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Chapter 0 — Promised

Audrey is crying on the couch while she covers her face with her hands. He is sitting right across her and watching her crying her heart out but he didn't care. Audrey pulls her head up to him with her tears wetting her cheeks.
"You promised me Audrey." He says firm.
He isn't bothered about her tears, he is hard as a rock and he does not care about emotions anymore. He knows pretty damn well that she acts her way out of trouble and he's gotten a hold of it for years now. He's used to seeing Audrey getting what she wants and she knows she can't deceive him but at least she tried to. He knows she's spoiled. He knows too damn well that he needs to trim down those devilish long horns above her head and he can do it because he can manipulate her for he knows all her dirty secrets.
"I know I promised you!" She yells.
"But it's taking so long!" He yells back.
She's scared. She knows he's capable of everything when he wants to do something. She knows damn well that he is willing to kill. And she's scared that he might actually hurt Hugo because she knows he can.
He's capable.
"I can't wait for it anymore! I need the money. I need the fucking money! You need to get all of Saintclare's money from him! I need more drugs! I need more money! Do you hear me?!" He screams again.
"It's not that easy!" She yells back. "You know he has millions and he placed his money on so many banks to secure his wealth! He has many bank accounts and I don't have the access yet!" She yells again.
"Well then little Hugo will get what he deserves." He smirks.
Her heart raced the next second. "Don't you dare hurt Hugo! That wasn't part of the plan!!" She screams with anger and fear.
"Well it's gonna be part of the plan now! I need the money ASAP!" He taunts her with his bloodshot eyes.
"Just fucking wait you asshole!" She stands from the couch, planning to leave.
He stands from the couch and was quick enough to reach her arm and strongly grabbed her wrist before he grabs her hair with his other hand. She grunts as soon as he pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his hand tight around her neck, right enough to make her struggle.
She is so scared and she doesn't know what to do because all she wants now is to leave his place right away before he can do something that will hurt her.
"What did you call me?" He whispers to her.
"I'm... I'm s-sorry..." She chokes a sob.
"I've been waiting Audrey." He reminds her.
His hand around her neck tightens a little bit and she quickly tries to pull it away but she fails the next second because he is far too strong.
"This is getting too delayed. I need the money. We've planned this together for so many years now. Don't forget, you owe me money. I made you famous you little bitch. I made your name!"
"I worked for what I have now!" She tries to scream at him.
His grips tighter as she groans, having a hard time taking amounts of air into her lungs. She couldn't breathe and he is literally choking her to death.
Her tears streaming down her face as she pleads for him to stop.
"You owe me that fucking huge amount of money to get your way with those well known people. You paid that world class photographer who turned out to be a maniac and I had to save your fucking ass because you didn't want to fuck him.” He says against his cheeks.
He sniffs her skin and she smells like a sweet-scented peach, “Don't you ever forget that baby. I saved you." He spits as he subtly release her neck.
She remembers and she remembers how that photographer harassed her during her audition.
"If I didn't give you that money, you wouldn't meet Paris again. You wouldn't end up with Landon. You wouldn't get Hugo as well. You wouldn't get those modeling projects that was all lined up for you!” His grip tightens around her neck again. “You wouldn't be who you are without me! Now that I ask for my money, my share, you can't give it just yet?!" He says angrily.
He slightly releases her neck just as when she was about to pass out. She coughs as she breathes inward and outward heavily. She is wheezing as she tries to calm herself down while her tears are still streaming down her face.
"Just... Just g-give me time... M-more time.. S-sweetheart please." She tries to sweet-talk her way into his thick heart but she knows he’s heartless.
"You know what I'm capable of, sweetheart." He warns her with firmness in his voice. She knows it was a threat and she is undeniably scared.
She nods at him.
"And don't you even forget that your career is on the brink of ending after putting up your little show that you did at that restaurant during the night of Ben's accident." He chuckles.
She wipes her tears, “If you didn’t act your way in then that child would not be involved in your stupid show!”
He laughs, “Didn’t you say you want that child dead?”
“Not that way!!” She defends herself.
“Don’t worry, I might as well kill him with my gun together with his stupid father.” He answers with his grin.
“The child is not involved in this!” She screams at him in horror.
"You know, you are brave to be yelling at me.” He chuckles humorlessly as he stares at her without pity. “Right now, you are nothing. You don’t even have any money left if it isn’t for Hugo? You have nothing. Zero. Nada.”
