A Sinner's Heart

London, 2007

SHE stepped out of the distinguished house just around the corner of St. John's Wood, North West of London and stood for a moment at the front step. The weather was damp and moist. It had rained not long before she decided to leave for an evening appointment.

Unusually cold, she inserted her hands into the pockets of her sleek, black trench coat and gripped it further to her body. This coldness seeped through her being and just added into her feeling of unexplainable desolation. For a long run, she had been feeling that deep sadness inside her; the feeling of void just became worst tonight.

Her back was straight and her head was held erect in a proud chin-up in which she was known for. She was light brown-haired, with gray-blue eyes -- tall, graceful and poised. There was a captivating elegance about her that was evident on her smooth ivory skin, heart-shaped pink lips, sleek eyebrows and pearled jewelry. She was exceptionally beautiful in her mid-fifties, and her name was Maevelline Lawrence.

A black Maserati Quattroporte pulled up in front of the porch where she was standing and a woman in her mid-thirties went out of the front passenger's seat. She was a simple woman with dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail; she wore black suit with white-collared blouse underneath and a black closed high heels. Her dark eyes held extreme knowledge about what she was and must do. She was Allison Kendric, Maeve's personal secretary for almost fifteen years.

Maeve stepped down of the front porch and into the waiting car. "What appointment do we have now, Al?"

Allison opened the door at the back passenger seat for her. "KSP World Entertainment, Ma'am. It's just around the corner," she answered and closed the door.

KSP World Entertainment had been pleading with a scoop of her private life for almost a decade. She had been firm to decline their request until now. As the car moved away from her home, Maeve took a deep breath and closed her eyes; trying to relax her mind.

~O~O~O~

THE setting was propped with a simple decoration – with silvery velvet couch beside each other on the left, and another velvet white single seater on the other side. The heavy, pale brown drapes were tied at both sides of the transparent glass window that showed the night city behind the couches. At the side, dozens of frames and interior designs were hung at the pale latte-foam walls.

The studio was not like this before. But when the production team finally got the chance to interview such important individual, they stripped the whole studio from its curtains to its wallpapers and replaced it with new ones.

Cameras and lights were positioned in front of the said setting. Behind the technical team was the fireplace, fire crackling to warm the whole room. Above the fireplace, positioned at the wall was a big portrait of a woman in her fifties. Men worked back and forth for the show to roll.

A woman dressed in trousers and white-collared polo topped with a simple vest with a name pin of her entertainment company walked into the setting and stood at the left side, facing the camera. Staffs made sure she’s presentable, donning on her dirty blond long hair that was tied in a ponytail and briefing on her script.

The cameraman signaled the streaming to be starting at 40 seconds. The woman smoothened her vest, took a long deep breath, and exhaled softly with a big smile. The lights on and the whole networks are rolling this live talk show.

“Good morning, KSP World! This is your Rowena of KSP’s R TalkShow. Of course, I am not alone! Let's welcome my co-host for today, Anthony Murray!"

A man in blue suit pants with white undershirt went in with wide smile. His blond hair slicked back and his fair skin seemed to glitter under the light. His blue eyes flashed with knowledge of what to do which was old news for these famous show business anchors.

"Hello, Rowena. It's good to see you again," Anthony exclaimed as he exchanged a handshake with her.

"Glad you could join me, Tony. I am sure you are excited for our guest today,” she beamed as they sat beside each other.

Anthony broke into his brightest smile yet and leaned back. “More than what you think, Rowena. I heard our guest is a worldwide business icon."

Rowena bobbed her head in an agreement. "Yes! Well, she is indeed a very popular, beloved business tycoon in the world."

“Let’s not keep her waiting then, Rowena,” her companion chuckled. He then faced the camera with his blue eyes fixed on it directly. “It’s her fifty-fifth birthday today. Thirty years ago, she had emerge as one of the prodigy of the business world, known for her articulate, smack-down intellect with a dashing smile that melts men and women’s heart, young and old.”

The camera shifted to Rowena. “She’s been a hot topic being one of the World’s Top 5 Richest Female Personality."

