Beautifully Unfinished

HALF LIE, HALF TRUTH

CHAPTER 10

H U G O

A knock came by the door.

"Come in." I say while my eyes were glued on the papers that I was busy signing.

The door opens, and here comes my secretary, Maria, who's been getting hates from my fiancée Audrey Chamberlain. Audrey doesn't really like her especially when she is around here in my office every single day. Audrey mentioned that she thinks Maria is flirting with me. She's afraid I might bend her over my desk and have s*x with her while she's away from me but I wouldn't do that.

Audrey typically worries too much about the women around me and I guess she’s a little bit too overprotective. She keeps whining about having Maria fired because of her gut feeling which has always been wrong. I couldn’t fire Maria who has always been amazing and diligent with her work. She’s reached her position because she earned it from working her for long. Maria’s really great at her job, excellent in multi-tasking and she's very quick and attentive.

"Yes Maria?" I asked.

"These are the papers you asked for a while ago Mr. Saintclare." She placed the folders in front of me.

"Thanks."

She stands before me and doesn't seem to go. "I thought you already left. It's already past six o’clock. Or are you on overtime?" I ask here as my eyes glancing over the folders and papers over my desk.

She shakes her head, "No sir. There's one more thing I should tell you before I leave."

"Oh don't tell me the new artist has canceled on the last minute?" I sigh just thinking about it.

"No sir. It's not about that. Everything is already set for them."

I nod, "Good." I grabbed the files that were before me and signed it. “So what was something that you took care of?” I questioned.

"I received a message last night." She says.

I pulled my head up to her, "A message?”

She nods at me with a smile.

“From who?" I peeled my eyes from her and travelled them back on the screen of my laptop as I continue on typing for my presentation.

"Well Mr. Saintclare, it was from a woman named Miranda."

I quickly stopped typing and pulled my head up to Maria. "Repeat that again?" I asked.

"Miranda." She repeats the name.

I pressed my lips together and placed a small note in front of me as I gestured on the desk pen, "Kindly write down her number for me, Maria. Thank you." I commanded, moving my head back to my laptop before continued my job.

"Right away sir." She says, grabbing the paper, before she excused herself out from my office. I was then left with tons of paperwork which makes me feel as if my head was about to explode.

Aside from the music industry, I have been really busy working with my SCLARE Enterprises which composes of eco-manufacturing, communication technologies and exporting goods from all over the globe. I have been expanding my wealth and putting it to good use to help people those who are in need.

Other than the charity works and medical missions, I have been helping on the next generation of farming solutions too, with soil science, advanced crop rotations and bioengineering solutions that has increased in West Africa, parts of North and South America and in Asia by 42.2% in farming yield each year. It's been a great achievement for me.

Maria knocks back on the door and steps inside my office before she finally hands me the small note I gave her..

"Thank you." I say with a tight-lipped smile. "You can go home now Maria. You have been very helpful today."

"Of course, Mr. Saintclare. Have a good night and don't stay up too late." She marched her heels out from my office and closed the door behind her.

I quickly grabbed my phone and typed in Miranda's number on my directory feeling a little excited that she tried to reach out to me. I haven't seen her for a week now but I still remember how she looked when she was inside my mom's hospital room.

I won't deny it but she really caught my attention. Her face was tremendously beautiful and there was something about her the first time I laid my eyes on her. She seemed eerily familiar, like I have sen her somewhere before and I don’t know where exactly. I know I did.

She had the simplest natural beauty which seemed like a treasure worth finding. Her midnight black hair tied in a low bun while her honey sweet lips which seemed like they were blossom soft and her rapture-gray eyes looked captivating.

The night she agreed to have dinner with me, I saw how bodacious she was. She had a sculpted figure underneath her lovely dress which was twine-thin.Her waist was tapered and she had a burnished complexion. It was a pleasure to see her flowing, moon shadow-black hair and how her enticing, constellation-gray eyes gazed at me over her puffy, heart shaped lips that seemed like was calling me that night.

