Chapter III

The morning sun streamed through gaps in the curtains. Gilmore slept in a hotel room bed. Sunlight warmed his face, causing his closed eyelids to flutter. He slowly opened his eyes, shielding them from the bright light with a hand. His cell phone on the bedside table rang. He turned, reached for it, and saw Lilian's number.

"Hello, Lilian, why are you calling so early?" he answered.

"Where are you?" she asked anxiously.

"I'm at the Grand Majesty Hotel in Vista Verde," he replied.

"Ah! Why didn't you tell me you were at the Grand Majesty?" she exclaimed, surprised. "The production team and I stayed there last night."

"I know, but I arrived at 2 AM and didn't want to disturb you," he explained. He'd received a text from her before boarding the plane, informing him of their hotel. Knowing she'd been filming and had another day of work, he hadn't contacted her.

"I'm at the NexusTV station now. I'll ask for a day off to see you," she said, her longing evident.

He refused. "No need. I'll come to the TV station." He missed her terribly, but taking a day off would disrupt filming, causing gossip and potentially damaging her career at NexusTV. She'd worked hard to become a star, and he wouldn't let her jeopardize that.

She considered this, then agreed. "Okay, I'll have my assistant wait for me at the gate."

"Okay, see you later," he said, hanging up. He dressed, washed, and left the hotel.

The Grand Majesty was one of Vista Verde's most luxurious hotels. Vista Verde, a thriving international commercial city of over 20 million, boasted many spectacular skyscrapers. Its financial district and television tower were iconic landmarks.

The NexusTV station, a hundred-story behemoth, was striking even amongst the city's many tall buildings. Less than a mile from the Grand Majesty, Gilmore opted for a shared bicycle instead of a taxi. Ten minutes later, he arrived. NexusTV, one of Eldoria's most famous stations, was located in the international metropolis of Vista Verde. Its building was magnificent.

At the gate, he saw a fashionably dressed woman in her thirties, wearing pink glasses, looking around. She didn't notice him. This was Lilian's assistant. Because Gilmore arrived on a bicycle, the assistant overlooked him. She expected Lilian's boyfriend to be wealthy or from a prominent family, and didn't consider this ordinary young man on a shared bike a possibility.

Gilmore surmised her identity. He parked and locked his bike, then approached her. The assistant eyed him warily. "What do you want?" she asked.

"I'm Lilian's boyfriend," Gilmore stated.

Her glasses slipped down her nose; her eyes widened in astonishment. Seeing him arrive on a shared bike, she'd dismissed him. She envisioned Lilian's boyfriend driving a Ferrari or BMW.

After a pause, she adjusted her glasses. "You're Lilian's boyfriend?" she asked incredulously.

Gilmore nodded earnestly. "Yes. What's your name?"

"Mona Wade. I'm Lilian's assistant. Come in," she replied coldly, turning and walking into the building. "I don't understand why Lilian would fall in love with someone like him," she muttered.

He ignored her comment. Many people judged by appearances and wealth; unless Mona overstepped, he wouldn't bother arguing, especially as she was Lilian's assistant. He simply followed her inside.

A security guard immediately approached, inquiring about Gilmore's identity. Mona explained he was with her agency. The guard admitted them. They took the elevator to the 14th floor, walking down a corridor.

"Lilian's filming in the studio," Mona told Gilmore. "It'll take about two hours. You can wait in the lounge; she'll see you afterward." She led him to the lounge, furnished with sofas, tables, and chairs.

"Alright, I'll wait here," he nodded.

Mona left. Gilmore sat on a sofa, poured himself some water, and leaned back, eventually falling asleep from boredom.

After some time, he heard a voice. "Gilmore, wake up." He opened his eyes to see Lilian's beautiful face.

"Lilian!" He recognized her, reaching out to cup her cheeks and kiss her. He felt intoxicated. Lilian's face flushed, but she didn't resist, closing her eyes.

Their moment was interrupted by a cough from the doorway. "Ahem, ahem" Lilian startled, quickly pushing Gilmore away.

(The final sentence with the unusual characters is omitted as it appears to be unrelated to the text and potentially a placeholder or error.)