I chapter

Miss Montrose - shouted Hillyer - where the hell is the acquaintance I'm supposed to meet? Liz
Montrose was surprised. - How would I know that Mr. Hillyer? - Well, that's your job! As my assistant,
you should know that!

Liz looked at Cam Hillyer. For a week and a half, she has been working for him as a temporary
assistant while his regular assistant is on sick leave. However, she quickly realized that her new boss
was extremely demanding and arrogant. And how now to solve the problem of his acquaintance
being late? She looked around desperately. She was sitting in the office of his secretary Molly
Swanson, who handed her the phone with a meaningful smile behind Cam's back, and Liz wished she
could hug her with gratitude.

"I'll take care of it," Liz told her boss. He shrugged and went into his office.

"What's her name?" Liz whispered, picking up the phone.

"Porsche Penelope," Molly whispered back.

Liz frowned. "Isn't she that model and starlet?"

Molly nodded. "Ms. Penelope, I'm calling on behalf of Mr. Cameron Hillyer..."

A few seconds later, with a shocked expression, she returned the phone to Molly. "What did she say?"
Molly asked.

"That she'd rather go out with a cannibal than him. How do I convey that to him?"

Cam Hillyer's office was minimally furnished: a thick green carpet, ivory blinds, a spacious oak desk
with a leather armchair behind it, and two smaller armchairs in front of it. The almost empty room
was soothing, and the art on the walls reflected the two main supports of Cam's multimillionaire
status: horses and a fishing fleet. The names of the horses and ships betrayed the boss's fondness for
Shakespeare: the stallions were named after Hamlet, Prospero, and Othello, and the ships after
Miranda, Juliet, and Cordelia...

Liz had worked for successful businessmen before and never had any problems; she seemed talented
at working with such people. But never had she had to convey to any of them what she now had to
convey to Hillyer...

There was something else that set Cam Hillyer apart from the others. He was young, just in his
thirties, extremely well-built, tall, and broad-shouldered. He had thick dark hair and deep blue eyes;
admittedly, his face was not handsome in the conventional sense of the word, but the gaze of those
eyes caused a pleasant chill.
In fact, Liz reluctantly admitted to herself that she was not immune to the powerful and masculine
Kem Hilier. She realized this only a few days ago ...

It was a hot day in Sydney, and they headed on foot to a meeting, just two streets away from his
office. The traffic noise echoed off the facades of the skyscrapers, and the sidewalk was crowded.
Suddenly Liz's heel got stuck between two concrete slabs. She stumbled and surely would have fallen
had Kem not caught her by the shoulders and straightened her up.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"Are you okay?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes," she lied because nothing was the same as before. The touch of his hands, his closeness, the
awareness of his strong body ... It shook her to the core. However, she was most surprised by the
feeling of excitement, her body tingled from his closeness. Fortunately, she quickly regained her
composure without revealing anything, otherwise, she would have sunk into the ground in shame.

They continued. If Kem noticed anything, he did not show it. Still, something deep inside her did not
want to control herself in the boss's vicinity, and that surprised and frightened her. Since Kem
behaved correctly towards her, it was incomprehensible why she was thinking about sex!

He did not smile when he looked up from the documents on the desk and looked at Liz questioningly.

"Miss Pengelley ..."

Liz swallowed. How to tell him, for God's sake?!

"Uh ... she won't come."

Kem Hillier frowned and cursed under his breath.

"Just like that?"

He looked at Liz angrily.

"More or less," Liz felt the color returning to her cheeks.

Kem's lips stretched into an irresistible smile that then disappeared immediately.

"I understand. I'm sorry to put you in an awkward situation. There is only one solution: you will have
to step in instead of Porsche. "

"I certainly won't do that!" Liz retorted.

"And why? It's just a cocktail party. "

Liz was breathless.

"If so, why don't you go alone?"

"I don't like going to parties alone because I'm constantly being attacked. Porsche was," he added
regretfully, "the ideal companion who kept aggressive ladies away from me," he shrugged. "Such
beauty has no equal."

Liz blinked. "Was she just...?" But Mr. Hillier, you wouldn't even take your regular assistant to...
defend you from aggressive ladies. "

"Exactly," he agreed. "Roger would provide me with appropriate companionship.

Probably from an escort service, Liz thought in disgust.

"I don't want to go," she said curtly.

"Besides, I don't have Porsche Pengeli's gift to... defend against aggressive ladies."

Kem Hilier got up and walked around the desk. He sat on the edge of the table, watching Liz carefully.

"You are a very interesting type of woman," he muttered.

"So what?" Liz looked down at her elegant, simple cream linen dress. "Besides, I'm not dressed to go
to a party!"

"With those light blue eyes, blonde hair, in that strict dress, you look like an ice princess. I'm sure you
would be just as effective as Porsche."

Liz blushed with anger, then took a deep breath several times to calm down. He waited patiently
without taking his eyes off her.

"Okay, I'll go to the party, but I need a few minutes to freshen up."

A spark of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

"Thank you very much, Miss Montrose. I appreciate it. See you in fifteen minutes in the foyer."

Liz freshened up in the staff toilet. She felt deeply offended, and at the same time, she could hardly
wait to get revenge on Kem. Sighing, she looked at herself in the mirror. For work, she deliberately
dressed simply and strictly, and her mother was an excellent tailor, so she could indulge herself. With
the cream dress, she had a matching silk blazer with a round neckline, discreet straps, and a fitted
cut.

