Chapter 2 || Maevelline

London, 2007

"THANK you so much for finally answering our call, Miss Maeve," Rowena uttered as they wrapped up outside the studio. She was walking the business tycoon to the lobby of the entertainment company where Allison was originally waiting for her boss. "It is very true that you are a humble, great woman with high morale and it is a great honor to talk to you personally."

Maeve could still hear the awe from Rowena's voice. She was quite thankful that Anthony Murray didn't follow them around. That man could drool over an old rich women as far as she knew. And she knew that she had enough of men that could last her a lifetime.

Maeve stopped at the door of the lobby and faced Rowena with her usual charming smile. "Thank you, Rowena. It's my pleasure."

Once again, Rowena shook hands with Maeve. The latter proceeded to the far hallway, where Allison was holding a paper cup of coffee from the vending machine not far from where she was sitting. Her personal secretary looked up at her and quickly stood.

"Reporters," Maeve mumbled as she moved past Allison. "They don't know when to stop their cursed mouth." Her tone that she used in the interview was gone. It changed into a much colder tone and she held an indifferent expression on her face. "This is the first and the last, Allison."

Allison Kendric sighed, knowing that her boss was unnerved by the presence of the nagging reporters despite the charming façade she emitted during the interview. It was Allison's fault, anyway. She was the one who proposed the said interview with the KSP entertainment after the news about Jean Moreau and Maevelline Lawrence's affair was publicized.

As they stepped out of the agency, they were greeted by dozens of reporters from different entertainment companies. Guards of the agency and the Lawrences' private security personnel were pushing them away. Maeve was quickly rushed to the waiting Maserati and as she listened to their questions thrown at her from every direction, she felt a headache creeping into her head.

Allison went inside the car and the driver moved out of the vicinity. Allison opened a bag that was at her feet and pulled out a disinfectant. She handed it to Maeve who washed her hands with it in almost a hurry and then wiped her hands on a clean towel that her assistant gave.

The driver glanced through the rear view mirror. "Where would you like to head, Madame Maeve?" the old man asked.

She was silent for a little while. Tonight was colder. Going home will be lonelier than yesternight. She might as well be enjoying a glass of red wine with an old friend. "Head to the Tremayne's," Maeve clipped.

There was a heavy silence during the ride. Maeve seemed oblivious of the elephant within the car. Allison coudn't take it, however.

"I'm sorry, Maeve," she blurted out.

Maeve opened her eyes and looked at the younger woman with her eyebrows met. "What for?"

Allison looked down at her iPad. It was a gift from Maeve Lawrence herself. She always had something to give to a simple secretary as Allison. As thoughtful as that may be, not all the time Allison would expect things to come easily. Maybe it was the reason why she stayed longer than any personal assistants of big shots such as Maeve Lawrence.

"I shouldn't have told you to hear their request. I've brought you mote trouble than it seems."

She heard Maeve heave a sigh behind her and she peeked at the rearview mirror to see that the older woman was looking out of the window. "There is one thing that I gained in that interview, Al," she asserted in a sweet voice. "It's to gain more popularity and business deals in the future."

~O~O~O~

SHEILA TREMAYNE was a wonderful wife of the Ambassador of Philippine Embassy, London. Shiela called her before she headed for the KSP entertainment agency and asked if she could come to her residence here in London.

Shiela was a pure Filipina, both heart and soul. She would rather stay in the peaceful and tranquil place in El Nido, Palawan than be caught up in the roller coaster of business transactions in her husband's position.

It was rare to see Shiela Tremayne to visit London, but it didn't surprise Maeve at all. She had been special to Maeve and had been there the most of her life. It was fitting that she visits her old friend while they're both staying in one place.

Maeve drew up a deep breath as the car pulled up in front of an imposing house painted in vibrant scarlet and silver. "Don't wait for me. Let's call it a day."

Her heeled leather boots clicked on the marble tiles of the front porch. The residence of the Tremaynes were actually one of the renovated antique houses in London, a gift from one of their United Kingdom business associates.

