Winter our discontent (RP)

So much for the tracker. She hoped Teddy might actually help her find where Eliot’s car was last seen, but now he was "in recovery" and conveniently out of reach. It wouldn’t surprise her if he was in the hands of someone who didn’t want Eliot found…

"That sounds serious. I hope he gets well soon." She said politely, already deciding there was nothing she could gain from this conversation, save trouble "He can call me when he’s feeling better. I’d appreciate that." she breathed, then ended the call: "Thanks, Lucy. Goodbye."

Persephone looks downward and nods, accepting Zhiyu's words. Given the situation she was in--indebted for her soul to a demon who demanded she do it, all alone for the moment in her secret-- Persephone acknowledges that, No, there wasn't really much she could have done that night to prevent something bad happening to Wuhao.

She looks up and smiles when he accepts her offer of both debt and friendship. She nods and says, "Yes, absolutely. Please call on me whenever you think I could be of help. And I'll let you know if I am in dire need as well. Thank you. I don't have many friends in London yet, but I count you among them now."

She stands and nods again, saying, "I'll go and let you get back to them." Then, glancing down the row, she adds, "You draw an interesting crowd, Zhiyu. There is a lot more to you than meets the eye. I'm honored to know you. Be well!"

With one more smile, she turns to leave.

Emma could never afford to set foot in Harrods.

She walked past the windows more than a few times, just to peer through the glass, but she knew better than to go inside. Browsing without any intention to buy something would have made her uncomfortable. Harrods wasn’t for people like her. This was where millionaires went to shop. She wasn’t a millionaire, but today, she was in the company of one.

So when she arrived a full two hours early, it wasn’t (solely) to save Henry’s precious time (though that made for a convenient excuse, and she knew he would appreciate it). It was so she could indulge herself.

She was overwhelmed the moment she stepped through the gilded revolving doors. The store seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction—rooms opening into more rooms. Marble floors. Soft gold lighting above. The faint scent of perfume in the air...

It was so opulent. So pretentious. So... shamelessly decadent. How could she not like it?

Of course, the clothes were for people with more money than sense. She almost had a heart attack when she checked some of these price tags. It didn’t actually take a million dollars to look like a million dollars. She’d proven that herself more than once. Her current outfit; a stylish ivory blouse (a couple of buttons of which she left loose) and dark, high-waisted trousers, weren’t branded clothing. She got them on a clearance sale two seasons ago, and she still looked fantastic in it. Chic, a bit provocative, and more importantly, easy to slip in and out of—something she intended to do lots of today.She would never have spent any of her own money here. But she WAS enjoying herself, and knowing Henry could easily afford it, she didn’t feel guilty over getting a couple of luxury garments for herself, to impress the people back at the Lanesborough, if nothing else.

The staff welcomed her from the moment she stepped inside, and once she confidently started asking for items to be retrieved and set aside "for someone else," the assistants paid her even more attention. They could tell she wasn’t just window shopping. Everyone was smiling at her. She didn’t need to touch a hanger; everything was handed to her, then placed back in perfect order if she didn’t approve.

It was just perfect.

By 2 p.m., she made her way toward the grand entrance. She had a little mental list prepared of what to show Henry first, before she’d ask for his opinion on a couple of outfits for herself. She barely noticed when he failed to arrive on time. It would have irritated her any other day, but today, she was having so much fun, she just couldn’t care less.

Totally giddy when he finally arrived, her eyes lit up when she saw him step onto the floor.
"Hi!" she leaned in to kiss his cheek. "How have you been? I can’t wait to show you a few things." She didn’t give him time to answer, and reaching for his hand, she laced her fingers through his and gave him a gentle tug, pulling him with her "Come on! Men’s is this way! I’ve already got a few racks waiting for you!"

Persephone smiles warmly at Zhiyu and takes her leave. She finds her way back to her flat and tosses her soaking wet umbrella and coat aside as she enters the front door, kicks off her wet shoes, and collapses onto the sofa unceremoniously.

After resting there for a while, she starts doom scrolling her phone, eventually finding her way back that Hotline contact. She sighs and dials, intending to ask for a copy of her contract and a formal orientation.

Persephone looks over the package. Unsure of what to do with it at the moment, she sets it aside. Fortunately, she has the condo to herself for the moment.

She calls the Hotline and is surprised to hear no corporate greeting or recorded message, but an uncertain young man on the other end of the line. His accent is... Minnesota, maybe? Or is that one of the Dakotas? She can't quite tell, but she'd guess he is no older than 20.

"Um, hello? This is... Well, I was told by my... um, by my employer to call this line for information? I am operating under a particular sort of contract, and I have some questions about the...um... about the specific terms." She emphasizes the word contract.

The items she picked for Henry were waiting for them on the reserved corner of the floor. She offered a faintest smile when one of the assistants began to step forward, casually dismissing her without room for argument. She knew just as much about fashion and style as any of them, if not more, but more importantly, she didn’t want anyone else in the way.

"I didn’t want to waste your time, so I already have a few choices for you laid out. All you have to do is try them on and tell me which ones you like best."

She sent him off to the changing room with the first outfit; a light collared shirt, soft grey blazer, and tailored sand-coloured trousers. Elegant, sporty, and young. She took the time to check her reflection in the mirror while he was away to prepare for the next part of her act. She wanted to keep him in the right mood for the rest of the afternoon, and ensuring that her blouse sat just right couldn’t hurt.

The appreciative smile that curled on her lips was genuine when she finally saw him emerging from the changing room. It was a good look for him, and she didn’t shy away from letting her eyes linger for a moment.

"I knew it would be perfect for you!" she stepped toward him and reached out to straighten the lapel of his blazer; a pretext to brush her finger over his chest. "It’s a good fit. Accentuates your physique" She wasn’t just saying it to flatter him, and perhaps she was talking more to herself than to him.

Next, she crouched right in front of him to (also) check the length of his trousers and adjust the length at the ankle just above the shoe, though her real intention was to offer him a fleeting glimpse down her blouse - which is why she took more time then was necessary to mark where they would need to do some light hemming.

When she finally stood up again, she had him turn toward the full-length mirror, standing right by his side "So.." she said softly as she looked at his reflection in the mirror "what do you think?"

Persephone knits her brow in confusion and mild annoyance until it dawns on her. She decides to be kind; she thinks she might know how Duane feels. She says, "Oh, I see. You're under contract as well. OK fine. Hi, my name's Persephone; I'm newly under contract and would like to know the terms of my agreement. I'd also like any kind of introduction or orientation available; I am quickly learning that I don't know anything about my...Ugh, I will stop being coy with my words. Look, I want to know everything I can about the demon and the operation. Uhhhhh so I can be a better employee, of course."