When she walked into the multi-million dollar company in her Armani suit, Emily knew her dreams were coming true. This was one of the biggest law firms in the country and she had just been brought here in a private jet. These were things she had always wanted. If she could get the partnership, Joe said that all this would become her daily routine. Flying all over the world for legal success after legal success.

She walked up to the Receptionist.

“Hello, I’m Emily Reyes from Bloomyard Firm at LA, and...”

“Oh! Yes, please come with me,” the lady said quickly, and Emily followed.

“The party started hours ago.”

She was surprised. “No, I’m not here to party, just to drop some files...” she stopped as the lady opened the door for her. It was a party quite alright but she didn’t recognize most faces she was seeing. They were representatives of Bloomyard from all over the world, starting with the CEO, who she did recognize immediately at the door and the CFO of the firm at Georgia and then… .oh crap! Everyone who was anyone at Bloomyard was here. It was a party filled with people of high nobilities. The servers moved to and fro while soft jazz music played from somewhere. No one seemed to be dancing, they were all standing in groups, some laughing, some talking while others were busy exchanging their cards.

She followed the receptionist who stopped and whispered into the ears of a woman whose back was to them. She was in a red suit and a low cut top.

The woman turned around to face them and Emily was able to recognize her immediately. She was the CEO’s wife as well as the CFO of Washington.

“Oh my God!” she quickly said, getting too excited, “I can’t believe this.”

The woman smiled. “Thanks, Gwen, you may go,” she said to the receptionist, who dispersed.

“So I guess, this is your first time at the ball of fame,” the woman said, almost laughing at Emily who nodded.

“Keep calm or else, you might just faint. Now, where are those files?”

“In my bag Ma’am,” she replied and the woman laughed.

“Please just call me Linda, there is nothing like Ma’am here.”

“Yes Ma’am, I mean Ma’am Linda, I mean, Linda.”

The woman laughed so hard. “Come, let me introduce you to some people.”

After a few minutes of being introduced to the big women in the Bloomsyard world, Emily knew today was the best day of her life. She had also exchanged business cards and gotten many in return. Now, she was exhausted and was beginning to think of going back home.

“Wow! I see you must be feeling so proud of yourself as you eventually made it to the ball of fame.”

Emily glanced around quickly and was surprised to see Nancy Whales from her office. She grimaced, she had never liked the woman, and they were both nominated.

“Hi, Nancy didn’t smell that you would be here,” she said with sarcasm.

The lady smiled. “Wow! Just one day in this place and you’re becoming a total bitch.”

“Well, I guess my Bluetooth is on, I must have gotten that from you,” Emily replied.

The older woman came closer. “You don’t deserve to be here, You do not have the qualifications that I have. All these you think you are enjoying, living your dream, will vanish in a day as you would never be part of it. You just came to the firm how many months ago? I have been here for five years, you should not be among the nominees.”

Emily checked her watch. “Wow! I would have loved to stay and chat with you about your fake nose, but I don’t have time for bitchiness, so long,” she said quickly, leaving Nancy standing there.

Quickly, she began to move towards another part of the room to find any other thing that might catch her interest,

“Hi, tired already?”

She looked around and was surprised to see the bluest pair of eyes she had ever encountered. She blinked to remember where she had seen the face before. He was tall, suited up and with a shoulder-length hair tied in a ponytail. He passed her a glass.

“Hi. I’m sorry sir, I don’t know you.”

He smirked. “I thought she must have told you everything you need to know that there is no sir, or ma’am in this place,” he stated.

She frowned and tendered her apologies while still trying to recall whatever magazine she had seen the face in.

“Well, I’m Tom, I can see that you are trying to scramble your brain into finding out who I am.”

She smiled. “Yea. Sorry. My brain has been doing that since I got here. This place is just like all the people I see in magazines and newspapers have just miraculously come alive.”

The man laughed. “You haven’t told me your name yet.”

“Oh, I’m Emily from...”

“L.A.” he finished for her and she nodded in surprise.

“Yea, how did you know that?”

“How wouldn’t I know people who get to work in the company when I am the one who decides whether they’re qualified or not,” he said proudly, raising a cup to his lips.

Immediately, it hit Emily.

“Oh my God! You’re Head of HR.”

“Bingo!”

“Wow! So nice to meet you. You’re younger than I thought.”

The man laughed, almost choking on his wine. “You almost made me choke on my drink, that was a terrible remark.”

“Well, it’s the truth. Most HR heads I know are old.”

“Well, thank you for confirming what Forbes Magazine said about me last night.”

“That you are a young HR head?”

“No, that I am the youngest HR head in the US,” he smiled more.

“Did they mention how proud you are as well?”

The man smiled. “Not at all, but I think something like ‘charming and irresistible’ was mentioned.”

Emily rolled her eyes with a scoff. “You are something else. I should get going.”

“Oh! Come on! Not so soon, we’re just beginning to get along. Besides, I’m not usually like this.”

Emily smiled. “Well, I’m glad to know that but the truth is that I have a birthday party to get to.”

The man thought for a while. “Ball of fame occurs only once in five years. Are you sure you want to leave now and wait till another five years? There will be another birthday in the next 365 days right?”

Emily let out a sigh! “Well, I guess you are right.”

The man smiled. “Now, come with me, I think I know how best to have fun at these things.”

By the time Emily got back home, it was already late in the night. She dropped her bag by the couch and walked quietly to put on the light which came on suddenly, she almost yelped. There she saw Liam. He looked like he had been sleeping.

“Hi,” she said as calmly as she could.

“Hi,” he replied. “There’s some leftover cake for you in the fridge...” he said and was turning around to head back to the bedroom.

Then, “have it,” he said abruptly and entered the room.

Emily sighed and walked to the fridge. She found a slice of cake on a plate with a spoon and she took it.

As she began to eat, her phone vibrated and she picked. It was Joe.

“Hello, Joe.”

“Are you home safely?”

“Yes.”

“Good. How did you enjoy the ball of fame?”

She smiled. “The ball of fame was exactly what I had pictured it would be. Thanks so much, Joe.”

“Okay, see you at work tomorrow, goodnight.”

“Yea. Goodnight.”

As she ended her call, it rang again. She smiled as she picked it,

“Hey, you.”

“So, is she home?”

“If she means me, then yea, she is home.”

“Okay. I just got home too. I had fun today with you today.”

She found herself blushing. “Thank you, Tom, I did too.”

“Aww, with me?”

“Nope, I didn’t say that,” she replied.

“Killjoy. Anyways, have a good night okay.”

“Yea, you too,” she ended the call and dropped the phone on the couch. Today was the best day of her life and she had enjoyed every bit of it. She knew Liam would be mad at her but Tom was right. A birthday party would come round every year, he would celebrate another and she would be there with him, but ball of fame, no, she just couldn’t miss it and wait for another five years. Besides, Liam would understand.

Liam couldn’t understand. He shifted uncontrollably in their bed as he listened to her voice talking to someone on the phone. He knew for sure that she had gone to the ball of fame. She had ignored his birthday and gone to a party without telling him. If she had asked him would he have asked her not to go? He had been so supportive all this while and now he was beginning to feel stupid.

Could his friends be right? Was he jealous of her success, did he just wanted to be part of it? No, he was definitely not jealous about anything. He had always had her back right from the beginning. He was definitely not jealous. She was shutting him out and doing everything alone and today, she had lashed out at him. Something she has never done, not the whole time they had been together. And all because he switched off her phone. He sighed and shut his eyes. Emily was changing so fast, she was starting to become a total stranger. What would happen when she got the partnership. Would they still be together?