Liz rolled up the sleeves of the blazer and inadvertently smiled when she saw the transformation
from a serious office worker to a party girl, thanks only to the rolled-up sleeves. She took the clasps
out of her hair, which fell over her shoulders, and then carefully put in contact lenses instead of
glasses. Checking the contents of her bag, she realized she would have to make do with minimal
daytime makeup: eye shadow, mascara, and lip gloss. She sprayed herself with perfume and brushed
her hair. Fortunately, she was wearing leather shoes that matched the blazer perfectly. She checked
her reflection once more and was satisfied with her appearance. Still, why did he see her as an ice
princess? Oh, if he only knew...

When she entered the foyer, Kem Hilier was absorbed in conversation with Molly. With his back
turned to Liz, he noticed that Molly was admiringly wide-eyed, so he turned around. At first, he did
not recognize her. When he looked at her a second time, he let out a muffled whistle. Liz would have
taken it as a compliment if he hadn't sized her from head to toe with his eyes and then stared into her
eyes with a look that men gave women to let them know they were welcome in their bed.

Liz gloomily noticed that his gaze caused the same confusing feelings in her as that day on the
sidewalk: rapid breathing, pounding heart, and the disturbing realization that Kem was irresistible.
Thanks to the fact that she got angry with herself, she managed to avoid blushing, so she defiantly
stuck out her chin.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and said seriously:

"I'm sorry if I offended you, but I didn't know you could look so... irresistible. Okay, let's go. "

In record time they arrived at the place where the cocktail party was held because he skillfully drove
his gray Aston Martin avoiding traffic. Without showing a hint of nerves in front of him during the
drive, only when they arrived at the destination, she noticed:

"I believe you missed your calling, Mr. Hilier. You should drive Formula 1. "

"In my youth, I raced, but I quickly got bored of it."

"I certainly wouldn't describe this ride as boring. But you shouldn't park here, should you? "

He blocked the access road to a house right next to a brightly lit large estate surrounded by high
walls. That party was being held there.

"It won't be a problem," he muttered.

"And if the homeowner wants to drive in or out?"

"The owner is not at home."

They were in Bellevue Hill, one of the most elegant suburbs of Sydney, and Liz realized that an elegant
cocktail party awaited her. And that didn't attract her at all.
"Okay," she reached out to open the door. "Let's get this over with."

"Just a moment," Kem Hilier returned urgently. "I understand I offended you and I would like to
apologize. But is there any reason for your frown? "

Liz was speechless, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

"What exactly don't you like?" he asked her.

Liz managed to compose herself. "If you want to know..."

"Yes, I want to know."

She hesitated to tell him but changed her mind.

"Forget it. Who am I to judge anything? Let it go, it doesn't matter," she straightened her back and
tossed her hair.

Kem Hilier watched her for a while, and then something strange happened. The air in the car
suddenly began to crackle with tension. Liz again became aware of his broad shoulders under the
dark green suit jacket, which he wore with a beige shirt and a slightly duller colored tie. She could see
the fine wrinkles around his lips and deep blue eyes.

Suddenly her senses became sharper. Feeling his penetrating gaze on her, her whole body tingled.
They sat so close to each other that Liz was suddenly seized by an unreal desire to feel his hands on
her, his lips on hers... She turned abruptly to interrupt the flow of such thoughts. He silently opened
the door. Liz did the same. Although she was prepared for an elegant ambiance, she was breathless
upon entering the villa. A wide hallway led to the first of three spacious terraces overlooking Sydney
Harbour at sunset. Lamps lit up the terraces and clay pots with exotic plants, while the aquamarine
blue pool on the lowest terrace gleamed like the finest diamond. The excited voices of many guests
were accompanied by hypnotic drum rhythms and African music coming from the middle terrace. A
waiter in tails, with white gloves, approached them and offered champagne.

Kem took two glasses and handed one to Liz. The hostess of the party hurried to greet them. She was
tall and striking in a pink caftan, with lots of gold and diamond jewelry, while pink strands glistened in
her silver-gray hair.

"Kem, darling!" she twittered. "I was afraid you wouldn't come!" turning to Liz, she raised her
eyebrows. "And who is this?"

"Allow me to introduce you: Liz Montrose, Narelle Hastings."

Liz held out her hand to the woman and mumbled: "Nice to meet you."
"Me too," Narelle sized her up quickly from head to toe. "So you replaced Porsche?"

"No, no," Kem hurried to explain. "Liz works for me as an assistant instead of Roger, so I more or less
forced her to come."

"Honey," Narelle twittered again, "don't expect me to believe that," she turned to Liz. "You're too
pretty to be a secretary, sweetheart, and Kem is attractive in his own way. That's perfectly natural.
But," she addressed Kem again, "how's Archie?"

"He's at the end of his nerves. His days are filled with Venom's barking."

Narelle shook her head. "Greet him for me. Oh, excuse me, here are more guests. And lest I forget,"
she turned to Liz, "life is not given to us to spend it working, denying ourselves all joys. Enjoy your
time with Kem as long as you can! " then she walked away.

"Don't tell me how to behave," Liz warned him.

"Not for the world! Narelle can be a little eccentric at times. "

"Still, I knew this wasn't a good idea," she added gloomily.

Shrugging, Kem retorted: "Don't attach too much importance to this."

Liz pierced him with an angry look, but all she achieved was to remind herself of Cameron Hilier's
irresistible, dangerous attraction. No wonder women couldn't take their eyes off him.

