a face of stranger

Nathan’s P.O.V.

 

 

Years of yearning to listen to that voice made me spin on my heels even before I could register what had just happened.

I forgot to breathe when I saw a beautiful woman in a black off-shoulder evening gown coming towards us with an old man.

Her striking facial features made her stunning and beautiful, but the strangeness of her face made me feel a pang of pain in my chest.

I blinked, trying to find any trace of familiarity in her face, but there was none, except her eyes.

I couldn’t forget those eyes. They were hers, but her face was different.

Why?

How?

Those eyes were the same as my Cynthia’s, but the confidence oozing out of her gaze was completely opposite of the shyness in my wife’s eyes.

“Ms. Williams, Mr. Silva.” Chris greeted them formally, but I couldn’t utter a single word. I was still dumbstruck, staring at the woman now standing right in front of me.

She was an epitome of confidence, I can say.

“It seems that Mr. Lombart is also charmed by Cynthia’s beauty, huh?” I heard a playful remark, but my mind didn’t register a word.

“Mr. Lombart.” Chris jabbed my arm while calling me in whispers.

I blinked and looked at him in a daze.

“Mr. Lombart. Mr. Silva is here.” He whispered to me while smiling awkwardly.

It was when I realized my surroundings.

“I… I am sorry, Mr. Silva.” I apologized, Mr. Silva in a low voice and cleared my throat.

Get a grip on yourself, Nathan. You have plenty of time to know about this woman. I comforted myself in my heart before pulling my professional demeanor.

“Allow me to reintroduce myself in a proper way.” I asked Mr. Silva with a faint smile on my lips.

The old man smiled widely, but I could see that he was also a cunning, shrewd businessman who knew his cards very well.

“Nathan Lombart, the CEO of Heaven’s Blessing.” I introduced myself to him again, raising my hand towards him for a handshake.

“Nice to meet you, Nathan. This is my assistant and also the negotiator of this acquisition, Cynthia Williams,” he replied to me and introduced the woman standing right next to him.

My breath hitched, but I didn’t let my composure falter this time.

We shook hands, and I looked at Cynthia Williams.

She still had that faint, confident smile on her lips, making her more beautiful than she already is.

Well, not more beautiful than my Cynthia, though.

“Ms. William, I apologize for my previous reaction. I guess I am still not immune to a beauty like you.” I raised my hand towards her while praising her with a faint smile.

She chuckled and grabbed my hand in a formal handshake.

My whole body shuddered hard.

I could never forget this touch.

I had yearned so much for this touch all these years, and now, when I had it, I couldn’t embrace her because she appeared like a stranger in front of me.

Why does she have a different face?

Did she change her face to stay hidden from me?

Did she hate me this much, or did something else happen?

I couldn’t form any explanation of why she is treating me like a stranger and why she has a different face.

I slowly let go of her hand, but I was now determined not to let her disappear from my world again.

Her eyes, her touch…. She is definitely my Cynthia.

“Let’s go to the room assigned to us?” Chris broke the silence stretched between us.

“Please, Mr. Silva.” I gestured to him to walk first, showing my respect to my elder.

He nodded with the same smile and walked ahead. I followed him and both Chris and Cynthia walked behind us.

“Where is your father? Last I talked to him, he said that he is in Bali.” Mr. Silva asked me, initiating a conversation between us.

“He is now in Indonesia.” I replied to him truthfully. He laughed this time.

“Although I have known your father for more than 10 years, I still can’t figure him out. He always has something to surprise me, like his choice of destination for a vacation?” Mr. Silva joked, but it was like a jab to my heart.

My father wasn’t like this before. Although he married my mother in a business marriage arrangement, he was still a devoted husband and a caring father.

Everything changed after my mother did something to his mistress, Lucas’s mother, Helena Ranger.

“He always has an obsession with South Asian countries, and now, he has time to fulfill his wishes.” I still commented lightly, and Mr. Silva laughed while shaking his head in agreement.

“You can say that I am inspired by your father, and that’s why I am looking for an eligible person to take over my company so that I can also fulfill my desires and wishes before leaving this world.” He commented lightly, but I could say that he was sincere in his words.

Mr. Silva had no heir, as his wife died during their first childbirth, and then he never married again, a living example of loyalty and dedication to his life partner.

I should be like him, but I made one grave mistake and lost the woman whom I loved.

Unconsciously, I glanced towards Cynthia, who still had that faint smile while listening to Mr. Silva.

Chris led the way when we were about to reach the room and opened the door for us.

Mr. Silva and Cynthia entered the room together.

“I want everything on Ms. Williams by tomorrow morning.” I whispered to him hurriedly before entering the room.

I didn’t stop to see Chris’s reaction because I don’t care about that. I wanted answers before approaching Cynthia and claiming her as my wife.

I sat down on a chair across from Mr. Silva and opened the front button of my blazer.

“You know, Nathan, why did I refuse your half-brother’s offer and accept meeting you?” Mr. Silva asked me in a light tone, but I stiffened.

I still succeeded in masking my emotions and looked at him calmly.

"This is because in a way you are a bit like me," he added, making me stare at him blankly.

He made himself comfortable on the chair and looked at me with a light smile on his lips.

"When I said that I know your father, I meant everything about him, Nathan, and this also goes for you. We are businessmen, and you are smart enough to know what I want to say," he added, and my jaw clenched.