I sigh, but she’s taken and I was anticipating that she wasn’t.

Her beauty was effortless.

Enchanting and enthralling.

She’s living with a man who her son calls Uncle Arthur.

But are they even together? Were they dating?

It was not really a big deal if she is a single mom because I have always admired women who are raising their kids on their own. It is something very challenging and I have seen my mother from it when she divorced with my dad.

I was expecting that she was single but then… Jesus Christ, Hugo what in hell are you thinking? I scolded myself right away.

HUGO: Hi Miranda. It's me Hugo.

I waited for her reply while I opened my drawer to grab my iPhone charger. As I take it out, I see that golden necklace again that has been with me for years. I kept it with me all this time, wondering where that woman could have been by now.

I take the necklace to my hand and stared at it for a while. The name "Rose" was written in cursive in the middle of the rose pendant.

I don't know who owns this but I found it at my hotel room in L.A more than five years ago and I assume this belonged to the girl who I had a one night stand with. I remember the entire thing from that night and how amazing the s*x was. I can’t remember exactly how she looked because she had a blond hair and brown eyes.

I am sure that her name is Rose, hence the necklace.

For some reason, a part of me is actually hoping on seeing her again. I never had the chance to talk to her while I was sober. I never had the chance to actually spend time with her after the frolicking and f*****g. I tried to look for her as much as I could but I couldn’t the morning after that.

No traces of her, just this damned necklace.

If I'd ever see her again, I would ask so many things like why she want to ask her why she left me that morning, how she has been after what happened and if she was alright after that.

Most importantly, I want to know how hurt she was because I obviously took her virginity. I feel this guilt inside me because I haven't f****d a virgin before and the way she left that day without saying anything to me made me feel as if she was embarrassed.

She must have seen the bloodstain and felt too shy to talk to me after. I thought she was going to be someone who was using me to ruin my image but then no one actually knew that happened. All these years I was worried that maybe she took a video of us having s*x but then nothing surfaced.

I guess she must have been totally embarrassed for what she has done. She shouldn’t have been embarrassed. I am the one who should feel guilty for what I have done and making her feel that way.

That night when she was wearing her tube dress in the club and how she caught my attention in a snap of finger was almost magical. I remember her blond hair and how…

God where in the f*****g world is she right now and it has been years since I have not seen her.

I remember how I asked my bodyguard to walk her up to the VIP floor of the club so I could talk to her and get to know her better. I remember how drunk she was and how we had great s*x that night. I mean for me too because she felt so tight and so good. That drunken s*x was burning and I guess she was influenced by the alcohol.

I remember the details and everything that happened but damn that kind of face just looks so hard to find. Blond hair, blue eyes, I have seen a lot of those faces before but it’s never her.

It’s always never Rose.

How do I find her?

MIRANDA: Hi Hugo. Is this really your personal number?

I smile, seeing her name on my phone. This was stupid. There’s just something that draws me towards her and it’s driving me the hell insane.

HUGO: Yeah. How are you? It has been a long time since I haven't heard from you.

MIRANDA: I'm good. Thanks. How are you? How's your mom?

HUGO: She's doing great. She's recovering. I'm still busy with work as always. You finally thought about the medical mission?

MIRANDA: I have. Since my contract at the hospital expired days ago and I can't seem to renew it because I'm one of the nurses laid off, as embarrassing as it looks, I’m jobless. I'm up for the go.

HUGO: I'm sorry to hear that. But on the bright side, I can help you. You can work for me full time. Not at the hospital though but office work.

What in actual f**k are you thinking Hugo? Jesus, you are not a teen anymore. You should have had controlled your hormones already. What’s this all fuss you are getting yourself into?

I waited for three minutes before she could finally reply.

MIRANDA: Wow. That seems to be a nice offer but it means I need to go to England. I have my son with me. I can't leave him here in New York.