She grits her teeth as she stares at him angrily. He continues, “I even wonder how you're paying your debts. I wonder if you're still paying all of it when you're not offered with projects anymore. Does Hugo even know that you are fucking broke? I wonder where you get your money from when you don't even have much money in your bank account."
She knows she's not getting projects. She knows she has huge amounts of debts. She knows damn well that she doesn't have that much money left anymore because of her addiction. She knows her career is going to end soon and she is scared. She is scared because this is all his fault.
"They love Georgia Bilson now. She's getting more famous than you. She's making her way to the modeling industry and on acting too. That role offered to you? She got it. She's taking all of your projects from you and it’s such a sad reality." He laughs at her.
"I'm better than her." She fights.
"I'm sure you are sweetheart."
She blinks a lot of times trying to gather the thought in her head together before she tries to speak, "If... If you continue on doing your other plan against Hugo... If you do that..... You'll go to jail."
"If I can't pay my debt to those loan sharks either way I'll go to jail. You'll go with me there. This was all your plan. You just asked me to join you and your little fucking charades." He smirks.
He releases her after he strangled her. She is beyond frightened of what he has been planning under his sleeves and she knows that he already has plans. She's undeniably frightened because the things that she has done could actually lead her to imprisonment and she does not want to be there.
She stares back at him and she can easily tell that he is dead serious with his other plans and she is scared of what he can possibly do.
"If you don't want to go to jail sweetheart, then we need the money. I'm running out of cash and so do you." He smirks at her evilly.

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Chapter 1 — Alex

H U G O
I could hold his face with my huge hand and his eyes looks so adorable as it were about to close. I wish he'd finally go to sleep. I've been carrying him for almost two hours now. My arms are aching and whenever I put him down on top of his little mattress, he ends up opening his eyes again. And whenever I sit down, he cries loud so basically I've been standing here to put him to sleep and he still isn't.
I gently sway him around.
Hum him some songs I know.
Tap his little bum covered in his diapers.
Then sway him a little bit more.
I have so many papers needed to be read and to be signed but he's consuming all my time. The nannies can't even put him to sleep which ended him in massive loud cries. So I volunteered to put Alex to sleep and I ended up with my loads of work left undone.
I gazed at the clock and it was already midnight. It's getting pretty late and I wonder where Audrey is. She said she was out to meet a friend and she's been out for too long.
I reached for my phone inside my pocket and she still hasn't left any call or messages too. She haven't even answered any of my calls since a while ago. I'm worried where she is.
Finally!
Alex was really in his deep sleep. I just wish he won't wake up when I put him down. I slowly walked to his crib and gently placed him in it. He twitched when I placed him down but he didn't wake up cos I slowly tapped his little thigh with my fingers. I carefully placed his little blanket over him and placed him in between his two hotdog-like pillows.
I exhaled and smiled at my great accomplishment.
I walk back to where my desk was and stretched both of my arms up above my head. I'm tried but I have so much work left to do.
I turned on my laptop and saw a message from Ned.
From: @thenedhall
To: @hugosaintclare
Subject: Wedding Photos
Here are the wedding pics sent to me by Landon. Still need to send it to the other lads as well. Thought maybe you wanted to see them first.
I waited for all of the photos to appear and wondered how Landon and Rose's honeymoon is going. I wonder if they're enjoying it. I wonder if she's having fun. I wonder if she is even thinking about me.
Of course she'll have fun with Landon.
I wonder if I ever crossed her mind.
When all of the photos started appearing, I began downloading it to my laptop, transferring it to my google drive and started scanning through each photo. There were some photos of us eating, talking to each other and we even smiled for the camera looking so happy. There were even some group photos with the lads, then the photos of us dancing respectively with the ride started appearing. When my photo with Rose appeared I paused on it because I wanted to.
It feels like it is something I can only do now.
Our hands held on to each other while my other hand was holding her waist, I seemed like I didn’t even want to let her goo in the photo. We didn't talk when we danced that night but all I ever told her was that she was beautiful. She didn’t answer.
She was though, like an angel.
