Chapter 2

Lisa

I adjusted my eyeglasses as I ran down the stairs where Rae had been turning tables upside down as she yelled my name. When she saw me, she waved her hand signaling me to follow her to the car but I remembered I forgot the make up kit.

I didn't last long when the car started hooting. I grabbed the kit and made my way downstairs. I looked like a pick-pocketer, after stealing something and making a quick escape, from the way I carried the makeup kit as I run to the hooting car.

Rae was already inside the car. The driver was also very ready since the moment I closed the door, he immediately started the engine.

I wasn't sure whether I was ready myself, but as long as I was to do my usual work, well, the rest was to be kicked off.

I was Rae's handmaid, always making sure she was ready whenever she had meetings or important occasions to attend.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I opened the makeup box to start my work. It was my first time to do it in the car, and all that was because of a critical emergency Rae had to attend.

"It's 21st, Lisa." She oddly mumbled as she closed her eyes for me to do her eye shadow.

What happened in the Hum building two years ago was an incident to be remembered. I wasn't sure what really happened since I was not around the city but according to the internet and news, people died in a brutal manner. Which always broke my heart.

A building collapsed, and with that, it resulted in seventy-four people dying while others were severely injured. Even though many people managed to be evacuated, the fire blast was what killed many since it caught every one unaware. That's why the incident was to be remembered for decades by the whole country.

"God! Lisa...why do you look like you were just woken up, well duh! You overslept and see; we are doing makeup in the car. Please tell me, if it's not going to--" she stopped when I held a mirror on her face.

She twisted her lips. "I must say you are good at this. Thank you, sweetheart." She turned a little to be able to see her left cheek, same as to her right then heaved a sigh. "The hair?"

"If you say so. You have never failed me. Oh..." She picked a hairpin, "...do you need my help. I am sure you never gave any attention to yourself from how I quickened you."

Apart from working for Rae as her Handmaid, I used to make some designs on my laptop. I was working online as a gown designer. It was helpful since I needed money for surgery which I had been secretly planning.

"Yes." I nodded then focused outside, thinking on how Rae was nice to me.

She was a boss to me. We had grown so close to best friends but I felt I wasn't playing my part well. I felt I was stabbing her on her back. Even though liking Ares wasn't my plan, it's something that grew with time, I knew it was a mistake.

But I couldn't control it.

___

I sat on sofa with a laptop on my laps. I felt frustrated since I couldn't come up with a new design. I poked my head as a groan escape my lips.

I glared back at the screen then deleted the entire design I had worked on. It didn't seem to satisfy me.

For the past two hours, I had done nothing but delete almost three designs. I checked the time and it was few minutes to 11 am, as Ares had told me, he was to pick me so we could go for the ring.

It was my time to spend time with him before he got married. I knew when they move together, I was to find myself an apartment since Rae was to obviously go to stay with Ares. That was another expenses on my list, finding a house for myself.

I rubbed my forehead, heaving a long sign before I decided to drink something. I headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. When I succeed, I strolled back to the sitting room where I met Ares walking in.

His face was glued on the phone as he made calculated steps inside. He hadn't noticed my presence yet. He was smart as usual. I liked his casual dressing code which of course, he loved to clad.

He wore tight blue jeans which matched perfectly with a V- neck  gray tee shirt and a pair of black loafers. His dark strands fell on his forehead, that was a possibility he was to keep running his hand on it. That alone gave him a model posture.

And here you are, admiring a man who is to get married soon enough.

My bitch inner voice reprimanded. I wanted to avoid it so I went ahead and announced my presence to Ares.

"Hey." I called out as my lips met the glass for a gulp. 

"You ready--oh." His face went pale when his eyes met me. "You forgot you were supposed to take me somewhere?"

"Work?" I asked calling his attention.

"Huh?" He raise his brow, our eyes meeting for a brief.

"You are working?"

"No… I am stalking someone." He gave a smile then held the phone screen on my face.

I had took the phone from him and started exploring the lady. I had seen beauty but the lady was the true definition of beauty. She had these  special Eden green eyes which weren't really big. Her dark hair was a lot similar to mine except that hers, was long and carly on the edges. One of the pictures, she looked like a famous model, dressing in a knee length summer dress. It was green in color which matched her eyes.

I was not gonna lie, he was indeed very beautiful.

"Do you blame us. We get jealous from a slight thing like liking a girls picture on Instagram." I explained and got rolled eyes in return. "But seriously, who is she, your crush?"