"It's not just about your reputation," she said. "It's probably already..." she hesitated and fell silent.

"Ruined?" he suggested.

Liz averted her gaze, feeling that she had probably offended him unnecessarily, and hurried to change
the subject.

"A magnificent house," she took a sip of champagne. "Is there a special occasion for the party?"

Surprised by the unexpected truce, Kem smiled and replied: "I don't think so. Narelle doesn't usually
wait for an opportunity or occasion. She is one of the most important figures in Sydney high society."

"Interesting," Liz kindly noted. "Do you think it's wrong to host a party just for the sake of it?" he
asked.

"Well, if one can afford it..." she gestured at the lavishness around her. "Besides, Narelle is my aunt."

"Oh..." Liz contritely took a sip of her drink. "Thank you," she said. At his quizzical look, she added:
"For the explanation. Sometimes... it happens that I sometimes think out loud, "she admitted." But I
would only have kind words about anyone's aunt. "

Kem Hilier laughed out loud at that. "What's so funny?"

"I'm not even sure myself," he replied cheerfully. "Maybe the fact that my suspicions are confirmed
that you are very direct? Or are aunts sacred to you? "

Liz frowned. "You know very well what I mean. As a rule, I don't like to intrude into the personal
spheres of other people's lives."

He looked at her in disbelief. "But how come that obvious directness doesn't cause you problems on
the business level?"

"I sometimes wonder about that myself. Although most people find my sincerity really refreshing, I
try to restrain it."

"But you don't try that with me?"

Liz absently gazed at her glass and took another sip. "To be honest, I have never had the opportunity
to tell my boss that the woman he was supposed to take to the party would rather... go out with a
cannibal than with him."

Kem Hilier whistled softly. "She must be terribly angry about something."

"Yes, because of you. Then your remark that you could never go to a party alone because an army of
ladies would descend upon you... I had a little trouble with that..."

"It's just my money," he interjected.

"I can't believe that," Liz said sarcastically, then jerked at the sudden flash of flash. "But given that
people probably consider me your girlfriend and that I was scared to death during the breakneck ride
through the streets of Sydney, it's not surprising that I can't restrain my tongue, is it?"

"Probably not," he agreed. "Do you want to resign?"

"Oh," Liz looked at the glass and was surprised to see it half empty, then raised her eyes to Kem. "I
really wouldn't. I need the money. It would mean a lot to me if we could stick to normal working
hours in the future."

He pondered. "How old are you and how did you get this job?"

"I'm twenty-four and have a business administration degree. I was the best student in my class, which
is probably hard for you to believe."

"I realized that immediately from the way you performed your duties," he said. "It was clear that you
were smart."

"Ah?" Liz was surprised. "How so?"

"Do you remember Fortuna's offer, that seafood shop? On the very first day I gave you the subject
and told you to take care of it. "

Liz nodded. "I remember."

"I threw you in at the deep end, and you pleasantly surprised me with your resourcefulness."

Liz took a sip of champagne. "Thank you."

"And Molly told me you're a real IT expert."

"I'm not really an expert, but I like the computer world."

"I wonder why you're working as an assistant instead of building your own career," he asked
cautiously.

Liz looked around instead of answering him. Several couples were on the dance floor and she was
seized with a desire to completely surrender to the African rhythms, the call of the drums, the
wildness. To forget all problems... with a partner she could dance, have fun with, who would make
her heavy burden lighter. It had been a long time since she last danced, she had forgotten that
feeling. Returning her gaze to Kem, she noticed that he had been watching her intently all the time.
She wondered if he could read her thoughts. Did he guess how she imagined herself in his arms,
following the intoxicating rhythm of the music? She lowered her eyes, embarrassed by the direction
her thoughts were taking.

She quickly pulled herself together, realizing it would not be wise to flirt with him. To return to reality,
she said the first thing that came to mind:

"Who is Archie?"

"My nephew."

"He seems to be an animal lover."

Liz was ready to listen, but Kem didn't seem to want to talk about his nephew. Shrugging, she turned
to watch the guests around her. She couldn't believe her eyes when she glimpsed a tall figure at the
other end of the terrace. The man who once meant everything to her...

Suddenly she handed Kem her glass. "Excuse me," she said agitatedly, "I'm going... to wash my
hands." She hurried into the house.

She found the toilet and spent the next ten minutes trying to calm down, but her emotions were so
jumbled that she could no longer think. She decided to sneak out of the house unnoticed, but her
path was blocked by Narelle, who was greeting guests at the door. So she started wandering the
hallways until she found herself in the kitchen. Luckily, no one was there.

I'll try the back exit!, she thought. Going out into the yard, in the distance she saw a gate on the high
wall, which unfortunately was locked. She clenched her fists realizing the awkwardness of this
situation. How would she explain to Kem Hilier, let alone his aunt, sneaking around the house without
permission? If she tried to jump over the wall, someone might see her.

Then it occurred to her that the house where Kem had parked on the driveway next door was empty.
She just had to climb over the wall and... But how to do that?

She quickly hid in the shadows when the house doors suddenly opened and one of the staff threw a
garbage bag into the bin. Without noticing Liz, the man returned to the house and closed the door
behind him. But he gave her a brilliant idea. She would push the bin to the wall and climb onto it,
then onto the fence.