When we almost finished dancing, she just smiled at me and thanked me for coming over her wedding then we didn't say anything else after because I did not know what to say and I think she didn’t know what to say too. I look at her on the photo and we were both staring at each other intently with need in our eyes. I stare at it for a little more before I moved to the next ones as it makes my heart ache. More pics appeared and it were the ones when we gave our speeches to the couple.
Then a photo caught my attention, it was a picture when Ned was giving out his speech. My eyes landed on Rose because she was smiling so beautifully and she looked so naturally happy. She was probably laughing at Ned's jokes and Landon was even smiling on the photo too. He placed his hands over her shoulder while she held onto his hand which causes me to hurt more.
They do look so happy together.
They look so perfect for each other and it fucking hurts.
I have always regretted the day that I gave up on here, but that's what's left for me to do.
Fucking coward, Hugo. That’s all you are.
I zoomed on Rose's face and that smile was precious to me, always will be. I smile when I saw her smile and I've realized, I terribly miss her smiling sweetly like that at me.
Suddenly the bedroom door swings open and it was Audrey. I glued my eyes on her and she smiles at me, wryly.
She's drunk.
"Hey husband." She slurs as she marches her way inside the bedroom.
I rested my back on my chair and crossed my arms over my chest as I stare into to her intently. She begins to walk in an intoxicated manner and even stumbled on the carpet while she approaches me. She laughs at herself and picked up her purse that fell on the ground. She struggles on pulling off her five inched heels and begins to walk barefoot while she takes a hold of her heels on her hands.
She reaches to me.
"Oh honeeeey, don't give me that look." She spits while rolling her eyes.
She bends over to me to kiss my cheek but I pulled my head away from her in a snap second. "You're drunk." I say strictly.
I shut my laptop close and stood from my chair as I began to walk away from her a few inches back. I stared back at her from head to toe while she looks at me with furrowed brows as if I have done something wrong that actually hurt her.
"I am.” She admits. “Yes. I had.... A greeeeeeat time actually." She slurs and drops her heels to the ground. "God I swear I hate heels sometimes." She muffles to herself.
"Will you be careful? I just put Alex to sleep." I warned her.
She smirks. "Look who's being a great father."
"Shower up. You smell liquor. That isn't good for Alex." I told her.
"Alex. Alex. Alex. Alex.” She whines like an annoying child. “You only worry about Alex." Her voice begins to grow louder.
"I don't wanna fight with you again." I hiss.
Her eyes beamed at me. “Oh yeah? I thought fighting with me was your hobby.” She laughs maniacally.
"I've had a long day at work, I come home only to find you out with god knows who. Do me a favor? Tone down your voice because I had dreadful hours putting Alex to sleep." I added.
I began to walk away to avoid a tiring argument with her even though I have the right to be mad at her for going out drinking instead of staying here and taking care of our son. I should be mad about the fact that she came home drunk and starts picking a fight like a child.
In a split second, she caught my attention when she begins to open my laptop.
"Don't touch--"
It was too late for me to stop her as her eyes were already squinting on the photo of my screen and her eyes grew wider when she recognized Rose on it. I stood there frozen as she begins to move her eyes back to me. Anger and jealousy, I instantly felt it from her.
"Seriously Hugo." She spits.
I didn't answer her.
"Are you fucking serious right now?!" She begins to yell a little louder.
I slammed my laptop close as I respond, "I looked through the wedding photos that Ned sent me."
"Oh yeah of course! You did! You actually did and you fucking literally zoomed into Miranda's face?!" She screams.
"Alex is sleeping." I grit my teeth.
"Fuck that baby. I don't care." She spits at me.
I gaped in surprise at her words,. "Do you even hear yourself? You're the mother to that child!"
"I don't care about that now!” She screams at my face. “All that matters now is the fact that you are staring into Miranda’s photos?! I'm mad you!"
"Oh come on Audrey! You don’t have to make this a big deal when I should be the one who needs to be mad at you right now. You come home late as if you don’t have any responsibilities to your child. You went out drinking and you come here throwing a fit at me!?" I raged.
She scoffs sarcastically, "That's not the point here Hugo!"
"It is Audrey! It fucking is." I rant.
"You're the problem here!” She points at me. “No. Let me correct that, I think your friends are the problem!"
"What?!" I responded in surprise because this was not making any sense at all. “Why in the world are you blaming my friends?!”
