Excelsior

Chapter 8: Surprising visitors

As women like Mrs. Lowell blackmailed men into giving her some checks, Lilly, on the other hand, chose the conservative way, which meant that they did not chase their target, but rather, they made their target chase them in a subtle way.

That afternoon, the young woman went to visit her fiancé in the Metnint Building, a few blocks from their apartment. She was greeted by his secretary, an old, well-dressed lady.

"He's currently busy. I'll give him a call to tell him you're here."

"No please." She hurried to say, "I want this to be a surprised." She clasped her hands together and gave him a soft look.

"Okay, you may take a seat. We have new issues of La Société."

Lilly looked at the magazines with indifference and decided to go to the loo to check her looks, and instead of going to go back to the office, she took another path to the left. She walked

Lilly los vio con indiferencia, e indicó que iría al tocador. Se vio en el espejo, y al salir, en lugar de regresar al recibidor del Sr. Leavitt, tomó otro rumbo. He paced the hallways looking at the doors and stopping to read their plaques.

"I'm sorry sir," she said to a young man with a sweaty head and was running recklessly. The man looked at her with impatience until he was amazed by her beautiful physique, and gave her a smile. "Do you know by chance where is the way to Mr. di Bardi's office?

The young man pointed the way, and she was helped by other attentive workers to finally reach the reception. She read the door plate. WILLIAM A. DI BARDI. A smile appeared on her face.

"May I help you, ma'am?" the secretary asked, visible confused as she typed on the keyboard.

"Oh, no... excuse me, I was looking for another office."

She stepped back and heard a familiar voice behind her:

"Lillian?"

She turned back and saw no other than Mr. di Bardi himself, just as she remembered him: with wrinkles around his small eyes and an elegant white hair.

"Mrs. Callocci and Mr. Rowe called while you were away." The secretary said.

"I'll talk to them in a second." His voice was straight and firm. He turned his eyes to Lilly and smiled. "Lillian Fischer, what are you doing here?"

"I was just looking for Dearick's office. That's all."

William nodded and told the assistaints that were with him that he would be back in a minute before inviting Lilly to have a drink in his office.

"You shouldn't have bothered, Mr. di Bardi. I understand that my fiancé is a busy man," she said placing her hands on her visible legs. He man couldn't help to see her cleavage, "I can't imagine how tight the schedule of a man of your position must be."

"Call me William. I like other people to call me Mr. di Bardi when they are not close to me... it gives me an authority sensation, yet, I personally know you and Dearick. It is not necessary. By the way, I have a bit of a free time, your visit is not disturbing my plans." He winked. "You have not told me why you're visiting Dearick. I cannot let my right hand to be distracted at work."

The woman laughed and

—Llámame William. Me gusta que las demás personas me digan Sr. di Bardi si no son cercanas a mí, me da la sensación de autoridad, solo que yo te conozco personalmente, no es necesario. Por cierto, tengo algo de tiempo libre, no es molestia —guiñó un ojo—. No me has dicho a qué se debe tu visita, no puedo dejar que mi mano derecha, mi hermano, se distraiga en el trabajo.

She laughed and took a sip from her cup before explaining that they were both planning of having dinner together in a restaurant.

"So, he doesn't know you're here, does he?"

She shyly shook her head and ran her hands through her hair.

"Good! That means that you can stay here longer. It is bad for your body to drink too fast; you know?"

"I wouldn't like to bother Mr.... William."

"No, I insist, stay here. These affairs are... well, not important. I don't think we'll have enough time to get to know each other like we have now."

—No, no. Yo insisto, quédese acá. Estos asuntos que tengo que atender... pues, no son muy importantes. No creo que tengamos mucho tiempo para conocernos como ahora.

Lilly took other sip of the coffee, and returned the cup immediately, covering her mouth and wrinkling her face.

"It was hot, wasn't it?", he laughed out loud. "Take some water."

They both talked for almost forty minutes. Lilly didn't seem to notice this, and that her fiancé was about to leave, until Mr. di Bardi asked the time.

"My goodness!" she taking her hands to her mouth. "It is too late".

"I understand."

"I won't be able to surprise Dearick... and you," she looked at him with bright eyes, "are you going out? You should join us for dinner."

William looked at the painting over the fireplace and politely refused the invitation.

"I'm free this week," he said after a while, his eyes lost in the artwork, "shall I call you?"

She nodded. Her heart started bumping her throat and her eyes opened wide.

-Well. I hope you have a lot of time; I like long evenings.

Lilly opened the door.

"Hey, and by the way," he commented with one hand in his pocket, and holding his cup with the other, "you should also come pay me a surprise visit every now and then, okay?"

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Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. English is not my native language, so any feedback, suggestion or advice to change the grammar would be really appreciated.