Before rushing to the bin, another worker came out to throw out the trash. Liz was forced to rethink
her plan again. She couldn't stay in this yard forever. When she was ready to return to the kitchen,
something happened that helped her decide. Behind the door came the male voice announcing that
he would lock the door. And immediately afterward came the key in the lock.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the bin to the wall, took off her shoes and threw them over the
wall. Then she put her purse on her shoulder, gathered her dress and climbed onto the bin. Climbing
over the wall was not a problem, but climbing down the other side was. It wasn't far to the ground,
but due to the enormous tension, Liz landed awkwardly and tore her stocking and scraped her knee.

Suddenly the gates opened and the sound of an engine came up the driveway. Petrified, she stared at
the headlights of the car that stopped beside her. The driver's side window silently rolled down. Liz
leaned over to look inside. Everything suddenly became clear when she saw Kem Hilier's face.

"I understand," she said angrily. "The house belongs to you. That's why it was no problem to block the
driveway."

"Exactly, Liz. But I don't understand what you're doing."

II chapter

"Who is he?" Kem's question was as heavy as lead.

Liz sat on a comfortable brown sofa. Above the fireplace, between the two doors leading to the
veranda, hung a picture of an idyllic Australian landscape. Next to the sofa and two armchairs in the
same style were several selected decorations neatly arranged on the parquet floor. The windows
overlooked the pool lit by underwater spotlights, tall cypresses and the distant lights of Sydney
Harbor. Kem Hilier's house may not have been as spectacular as his aunt's, but it exuded an exquisite
sense of style worth several million dollars.

The host of this charming "cottage" sat opposite Liz in an armchair. Taking off his jacket and tie, he
unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. He poured brandy for both of them. As soon as she
entered the villa, Liz went to the bathroom to take off her torn stockings, clean the wound on her
knee and stick a plaster on it. Then she washed up and washed her hands; she did not reapply
makeup. This would not have matched her torn dress and soiled blazer, not to mention her bare feet.
After a thorough search, she found one shoe in a tub full of rainwater.

Liz had only said so far that she had seen someone at the party she did not want to meet, so she ran
away. She took a sip of brandy, feeling her muscles relax. She noticed that Kem, in a short-sleeved
shirt and disheveled hair, looked equally impressive as at the party. His fascinating blue eyes seemed
to penetrate deep into her soul...

"Him?" she mumbled. "What do you mean...?"

"Don't play dumb, Liz," his voice was abrupt. "No woman could provoke such an extreme reaction in
you. I noticed your gaze stopped at one man and you turned pale before... you ran away. And the
result was several embarrassments for me," he added.

"Attacking ladies?" she asked innocently.

He shot her a dark look. "No. But when you didn't come back, I asked Narelle to look for you in the
toilet. She was delighted," he noted bitterly.

"And then?"

"Since you disappeared without a trace, we concluded that you took a taxi home."

"Meanwhile, I was wandering around the yard," Liz sighed. "Okay, it was a man. We... We were
together, but the relationship didn't work out, so... I didn't want to see him," she explained
stammering.

Kem Hilier nodded.

"I can understand that. But why did you disappear without giving an explanation? And why didn't you
go out the front door?"

"I was in shock," she admitted. "It was more likely hysteria. Narelle could have thought you were
snooping around her house. She could have called the police. I never imagined you could react so
irrationally."
Well, but you're not familiar with the circumstances, Liz thought and took courage with a sip of
brandy.

"Matters of the heart and love can be... complicated," she said softly.

"Aha. So you're not as inaccessible as the Ice Princess, Miss Montrose?"

Liz did not answer, and he frowned.

"I just remembered something. You're a single mother, aren't you?" In an instant, her face turned into
an icy mask.

"Don't take it the wrong way, but it seems that's why you work as an assistant?"

"That's right," she relaxed again. "Tell me about your child."

She thoughtfully swirled the glass in her hand. A wave of warmth spread through her body, as always
when she thought of her child.

"My daughter Sani will soon be four years old and she's just... charming."

"Who takes care of her while you're at work?"

"My mother. I live with her, my father died."

"And you get along well?" he was interested.

"Oh yes, very well," she replied. "Sani loves my mother, and mother... Well, mother can be eccentric,
which is not always easy. But we get along well and understand each other."

"And Sani's father?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hilier, but that really doesn't concern you."

Ignoring her sudden change of mood, he continued to interrogate her:

"Miss Montrose, the fact that you entered my property uninvited and snooped around my aunt's
house concerns me very much. Since both houses are full of valuables, I think you owe me an
explanation."

"I had no idea this was your house or that the party would be held at your aunt's house," she cried
angrily. "Only an idiot would think of robbing both houses."

"Or a single mother with financial problems," he remarked spitefully. "Who also dresses very well."

Liz was furious.

"My clothes are not expensive! My mother made them for me!" confronted with his suspicious look,
she gave in. "Okay. The man from the party is Sani's father. We haven't heard from or seen each other
in years."

She shook her head. "It's over between us forever. For him it was an adventure, so I had no choice
but to... " she smiled bitterly, "...pull myself together and withdraw. The problem was that... "

"You didn't know you were pregnant," Kem interrupted her.

"Oh yes, I knew I was pregnant," she tried to suppress the tears that welled up.

"But you didn't tell him," Kem added.

"Of course I did. He responded that an abortion was the best solution under the circumstances and
that he would support me. He already had a new girlfriend and planned to move to another state
where he had a better job waiting for him. I believe he even thought I had gotten pregnant on
purpose to force him into marriage..." she shrugged resignedly.

