A Piece of Your Heart

As I approached the entrance and walked around the fountain, one of the guards kindly held the door open for me. I stepped inside and felt my breath catch at what I saw next.

The lobby was everything I had expected. The ceiling was high, with a crystal chandelier sparkling overhead. Plush velvet couches and contemporary artwork adorned the room, adding a touch of artistic flair to the luxurious surroundings.

I approached the reception desk and was greeted by the clerk. She was a pretty woman who appeared to be in her early twenties, dressed in an elegant uniform with the name ‘Annie’ pinned to her breast pocket. She smiled warmly at me.

“Hello. May I ask your name and the purpose of your visit?” she asked politely.

“Hello,” I said, hoping my voice wasn’t shaking. I suddenly felt out of place in such a setting. As if I didn’t belong here.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

I suddenly remembered the state of my clothes and immediately felt self-conscious. Everyone here was wearing polished and expensive, probably custom-made clothes, and yet here I was, dressed in my simple shirt and jeans, which I got for the cheapest price at a thrift store near my apartment.

It was at that moment that I realized just how far apart Nathan and I were. Our worlds shouldn’t have collided like this, but somehow they did. Was it a coincidence that I was the one who found him in the park that day, and that I conveniently left my sketchbook on the bench? Was it a stroke of luck that he picked it up and tried his best to find me?

I didn’t know the answer, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to know it just yet.

“My name is Julia Simmons, and I’m here to pay a visit to my friend. His name is Nathaniel Adams,” I told her.

The woman’s eyes – Annie’s – lit up with recognition, and her smile widened. “Ah, yes, Miss Simmons. Mr. Adams is expecting you.” She handed me what looked like a guest pass. “You may proceed to the elevators. Your name has already been added to the authorized guest list, so rest assured.”

I thanked the woman before making my way to the elevators. My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped inside, and I let out a breath when, thankfully, no one else was inside. I was alone for a moment, allowed to be alone with my thoughts for a while.

I was suddenly nervous. What was I doing here? Why did Nathan call me here of all places? Maybe it would have been better if he’d come to my place instead…

Wait, no. What on earth was I thinking?

Inviting a man to my house… it was unthinkable.

‘Oh, but a man inviting you to his home isn’t that different?’ a sarcastic voice in my head mocked.

I couldn’t help but frown.

Well, considering the circumstances…

My thoughts were interrupted when the elevator made a sound indicating that I had reached my floor.

I stepped out into a modern, decorated hallway, the walls adorned with exquisite artwork and elegant light fixtures. The air was even scented with a subtle, inviting fragrance, which thankfully temporarily soothed my anxiety.

As I walked, I couldn’t help but stare at the paintings in awe. These were famous and expensive ones. The decorator certainly had good taste.

When I finally reached room 1567, I took a deep breath. There were only two rooms on this floor, which meant that Nathan’s unit was probably quite spacious. He even lived on the top floor.

I reached out and rang the doorbell, feeling my heart pounding in my chest as I waited. It was like a first date, which was weird because I wasn’t supposed to feel like this was a date.

This was an arrangement between me and Nathan. I wasn’t here to have fun. I was here to accompany him and nothing else.

Suddenly I heard footsteps approaching.

The next thing I knew, the door swung open and Nathan was standing there, gazing at me with a kind look in his eyes.

“You’re here,” he greeted with a smile as he stepped back to make room for me. “Sorry for inviting you out of the blue.”

When I walked in, I was even more amazed.

The living room was spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city. The decor was fashionable and contemporary, with a color scheme of chic, neutral tones that complemented the quality of the furniture and materials. The walls were adorned with beautiful artwork, adding culture and sophistication to the space.

But the main attraction was the magnificent entertainment setup in the center: a large flat-screen TV with surround sound speakers that practically resembled a home theater. I also noticed a specialized gaming console connected to several gaming monitors and custom controllers.

As I approached, I could see that the walls were lined with shelves carefully stocked with collector’s editions and limited releases of popular video games.

‘So he’s also a gamer,’ I realized. Of course, it made sense since he worked for a video game company. I wondered if he was in the beta testing department because that sounded like fun.

Then I remembered our dinner conversation that day when he told me – more like implied – that he wasn’t much of a gamer. It occurred to me that he probably didn’t want to reveal too much, just in case.

Anyway, it was clear that we were both being pretty cautious with each other.

But to be honest, I was really amazed at how luxurious everything looked. In fact, I thought that Nathan’s unit was more amazing than the whole condo building. He had so much technology here. He was probably up-to-date with the latest gadgets as well.

“Feel free to look around,” Nathan called out, apparently busy with something on his phone. “Sorry, I just have to answer these emails for a moment. I’ll be with you as soon as I can.”

I nodded. “It’s okay. I’ll just explore, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

Giddy at being given permission, I started walking around. After all, it wasn’t every day that I got to be in a filthy rich person’s condo unit. This was like the opportunity of a lifetime!

I had to stop myself from gasping when I entered the dining room. There, in the center, was an elegant and expansive table surrounded by plush designer chairs. There was also a fully equipped gourmet kitchen adjacent to the dining area that looked so clean and well-maintained. I wondered if Nathan had a personal chef or if he cooked his own meals.

‘Probably not,’ I thought. ‘If he holds a high position and is really rich to this extent, he probably doesn’t have enough time to cook.’

‘But he seems to have a lot of time when talking to me…’

I shook my head. From what I could remember, Nathan had mentioned that he was recovering when we first met. He had been advised by his doctor to stop working for a while to get some much-needed rest.

He had only recently returned to work, so it made sense for him to have some time off every now and then.

I looked back at Nathan. He was talking to someone on the phone, and I felt a momentary sense of awe.

He stood with a straight posture, and even though he was wearing plain clothes, he seemed to exude a sense of professionalism. He spoke calmly, as always, but with an air of confidence.

I didn’t know why, but I just kept staring at him.

It was as if I saw a different side of him today.

Something I hadn’t expected to be charmed by.