Eyes full of stars | ✔️

Chapter 1: She will be loved

"Look for the girl with the broken smile

Ask her if she wants to stay awhile

And she will be loved"

-Maroon 5

*

Like every morning, the alarm went off scaring me and waking me up instantly. I sat up on the bed, my hair covering my sleepy face. Without even opening my eyes, I hit snooze and stayed put for a minute, waiting for a spark of life to wake up my brain.

Then I felt Sherlock's snout on my leg and that was what really brought me back to life. I opened my eyes to see my dog's beautiful black ones watching me with love and patience.

"Hello, good boy" I mumbled, sounding from beyond the grave.

Sherlock responded by licking my leg once and I slowly got up. I stopped on my way to the bathroom to smile to the guy in the framed picture on the dresser.

"Good morning, my love" I said.

After walking Sherlock outside, drinking my latte and having a shower, I was ready to head to work. It was my housemate and best friend Felicity's day off, she would have taken care of Sherlock during the day. This thought made me more eager to face the working day at the law firm. I kissed the dog goodbye and rushed outside towards the tube station.

London on Monday morning was crazy, as usual. I managed to read my book leaning against the bottom wall of the train coach. It was far more comfortable than standing among the crowd, especially near those people who would speak loudly on the phone or read huge newspapers, unconcerned of the other passengers' space. As for me, ear-buds on, I would just ignore everyone.

I bought a cup of tea to go at Starbucks on the St. Katherine Docks and then entered the building where my office and dozens more were. The lift brought me to the fourth floor and I was greeted by Grace, the receptionist.

"Good morning, Miss Montgomery!" she said, her squeaky voice piercing my eardrums, which happened every single time she would talk to me.

"Good morning, Grace."

I sat at my desk and turned on my computer. My boss, Mr. Edmund Lavender, one of the law firm associates, hadn't arrived yet, but my coworker Melissa was already there, like every morning.

I was Mr. Lavender's assistant and took care of pretty much everything in our small office area. A young lawyer who enjoyed hunting new clients for the law firm, he was quite talented in talking to people and I believed that this talent would have eventually brought him to the biggest success in life.

"Hey Melissa" I greeted. "How was your weekend?"

She replied without even moving her eyes from the computer screen. "Good."

Melissa Welch was Mr. Lavender's accountant and she was very - and I mean VERY- meticulous in her job. I knew she was in her fifties, married with children, but wouldn't share much else of her private life. Or maybe, she considered talking to her coworker of five years Lily Montgomery a total waste of time.

"Mine was good too" I said, perfectly knowing that she wasn't listening. "I spent it watching The Crown on Netflix and walking Sherlock in the park with Felicity."

Silence fell and, as I checked the emails drinking my milky Earl Grey tea, Mr. Lavender came in.

"Hello, ladies" he said with a big white smile on his face.

"Good morning, Mr. Lavender."

Melissa greeted him without blinking.

I noticed that he was wearing one of his best suits, one of those his wife had purchased for him at a Hugo Boss sale, in that smoke grey color that fit his black skin perfectly. Such an outfit meant that he was up to something important.

"You look good today" I commented. "Do you have any special plans?"

"Thank you, Lily!" Mr. Lavender put down his dark purple briefcase, bent over my desk and whispered with the most excited tone "Guess who is bringing in the best client this law firm has EVER had?!"

I looked at him and smiled. "I know only one lawyer in this firm that could do such a thing. You, of course!"

He laughed, straightened and buttoned up his jacket, a gesture that indicated absolute self-confidence. "You surely have not read all the emails, yet. Today I have a business lunch with David H. Pierce."

I froze. My eyes widened and he grinned in satisfaction.

"Mr. Pierce and his crew will come here at 1 o'clock" he announced, taking the briefcase and heading to his office. "They won't stay long. Could you please reserve a table for four at our usual restaurant? At 1.15 pm should work. And may I have a cup of tea, please? Thank you, Lily!"

He disappeared inside his office and I was still there, breathless... even shocked.

David H. Pierce was currently the most sought after architect in the United Kingdom, and maybe in the entire world. His main office was based in London, exactly three floors above us. Mr. Lavender had tried many times to make himself known to him and his crew over the years, especially after learning that Mr. Pierce had recently launched a franchise and had fired his previous lawyer because he had made him lose a valuable acquisition in the United States. Mr. Lavender considered himself to be the King of Acquisitions in the United States, so maybe Mr. Pierce had realized that my boss was the perfect replacement and finally decided to hire him.

But, more importantly, David H. Pierce was the boss of the man I was in love with.