"I refused his help and said I would manage. I haven't seen him since... Then I went abroad to study,
so I have no idea if he tried to contact me before he moved away. "

"So he doesn't know you have a child?"

"No."

"And you don't want to tell him?"

"That's right!" Liz slammed the glass down on the table. "When Sani was born, I knew she belonged
only to me. He didn't even want her to be born, so why would he share her with me? I still feel that
way, but... " she lowered her head dejectedly. "At some point I will have to face Sani's questions.
When she grows up and starts to understand, she will want to know something about her father."

"And until then he must not know about her? So that's why you panicked tonight," he said
thoughtfully, gazing at her.

"Do you think he would have reacted differently tonight?"

Liz sighed deeply. "I have no idea, but it's hard to imagine anyone resisting Sani. She resembles him so
much... Recently I read an article about him, he has become successful and has been married for four
years, but has no children. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm afraid he and his wife could take Sani away
from me."

"Liz," he said firmly, "you are Sani's mother and no one can take her away from you... unless you can't
take care of her."
"Legally speaking, he wouldn't stand a chance, but there are other possibilities. When Sani grows up,
she may not be able to resist him. He's prominent and lives in first-class conditions. And I... I can
barely make ends meet."

She fell silent, overcome with emotion.

"Have you gotten over him, Liz?"

"I haven't forgotten or forgiven," lost in thought, she gazed at the pool outside. "I haven't forgiven
myself for being so naive and stupid."

"Don't be hard on yourself. It happens, though not always with such consequences, but life is
constantly teaching us."

Seeing understanding in Kem's eyes, Liz was completely disarmed by his compassion devoid of any
judgment. She lowered her gaze to her bare feet in an attempt to hide her tears. Suddenly she
realized that she had just confided in a complete stranger who was also her employer! She
straightened up resolutely on the sofa.

"I'm sorry," she said hoarsely. "I'll understand if you want to throw me out on the street. The
important thing is that you believe me."

"I believe you," Kem Hilier said without hesitation. "And... I won't throw you out on the street, but I'll
drive you home," he drained his glass and got up.

"I can call a taxi," she said, hurriedly getting up from the sofa.

"I won't hear a word!" he put on his jacket and at that moment his mobile rang. He looked at the
screen.

"Oh, Porsche," he mumbled. "Probably wants to add a little more bile." With one press of a button,
he turned off the mobile and returned it to his pocket.

"I shouldn't have told you that. She probably wanted to apologize. I think you should talk to her."

Interest sparked in his blue eyes. "Congratulations on caring about my love life, Miss Montrose, but
Porsche and I are over. Let's go."

With a gesture, he motioned for Liz to go ahead of him. Kem Hilier left her in front of her building,
watching her walk toward the entrance. She insisted on putting on both shoes even though water
was dripping from one. Unintentionally, a quiet whistle escaped him when he noticed her long,
slender legs that could certainly compete with Porsche's. She is slender and graceful. How did he not
notice that before? Well, yes, his glasses, strict hairstyle, and forceful manner deceived him... There is
no doubt that an irresistible heartbreaker is hiding behind the facade of the inaccessible Ice Princess.
He knew how to handle women and had to admit she intrigued him. Perhaps because of the
challenge, the need to break through the icy shell until a passionate woman appears? Whether she
liked it or not, he noticed that she was not immune to him either. Still, he thought, she would
disappear from his life in two weeks. Unless...

The next morning, Liz was preparing breakfast for her daughter when her mother Mary Montrose
entered the kitchen.

"I didn't hear you come in last night," she said.

Yes, fortunately for me, Liz thought. She didn't have the will to go into details of that evening with
her mother... So, she satisfied Merina's curiosity with an abbreviated version of the story.

Meri excitedly said, "Once I created a dress for Narelle Haystings. Is she really Cameron Hilier's aunt?"

"That's right," Liz smiled, spreading butter on a piece of toast for Sani. She knew her mother was
interested in everything about high society.

"Hmm..." Meri thought for a moment. "The Haystings and Hilier families have suffered several
tragedies."

Liz wiped crumbs from Sani's chin and kissed her on the tip of her nose. "Good girl, you ate it all
nicely. What tragedies?" she turned to her mother.

"Cameron's parents died in a plane crash, and then his sister lost her life in an avalanche slide. What
do you think of him?"

"He's fine," she looked at her watch. "I have to go. What do you two have planned for today?"

"We're going to visit the koalas at the zoo," Sani exclaimed.

"And other animals, darling," Grandma confirmed cheerfully. "And I'm looking forward to that too."

Liz thought how nice it would be to spend this sunny day walking around the zoo, then energetically
got up and prepared to leave for the office.

Liz lived with her mother and Sani in the suburbs of Sydney. The apartment was comfortable... thanks
to her mother... but the neighborhood was not posh, which didn't suit Meri. But it was close to
Oxford Street, full of posh boutiques and cafes. Nearby was also a park where Liz, Sani and Meri often
went for picnics. The apartment was spacious, so Meri had a study where she received regular
customers for whom she created wardrobes. After Liz's father died, she realized her lifelong dream
and opened her own boutique. Unfortunately, the business failed, not due to lack of demand, but
due to Meri's lack of business sense. She then lost all her savings. Since thanks to her mother Liz was
always well dressed, it was not noticed that she lived on limited means. She still looked great today in
tight black pants that hid the bandage on her knee, a black and white blouse with three-quarter
sleeves and a belt around her waist. She also wore black leather shoes with high cork heels and a
silver multi-strand necklace with black and white pearls. She let her hair down and instead of glasses
she wore contact lenses.