"You and those other guys who plays pretend that you’re all so good and you have a clean reputation! You act as if you’re all saints! You’re all pretending to be someone you’re not anyways! Those guys are bunch of fucking pretentious assholes!" She yells at my face.
“You fucking take that back!” I screamed at her in anger.
Alex begins to wake up and cries loud as it echoes through the bedroom.
I'm so mad at her for how she's acting and how she is being absolutely stupid. I could slap her for staying things like that to my friends. I can't believe she just said that in front of me. As my anger is building up inside of me, seemingly over my head now, I grabbed her elbow abruptly and she grunted as soon as I pulled her close to my face. I stare at her and I'm trying to control myself from hitting her.
"You're so lucky you're a woman." I hissed.
She grins. "Or what? You'll hit me?” She offers her right cheek with a smile. “Go ahead. I am more than willing to be hit by you. Hugo Saintclare will hit me? I wonder how the people will react to that."
I stared at her angrily and I just want to punch her so bad for saying those rude things about my friends. She is being totally nonsensical right now and I don’t know where her anger is coming from.
"You're not worthy to be married to me Audrey, you can't even accept my friends." I spit.
I pushed her away from me with force and she stumbles a little bit. She stares at me intently with that stupid smile o her face, “You make me regret choosing you.”
I walked to where Alex was and carried him over my arms. I swayed him a little bit to tame him down and began to walk out of the bedroom without looking back at Audrey while she screams where I was going to and she ordered me to get back inside the room.
I didn't say anything and just shut the bedroom door loud enough that I think the maids heard it.
I regret it.
I regret not choosing Rose.
M I R A N D A
The honeymoon that Landon prepared for me was far from what I imagined. We rented a yacht, he hired some crew for us and we cruised our way to some islands, one of which is Fiji, which had the bluest blue of beach I have ever seen. It was so perfectly peaceful and we were welcomed with full hospitality. It was the kind of place I would love to live in for the rest of my life. It was far from pollution and the busy city life. We stayed there for a week and I was marveled by everything on that island.
Then we went to St. Barts - one of the most upscale destinations in the Caribbean and its French background provided an elegant appeal similar to the French Riviera. We stayed in an expensive and elegant looking villa at the intimate Le Sereno where we had our own private terrace and garden-and most have an ocean view. It was marvelous.
While we stayed at St. Barts, Landon packed a picnic basket with our swimming attires and some beach towels. I was pregnant but I was strutting my bump like a trophy. We headed to the insanely beautiful Colombier beach. It was just fantastic. When we got there, the water was the most gorgeous shade of aquamarine I've ever seen and it was only accessible via boat or by foot.
After taking a five-day or rather a week stay at St. Barts, we headed our way to Myanmar via Landon's private jet. I didn't know Landon was planning on a long honeymoon vacation with me. I thought St. Barts was the last stop but it wasn't. We stayed in the beautiful place called Belmond where we had a fantastic 4-day journey which cost from $2,520 which totally shocked the hell out of me. I had so much fun with Landon and we both took lots of pictures during our stay in Myanmar. It wasn't what I expected of him.
Then we headed to our last stop, Dubai where we got the best of both worlds. We enjoyed a taste of the glamorous city life for a few days and then head out to the desert for tranquility and romance. Landon was very romantic. He knows how much I love traveling and he's given me this opportunity to travel and have a vacation with him. I wish Ben was with us but I was thankful enough that Vivian and Art were looking out for him.
While we stayed in Dubai, we felt like we were royalty at Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa. It was by far the most amazing hotel I have ever been to. We stayed there for a couple days that I think I lost count of it, where we paid $817 per night. It was indeed very costly. We settled into our ultra-luxurious tent accommodations, equipped with a private pool and wood deck. It was totally breathtaking.
We indulged ourselves in a sunset camel ride that took us to the crest of a dune, where we'll pause for champagne, snacks and fruit as the light changes. Dubai was totally the one that topped all of the honeymoon destinations we have ever been to.
"All packed love?" Landon wraps his arms around me as he stands behind my back.
"Yes." I answered.
He grabbed the bag and handed it to the hotel maid. Landon takes my hand as we walked our way out of the expensive looking hotel room. We held hands tight as we walked along the hallways feeling really happy being together.
"I had so much fun Landon." I tell him.
"I was still planning on taking you to Morocco." He smiles.
