Chapter 02

ROBERT'S POV

I have been an unhappy man since the day I lost her. I lost her in the wedding with Ariana, her sister. It was for business reasons but I’ve never thought about it could make my life become this way. 

I mumbled a goodnight to my secretary and other staff as I exited the office building. 

The last thing I wanted was to go home to Ariana, the one who’s my wife, but also the one who always reminds me of her death.

Ariana was the workaholic heiress who controlled an entire department of her parents’ conglomerate.  

She was pretty, tough, and passionate about everything. She’s good. But she’s not Flora.

The lady whose smile lit up my world. 

“How perfect should I do to get your attention? To drag you back from her so that you can face reality? To face me and our baby?” She once shouted to me with tearful eyes.

“You are so wrong, Ariana. Flora’s not perfect. She’s just kind, naive, and caring. Compared to you, she’s just a normal person with a normal personality you can see everywhere. But I loved her, and that’s what matters! And you can’t be her even though you played tricks to make me your husband.”

Ariana seemed to be hurt after I said this. She left the room immediately with the door slammed hard. 

I knew I hurt her but I could move my feet to apologize. After all, she never apologized for my loss of Flora, as well as the days Flora lived under her, a perfect sister’s shadow.  Flora had never had an easy time living in the shadow of a business dynamite like Ariana but Ariana never thought about that. She was just a selfish human.

As I exited the elevator, I entered my car. 

I told my chauffeur “I'm not going home Rufus”, 

Ariana and I had an appointment with the doctor but I was not ready to be with her so early today. 

“Where to, boss?” He asked

“Take me to a bar, a bar would do”.

I stepped into the bar, feeling out of place. The lights were dim and there were disco lights in almost every corner that blinked so rapidly. 

Determined however, I walked up to the bartender and sat on a stool. 

“Could I have an Espresso Martini please?” I ordered. 

“Coming right up”, the bartender replied. 

I began to drum my fingers lightly on the bar while turning my head slightly to take in the environment. It was then I saw her. 

She was dressed in a beautiful black dress that stopped just slightly above her knees and I could tell even before I looked that she had long beautiful legs. 

I let my eyes travel from the black dress that fit her body like a second skin up to her face. 

It was the fullness of her lips with its tiny cupid bow, her smile that lit up her face completely…and her brunette hair. 

Oh! Her hair. It was cascading down her shoulders, bouncing around her as she laughed at something her friend was saying. 

“Flora?” I couldn’t help murmuring. 

Of course she’s not Flora, but it felt as if my dream stood before me, alive, pulsing, and breathing, making it seem real and unreachable. My breath hitched. 

As soon as the bartender dropped my drink on the table, I grabbed it and gulped it down in one swallow.

“More”, I said.

I finally worked up the nerve to approach the beautiful brunette, “Hello”, I said in my most charming voice.

 The lady turned and smiled at me. “Hello to you too.”

“Robert Stone”, I said, holding my hand out for a handshake.

She took it while still smiling. “Emily”.

“Um…Emily, I was sitting there and there was just something otherworldly about your beauty that I could not help but notice you”.

Emily laughed and her friend stood up excusing herself to go get a drink.

“That's a cheesy line, Mr Stone”, she said teasingly. 

“Not flattering you Emily, believe me when I say you have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen and I would like to spend the rest of the evening with you”.

Emily paused, taking a close look at me for the first time. Possibly noticing how handsome I looked and how out of place I must have seemed in the bar. 

I was dressed in a perfectly tailored three piece suit and my shoes probably cost more than her entire year's salary. 

I could feel her eyes wandering over my jet black hair, the dimple on my left cheek that showed everytime I moved my jaw, my high cheekbones and my perfectly chiseled face. 

I’ve been told several times that I look like I stepped out of a painting.

“That's a bold proposition Mr. Stone”, she finally said. 

“I do not like to dilly dally Emily. You're a really beautiful girl and I'm sure I would enjoy your company.”

Emily laughed this time a bit unsure. “Just to be clear, I don't usually do stuff like this but gosh…you're so hot!”.

I smiled. 

I knew I looked more confident than I felt. I had never done this sort of thing before but here was a girl who was like a spitting image of Flora. 

Flora, the love of my life. The one I should have married. The one who now haunted my waking dreams and every nightmare. 

Everything I said to the lady in front of me used to be what I said to Flora when we met the first time. 

I was confident, eager and acting arrogant back then. 

Just like how I intentionally behave today. Being cheesy.

I just wanted to relive what it was like to be with her.

“So what do you say Emily? Do you find me hot enough to spend the rest of the evening with me? I promise I will give you an unforgettable night”.

She giggled, “Excuse me for a minute, I’ll just tell my friend that I am leaving”

I  smiled as I watched her walk away. 

Damn! My day just got better.