Chapter 2 She Says No

• The moment Elizabeth met his gaze, a cold sweat broke out across her skin as if her heart had stopped beating.
• It was him. It was really him, the man who saved her brother's life two years ago, and also the man to who she lost her virginity.
• "So she's the housekeeper you referred to?" He said in a low yet extremely magnetic voice.
• His gaze had already moved away from Elizabeth, and the expression on his face seemed to not have changed in the slightest.
• 'Maybe he didn't recognize me at all?' Elizabeth hoped so.
• Blaze immediately turned to look at the elevator and saw Elizabeth standing there in a daze. He immediately made the introduction.
• "Mr. Marquez, this is the manager of the housekeeping department, Elizabeth."
• "Ms. Hubbard, this is our distinguished guest, Mr. Marquez, who comes from the distant Lochapple. It's our great honor to have Mr. Marquez here." Even when Blaze was introducing him to Elizabeth, he did not forget to flatter Ronald.
• Speaking of Lochapple, he seemed to have thought of something, "By the way, Ms. Hubbard, I remember that you're from Lochapple, too, right? You and Mr. Marquez are from the same place. What a pleasant coincidence!"
• Blaze was beaming with joy, but Elizabeth only felt even more nervous.
• "In that case, let her be my housekeeper." The man's voice sounded again, calm and unhurried, yet carrying an undeniable authority.
• "Mr. Marquez, I'm from the Household Affairs, so I don't know much about being a housekeeper. I'm afraid..." Elizabeth wanted to reject him. In the past two years, she had completely forgotten about him and didn't want any further contact with him. This was her way of showing respect for both herself and him.
• However, before she could finish speaking, he cut her off. "Ms. Hubbard, so you don't wanna be my housekeeper?"
• Though he seemed to be asking a question, his tone was cold and tinged with arrogance.
• "She surely wants that. Mr. Marquez, you're generous enough to give her the chance to serve you. Both the Stellar Hotel and Ms. Hubbard are more than honored." Blaze chimed in before Elizabeth had the chance to reject the proposal. As he spoke, he shot her a meaningful glance, silently urging her to comply.
• Elizabeth realized that there was no way to refuse. She lowered her head, pretending to be fully compliant.
• Once the elevator door closed, only Blaze and the temporarily appointed housekeeper Elizabeth were inside with Ronald. The rest were all blocked outside by Ronald's assistant.
• The elevator reached the top floor, where the presidential suite was located.
• Blaze stepped forward, about to lead them into the room, but was stopped by the assistant.
• "Mr. Booth, please stop here. Ms. Hubbard will take it from here. Mr. Marquez prefers not to be disturbed. During his stay, I hope the security can take responsibility. Please do not allow any unrelated people to come in."
• With his astuteness, Blaze understood the underlying meaning at once. Although it was embarrassing to be stopped, he still reacted quickly and nodded his head. "Understood. Don't worry. Our hotel is the best of its kind in Swynwick. You can trust our securities."
• "Good. Please take your time." The assistant spoke calmly, waiting for Elizabeth and Ronald to exit the elevator. After the doors closed, he watched as the elevator went down.
• The main hall of the presidential suite was covered with a thick cashmere carpet imported from New Zealand. Handmade with care, it felt soft and plush underfoot as if one was stepping on clouds.
• However, given the circumstances, even if Elizabeth really stepped on the clouds, she wouldn't have enjoyed it.
• Ronald walked to the side of the sofa and sat down. Elizabeth followed beside him and wanted to speak, but she did not know what to say.
• She wasn't even sure if Ronald had recognized her or not.
• If he hadn't remembered her from the start, then her current awkward silence would only seem absurd.
• "Um...Mr. Marquez, what would you like for dinner?' she asked, forcing a smile. 'We've prepared a menu for you, and I'll show it to you now."
• Although she did not wanna be his housekeeper, she had to carry out her duties now that the situation had already forced her into the position.
• She turned around and walked over to the bookshelf. Then she took down a menu they had prepared beforehand and held it in front of him.
• Maybe it was because she was too anxious and desperate to show how professional she could be, she hit right against the tea table when she was headed to the sofa.
• It hurt so much that she instinctively bent down to reach her injured leg. At that time, she suddenly realized that she was still on duty, so she held back her tears. Stiffening her back, she walked over to Ronald with unsteady steps and handed over a menu with both hands, "Mr. Marquez, please have a look."
• Ronald took the menu and started flipping through it.
• Taking the chance while he was reading the menu, Elizabeth hurriedly bent over and rubbed her calf.
• "Do you need to see a doctor?" He asked, his eyes still on the menu.
• Upon hearing that, Elizabeth immediately adjusted her facial expression and stood up.
• "Mr. Marquez, thank you so much for asking. I don't need a doctor. It's just an accident. I'm fine now."
• "Mr. Marquez wasn't talking about your leg,' Oliver Gardner, the assistant explained as he walked over. 'He was suggesting that you check your ears to see if you might have BPPV, which could make your brain fail to receive signals of movements, leading to dizziness."
• Hearing that, Elizabeth felt embarrassed.
• It turned out that he wasn't concerned. He was just mocking her.
• "Sir, the Ostlea Corporation has arranged a welcoming dinner for you. It was personally invited by Sir Flores. Please do attend it." Ignoring Elizabeth, Oliver reported to Ronald.
• "We do need to respect him," Ronald said as he stood up. "Reply to him that I'll be there on time."
• "Yes, Mr. Marquez," Oliver answered.
• Hearing that they were going out to eat dinner at night, Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief in her heart since they would spend less time together.
• When Ronald was changing his clothes, Elizabeth took the opportunity to ask Oliver for his schedule for the next few days. It turned out that Ronald would be fully scheduled, which meant he would only spend the nights at the hotel. That was such a relief for Elizabeth since she would have her daytime free.