"You've spent enough love. Please, this honeymoon is by far the most amazing I have ever been to. You took me to different places and even though I had trouble with my jet lag, you were there. Thank you." I tell him as I kiss his lips briefly.
He smiles at me. "You’re worth it. Too bad we're going back home."
"We had fun. We had a great time. A one month honeymoon vacation. Guess who could top that?" I chuckle and he joins me.
We got inside the elevator and finally got ourselves into the lobby. The sun has set and it was already getting dark which makes me feel a little bit tensed with the thought about us going back to reality.
The valet driver had already prepared our car for us, Landon opened the back door for me and I got in first then he followed me inside. The friendly hotel staff placed our things on the trunk and the driver began driving us to the airport.
"I can't wait to give Ben his surprises." Landon chimes so happily.
"Me too. I'm sure he will love it." I answered.
When we reached to the airport, everything was ready for us including the private jet. People were bringing our bags for us even though I offered to bring one because I didn’t want the people to think that I need people now to carry mt things and it was unusual to me but Landon didn't want me to carry anything because I was pregnant.
We settled ourselves on our seats and buckled our seat belts.
"We're taking a quick stop in London. Mum and the family wants to see us fresh from honeymoon." Landon says.
London.
We're going to London.
I just wish I won't see Hugo.

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Chapter 2 — Mommy And Daddy

M I R A N D A
"How was the honeymoon?" Aunt Jo asked.
Landon and I were having dinner together with his entire family in a special restaurant where we reserved a VIP room for all of us. I was worried when I arrived because I know Charlotte is here and I still find it difficult to actually talk to her. She still scares me even though I know that she's learned to accept me for Landon.
"You've both been gone for one month. I bet the places you've been to were marvelous." Felicitè commented and smiled at me.
"It was. Purely fantastic, wasn't it love?" Landon asked me while he forks his steak into his month.
"Yes. I was completely in awe. Dubai got me pretty badly. Still haven't gotten over it that’s for sure." I commented with a smile.
"We should go and do shopping at Dubai together, Randy." Charlotte blurted.
I could tell that aunt Jo and her husband were surprised and so did Landon. I quickly smiled at her, happily, and I was too joyful that she wanted to go to Dubai and do some shopping with me. I don't know if she's faking it but I'm just glad that she's finally talking to me nicely. I feel like I'm totally accepted in this family now that Charlotte seems to be nice to me, at least.
"I would love to Charlotte." I answered right away.
"Lottie." She says back. "Call me Lottie. Now that we're family, I guess I couldn't hate you forever." She smiles.
I smiled back and my heart feels like it’s on cloud nine.
"I'm very glad that you've totally gotten matured enough, Lottie." Landon jokes.
She playfully rolled her eyes at Landon and then chuckles.
"Thank you." Landon adds.
After dinner, I headed out of the VIP room and searched for the bathroom because I needed to take a wee. I stood in front of the mirror and never felt this happy my entire life. I've never felt the love and care from a complete family before and this is really amazing. My life was totally broken when my dad left us and up until now I don't know where he is. But for what it's worth, I think I don't need to know were he is because he's abandoned me since I was little and if he wanted to see me then he would have tried looking for me at least.
Once I was done taking a wee, my phone stopped me from leaving the bathroom because someone was calling me and it was Vivian. I hurriedly answered it, knowing that it's from her since she calls rarely which makes me worry about something related to Ben while I am away.
"Has something happened?" I answered right away even before she could talk.
I hear Vivian chuckling on the other line, "Relax worrisome mother. Ben's totally fine."
That's a relief. "I thought something has happened."
"No, silly. You are so overreacting sometimes. By the way, you were all over the tabloids, girl! Everyone's talking about your one month honeymoon with Landon and you need to tell me everything about that entire month has happened."
"Oh you know, we did what newly wedded couples do during honeymoons." I smiled.
"I bet there were lots and lots and lots of sex." She giggles.
I blushed because it was indeed true despite the growing bump.
Also, when you’re pregnant there’s just this endless need of having sex. It feels like I am so horny all the time and it is so frustratingly embarrassing knowing I am pregnant and having sex.
"Did you just call me up to ask if me and Landon had lots of that?" I smirked as I fix my hair in front of the mirror.
Vivian laughs, "Not really. I called because Ben misses you."
I gaped. "Ben's with you right now and you're talking with me about sex? Viv!"
