2. Caroline Quinn

MALCOLM

FLASHBACK

I folded my arms in my robes as I watched her set the table. The way her hands fumbled, I could tell she was nervous. She was a hotel staff and she was assigned to my room. The way she moved so fast, I knew she couldn't wait to get out of here.

"I'm all done, sir," she mumbled and stood aside, keeping her eyes on the floor. I didn't say a word as I took my time staring at her instead. Her black hair was swept over one side of her face, falling on her shoulders and as usual, the brown short sleeve and pants uniform looked beautiful on her body.

"Caroline," I called her name on a sigh as I loosened my tie. "Why won't you talk to me?" I didn't like her silence. Especially when I knew she had something to say. Her lips were trembling and her eyes were filled with tears. "Come here, Caroline." But I end up moving close to her and grabbing her chin.

She tried to look away but I didn't let her and it only made her cry further. Her shoulders trembled as she sobbed and I tried to wipe her tears but more kept coming.

"Caroline, what's wrong with you? I don't like you acting like this," did someone threaten her? The sudden silent treatment pissed me off all week as I couldn't figure out why she wasn't talking to me.

"You lied to me!" she said, hitting my chest with her tight fist. "Your name is not Malcolm Allen Grey. You're Malcolm York and you already have a family. You've been deceiving me all these months that you're a salary earner when in fact you own the company you work with. You even have a daughter-"

"Now, hold on, let me stop you there, love," I cupped her cheeks to stare into her eyes. "What do you mean I lied to you? I didn't lie to you about anything. My assistant checked into this hotel with his name and I only just used it that one time because it was an emergency. I needed to change my outfit and he knew a hotel close by."

"The only reason I kept coming back was because of you," I wanted to kiss her and forget about all this.

"That was three months ago," she said. "We've been close ever since and you didn’t even… you didn’t even think to tell me. Fine, what about your family?"

"Yes, I have a daughter-"

"UGH!" She tried to push me away but since I was a much bigger man, it didn’t work so she could only glare for me to let go of her but that won't work either. The minute I laid eyes on her in this shabby excuse for a hotel, I had grown possessive ever since.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to scare you away," my gaze softened and for a moment, I felt terrible for keeping that away from her. "I was going to tell you-"

"When?" she snapped. "When your family hates me for keeping you away from home? Is that it?"

"You're not keeping me away from anyone, Caroline," I corrected. "What's wrong with spending time with you?"

"You're here four days a week," she said. "Four days! What time do you have for your family?"

"The days I'm not here. Look, Marylin is with her mother for four days and that's when I'm here. The rest of the days I'm not here is when I spend time with her. You're not taking me away from anyone," I assured her and I saw her visibly start to relax but the doubt still lingered in her eyes. "Can we just move to kissing already?" I tease, trying to lighten the mood.

She glances at my lips before she looks away, a little blush on her cheeks. God! I loved her! How responsive and eager she was for me. She was like my perfect little soulmate.

"You're rich," she pointed out with a loud gulp.

"That's how I buy you those expensive stuff. Now you don’t have to complain about me saving," I chuckled and tried to pull her into a hug but she stopped me with her palm.

"You're out of my league. I'm not going to delude myself," she said, looking me in the eye. "I know how rich families are. They don't mix with people like me."

"What rubbish are you saying?" I frowned now, her words were getting on my nerves. To think I would let her stay away from me, she was better off dreaming of meeting the real Santa!

"You're only using me, right?" her eyes were glassy again with tears. "When you're done using me, please let me know so I can move on too. I won't be mad. I-I'll understand-"

"Caroline-"

"You're only here for a good time and you're gonna return to your own world. I understand but please… just tell me when you're done with me-"

Tired of hearing her fucked up theory, I pulled her into a kiss. She's caught off guard but she didn't push me away. Instead, she's gripping my suit tight like she's afraid to let go and she's crying as we kiss.

My heart tightened and ached in response to her words. "How can I ever let you go?" I was throwing her up and her legs wrapped around my waist. "You're mine forever, Caroline. I love you so much."

"I love you too."