HUGO: You can let your boyfriend guard him for you while your away or you can take him with you here in England.

MIRANDA: Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend. I've been raising my son on my own. I don't have time for that. I'm single.

HUGO: You mean that guy from that night was not your boyfriend or anyone to you?

MIRANDA: No. I think you got it all wrong. That was my friend’s husband! I don’t think it’s time for some leisure for me knowing I have a growing son.

A smile creeps on my face without me noticing it. That means she's single. She’s not taken and definitely not seeing anyone.

I feel my lips widening and I finally noticed that I was actually bloody smiling. Why in hell are you happy that she's single?

You're engaged Saintclare. I reminded myself.

HUGO: Well, I would love to help you Miranda. I have a vacant job for you aside from volunteering for medical missions. I just hope you will not miss working at hospitals. You need to give up being a nurse because this is a different field but it'll be very easy. I promise.

MIRANDA: Thank you Hugo, I'll think about your offer. You’re so generous and I really appreciate it a lot. I still need to talk to Ben about it.

HUGO: Alright. Send my regards to Ben. You can text me anytime.

MIRANDA: Ok. Thanks again.

The door opens, "Honey."

And this is my fiancée, Audrey.

My famous 28-year-old supermodel girlfriend who's one of the highest paid models in this generation. We argue a lot because she is always so damn jealous of literally everyone around me, but I love her. I quickly placed the necklace inside my pocket as soon as she marches her way towards me.

I stand on my feet and she welcomes me with her warm hug.

"I missed you." She says on my neck while kissing my skin.

"I missed you too.” I say. “Why didn't you tell me that you were coming home? I could have picked you up."

She pulls herself away from me, "Because I wanted to surprise you. Were you surprised baby?" She smiles while she wraps her arms around my neck and my hands were holding onto her waist.

I nod and kissed her lips briefly. "Yes. I’m happy you’re back."

She gives me a peck on my cheeks and pinched them. "Always the loving boyfriend."

"Have you had dinner?" I asked.

"Yes. Some salad."

Salad, really Audrey.

The thing I hate about Audrey is that she's so body conscious. She's slim and I know she has a specific weight to keep since she is a model but I just want her to enjoy when she's with me. I always want her to stop restricting herself when she is with me so that we can have fun together.

Whenever we have dinner, she's always on some salad or other light meals, always starving herself which I do not really like. I cook her foods but she barely touches them. She does not even appreciate them at all because she eats in little amount.

I understand her, she's a supermodel but sometimes I think she's depriving herself of things. She is so strict with her meals and I get worried about her getting slightly slimmer than months ago. She's always busy flying from country to country and sometimes I think she doesn't even have time to set up our wedding.

I'm always the one meeting the florists, the designers and the coordinators. She meets them as well but through Skype or FaceTime. Shw is more focused on her career than out actual wedding day. She’s so laid-back and acts as if she doesn’t want this life with me.

"Why do you look at me that way?" She pouts.

"I just missed you. Terribly." Half lie, half truth.

She giggles. "How about we leave your office, go home now and let me give you a back massage?" She starts crawling her hands over my chest.

She didn’t even ask me if I ate or if I am starving.

"And let me take your stress away from you." She kisses my lips.

I smile.

"Would you want that, baby?" She asks me so sexily.

This is the thing I loved about Audrey though, she knows pretty well when I'm about to get mad. She knows so well how to make me feel good when I'm not in the mood. She knows how to make me feel better after a tiring day. It's like I'm her puppet.

"Definitely." I answer with a wider smile...

"I miss this." She strokes my growing erection against my zipper.

"Audrey not here." I try to remind her that I want to be more professional when it comes to work and in the company premises..

She smiles, teasing me even more,"Maybe in your car on our way home." She winks then pulls my hand. "In my mouth like always."

I chuckle.

Even though Audrey was standing in front of me and trying to make things more s****l, my mind is still thinking about Miranda.