On her way to work by bus, she kept returning in her thoughts to Kem Hilier. She went over the
events of the previous evening many times.

Kem Hilier did not judge her, especially not about Sani... After the disastrous relationship with Sani's
father, Liz focused on building a life for her daughter and herself. She was tired of men. "Once bitten,
twice shy" was her motto. Unconsciously, she built and perfected an extremely effective facade of the
inaccessible Ice Princess. This, of course, took its toll because she had to work hard to make ends
meet, constantly tormented by guilt for limiting her mother's life. She often feared that she would
age prematurely and never find happiness with a man again because of the disappointment that
pressed on her like an invisible burden.

She admitted to herself that she did feel a physical attraction to Kem Hilier, who aroused in her
feelings of love and hate at the same time, although of course there could be no talk of love here. On
the one hand, he was shamelessly arrogant, and yesterday so full of understanding that she confided
in him everything that troubled her heart and soul. What was the point of all this?, she thought. He
would soon disappear from his life.

Resigned, she got off the bus, unaware of what awaited her. After a short walk, she entered the
"Hilier Corporation" building and hurried through the foyer to the elevators. The first one to stop
came from the underground garage. Liz got in and only when the doors closed did she notice that she
was alone in the elevator with her boss.

"Good morning, Miss Montrose," he said.

"Good morning, Mr. Hilier."

He looked her up and down, and the corners of his lips curled mockingly. "It's hard to imagine that
you're the burglar who jumped over the wall last night."

Liz shot him an angry look, then gazed at the floor. "Have you recovered, Liz?"

"I have," she replied coldly, and after a short reflection added: "Thank you. You were..." she couldn't
think of the right word. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The elevator stopped, but they both still stood. As yesterday in Kem's car, the atmosphere in the
elevator began to crackle with tension. Elegantly dressed in a gray suit with a light blue shirt and
silver-blue striped tie, he looked great. In addition, he was fresh, showered and shaved, with carefully
combed hair, fascinating blue eyes and beautiful hands. Liz's head spun with the sensuality he
radiated, arousing in her a longing for physical contact... for touch, passionate kisses...

Their eyes met and Liz noticed the nervous twitch of muscles on Kem's face, revealing to her that his
feelings were also disturbed. His looks last night revealed to her that he no longer considered her just
office furniture. Like an electric shock, the thought struck her that he might want her as much as she
wanted him.

Only when the elevator doors slowly closed did they both startle out of stillness. With a push of a
button, Kem opened the doors and let Liz through. She walked into her office without a word.

Molly looked up from the papers in front of her and gave them both a friendly smile. "Liz, come to my
office in ten minutes to check the daily schedule. And I'd like coffee, Molly," he ordered before
disappearing behind the door.

"How was it last night?" Molly asked.

Liz grimaced. "I'm afraid it's over with that."

"And it's better that way," Molly remarked. "He needs a real woman, not those silly movie stars... And
my neighbor's dog is a better actor than Miss Pengeli!"

Eight minutes later, Liz was ready to present the meeting schedule to her boss. She poured water
from the fridge into a glass, but instead of drinking it, she pressed it to her forehead. I've definitely
lost my mind, she thought. And so has he if he's thinking of getting involved with me. Or maybe he
just needs a replacement for Porsche? Someone to defend him from pushy ladies... and I don't
believe for a second that those women only have his money in mind.

But while introducing him to the schedule, the atmosphere between them was businesslike.

"Good," he said. "Did you get the material for the Fortune conference?"

She nodded. "I want you to be there. There is still a lot of material to gather. And then you'll take me
to the Bromwich restaurant and come pick me up later. There's no parking there."

"Okay," she mumbled a little uncertainly.

He looked at her. "Is there a problem?"

"Do I have to drive your car?"

"Why not?"

"To be honest..." Liz nervously bit her lip, "I'm afraid I'll scratch it."
He leaned back in his armchair. "I didn't even think about that. Okay, take a car from the fleet."

Liz relaxed. "I think that's a better idea."

The corner of his lip twitched, and Liz thought he was going to joke, but he immediately put on an
impassive mask.

Liz was angry with herself. In the elevator she was perfectly cold and repellent until an erotic note
prevailed in the air and then her mask fell off. She knew a relationship with him would be
unimaginable madness, but she obviously craved his attention with a shred of her being...

She coughed politely and asked kindly: "When do you want to leave?"

"At half past twelve." The Fortune conference is scheduled for half past ten."

Liz and Molly prepared the hall together. The discussion went without a hitch. Liz distributed the
material, took over documents, provided coffee and water...and received excessive signs of gratitude
with a kind smile from the short, corpulent vice president of Fortune Sifud Group. A tingling sensation
on her back made her turn around...and she saw dissatisfaction in Kem Hilier's gaze. Surely he didn't
think she cared about compliments from some complete stranger? On the other hand, Liz knew the
prejudices that single mothers were constantly hunting for men...

While driving her boss to the restaurant in the company's Mercedes, his displeasure became obvious.

"You're an extremely cautious driver, Miss Montrose," he reproached her.

"The car isn't mine, and I'm also taking care of you."

"Excessive caution can cause an accident," he growled. "Roger is a much better driver."

Liz was boiling with anger but refrained from commenting.