"Relax pregnant woman. He's with Arthur in our bedroom. I'll go up and check on them right now."
I hear her rushing up the stairs, "Guess who's on the other line Benny?" Vivian chimes happily.
"Mommy and daddy Landon!" Ben screams.
I smiled.
"M-mommy?" Ben answers.
"Hey baby." I cooed sweetly and felt instantly happy hearing his adorable voice. "I missed you so so much."
"I missed y-you too mommy. Very very very much."
"Have you been a good boy to everyone while me and daddy Landon were away?"
"Yes!" He answers loudly. "I... I... I have been a very very good boy mommy. I can already write my name. And your name. And-and daddy Landon's name. And d-daddy Hugo's name too!"
I sigh when I heard Hugo's name.
"That's a very good news, Benny. Mommy and daddy Landon will be home in a few hours, okay? We have so many gifts for you." I tell him with a smile.
He cheered.
"When you come home, is daddy H-Hugo going to be w-with you?" He asked.
I quickly felt an aching pain in my heart.
It felt like I was stabbed.
I don't know Ben. I'm sorry. And I feel so mad at Hugo for beginning to abandon you, now that he has another son. It felt like be totally forgot about Ben when Alex was born and it sounds so selfish of me knowing Alex needs a father too and that even if Hugo is not around, I have Landon to fill his spot. I feel terribly bad that Ben couldn't feel the love that Hugo can give because he's so busy with Audrey and their new baby. I'm sorry Ben.
"Daddy Hugo hasn't even called you?" I asked him.
"He calls sometimes. I just miss him so much too." Ben's voice saddens.
I sigh. Me too, son.
"I'll try to do the best I can, okay? Now cheer up, me and daddy Landon will see you soon." I tell him.
"Okay mom. I love you. Tell daddy L-Landon that I love him and I-I-I missed him."
I smiled. "I will. Love you very much."
I hang up.
I quickly spin around and bumped onto someone.
"Oh I'm sorry." Both of us said in unison.
I helped her pick up her things that were scattered on the ground. When we finished, we stood in synch and stared at each other.
My heart drops.
It was Hugo's older sister.
"How clumsy of me, sorry." She says.
Recover, Miranda!
"No. No. I should be the one that needs to apologize." I muffled.
She gaped and pointed her finger at me, "I know you. You're Landon's wife." She chimes with a smile.
I smiled back at her, "I am."
"Oh my goodness what a small world! Hello. It's nice to meet you. Finally, I've been wanting to meet you."
Why? Does she even know that Ben is her nephew? I asked myself.
She suddenly hugs me as if she has known since before. This was my very first time to actually meet her and she's so relaxed, chilled and laid back. She's very friendly too.
Unlike how Charlotte treated me.
"Mum will be so happy to know I bumped to you." She tells me.
Mrs. Anne, she remembers me? She told Gladys about me? I thought.
"Oh! I feel that huge bump of yours." She jokes as she pulls herself away.
I smiled at her and I couldn’t stop smiling at all. I am so happy to see her and it’s surreal.
"I have been forcing Hugo to meet us up but he keeps telling me that he's very busy and so do you." She says.
"I think I was busy with the wedding preparations. I sent an invitation." I answered.
"I was in Morocco for some business that day. I'm sorry I couldn't come. And this is a very unpleasant place for us to meet." She chuckles and I join her.
“Yeah but it’s fine.” I responded.
"Are you with Landon?" She quizzed.
I nod. "With his family too."
"Oh! What a really small world. Come." She holds my hand.
Come where? I panicked.
"Give our table a quick visit. Mum will be thrilled." She gently pulls me out of the bathroom and I couldn’t even say no to her.
Gladys was totally different form Lottie the first time I met her. Gladys is more fun. She's a lot nicer. She's very accommodating and she's very kind to me too. I wonder if she knows about Ben but I'm sure she does.
"I hope you brought Ben. I've been wanting to meet Hugo's little twin." She says as if she reads my mind.
Weird.
"You knew about Ben?" I asked her.
She nods, "Of course dear. When I saw Ben on TV, I knew he was little Hugo. They looked totally the same and I remember Hugo when he was Ben's age."
I smiled at myself.
"Are you with Ben?" She asks in hope in her eyes.
"He's in New York. Landon didn't want Ben to get his tantrums while we're on vacation so we thought it was better to let him stay in New York with his aunt."
