CHAPTER SIX

I didn't even know her name or anything about her but just can't get her off my head.

I quickly pulled away from Laura.” Hmm, sorry.”

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

I stared at her for a while, feeling a mix of emotions, and my heart began to race faster.

She tried to touch me, but I quickly stood up, walking to the dressing mirror. I stared at my own reflection, grabbing the edge of the table as I tried to steady myself.

“Marcus, is everything alright?” Laura asked but nothing felt right now.

Everywhere and everything just smells like her…like the woman I met at the party. I could still smell her sweet vanilla scent everywhere.

Why am I like this?

Just then, a knock came, and Jake strode in. I let out a loud sigh of relief as he seemed to be my savior.

He bowed his head slightly before jokingly saying, "Am I interrupting something?"

Laura stood up from the bed, smoothing down her clothes and hair.

"I should go anyway," she said, her voice returning to its usual controlled tone. She walked closer to where I was standing and placed a quick kiss on my cheek. "Don't forget to pack everything you need. Our flight is in four hours, and you know how airport security can be."

I actually fly back here because I got a message that my grandmother is sick and now I am returning back but this time, Laura insisted she’s coming with me.

Don't know why, but I feel like she's a bit clingy since I've been back.

Was it because we gave each other space for a while?

"I won't," I promised.

She turned to Jake with a polite smile. “Please try not to keep him too long. We have a schedule to maintain."

Jake gave her an exaggerated bow. "Yes, ma'am."

"I'll see you both later," she said, and with one last look at me, she left the room.

As soon as the door closed behind her, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

Jake reached into his jacket and pulled out a brown envelope. "This is what you asked for."

I quickly took it from him, opening the envelope. Inside were several photographs and a few printed pages. As I pulled them out, my heart skipped a beat.

“ Her name is Billy. Billy Saltzmanter.” Jake said as I went through the pictures attached to it.

It’s a photograph of her coming out of the hospital.

"I thought she was dead," I muttered, staring at her picture.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "And why would you think that?"

"Because why else wouldn't she have contacted me?" I said.

Jake shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe she didn't know how to get in touch with you?" When I didn't answer, he continued, "I can dig deeper if you want. Find out more about her."

I shook my head, putting the photos back in the envelope. "No, there is no need. If she wanted to see me, she would have contacted me as I left my business card and a note for her. I even left money to help with her mother's surgery. If she wanted to reach out, she would have."

“ Has she paid for her mother's surgery?”

“ Yes, she has and the surgery was successful. But what if there was some misunderstanding?" Jake suggested.

"What kind of misunderstanding could there be? Her eyes found the money I left for her but not my note and business card? The card and note were right next to her phone." I closed the envelope, trying to push away the disappointment that had settled in my chest. "She must do this with all the guys she has a night stand with." I muttered, feeling a little bit of anger.

Jake was quiet for a moment, studying me. "This is a first, you know."

Arched my brow."What is?"

"You, trying to get back in touch with a woman you barely know. I’ve never seen you cheat on Laura before."

"I wasn't cheating," I said quickly. "Laura and I were on a break, and we got back together yesterday. So stop that bullshit."

"Right," Jake said, not sounding convinced. "But still, you've never shown interest in anyone else. You can pay women to go to clubs and do things, but you've never taken it further. So tell me, what was different about this one?"

I didn't have an answer for him. Or rather, I did, but I wasn't ready to say it out loud as everything just felt mysterious.

From the moment I saw Billy walking past me as she served the drinks around the party, something had happened. Something I couldn't even explain. I felt a pull and emotion that I hardly felt, not even for Laura, and no matter how hard I tried to dismiss it, it’s growing.

I never got involved in other people's affairs, but how my voice shot up when that old fool was trying to blame her after harassing her, was still a mystery.

I just couldn't stand it. Watching her treated like that.

"I don't know," I finally said. "It was just one night."

But it wasn't just one night. It was the way she had looked at me…I thought she was different. But I seemed to be wrong about her, as she didn't get back to me.

On that day, I got an urgent message and dressed up. I hadn't wanted to leave without saying goodbye to her, but after watching her sleep peacefully for a few minutes with her dark hair spread across the pillow, I didn't want to disturb her.

So I took a small piece of paper and wrote a short message, apologizing for leaving and telling her to call me as I wanted to talk to her more.

But as I placed the note with my business card next to her phone so that she would see it, a message came to her phone.

It was saying her mother was in the hospital and they needed $250,000 immediately. With her current work, I knew she would not be able to get that immediately, so I called Jake and had him bring all the cash in my car, and luckily, it was just that same amount. So I dropped it for her and left, hoping it would help.

Hoping she would call.

But she never did.

Or was it because she's too busy because of her mother?

"Hey I know this might sound out of place but…” he signed heavily. “ This is really the first time I will see you like this. You are leaving for Spain today, are you sure you really don't want to meet her before you leave?" Jake asked, interrupting my thoughts. “ I mean…you should just do something for yourself for once. Find your happiness because I know it's definitely not Laura.”

I shut my eyes tightly, taking a deep breath in and out. "No," I said firmly. "She made her choice. What happened between us obviously meant nothing to her. So why should I cling onto it."

Jake shrugged. “I’m sure you are going to regret it? You don't even know when you are coming back. Could be months, right?"

"Could be," I agreed. "But I need to respect her decision. If she wanted to see me again, she would have called."

Jake didn't look convinced, but he knew me well enough to drop it. He isn't just my secretary but also my best friend whom I grew up with, along with Venessa.

"Alright. Need help packing?"

"No, I've got it."

He walked past me and started pulling clothes from my closet and I wondered why he asked me when he knew he was still not going to do what I say.

Looking back to the mirror, I tried to push thoughts of Billy out of my mind but it’s still coming back.

I checked my phone again, wishing and hoping for her to just send one message. Just one. But there’s none from her.