plotted starter . @fire-branded
The Rosaria Corporation's commendable efforts were many, according to the glossy and elegantly designed leaflet in Melissa's hands: humanitarian aid for those living in conflict-stricken zones; assistance with affordable housing for those within the country; support in relation to fees for litigation cases for those from low income households; a healthcare program originally developed for their own employees which also extended to those living in any city where Rosaria did business.
The brunette had to turn the piece of paper over to finish reading about everything - it was quite surprising that someone spearheading a corporation did so many charitable endeavors with so little publicity. To be perfectly honest, Melissa had been mingling with the powerful and successful for a while given her career (a specialist in providing extremely selective people with pleasant company - in other words, a very high-class worker of the oldest profession in the world) and yet it was the first time she had been hired to meet up with someone that Melissa didn't feel really needed her services.
There was a little picture of the man sitting at the very top of that corporate pyramid at the bottom of the last page: Elwin Rosfield. Rater than at the forefront and in a heavily edited portrait, the face of the current CEO occupied the equivalent of a footnote, with the emphasis of the materials being on the specific causes they had provided aid to, as well as offering anyone the chance to audit the details if they wished. Closing the leaflet and using it to gentley fan herself, Melissa navigated the busy crowd of that party to track and find her target.
The brunette thought that a man with his name attached to the board of the company footing the bill for that evening would be busy - but the information from Rodney Murdoch, the individual actually paying Melissa for her time, proved to be accurate. Elwin was indeed alone, seemingly distracted with the variety of appetizers offered at one of the most secluded tables of the room, and without his looks suggesting any frustration or annoyance at being supposedly ignored by the masses who readily flocked to the many pleasures offered at his expense.
Interesting - why would a man with so many qualities be so lonely? Melissa found herself questioning the underlying reason for that stint with his best friend (or so Rodney proclaimed), enough to have a sex worker hired to pose as an innocent guest with genuine interest in Elwin. Closer to the designated client of the night, the prostitute could see it was definitely not in the looks that her mark boasted - Elwin Rosfield had striking features, with beautiful dark hair, an elegant body posture and the organic, imposing aura of one used to power.
From Melissa's perspective, it wouldn't be a bad evening at all.
The woman who approached Elwin then was dressed in a way that had been thoughtfully planned in advance - the brunette was dressed in a beautiful mermaid gown that showcased a very classic and timeless silhouette, the strapless dress made of silk mikado and further highlighting the bare shoulders and the elegance of her neck. The color (a vibrant shade of red) and the flower appliqués over the fabric to the right side of her figure were the true homage - a not so subtle nod to the Rosaria Corporation's trademark, but which could be easily confused as a generic preference for crimson roses.
"What would you recommend from all these delightful options?" Melissa queried instead of approaching with a standard introduction, craning her head to look at Elwin and make sure he had realized he was the one she was directing the words to. A smile followed, pleasing but not overly eager - just the perfect opening to allow for further conversation, "I would imagine that as the one ultimately paying for the feast, you would have a favorite. Wouldn't you, Mr. Rosfield?"
And there it was - the name, dropped in a fashion to dissipate any notions that she hadn't singled him out on purpose. Her honeyed eyes twinkled with amusement, and Melissa leaned closer as if meant to share a secret, "A good friend of yours told me as much. He swore that you would be the best source for any tips on what to select from this gorgeous buffet."