The two spoke together this time with big smiles in their faces. "Let’s welcome the godmother of the gigantic eMpress Corporation, Miss Maeve Lawrence!”

A tall woman, towering at five six feet in a dashing pale gold perfect-trimmed pantsuit sauntered in a confident stride – neither walking like a model nor too formal – with a small smile playing on her lips. Her makeup was light and her light brown hair was pulled back in a simple yet elegant braided bun to show more of her captivating, intelligent gray eyes.

She reached her hand to shake Rowena and Anthony’s already outstretched hand with a firm grip of formality.

Rowena waved her hand as a gesture of inviting them to sit, and then she sat on the right with her back straight, hands on her lap, and her body language showed calmness and articulate.

”It’s an honor to have you as our guest, Miss Maeve. Thank you for giving us your time as we know that you're always running,” Rowena began with a grateful smile.

Maeve Lawrence showed her usual disarming smile as she looked directly at Rowena’s yes. “It is an honor for me to finally have time here in KSP studio, Rowena, Anthony,” she said in a smooth, solid tone – almost pleasant, yet formal.

“Alright!" Rowena exclaimed as she quickly looked down on her papers. "Before we jump to our main topic, Miss Maeve, we prepared a poll-like questions from the growing online community, Twitter. You just have to answer them under a 20-second time limit."

Anthony's eyebrows raised and his mouth formed in an 'O' shape. Maeve didn't react much but she nodded, nonetheless. 

"What happens to Twitter if I can't answer the question?" Maeve asked in a teasing tone which made both Rowena and Anthony laugh.

"Let's start!" Maeve shifted from her seat and nodded. "Which do you prefer black or white?"

"White," Maeve answered with a smile.

"Phone or computer?"

"Computer."

"Vacation or stay at home?"

"Vacation."

"New York or Philippines?"

"That was hard," Anthony commented. His eyes were looking back and forth between the two and there was an amused expression visible on his face.

"New York," Maeve answered almost in a heartbeat.

"Office or house?"

"Office."

"Food or work?"

"Food, of course."

"Money or family?"

Maeve buffered. She knew that her face was still composed. It was all thanks to her hands clasped together that did the job by clenching against each other to control the tension she was feeling.

"Family."

Rowena stopped. "Well, that was surprising!" she exclaimed. They laughed while Maeve silently breathed out and let out an almost tremulous smile.

Anthony, then, saved her from the tension Rowena's questions thrown at her by asking a different question.

"You mentioned that you would rather be in a vacation than staying at home, why is that, Miss Maeve?" His tone was pure curiosity which made Maeve laugh a little.

"I couldn't stay at home without thinking about work. Being in a vacation, however, really calms my mind."

Rowena nodded her head several times in agreement. "That's pure truth in there. And I admire Miss Maeve's quick decision-making."

"Indeed, she's worthy as the CEO and founder of eMpress Corporation," Anthony replied. "For years, you have been one of the influencer of the youth worldwide, how did you feel about that?"

"Overwhelmed," Maeve asserted. "I did nothing to become an influencer and I am far from that."

The anchors turned their placards and then looked at her. "For years, you have been quiet about your personal life and now that you allowed interviews such as KSP to talk about your private life, how is it so far?"

"Nerve-racking," Maeve answered. Her eyes and her thin smile held the truth behind her words. "I've never had any idea how to deal with you, guys."

Anthony and Rowena bursts in laughter then both apologized at once. Maeve waved them off as she showed her disarming smile once again.

"I've had a fair share of mistakes and failures in the past," Maeve continued. She seemed comfortable talking with them after the fast talk Rowena made. "I just wanted to share this with the youngsters. As you have mentioned, I became an influencer of youth. I would gladly give some impact in their lives."

The female anchor put down the placard on her lap. "Can you tell us what life was like with your ex-husband Paul Christian Rusell, Miss Maeve?"

Maeve's smile thinned but her gaze was still firm and unfazed. Her mind began to work. It's as if someone had come to enter the palace of her memories and dug into the darkest part of it...

Only to discover that she had a sinner's heart.