***Kyle***
I landed safely at LaGuardia Airport and was greeted first by my assistant, Bill Waters. The journey back to New York was a hitch-free one. "Welcome back sir," Bill greeted me, as he directed me to where my driver had parked. We got to the car, and I immediately asked Bill to fill me in on the latest update. I knew he had emailed me earlier, but I had been too lazy to read through it.
Bill brought me up to speed, and I was impressed with how everything had turned out to be, even in my absence. "Sir, your meeting with the new investors is confirmed for 10:00 am on Monday. They would like to meet you in person and delve deeper into the project's specifics," Bill added. The new investors seemed very interested, and I was pleased.
But the meeting was the last thing on my mind. I still anticipated the response I would get from my private investigator, whom I had asked to search for Cindy. Every encounter we had had was nothing short of erotic and passionate. I can still remember how we kissed each other deeply like our lives depended on it. The hot steam that came out of our bodies could light up a house.
It was heartbreaking to see that it meant nothing to her, or, was I used? No, it cannot be!
That little white witch would not get to use me, a whole Kyle Preston, and get away with it. She had been heartbroken the night we had met, and she had shared how she had caught her boyfriend with another woman on his birthday. Maybe she needed an available shoulder to cry on and mine was at her disposal.
I couldn't believe I had been fooled. I was the player, but I had been played, especially by someone who anyone would have least expected. She looked so innocent for someone to even suspect a thing, and anyone could have fallen for her gimmicks. I did not lack girls. I was born with a platinum spoon and have always had everything at my beck and call.
It was unfortunate that everything was a little bit short-lived after the death of my father. My father's death was a huge blow to me. I was twenty years old at the time and was already planning the start-up of my own company. I needed his business ideas and warm advice, being that I was beginning to stand on my feet, away from all his wealth.
Everything my father owned, his companies, cars, and every other property he left behind had been managed poorly by my mother, which soon left her in debt. She came running to me the moment she knew KP Fashion had gained a little bit of recognition.
I sometimes saw my mother as someone only interested in money. Every other thing became secondary to her. I wasn't surprised when I discovered how recklessly she had squandered all that my father had owned. She was my mother after all, and was my responsibility, but I made sure I put an eye on every detail of my company after I made her the Managing Director.
I did not realize how much my mind had traveled from Cindy, my mystery one-night seductress, to the troubles I had had to face following my father's death when my driver arrived at my residence, a stunning penthouse atop the Baccarat Hotel and Residences. "Home sweet home," I muttered under my breath. As my driver pulled up, the security guard opened the door, welcoming me back home.
I nodded my head and smiled, as I entered the opulent lobby, with Bill just behind me. The private elevator whisked us to the 50th floor, where my penthouse awaited. As I entered, surrounded by the breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline, I poured myself a glass of scotch, taking a deep breath to savor the moment. I had an important call to make, so I dismissed my assistant.
Once alone, I picked up my phone and called my private investigator. He had not made any positive findings about Cindy and my heart fell. Where could she be? I still longed for her touch. The memories of that night still haunted me, and I knew that it would continue to do so if nothing was done about Cindy's whereabouts. I offered to pay him double for his trouble if he would deliver positively. I knew that would heighten his interest.
I ended the call briefly and called my mom to inform her that I was home. I knew my assistant would have informed her, but she needed to hear from me as well. The call was very brief. It ended almost immediately, and I went straight for the shower afterward. The warm water hit me as I stepped in, reminding me of Cindy once more.
"Little witch!" I cursed. She must have bewitched me because I had never, in all my thirty years, felt anything like I did before. I needed to move on, but I had no idea how to. "Maybe I'd host a party, inviting lots of friends and girls," I thought to myself. But the thought of that disgusted me almost immediately after it came.
Surely, this wasn't the Kyle of before. I always craved such parties. I hosted one, at least once every month, but here I was, sickened by the idea of it. What has Cindy done to me? I wanted to hate her for abandoning me, but I couldn't. I wanted to see her again, to hear her explain why she chose to use me just like she had complained about her ex-boyfriend.
I got out of the shower and wrapped myself in a clean white towel, drying my soaking body. Wearing a plush white robe from Loro Piana, I opened my laptop to see if I had any pending activity to attend to, but my mind still drifted far away. I knew I needed a clear head to function well, so I made my way to my bed to get a nap.