"And with Roger I don't have to worry," he continued spitefully, "about dirty and low offers from old
geezers. Damn it! You had enough room to pass the bus!"

That was too much! She parked on the shoulder, turned off the engine and, handing Kem the keys,
calmly said: "If you want to get to Bromwich in one piece, you'll have to drive yourself. And don't ask
me to play driver for you anymore. Besides, I'm quite capable of defending myself against dirty offers,
and you can keep criticism of my driving style to yourself, because you are the epitome of a danger to
traffic safety."

"Liz..."

Ignoring him, she opened the door and got out.

Chapter III
Here is my translation into natural-sounding English:

Two minutes later, Cam was sitting in the driver's seat and she in the passenger seat, having no idea
whether he was furious or would make fun of her, although she suspected the latter was more likely.

"Well," he said, pulling into traffic, "call the restaurant and tell them I'm not coming."

"But you can't..."

"Oh, I can. I didn't want to go to that stupid business lunch anyway. Out of two hundred people, no
one will notice my absence."

"What should I say?"

"Say...," he thought for a moment, "...say I'm frustrated after an argument with my secretary who not
only threatened to tear me to pieces but labeled me a public safety hazard."

Liz didn't feel like laughing. "Very original!" she snorted.

"Of course, you can also say that on such a nice day I'd rather go to the beach for lunch. Yes, we'll
treat ourselves to fish and chips. What do you say?"

She slouched back in her seat. "It's probably pointless to convince you that this is a bad idea."

"That's right," he said charmingly. "You should have thought about that before putting the 'wheel' in
my hands."

"But you were impossible!"

"Hmm ...," he frowned, "I am a little out of sorts today. Do you feel that way too? And what exactly
happened in the elevator?" he added softly.

Liz stared ahead wondering how to respond. She didn't even know herself why this subtle eroticism
kept erupting between them. She hadn't felt anything like it for years and now she was scared.
Remembering the unpaid bills, she returned to reality again. She couldn't risk losing her job!

"I'd like to apologize for my outburst," she said repentantly. "I'm probably not a good driver. I lack
experience, but I tried."

Cameron Hillier threw her a derisive look. "You have nothing to add to that?" She knew he was
alluding to the situation in the elevator. He had noticed she avoided answering that question.

Nervously wringing her hands, she replied somewhat calmly: "No."

Silence reigned for some time, then he said: "That sounds final. Do you think there can be nothing
between us beyond a business relationship?"

Liz ran her fingers through her hair. "No," she mumbled. "I'll call the restaurant though I doubt
anyone will answer."

"Then it wasn't meant to be," he said, and Liz realized he didn't mean the business lunch.

After a brief hesitation, she decided to affirm her position on this: "There's no need to take me out to
lunch, Mr. Hillier."

"You misunderstood me," he replied casually. "First, I'm starving, and second, I go out for lunch with
Roger when we're traveling. Your suspicion is therefore unnecessary."

"Suspicion?"

When she looked at him, his blue eyes sparkled with pleasure. "Suspicion that I might try to breach
your icy armor."

Liz felt her cheeks flush. The restaurant he took her to had an outdoor terrace with a wide path
leading to the sea. They sat at a table under an umbrella, ordered food and rested their eyes on the
glittering water surface. Cam chatted casually as they enjoyed the fish and chips. So he could be
different, Liz thought. Instead of the moody and arrogant millionaire, opposite her sat an witty and
amiable man. Suddenly he seemed very young to her.

"So...," he glanced at his watch, "back to work."

Liz got up. "Thank you for lunch."

For a moment their eyes met and then they went to the car. Liz knew this exceptionally pleasant
lunch would cause restless dreams.

Sani had no such problems. Excitedly, she recounted adventures from the zoo and fell asleep instantly
when Liz put her to bed. Liz kissed the girl's golden curls and tiptoed out of the room.

Hours later, she tossed and turned in bed as scenes from this strange day unfolded in her mind. I
mustn't allow this, she persuaded herself. And I can't quit my job either, because the agency would
demote me, which would mean lower pay in the future. I have to think of Sani. I mustn't allow myself
to be used and discarded again.

She stared into the darkness as hot tears flowed down her cheeks. She mustn't allow another man to
ruin her life.

Luckily, Kem Hillier spent the next two days on a business trip. He came back somehow in a better
mood, less curt, at least towards Liz, and did not mention the situation in the elevator. Had he
reconciled with Porsche, or maybe found her a suitable replacement? In any case, Liz relaxed a bit.
And when they got stuck in traffic on their way to a meeting, she didn't mind that he asked her a few
personal questions to pass the time. It was a gloomy, cloudy day. Far ahead of them there had been
an accident, and a helicopter was circling above them.

"It looks like something serious happened," Liz muttered. "We'll be late."

Shrugging his shoulders, he turned off the engine. "There's nothing we can do. Tell me about your
childhood."

Liz smoothed her hand over the red dress she was wearing with a thin black jacket. "My father was a
teacher and intellectual, and my mother...," she paused, looking for the right words, "...she's a
creative type, incredibly skilled with her hands, but not very practical in terms of business. Despite
their differences, they got along well. She knew how to cheer him up, and he knew how to dissuade
my mother from her crazy ideas. As a teacher, he paid a lot of attention to education. He expected a
lot from me. That's why I got a scholarship to a private school, and later to college. He...," she fell
silent.
"Go on," Kem urged. She wondered why he was so interested in all this. Who knows, maybe he even
found it amusing.

