Beautiful Pieces

4

M I R A N D A

"Doing great Ben!" I hear Landon.

I turned my attention to Landon and Ben who were trying to fly a kite. We were having a small barbecue party s***h get together at our backyard. Vivian and Art were here, Leon and Scarlet came too since they were around town today while Paris and Zachary came all the way here to visit us.

We were all making barbecues, Leon did most of the grilling while the ladies, set up the table. Zachary and Landon were playing with Ben and I think all of us are enjoying our day so far just relaxing.

When it was time to eat, all of us settled down on the table and started eating together as soon as everything was ready. We talked about so many things that we could possibly think of. We tackled on how things were going with them while we were on our honeymoon. I heard Paris and Zachary were expecting another baby and we're all so happy for them. Scarlet just opened a new boutique and I heard she's designing her own clothing line. No wonder they were here in New York.

When we had a great time on talking, laughing and eating, Scarlet and I decided to put the dishes on the sink with the help of Landon. The other boys were having beers at the backyard and Landon kissed my cheek, told me that he would join the other lads.

"Landon is such a sweetie." Scarlet tells me.

I smiled. "He is. He's such a guy full of surprises."

"And that well-deserved honeymoon? Wow. Hands down to Landon for taking you to beautiful places like that." She smiles at me.

I smiled again.

The maids hurriedly walked near us and began washing the dishes. Scarlet and I marched our way to the sliding door while we watch the lads having a great talk and beers on their hands.

"I really don't mean to intrude on your personal life or anything but I was just curious about your relationship with Hugo." Scarlet blurted.

I force a grin, "He's one of my great friends."

"Do you still talk? I mean, casually? It must have been hard for you. I know it's been years that passed by but..." She trails off.

I sigh inwardly, "It's all better now. I think. Hugo and I have chosen our own paths and I'm happy for him and Audrey even though we all know she absolutely hates me."

Scarlet chuckles. "She hates everyone who she sees Hugo getting close with. She even hated on me because Hugo and I hang out once. Friendly dinner with other group of friends. I was waiting for Leon to arrive and Hugo was the only person I knew in the group. Next day, she texted me things like I should stay away from her man."

I burst into laughter with her as she mocks Audrey, "She didn't go that far."

"She does when it comes to Hugo."

I shake my head in disbelief.

"I'm happy you've moved on." She tells me.

I smiled instantly, "I'm glad too."

"But Paris and I fight sometimes. She thinks you go well with Landon. But I seriously think you look great with Hugo."

My heart swells just by hearing it. I still feel torn in between the two of them even though I am now with Landon. I love both of them and yes I know I've chosen to be with Landon but a part of me still cries to be with Hugo. Unfair, I know and I guess it is too selfish for me to actually want the two of them. I love him even after everything we've been through, I love him. He'll always have a huge part of my life and no one can even take that part away from me.

"I just think you both make a good couple." She blurted.

I smile shyly.

"But I'm glad you changed Landon's ways. Not even Leon and Zachary could stop him from going from one bar to another meeting women." She adds. “No offense.”

I smiled at her again. “None taken.”

"Scarlet!" Leon calls out.

Scarlet turned her attention to Leon right away and so did I. He motions his hand so she could come closer to him. "I gotta show you something!" He adds while smiling.

"I'll be back." She says.

I nodded as I watch her walk towards Leon and she sits on top of his lap while he shows her something on his phone. From the corner of my eyes, I see Paris coming towards me who is alone.

She smiles at me. "How's the lovely preggy woman?"

"I feel fine." I answered.

"That's great to hear." She answers back.

"You are pregnant too." I blurted.

She chuckles and just shakes her head in disbelief that she's also pregnant as well and I'm too happy for her and Zachary. I'm happy that things are looking up now, I mean for all of us. I'm too happy with what's going on right now and I'm too excited to see our own babies once they're all out.

"But yours will come out anytime soon. When's your due?" She asks.