"It's much safer too." Gladys agrees.
I nodded, "Plus he needs to visit his pathologist as well. And do some of his rehab activities that's helping him through." I smiled at my answer.
"I felt bad I haven't visited you during those days. I'm sorry."
"No need to be sorry. It's really okay." I muffled.
We continued walking arm in arm around the restaurant.
"Mum! Look who I bumped into." Gladys chimes.
I felt relieved when I didn't see Hugo around the table. It was only her and Mrs. Anne. She gapes and stands on her feet whole she welcomed me with her arms wide open. I hugged her and I felt her hugging me tighter.
"Dear, it's really really good to see you." Mrs. Anne tells me.
Wow, I've never thought of this.
She releases me, "You look incredibly beautiful with your pregnancy."
I smiled shyly with her comment. "Thank you Mrs. Anne. And I'm also happy to see you again. It's been a very long time since the first time we met."
"It's been, hasn't it? C'mon. Sit down. Join us." she offers a seat.
I sat down to be nice.
"Are you alone? Or with Landon?" She asks.
"Landon and his family." I answered.
"Ah! The entire Thompsons. I'm glad you visited them after your honeymoon." She says.
I smiled.
"Mum and I talked about visiting you, haven't we mum?" Gladys blurted happily.
"We did. But I have been getting sick lately. You know when people age." She jokes. "And I get easily ill these days when I board a plane. The flight just makes me feel anxious and utterly sick.”
I nod, "I understand. It's better if you take a lot of rest Mrs. Anne."
"Call me mum. I feel too old when you call me Mrs. Anne when you're not somebody else to us." She tells me with a smile plastered on her face.
My heart melts.
"I hope you and Hugo are fine." Mrs. Anne blurted.
I stared at her under my eyelashes because I didn’t know how to actually react to her words. "We're actually... Good. Great friends." I faked a smile.
Gladys smiles at me and holds my hand to hers. "I really admire you. To be honest, when I found out that Hugo got you pregnant and you hid it from us, I was mad at you. You hid something from us that would make us happy, we could've accepted the baby right away. I was immensely mad at you for hiding it."
Honest.
Brutally honest.
She is so incredibly frank just like Lottie.
"But then I realized that what you did was the most amazing and strongest thing you've ever done. You protected your son from everyone that would hate you because you knew Hugo was on top of his game. You thought it would ruin Hugo's career so you hid it, all by yourself. You raised Ben on your own. That's why I admire you." Gladys smiles.
“Thank you.” I answer shyly with overwhelming feelings inside me.
"You're a strong woman Miranda. And I wish I was as strong as you." She adds.
I wiped the escaping tears from the corner of my eye. "I never thought I'd hear such words coming from you."
She hugs me and rubs my back. "If I was Hugo, I'd choose you over Audrey. You're much more worth it."
I sigh. I feel my heart broken into pieces again. So much meaningful words from Gladys and I feel so much love coming from these two women even when it's our first time to be all together.
We pulled ourselves away from each other as my phone interrupts me.
LANDON: Taking a long wee?
"It's Landon." I tell them.
"Oh, you should go then. We wouldn't want your husband to come looking for you and I bet his family is waiting for you to come back to their table too." Mrs. Anne tells me.
MIRANDA: Bumped into Gladys Saintclare at the bathroom a while ago. I'm at Mrs. Anne and Gladys's table right now. Come and say hi?
"Maybe Landon’s coming over here." I tell them.
"Great timing brother." I hear Gladys speak.
Brother. I quickly pulled my head up from my phone and saw Hugo standing right across where I was sitting down.
I swallowed my saliva hard.
He eyes me.
Damn it.
"I'm sorry I am so late." Hugo speaks while he glued his eyes on me. He sits on the chair across mine and he got me wondering where the hell is his wife.
"Where's your adorable wife?" Gladys asked disinterestedly.
I noticed that Mrs. Anne stared at her eagerly, like a warning of some sort.
"She had something else to go to. Sorry." He apologized.
"Where's little Alex?" Mrs. Anne asked.
"At home. The nannies are taking care of him for me." Hugo says.
He moved his eyes to me, "It's good to see you Rose. I didn't know you were in London."
I cleared my throat, preparing myself to talk to Hugo after a month of not conversing with him.