"I thought I resembled my father, but recently I've started to notice similarities with my mother. She's
a talented cook, and meanwhile I've become quite adept at it, but as a seamstress I'll never be in her
league."

"How did you manage to reconcile your studies with a child?" he asked. "That can't be easy."

For a moment her gaze was drawn to his hands on the steering wheel, then she quickly looked out
the window.

"It wasn't easy, but it helped me a lot to have a clear goal in mind. Of course, in addition to my
studies, I had to work all kinds of jobs."

"For example?"

"At the reception desk in a tattoo parlor, in the drinks department of a supermarket, babysitting and
raising children..." she sighed. "It was around then that my father died. He didn't live to see Sanya.
But I was determined to finish my education because I knew that otherwise he would be deeply
disappointed."

"How did you become a personal assistant?"

"By sheer luck. One of my professors was in contact with an agency. I went through training, my
mother provided me with appropriate clothes, and here I am!"

"And you're also very perceptive," he said more to himself. "I assume you rest between
engagements?"

Liz nodded

"Whenever possible, for two weeks at a time. To relieve my mother, but also to spend more time with
Sanya."

"Your mother still sews your clothes?"

"Yes. She made the blazer I wore to your aunt's party."

"Your father would be proud of you."

"Thank you."

"And Sanya's dad? Did you ever run into him again?"

Liz shook her head, feeling uncomfortable. "I wonder if he moved to Sydney."
"If you like, I could find that out."

"No, thank you. It's best not to stir that up. Oh, look, the cars have started moving, there's still a
chance we'll make it on time."

It seemed like he wanted to say something else, but he shook his head and started the engine.

That same evening, to her great regret, Liz learned from a radio interview that Sanya's father, an
economic expert, planned to move to his native Sydney. Liz turned off the radio in horror. She felt
only disgust for Sanya's father.

The next morning she had an unusual task for her boss. Preparing the office for Kem's meeting with
the HR director, Liz cleaned up the mess on his desk and overheard a phone conversation that wasn't
exactly business.

"He broke the window?" he said into the receiver. "I had no idea he had the strength to... Okay, no
problem. Tell him not to try to repeat that until I get back," he hung up the phone and turned to Liz.

"Do you remember the song about the boomerang that didn't come back?"

"No."

"I remember," he said, drawing it out. "Try to find that song for me, please."

At that moment there was a knock and the director came in.

Hours later Liz told her boss that she had found the song about the boomerang and was delighted
with it.

"A real classic. Charlie Drake sings it. His boomerang not only didn't come back, it even hit the Flying
Doctor's plane."

"Excellent," said Kem Hillier, offering no explanation.

A few days later he surprised her again. After she read her boss the schedule for that day, he asked to
see the schedule for the next day as well. Glancing over the list of appointments, he returned her
planner.

"Cancel all tomorrow's appointments."

"All? But..." There were at least ten important meetings. Cancellation would cause complete chaos.

"Okay. Um...what should I tell people? That you had to leave urgently? Or..."

He gave her an irresistible smile and said, "Oh yes..."

"Would you like to clue me in on your plans for tomorrow, Mr. Hillier, or would you rather I know
nothing about it?"
"Hard to do, because tomorrow you're coming with me. I'm traveling to Jawara and I need your help."

"Jawara?" she repeated confusedly. "That's my weekend house in the Blue Mountains."

"Blue..." Liz realized she was just repeating everything like a parrot, so she quickly asked, "How long
will it take?"

"One day, normal working hours," he replied. "If we leave at eight in the morning, we'll be back by
the end of the workday. And dress casually," he leaned back in his chair.

"Well, only three more days and Roger will be back at work."

"That's right," she said softly.

"We've worked well together," he fell silent for a moment, then added cynically, "If we forget that
you've often wanted to slap me and threatened to take me apart."

"Since you'll never forget that, it's good I'm leaving soon..."

At that moment, the office door suddenly opened and Porsche Pangely walked in.

"Kem, we need to talk... Oh!" Porsche froze, then continued in her model walk. She was wearing a
tight black silk dress and a bright red cardigan over her shoulders, carrying a large purse the same
color.

"And who is she?" she asked, nodding toward Liz.

Liz stood up and picked up her planner. "I work here. If that's all, Mr. Hillier, I'll get back to work.
Excuse me," she said to Porsche, and leaving, she heard only Porsche cooing passionately and
pleadingly, "Oh, Kem."

The next morning they left precisely at eight.

Behind Penrith the road led uphill, and before them appeared the magical Blue Mountains. Liz had
read somewhere that the blue haze enveloping the mountains came from eucalyptus oil from the
trees growing on its slopes. The road wound upward higher and higher, and a view of the hills
enveloped in blue haze stretched before them.

After a while Kem asked, "What's your next job, Liz?"

"I don't have one yet. But something always comes up."

"And what do you do if nothing comes up for a long time?"

"I'll manage. Thanks for your concern, but I don't want to talk about it. I'm leaving in a few days and I
think it's better for both of us not to mix business with personal."

"Oh, really?" For a while he drove in silence. "That train left long ago."
Liz frowned. "What do you mean?"

He glanced at her briefly, but Liz noticed a trace of irony in it.

"Narelle was right. We weren't meant for a boss-employee relationship, Miss Montrose, sparks fly
between us, and it started two weeks ago in this car. Maybe the very day you wrapped on your
magical blazer and let down your hair.

Chapter IV