"In a month or two." I answered and she giggles with pure happiness for me. "I'm kind of excited for the baby to come out already."

"Oh gosh me too! I'm even so much thrilled now." She smiles.

We got quite as we stare at the lads talking and having fun.

"Randy?" Paris calls out to me.

I moved my head to her. "Yeah?"

She takes a long pause and sighs before she says, "I don't know if I should tell you this but... I want you to be careful."

My brows creasing and I'm confused right now because this is out of the blue. Be careful? Why should I be careful?

Be careful of who?

"I am careful." I tell her.

She smiles but behind those eyes, I feel like she's hiding something from me.

"Are you okay Paris?" I ask.

She answers me with a nod.

"You're making me feel scared over something right now." I say.

She chuckles humorlessly. "I’m fine. I just want you to be careful, okay? You know how people act these days and being pregnant needs massive amount of carefulness almost on everything you do."

I smile at her but her eyes tells me another thing.

She looks far ahead and bites her lower lip. We grew quiet again but I was just looking at her. I am staring at her facial expression which seems to be a little too troubled.

"I have been thinking about telling Hugo what I know." She blurted it out. She's so weird right now.

"What do you mean?" I asked back.

"The truth." She answers.

My eyes widened.

"But there's just so much to--"

"What are you two doing here?" Landon pops out of nowhere and cuts us off from our conversation. He laced his arm around my shoulders as he says, "You two should join us."

I smiled and held Paris's hand while she stares at me and looks at me at me with her bothered eyes. She makes me worry about what's bothering her because it is evident that she is thinking about something. She makes me worry about these things that she's saying to me out of the blue and I’m worried because she sounds like she wants me to be careful over something or maybe someone.

We joined the others and sat back down on the table. I sat next to Landon while my eyes were glued to Paris. She looks troubled as hell. It got me thinking that why would she want to tell Hugo about the truth now. Something must have happened.

"Have you guys planned already on the baby's name?" Scarlet asked.

I travelled my head to her.

"We don't know the gender yet." Landon answers. "We want it to surprise us."

I smiled to agree.

But Paris sits with us, and she totally looked fazed about something that she only knows. She doesn't look at me anymore and I can feel as if she is avoiding my gaze.

"You should name it after a Greek God." Leon gives us adviced.

"I wouldn't want to name my son as Poseidon, Zeus or Hercules. That's just absurd." Landon chuckles.

I smiled but Paris forces a smile on her face.

P A R I S

A random text scared me a few weeks ago.

A random text that I wasn't allowed to tell anyone but I knew I had to warn Miranda.

I stand by the balcony of where Zachary and I stayed in this New York hotel we were in. I stare at my phone and I haven't deleted the message from this unknown number.

"Tell those people around you who are very close to you to be careful. Clue, flower."

I knew it was a kind of text that wasn't allowed to be kept to myself. The message even gave a clue which said flower so that means Rose, right? I had to tell someone about this but I am too scared.

Someone is threatening me and the people around me. But who is this person even talking about? It could be Miranda. This person could possibly have bad intentions and it is making me freak out.

No.

No.

That's not possible.

Not even possible.

She wouldn't.

She couldn't.

I know Audrey wouldn't do this.

It's not her.

I sigh inwardly.

PARIS: I need to talk to you. Got a weird random text from someone.

AUDREY: And? 

PARIS: It sounds like a threat.

AUDREY: And you messaged me because? You think it's me?

PARIS: I wasn't saying it's you and I'm not saying it's not. Stop with this attitude, ok?! This is serious stuff.

AUDREY: What did the text say?

PARIS: It said that I need to tell the people who are around me to be careful. Are you planning on something bad to happen Audrey? Against Miranda?

AUDREY: NO! Are you out of your mind?! Why would I waste time on her? Get a life, P. Seriously! I could sue you for this.

I'm terribly confused.