"Just arrived from my honeymoon with Landon." I answered very very awkwardly. I could not even look at him in the eye.
Slowly, I travel my eyes back at him and I see him nodding his head while he glances at my wedding ring but he's not looking at me anymore. "Well you're looking very pretty carrying your baby." He says even if he was not looking at me.
"Thank you." I answered him.
He pulled his head up to me and we were both silently staring at each other. Hugo stares at me with his sad eyes and it makes me sad too. There is just something about Hugo that catapults me so quick back to him and it seems as if we can never pull ourselves away from each other when we are together. I feel my heart racing again. Damn it heart!
The table was awkwardly quiet and I noticed that Gladys would look at me then back at Hugo as she glances at her mum. I think she noticed something different awkward in between us. I snapped myself out from the staring contest I had with Hugo realizing that I was being an absolute dum-dum. I stare at each of them and they were all quiet, it's as if they know something that I don't. Gladys was pressing her lips together and Mrs. Anne was silently drinking her glass of water while she stares at Hugo.
My phone beeps.
LANDON: Wow! What a coincidence. Maybe I'd drop by their table and say hi :)
MIRANDA: Hugo just arrived by the way.
I bit my lower lip as I waited for Landon to reply.
"Is Landon with you?" Hugo asks.
"Yes. We thought that we should visit his family after the honeymoon." I answered.
"After Hugo and Audrey's honeymoon, Audrey never dared to visit us." Gladys whines.
With that tone of voice and words, I think she hates Audrey. "She's such a drama queen sometimes." She adds.
"Gladys, please." Hugo warns.
She rolls her eyes at Hugo and Mrs. Anne quickly placed her hand over Gladys knuckles, I think she signaled her to stop.
LANDON: Great! I already see you.
"Ah! Landon!" Mrs. Anne chimes.
"Auntie, it's good to see you. Looking perfectly great tonight." Landon pops out from behind me. He leans over and hugged Mrs. Anne while his other hand was over one of my shoulder.
"You're looking great yourself Landon dear." Mrs. Anne says back.
Landon smiles at Gladys and gave her a quick hug too, "Gladys. Looking good as well."
"Thank you Landon." Gladys smiles.
"Hugo, nice to see you man." He shared a handshake with Hugo.
Hugo smiles, "You as well. You look like you've gotten weight." He jokes.
"That one month vacation was indeed by far the most amazing vacation I've ever been to." Landon answers.
I smiled.
As I take a good look at Hugo, he wears his usual black suit and tie which always fits him great. And I think his hair has gotten a little bit shorter than the last time I saw him but he looked like he was sad.
Hugo looked...
Tired.
Stressed.
And problematic.
What's wrong Hugo? I wanted to ask him that question.
I know there's something terribly wrong with him. He doesn't look happy as he sits here with us. He looks so stressed as if something awful happened or has been happening in his life.
"Miranda, could you go with me for a sec?" Gladys snaps.
"Oh. Sure." I say right away.
Both of us stand and drags me to the bathroom. "I need to take a wee." She says and walks to the cubicle.
I chuckle softly. I fix myself in front of a mirror and pushed my hair behind my ears.
"Randy?" Gladys calls out.
"Yeah?"
"I really like you."
I'm surprised.
"I mean not in a lesbian way of course. But I really like you for.... Hugo." I hear the flushing of the toilet as she steps out of the cubicle.
She eyes me on the mirror and smiles then she walks next to where I was. "I really like you for him. I just loathe Audrey too much and my mother seems to be questioning why Hugo chose her. She's stubborn, such a diva and she's too much for Hugo."
I chuckle. "She is."
"Yeah. She gets into my nerve when she visits us or have some dinner with us. That's why it's too bad you didn't end up with my stupid brother." She chuckles and holds my arm.
She smiles and I smiled back.
"I can't believe I'm hearing this coming from you." I say.
"Well it's true. I just wish he realized what he lost after not chasing you." She tells me seriously.
I sigh inwardly.
"I just can't totally believe that he chose a trash over a diamond." She adds.
I gaped, she didn’t just say that?
She smiles. "Let's go back now."
I nodded and we chuckled our way out of the bathroom.
She really meant that Audrey was a trash and I was a diamond.
As happy as I was marching my way back to the table, Hugo’s sad eyes stared back at mine.
You with the sad eyes.

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