It wasn't long before I heard my phone ring. It was my private investigator. Why was he calling? Has he found something useful? Was the money I had offered too small? I was ready to double it. I picked up my phone from where I had dropped it and responded to the call. "Sir, I've found her." The words played over and over again in my ears. Cindy has been found.
I couldn't hide the excitement in my voice as I asked my private investigator for more details. I had mixed feelings. I was quite happy that Cindy had been found, but I still despised the fact that she used me, and it took a private investigator to get to her location. She had not intended to look for me at all. I was right all along.
What if I wasn't ready to confront her? What if I fall for her charms again and, this time, stay locked in forever? I summoned every courage there was. I was happy that I wasn't as popular as many young billionaires, so I wouldn't make the headline news story, one that would state that a certain billionaire went as far as hiring the services of a private investigator to look for his one-nighter.
I booked a flight without the knowledge of my mother, as I headed back to Beverly Hills. I told my assistant, Bill, and made sure he didn't say a word of my actions to my mom. She would only wonder what I must have seen in Cindy that was making me crazy. I have no explanation to give yet, so I would rather it remained a secret for now.
I got to the airport and was soon on my way after checking in. As soon as I landed, my private investigator was waiting to pick me up. I had not made any prior arrangements because everything was impromptu. "Where is she," I asked the investigator almost immediately, as I entered his car. "That is where we are headed sir," he replied hastily.
I couldn't wait to see her. I was happy and furious at the same time. "Let's hear the sorry-ass excuse she has to give," I said silently. We drove for almost an hour and I wondered if my private investigator was lost or something. Not long after, he parked in front of a local bar.
"She works here sir," he said after the car came to a stop. What? How on earth is that possible? I remembered I had seen Cindy in office clothes the night we had had our little escapades and those clothes did not look like something people who work at a bar would wear. Although we had not talked about what we both did for a living, I was sure she had a more decent source of livelihood, not one that came from working in a bar.
"Are you sure of what you're saying," I inquired, raising an eyebrow. I wasn't convinced. I wanted to go in to see myself but at the same time, I didn't want to appear looking stupid if I discovered that Cindy wasn't working at that bar. My anxiousness would not let me stay to think any further. Stupid or not, I was willing to make an effort. I got out of the car and went into the bar.
I scanned the environment for the sight of Cindy. I couldn't find her anywhere. What a stupid decision! I wasn't one to give up, so I went to the bar counter to ask the young man for anyone by the name of Cindy. He told me that Cindy would resume later that evening for her shift. I was relieved, it wasn't a lost cause after all.
I ordered a bottle of water while I waited. It was getting quite late, and I was growing impatient, but I was hell-bent on setting my eyes on Cindy and getting my answers. I checked my time, and it was almost 9 pm and Cindy wasn't at the bar yet. I set off to move to the counter again to ask the bartender if Cindy was still going to resume work that night.
As I stood up from where I had sat, I heard noises. There was a commotion going on outside, and I could recognize the voice of one of the people arguing. It sounded like Cindy's, but I wasn't so sure. I dashed for the door, heading outside. I went outside and saw that it was Cindy, in flesh and blood!
I stood there dumbstruck! This was not the Cindy I knew, the one my whole body had exploded for, the one whose touch sent a quick shiver down my spine. She looked different, disheveled and unkempt. It seemed like she was being accused of sleeping with someone else's boyfriend and was brought to her place of work to be disgraced.
This was odd. I didn't know what to believe, but either way, I wasn't going to stand there and let people bully and disgrace her. I had to intervene, so I called out to her, "Cindy!" Cindy turned and looked at me. She wasn't surprised to see me. How dare she! She wasn't remorseful. She knew what she did when she abandoned me.
There must be a mistake somewhere. I tried to dismiss the small crowd that had formed but the other woman who had accused Cindy of being with her boyfriend wasn't ready to back down. She wanted to disgrace Cindy or be compensated at the very least. I gave in to every one of her demands, and once the crowd had dispersed, I turned to Cindy again, asking her why she had abandoned me.
"Do I know you?" Cindy asked, feigning ignorance. I was shocked. Why was she acting like she did not know me? Why was she pretending? I wanted to go back into the bar like I didn't care, but I couldn't. I wasn't going to abandon her like she did to me. I moved to touch her, but the expression on her face turned bloody.
"Cindy, it's me, Kyle," I said again, hoping that this time, she would not act like she had done before. I placed my right hand on her shoulder, but she flung it away and pushed me so hard that I came crashing down and my eyes opened.
I had been dreaming.