Either Audrey is lying to me or it's not really her. But who would text me this kind of message? Who would? What would be the intentions?  And most especially why me?

PARIS: Be careful, Audrey.

My heart is racing. I'm scared.

AUDREY: We can honestly stop playing pretend now you know. Please Paris, we are not kids anymore.

PARIS: Even if you changed, I still worry about you. Please be careful. This random text is really troubling me.

It took her a couple of minutes to reply as I watch the words “Audrey is typing…”. A message finally appears as she said:

AUDREY: I'm scared too. Be careful as well.

She's scared too?

Of what?

Who?

PARIS: What do you mean you're scared too? What are you afraid of? Who?

I waited for her to reply but she didn't respond anymore.

I think back to the times when I committed a sin. It was so many years ago. What if this random text also leads to me? What if this person is using me and my past against Miranda or anyone related to Miranda. Is this person after Ben?

Or maybe the baby inside her?

I feel terribly awful that I lied to Miranda about what happened to me years ago. I don't what her to misjudge me with what I did. I know I lied to her and Audrey is the only one who knows the real truth about everything. And now I feel bad for telling Miranda about Audrey using Hugo. Audrey's been keeping my secret but I couldn't keep hers.

I'm sorry Miranda.

I can’t tell you yet.

A U D R E Y

I smoke the night away as I lie on top of his bed while he lies here, naked, next to me. We had a few rounds of s*x, we used tons of drugs and then f**k each other again endlessly to the point where I couldn't c*m anymore. I felt myself so dry down there but I let him use me. And even though I'm getting tired of him, I'm sick of pleasing his stupid f*****g ass, I can't stay away from this guy.

I couldn't, even though I want to.

I have been wanting to end up things with him. I don't want to get acquainted with him anymore.

But he knows so many things, so many secrets and so many lies about me and if I leave him, I'll be in prison. He wouldn't stay away from me. He will haunt me until the last days of his life and if he did, I'm sure he will come to Hugo. I don't want to be in prison but I'm left with no other choice.

I reached this position and I can't put my name in such shame. It's too much.

I'm Audrey Chamberlain.

But I am not Audrey Chamberlain without him.

It's already midnight and Hugo's been blowing my phone up because I couldn't leave this room even if I want to. He wants me. He wants me to stay. He wants me all to himself. I need to please him so he wouldn't think of anything else that will hurt someone.

I don't want him to hurt me. I don’t want him to hurt Hugo too.

He begins to move and I feel him nibbling his nose on my side boob. He leaves kisses on it and he begins to wake up. "You tired the f**k of me." He says groggily.

I smiled. "You asked for it."

He smirks and effortlessly carries my body and placed me on top of him. I sat over him, completely naked with my legs wide open for him. My organ pressed against his skin and I know he loves it like this. He loves me too much. He's so crazy of me. Even if I'm scared of him because he is capable of hurting people, I know I can manipulate him. I know s*x can manipulate him. He's not mad at me for these days because we've been f*****g almost like everyday. Even if I'm sore and I'm tired, I don't want to make him mad. I let him f**k me until he's satisfied.

I don't like it when he's mad.

I am scared when he is mad.

He's a troubled man and I don't know why I asked him to help me.

"How's Alex?" He asks.

He suddenly asks about Alexander.

"Great. Hugo's taking care of him." I answered.

"You should bring him here next time." He takes the cigarette from my hand.

"Hugo?"

He chuckles. "I meant Alex, sweetheart."

My brows creasing.

"I wanna see him." He tells me.

I don't like that idea. I don't want my own son to be around this troubled man.

"What are you planning this time?" I ask him.

He stares at me eagerly and blows the smoke at my face. I just hate when he does that. I find it very disrespectful, most especially that I'm a woman. He's a bastard. He's the kind of man I wouldn't be with because he's willing to kill. He's just smiling at me with that annoying evil smirk.

"Is there something wrong on seeing my own son?" He asks.