The Billionaire and His Intern (A Christian Romance)

Chapter 10: A Request

Arielle held her briefcase tightly against her chest as she thought over her words in the elevator. She didn't enjoy how quickly the numbers changed as the heavy machinery pulled her further up- closer to seeing him again. That's what this had felt like and what it had quickly become. Work had gone from doing mere math, organizing her boss' schedule, and fulfilling assignments- to pondering how she would face him for another day.

Arielle hated to admit it, but the night before had been a hectic one. Her mind had fought to create new scenarios. Scenarios that simply weren't real and unfruitful to even consider. Such as the one she pondered over during the late hours. What if she entered her small home and a pair of intruders were not hiding amid the darkness that they had created?

Arielle's close friend, Julia, had reached out to her that night. Her chipper voice practically sang over the phone, sharing why she hadn't made it to church earlier in the day. Her talks of adventure and dreams went on for nearly half of the phone call before she asked Arielle how her day had been.

She fought back a dry laugh as the points of her day collided painfully in her mind. How had it been? She thought to herself dryly. Why I've only dealt with two intruders who thought to destroy my peaceful afternoon? Nothing too shabby?

Arielle sighed. She wouldn't ever be so sharp in her words towards Julia nor would she speak that way even to herself. What she had gone through was a serious matter. One she could hardly wrap her head around.

"It wasn't the best that it could be." Arielle began and soon dove into the details. Everything from the delicious breakfast her mother had whipped up for them to the unexpected visitors she had run into. More so, that they had planned to run into her. She listened as her friend gasped on the other line. She wasn't too surprised by her reaction. How else would a sane person react to hearing that their best friend's home was broken into?

Julia spoke at a mile per minute as she began to ask an array of questions, one after another, at a quick pace. She could hear it in her friend's voice. Julia was trying everything she could to cheer up the exhausted intern, even offering a short Bible study through the entire book of Philippians, but Arielle's mind continued to race, threatening to leave her behind.

They eventually concluded postponing the much-needed Bible study. Arielle still felt a tug to read it. She began carefully combing through the first chapter but dozed off just before the second. Her mind was full, but her body had become drained by the day's events.

Arielle watched as the elevator's numbers became higher and higher. She blew out a breath in anticipation, but her mind continued to bring her back. Trying to be in that house, let alone sleep in it, made her horribly uncomfortable the night before. Although she knew that God would protect her and Mr. Marquee's men were on a night shift just outside- she couldn't help, but feel as though they tainted a beautiful place for her.

Her home was filled with memories of her dad. She witnessed her mom and dad share genuine star-filled gazes in their small kitchen. They would dance in the living room when their wedding song would come on the radio. They still had a radio in the house then too. She witnessed true love within those short walls. Every meal included each person sitting around their minuscule table that would extend in size when they had guests over.

She learned how to walk in that home, how to make pancakes in that kitchen, how to do her hair for school- everything. She first learned of God and repented on the couch in her living room. Her house held beautiful memories and now it held memories of them. Her intruders.

Arielle prayed for the strange and dangerous men that broke into her home. She didn't know what it took for someone to become like that, but she assumed it must have been something horrible.