Clara
"I have done all the changes in your presentation, just as you asked." I gave the file and USB to Amber. I spent the night working on her presentation in the conference and the next day, made my way into her hotel room to give her the edited powerpoint.
"Thank you Clara. You're such a sweetheart." she replied.
It was the second day of conference, the day when Amber and Aaron were supposed to present our new product to the world. The first day was boring enough to lower my morale. The only thing that kept me going was that the company I worked at, was going to be presented at such a big event.
"Can you please go to Aaron's room and brief him about all the changes?" she smiled at me and I nodded, unwantingly.
I still don't understand what happened yesterday. The kiss just came out of nowhere and he didn't even give me any reasonable explanation, or any explanation at all.
For a moment, my world stopped and my heart started drumming against my chest. His kiss made me feel things that I haven't felt in a long amount of time. There was a constant pit in my stomach, tingling at the idea of kissing him again.
Once I reached his room which was three rooms away from mine, I knocked at the door. The door was already slightly opened and his voice was coming from inside.
"Don't worry Helena, I'll send some money." he was saying on phone. When I heard the name that he used, my brain numbed for a moment.
Is he talking to my mom?
Without asking for his permission, I stepped inside his bedroom. He was staring out of a window with his hands in his pocket, the phone supported in between his shoulder and ear.
"No. Don't worry about-" he stopped when he turned around and found me there. "I'll call you later." he said and cut the call, putting the phone away.
"Was that.... Was that my.." I couldn't complete the sentence, a ball of nerves blocking my voice.
"Yeah." he nodded, something resembling pity flashed in his eyes.
"How is she?" I asked, my eyes moistened at her mention.
"She is fine." he replied. "Uh... Do you know about your.... your Dad?" his voice was tinged with slight concern.
I nodded, lowering my face so that he won't see my tears.
"I came to brief you about the changes in the presentation. If you don't mind, can I come later?" I said, my voice came out thick.
"Sure." he said and I turned around to leave. If I stayed here any longer, I won't be able to control my tears.
"Clara!" his velvety voice stopped me. "Do you want to see her?"
Hearing this, I turned around immediately and nodded twice. "Here." he said and sat down on the bed, patting the space beside him.
Blinking hard to clear the tears, I sat down and watched him as he opened the gallery of her phone. "That's when I went to meet her last year." he said, showing me a selfie of both of them in a restaurant.
Both pair of eyes were smiling at the camera. Mom looked like she had aged a lot in the last six years. Dad's absence took a toll on her and her cheeks were hollowed. There was no shine in her eyes and her face was paler than before.
He was in touch with her, even helping her with some money. And then there was her own daughter, who left them in the midst of a financial crisis.
I didn't realise how much I was crying until I felt his fingers dab my cheeks lightly. "You should meet her once." he said.
"I can't." I said as tears burst out of my eyes. "She would never forgive me." Small whimpers left my mouth and as much as I tried to control them, they just kept on streaming.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see Aaron struggling to figure out what to do.
"Hey... Ssshhhh." he tried to silence me by patting my back but I didn't stop. The picture brought back so many memories that I have been trying to forget.
After a moment, he pulled the phone from my hands and enveloped me in a hug. At first, I resisted but then, the comfort of his arms won me over and I wrapped my arms around him.
"It's okay." he said, rubbing my back gently and I snuggled deeper into his masculine chest, letting his strong scent comfort me.
Once my tears stopped, the hug grew awkward. Both of us were waiting for the other to pull away first. His hold around me felt really good and if it was up to me, I would have stayed longer. But it was wrong to use my tears to keep him close so I broke the hug and stood up to leave.
"Thanks." I said and looked again at his face, which was brimming with an inexplicable emotion.
...
The address turned out to be a success. Everyone was in praises for Amber and Aaron at the end of their presentation. My attention was specially focused on Aaron and how confident he was throughout. I couldn't believe he was the same man who used to stutter in front of me.
Once it ended, both of them came down from the stage and met with some other businessmen. Aaron stayed with the man to talk about God knows what while Amber ambled towards me with a huge grin on her face.
"It was brilliant." I said, complimenting her.
"All thanks to you for helping me with the speech." she said and then suddenly, she gasped.
"Miss me?" a man said from the side, walking towards Amber with open arms. She ran towards the man in her high heels and he enveloped her in a tight hug.
He looked like he was in his early forties, with salt and pepper hair styled in perfection. He was wearing a light blue suit that fitted his tall built perfectly.
Why does it feel like I have seen him before?
"Did you really think I'll miss your speech?" he said, placing a peck on her forehead.
"God, you're terrible. Why didn't you tell me before?" Amber slapped his chest and he faked a frown.
"What's the fun in that?" he winked. "By the way, Where is Aaron? I gotta congratulate him too." he said and looked around but he was nowhere to be found.
"You can see him later. Now come on, let's go to my hotel room and-" she stopped when she saw me shifting uncomfortably on my feet. "Peter, have you met my secretary? She is an angel in disguise, I swear."
Hearing this, the man turned towards me and for a moment, his eyes lingered on my face. "Have we met before?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Not that I remember." I smiled. "Clara Avery!" I pulled my hand for a shake.
Something resembling recognition flashed his eyes and he shook my hand for a brief moment. I couldn't decipher his expressions because Amber pulled him away by gripping his arm while I stood there, gaping at their retreating figures.
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How does Peter know her? Any guesses.