TRANSFORMED BY DESIRE

On this particular May morning, the air was frigid and biting, causing goosebumps to rise on Danielle Brown's skin. She had just returned to Cork from a skiing trip to Landonas with her companions, and as she disembarked from the plane, she was struck by the stark contrast in temperature between the two locations.

Despite her disbelief that she would need her warm apparel in the subtropical city of Cork, even in the winter, she was grateful for her foresight as she had to endure the freezing climate in Belanad while boarding her flight. Wrapped in a scarf and a ski jacket, she had braved the elements, eager to return to her cozy abode.

As she arrived at her petite terrace house in Sanchez, she was greeted by the sight of her boss, John Macbeth, waiting for her on the doorstep. Despite the cold, he was beaming with excitement, his chubby physique and ginger hair making him stand out against the snowy backdrop of the day. As she approached him, he enveloped her in a warm embrace, making her feel instantly at home.

John Macbeth was the mastermind behind Macbeth Interpreting Services, a highly respected interpreting firm that employed Danielle as one of their top interpreters.

"Thank goodness! Your neighbor was unsure of when you were expected home. Ella, I need you," he uttered with fervor, following it up with "I really need you."

Ella, who was aware of John's joyous marriage, extricated herself from his grip and spoke in a solemn tone. "I'm still on holiday, John, so—"

He interjected, "I know, but I’ll make it up, I promise!"

Exhaling, Ella, who worked as an interpreter for John, had come to understand his impulsive nature. "What emergency does this time have?" she inquired.

He denied, "I wouldn't call it an emergency, definitely not. Would you describe Murphy Minerals as anything other than a complete coup?"

"John, I don't know anything about Murphy Minerals or what you're talking about!" Ella exclaimed.

John gave a tongue click and expounded, "It is a significant, high-profile mining company that is expanding into Italy. Well," he said with a dismissive hand wave, "They are about to begin negotiations with an Italian consortium in Cork, but one of their Italian interpreters has become ill and needs to be replaced. Very quickly," he appended.

Ella overburdened her roller suitcase by dropping her tote bag onto it. "On-site interpretation?" she queried.

John pondered. "Look, I know you've only done phone and document work for me, Ella, but you're pretty good at it!"

With her hands resting on her hips, Ella said, "If this is about mining, are we also referring to technical terms?"

John gave her a sharp glance as he contemplated, "I wish we were," before continuing, "No. They need you for the social events. They wanted to ensure that you would be at ease in formal social settings," he hesitated.

Observing his pained expression, Ella jested, "So you told them I don't eat my peas with my knife" and burst out laughing.

"I informed them that you have a background in diplomacy. That seemed to reassure them," he replied stiffly.

John had been running the international division of Murphy Minerals for over a decade, and he prided himself on having a team of professionals that represented the company in the best light. That's why when he first met Ella, he was impressed with her qualifications and linguistic abilities. Her resume boasted a Master's degree in Linguistics, and she was fluent in four languages, including Italian. It was clear that she was the ideal candidate for the Italian client's project that he had been working on for months.

However, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about her attire. He knew that Murphy Minerals' clients expected a certain level of professionalism, and he wasn't sure if Ella's casual style would be up to par. He had seen her on several occasions, and her outfits were always the same: jeans, a blouse, and a scarf. He wondered if she even owned a suit or a dress.

He jerked his chin to stop himself from thinking about it since he was running out of time, and getting the job was the most important thing.

"Ella, hop in the car. We have a twenty-minute interview scheduled with Murphy," he instructed.

She focused on him, surprised. "John, are you kidding? I just got back to my house. I need to take a shower and change, but I'm not even sure I want to go!"

He walked across the street and said, "Ella…," then opened the passenger door of his car and asked, "Please."

"No, John, wait. Did you commit me to an interview with Murphy Minerals when you weren't even sure I would be home today?" She asked incredulously.

"I know it sounds… well, a little bit," he blinked.

She tiredly told him, "It sounds exactly like you, John Macbeth."