “If I may say so, your girlfriend is absolutely beautiful, sir. We didn”t do much to make her sparkle.”
James stood and said, “She’s not my girlfriend,” while Greg chuckled on the couch. A sense of déjà vu washed over him as he remembered saying the same thing to Martin years ago. Then he had been talking about Anastasia.
The next second, Mariah walked out, and for the second time that day, the world seemed to slow down.
They had put her in a mossy green short dress with a sweetheart neckline. It had flowy off-the-shoulder sleeves that brushed her elbows and was tapered at her waist before flaring out as a skirt that barely reached her knees, leaving her legs on show. He had only ever seen Mariah wearing pants, and the sight of her curvy legs standing in gold stilettos nearly knocked him off his feet.
He moved towards her like a magnet drawn to metal. She shuffled on her feet, pushing her curls out of her eyes, and hugged her arms around her middle. Something about the way she was standing brought Anastasia to mind. James shook the thought away, forcing himself to focus on the transformation of the woman in front of him.
They had removed her red curls from their ponytail and let them tumble down her back. Her hair was fixed in a side parting that left one side of her face and her shoulders on display.
On her neck hung a simple jade pendant on a gold chain, matched by dropping jade earrings–each piece was worth thousands of dollars.
He stood in front of her, and Mariah looked away, heat creeping into her cheeks. It only added to her beauty. The mascara around her bright hazel eyes made them shine fiercely. Her fierce look was softened by the deep red lipstick she wore.
James reached out and lifted her chin tenderly. She was forced to look at him, and she took the challenge by staring straight into his eyes. “What kind of woman did you choose to be?” he spoke. Although he tried to give her a calm and collected look, he worried that his breathy voice betrayed him.
Mariah’s chest rose and fell, and she swallowed. “A woman who wasn”t afraid of letting her true self show.” Mariah’s voice was soft and self-conscious.
James’s eyes glazed over her transformation again, and a sudden tightness bloomed in his chest. “Well,” he let go of her chin with a deep breath, letting the tightness out. “Should I be hopeful that this Mariah Sanchez could tell me why she reminds me so terribly,” his voice softened to barely a whisper, sad and torn, “of my Stacie?”