"Hm, no. She is a legend." He heaved a long sigh before getting up then sank next to me. "Her name is Camilla Macdonald. An actress and a model, she was also a musician known for her Pop R&B songs."

He explained, surfing from one picture to another as he showed me her gorgeous pictures with different poses.

"Yes, she is one of people being celebrated in that ceremony." He said and my heart stopped.

I faced him then back to the phone, I wasn't expecting such a thing like the lady was not alive. She looked young, and lady who had a bright future.

"She died?" I whispered, my eyes meeting her eyes on the screen, "she looked young."

"Unfortunately, the accident never choose the young ones. Do you know the worst part is?"

"Huh?" I faced him, he looked bothered as I was.

"The fact that I never got there on time to pick her. I was too late to get there that all these happened to her." He explained, his jaws twitching as he spoke.

"You knew her?" I asked, pain was coating every nerve of my system.

"She was to work for me." He raked his hair. "She was from Panama and she hadn't stayed for long when the incident happened."

"Omg!" I gasped. Tearing our gaze as I couldn't stop looking  the lady. "It's so painful."

"You know, this ceremony reminds me of her. It resurects the memories of old days. I wish I never offered the job to her, I wish she never came here in first place. And do you know what hurts most? How some of people from the incident, who succeeded to escape, talk a lot about her. She helped many during that accident. She was very brave to make sure many people were able to get out but sadly, the whole building collapsed while she was inside." He palmed his face, running his hand up and down.

"She is a heroin. She is to be remembered. I am proud of her even though I don't know her. I must say, she had a selfless and big heart." I coplimented at her picture as I smiled. "Wherever she is, I am sure she is happy and proud of herself that she was able to help people."

There was silence and I felt Ares' stares on me. I couldn't take my eyes off Camilla, something about her looked so attractive that my eyes loved her even though I knew nothing about her.

"You know, you very much remind of her. Just the way you sing." Ares broke the silence and in return, he got wide eyes from me.

"What?! I am sure I sound nothing close to her. Come on, sometimes try to be serious Mr Malcolm."

He placed his hand on my shoulder, rubbing my back slowly and gently that it brought goosebumps all over my body.

"And why do you think I gave you the name Melody?" He asked smilingly.

"I don't know, to make fun of me peharps." I shrugged.

"Lisa, you know I have noticed something. And I want you to tell me the truth. Lisa, do you--"

I quickly interrupted him, my heart had started beating too fast. "No Ares. I am not in love--" I cut myself when I noticed I said that so quickly.

"Really?" He laughed then took his hand off my shoulder, he didn't take long when he faced me again with wide eyes. "What? In love?" He questioned looking totally surprised. "Are you in love with someone?"

I rubbed my hands on my jeans, this is awkward. "No Ares, I--"

"Oh wow! Lisa, you are in love?" He awed, a smile creeping on his lips.

"Hey, stop! I am not." I defended myself ready to get up.

"Who is the man? Please tell me he knows how you feel for him. Wait, is it Andrew? No wait, is it Bob?" He widened his eyes.

Andrew? Rae's driver? What the heck? Wait, did he just say Bob? The gardener?

I felt my whole body froze as my blood stopped running through my veins. It felt so painful that his only guess was those two. I got up, gave him his phone then started walking away.

"Lisa?" He called as he followed me behind. "Did I say something hurtful?"

I decided to act normal. "No, I remembered I forgot to apply my sunscreen cream." I smiled the strolled upstairs.

"Hmm," he hummed as he followed me behind. "Such a lie. Anyway, whoever you are in love with, please make sure you tell him as early as possible. And if he breaks your heart, I won't hesitate to break his neck. Lisa, you are like a sister to me, I'll protect you for anything."

His words felt so sweet as he said them. At least I knew the man I was secretly in love with could protect me no matter what. But you know what hurts, that he only saw me like a sister. Maybe his baby sister.

"If the man will never help you rub this cream on your skin, leave him, " he took the cream and started doing as he did to me last night. "And if he will never kiss your skin and adore you, leave him." He plated a featherly kiss on the hand he was rubbing the cream. "And if, he will never appreciate the way you are, leave him."

I had no idea what came over me that I buried my body on his. I just felt I needed a hug and he never hesitated to hug back.

"If anyone ever hurt you Lisa, I'll kill them!"

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Another chapter. What do you think?