**

PRESENT DAY

My brows knit at the fond memory and I keep my eyes closed. I can still see her smile and hear her soft voice and her moans that hunt my dreams. I promised to never let her go yet when I open my eyes, she's never by my side.

"Sir, we're here," the voice of my driver interrupts my sweet nightmare that I'm forced to open my eyes to the harsh reality of a world without her.

I look out the window and see a few people heading to the main hall with a wide smile on their face. I too would have to act like them and pretend like I'm alright when all I want to do is find my runaway bride.

A figure looms over my window and without taking my eyes away from him, I say to my driver, "Give us a minute."

He steps down immediately and my bodyguard gets in the front seat.

"Did you find her?" I break the silence as I stare at the back of the seat.

"No, sir."

I sigh heavily causing my shoulders to drop. Another bad report to ruin my week.

"Even if she's out there somewhere, she hasn't used her name in the last five years," he hesitates but I already know what he's going to say.

She's not dead. She cannot be dead. Caroline is not allowed to die while I'm still in this world. Maybe my karma is to live in this world knowing I'd never find her.

How… torturing and rightfully deserving.

“I'll get back to you,” is all I say and he steps down from the car. I turn to pick up the document beside me and I look at it. Another divorce paper to correct the wrong I did the last time.

“Fuck! Where are you, Caroline?” I whisper like a silent prayer. If only she had stayed on the house I bought in her name after the divorce. That was the plan. To keep her where I could find her but now she's gone- poof into thin air.

She's punishing me.

I meant it when I said she was mine forever. Why did things happen the way they did? Everything I did… was for her…

I open the door and one of my bodyguards held it open as I step out. Enough feeling sorry for myself. I button my suit jacket and climb the stairs to the hall.

Everyone is already seated when I walk in and Louise is linking her arm in mine, showing me off as her trophy husband while all eyes are turned to us.

She doesn't know what's coming for her later and I can already imagine the tantrum she'll pull once she knows.

Her father- Edward Quinn who is also my father-in-law, smiles brightly at us from where he stands beside his mother- the chairman of the company he so badly wants to inherit. She's delivering her speech with her lazy eyes and bored look like she could be anywhere else but here.

It's rare to see Madam Quinn attend events like this and since the press are gathered, it's safe to assume that perhaps she's ready to handover to her son, Mr. Edward Quinn.

Well, lucky Bastard! No wonder he's grinning from ear to ear.

“You're late,” Louise says after she leans into me with a smile still plastered on her face. “You said you'd be here before Dad starts. I had to stand awkwardly by myself and everyone thought we were having problems at home.”

She wants to argue and this smile is only a façade.

“Aren’t we, Louise? Just smile like you always do and put on a show. It's your entertainment anyways,” I dig my hands in my pocket as I take my seat at the front where it's been reserved as the husband to his only daughter.

“… since everyone believes I'm already too old and I should step down,” Madam Quinn says as she rolls her eyes. “I have decided to heed everyone's warning. I don't think my office desk is a good place to die.”

The crowd chuckle at her words while her son is dying from the anticipation.

“But before I do that, I'll have to make sure that the board is familiar with them,” she says. “Allow me to introduce my successor,” she says and Louise grips my hand tighter.

“You're finally going to get all that you want. That partnership will be yours and when the company is mine, I'll give it to you, honey,” she stares at me with a smile but that soon freezes when her grandmother says something foreign.

“My granddaughter,”

There's a murmur amongst everyone as they all turn their eyes to Louise. Even her father is staring at her in shock.

“Caroline Quinn.”

Her name isn't Caroline… who did Madam Quinn refer to?

We all turn our heads to the door where Madam Quinn has her eyes and a woman in red heels walks in.

My eyes widen in shock as she steps out.

The slit in her gown reaches her thigh exposing her fair legs and her red lips are pulled in a small smirk.

Louise has frozen beside me but that's the least of my worries as I slowly rise to my feet and the others follow with a round of applause but I'm too stunned to clap or even think. I blink over and over but the image doesn't change. The face is the same. The woman is familiar. I'll never forget that face even if it kills me.

“Caroline,” I whisper. My ex wife has reappeared.