Maeve knocked on the door and not more than a minute, it opened; revealing an Italian woman -- brown-haired, brown-eyed, pointed nose and light brown-skinned. Her slightly slanted eyes were not only keen and observant but also welcoming.

She smiled warmly when she saw Maeve. "Ah! Buona sera, Mrs. Rusell -- I mean, Miss Maeve."

She waved off the old woman's mistake and quickly kissed the older woman's cheeks then she flashed her charming smile. "Hi, Mickey. Where's Shiela?"

The woman, Mickey was her name, ushered Maeve inside. Shrugging off her trench coat, they made their way to the inner sanctuary of the Tremayne Residence. "Shiela was upstairs, in the library. John's coming for dinner. Are you staying here for the night, cara mia?"

Mickey's strong Italian accent was what amused Maeve the most. Having an Italian caretaker and a pure Filipina as the owner, she could imagine how the communication went in this house. Oh well, Mickey was Shiela's second mother and it's an old news to see Mickey in London. Wherever Shiela goes, there would be Mickey tagging along.

"Rimarrò se me lo permetti, amica mia," she answered in perfect Italian. She told Mickey that she will be staying if the latter would allow it. It was a common joke between them every time Maeve decided to crash into Shiela's house. 

Shiela Tremayne was standing next to the furnished ebony window of her large library. She was holding a newly emptied wineglass in her hand and seemingly lost in her trance as she stared outside.

She was around Maeve's age, yet she appeared older. She was thin and short, with her complexion that of a Filipina and there were already a growing white on her dark brown hair.

"A wine for your thoughts?" Maeve presented which broke Shiela from her reverie.

"Maevie!" she exclaimed. Her dark eyes lit up with obvious pleasure to see her old friend. She rushed towards Maeve's spot and pulled the latter in a tight hug. "It's very good to see you," she said. "Kumusta ka na?"

Understanding that Shiela was asking how she was, Maeve smiled. "I couldn't say that I've been in the best state but I have been doing good, Ela."

Shiela moved away and into the curved mahogany console of her library. She poured Cabernet Franc into a waiting Borgeaux wineglass. "I'd have to apologize for using other brand than yours, amiga. You know I love this wine."

Maeve chuckled. "I admire your tolerance on its acidity without pairing with anything," she said as she accepted the glass from Shiela's hand. She could immediately smell the sweet aroma the wine had. Maeve took a small sip and hummed when she felt the slight burn in her throat. "That went just right."

"Thanks for coming, Queen," Shiela said, calling her friend's old nickname during their high school days.

"And why am I here again?" Maeve's eyebrow raised quizzically.

Lady Tremayne didn't respond at first. She went back to the ebony window and sipped on her wine. Maeve waited for Shiela to talk but when she didn't, her gaze turned to the interior of the library.

Maeve was sitting at an olive-colored leather sofa with the window and Shiela at the back. The bold mahogany bookshelves was filled with books from the floor to the ceiling. There were two staircases that led up to the second floor of the library and the vintage chandelier dangling at the center with the round table underneath it. The floor of the library was covered with wide and soft carpet. The antiquity and the elegance bespoke both of Tremayne's love for the books and her international social status.

While John Tremayne, Shiela's husband, was busy as the ambassador of the Philippine Embassy in London, her old friend busied herself filling up books in this library. Maeve even encouraged Shiela to open up a Cafè where customers can sit back and relax, reading a book while having a cup of coffee.

Shiela took her advice and opened one in Manila and it prospered over the years which pleased Maeve tremendously.

"I overheard John and Paul talk about business the other day," Shiela finally muttered. She was standing behind Maeve, right at the window, but she knew Maeve more than forty years to know that Maeve had a tensed expression right now.

If anyone would judge Maevelline Lawrence by her appearance, she led a life of pleasure. She owned so many condominiums, businesses, houses, and properties in and out of London. Her main office was located in New York. Her home was in Chicago. She was everywhere for a long time. Nobody could catch a busy tycoon like Maevelline Lawrence. But somehow, Maeve managed to remain unfazed. 

Nobody knew that her heart was scattered all over the world.