The Broken Hearts Story

      One or two hours later, Terrence returns home after talking to his friend Benjamin and meeting his former schoolmate Rachel, the number of who he got. The man does not know that Raquelle took her stuff and left the house, not wishing to stay with him and deciding to end their relationship. The servants are still doing what they want to do and have not found out that someone left this house.       Coming into the living room hesitantly and closing the hall door lazily, Terrence looks around and is surprised by the fact that it’s very quiet here, and there is nobody.       “Hey, is somebody home?” Terrence checks loudly.       However, there is no answer one second later, two seconds later, and a few more seconds later.       “It’s weird, is there nobody?” Terrence asks himself quietly. “Why is it so quiet here?”       Terrence looks around and decides to check if there is someone here again: asking loudly:       “Anybody is home?”       But there is no answer again.       “Interesting, where’s everybody?” Terrence frowns slightly. “Did they go to sleep?”       Terrence looks around again and checks all the rooms on the first floor. At some moment, listening to the sounds he can hear on the second floor of the house, the man hears the quiet laugh of the ladies and assumes the servants decided to come together to talk and gossip about something.       “Oh, at least someone is here,” Terrence thinks, frowning slightly. “The servants are sitting in their rooms…”       Terrence thinks about something for two seconds and waves his hand.       “Okay, I won’t bother them,” Terrence says. “But I’ll better go to my room. To have some rest…”       Terrence slowly comes to the stairs, quietly goes up to the second floor, and goes down the hall to his room. When he enters it and closes the door, the man, noticing nothing suspicious, takes his black leather jacket off himself, takes his mobile phone from one of the pockets, and puts it on the table placed on his side of the bed. And then he takes off his shoes and puts them aside.       After he quickly looks at himself in the mirror and strokes his little disheveled hair down, Terrence falls on the bed and moves his dead eyes on the white ceiling, putting a hand under his head. It should be noted that the man has lately thought very much about something. Either about his problems that he suddenly got or about something else that helps him relax and fall out of reality, at least for a while.       But some time later, Terrence suddenly notices that something has changed about the room. To be clear, something is missing here… Well, or someone is missing… And this feeling makes him feel a little weird and frown slightly.       “It’s weird…” Terrence thinks, raises himself, and starts keeping his weight on his elbows. “Does it seem to me, or does it feel like the room got much freer? As if something has been moved… Or something has been moved from here… Something definitely changed about the room… But what?”       Terrence looks around several times and then stops his eyes on the empty table near the bed. And he unconsciously asks himself why there is suddenly nothing on the table, on which there were hairbrushes, crèmes, hairsprays, cosmetics, accessories, and some photos.       “Yeah, where's Raquelle?” Terrence asks himself, looking at the empty table. “To be clear, where are the things that were on that table? Why is it empty?”       Terrence frowns slightly.       “It’s all so weird…” Terrence thinks. “I clearly remember that some bottles, photos in a frame, and something else were placed on it.”       Terrence scratches the back of his head, trying to understand what’s happening or what's happened.       “Where is all of that?” Terrence asks himself. “Where are all those things? And where’s Cameron now? She is not at home! Did she get out somewhere? When it’s too late! Ha! She is really crazy!”       Terrence chuckles quietly, but gets up sharply two seconds later and looks around the whole room again.       “Yeah, about the things…” Terrence says thoughtfully. “Something is not right here… It seems like something is missing… Oh… Oh! I wonder, are her clothes still in the dressing room? Or not? I’d better check it…”       Terrence sharply gets up from the bed, comes to the door that leds to the dressing room quickly, in which there were Raquelle’s clothes, and opens it. Then the man sees that it’s empty. There are no clothes that belong to the girl. No shirts. No dresses. No pants. No shoes. Nothing!”       “Holy shit, where are her things?” Terrence asks himself, staring questioningly at the free space in the dressing room. “Where is everything? Where are her clothes?”       Terrence frowns slightly.       “Did she decide to get out of here?” Terrence wonders.       Seeing the half-empty dressing room, Terrence starts to guess Raquelle really took her stuff and left this house. The man thought the girl just went to walk somewhere but would be back soon. However, she decided to run away from here with everything she had.       “There are no clothes, cosmetics, or her other things…” Terrence says thoughtfully. “So, I’ve got only one assumption… Cameron left the house. She left this place once and forever.”       A few seconds later, Terrence closes the dressing room and slowly comes to the window, being a little shocked by what Raquelle did but being able to explain it.       “I wonder, did she tell the servants about it?” Terrence asks. “Or did that girl leave quietly?”       Terrence exhales sharply.       “Only the security could see her,” Terrence says thoughtfully. “She would not surely go by them. Maybe, I should ask them about it? But… Why the fuck? If she left, it’s alright! Should I care about it?”       Terrence leans on the wall with a hand, runs another hand through his hair, and ruffles it again.       “So, as it turned out, wouldn’t I have to kick her out?” Terrence wonders. “I wanted to kick Cameron out after coming back home, but she took her stuff and got out of here.”       Terrence smirks quietly.       “Well, that’s good!” Terrence exclaims. “I wouldn’t have to see her face anymore! I could finally be back in my room and sleep here! Spread my legs and hands on the bed and enjoy it… Enjoy the freedom… The freedom from that fucking egoist…”       Terrence looks through the window with a slight smile on his face, seeing that it’s getting dark outside, and that something is almost impossible. On the one hand, he feels kind of sad because he almost lost the one that he keeps loving somewhere at the bottom of his heart. But on the other hand, MacClife is sure that the fact that she left the house would lead to something good. He did not also have a wish to live in the same house with the girl, who insolently used him for her goals and never tried to love him. And despite the feelings he still has, Terrence is glad he got one step closer to a chance to become single again.       “Ha, I wonder, where did that girl decide to go?” Terrence simpers quietly. “Would she live outside? She fought with Natalia to the fuck, and Anna wouldn’t let her live with her due to the problems with her parents and the thought my ex got mental issues. Frederick and Alicia haven’t communicated with her for eight months and have been busy with their business. They barely got away from that girl and gave her to the man. So, I really doubt one of them would love to let her in again.”       Terrence crosses his arms over his chest.       “Excellent, let’s see how she would live without a home, somewhere on the street,” Terrence says confidently. “And I kind of doubt that she would find a solution. What would she do if she had no money that she got for shaking her ass on a runway and half-naked shootings? She would not be able to provide for herself in any other way. Sick, hysterical girls can’t get a good job. And I doubt at least one man would get a crush on her. I’d probably meet a new girlfriend, get married, and become a father sooner than she’d meet the one to wish to take care of the unstable bitch.”       Terrence smirks again and looks through the window with his head proudly raised for a few seconds.       “Oh, may that idiot go to the fuck!” Terrence exclaims. “She can do anything she wants! I give a fuck about her and what would happen to her. I will not feel sorry and will not help her. And I will not shed a tear because of that egoist. Because of the one, who did that to me. If I’m worried about her, it’s going to be like a slap for me. Like a hit on the balls. But I am not going to suffer. I am going to start a new life and become happy.”       Terrence puts his hands on his hips.       “I must forget that girl and get her out of my life once and forever,” Terrence says confidently. “Because I am not going to suffer because of what she did to me for the rest of my life. I will keep moving on and surely meet the one to become a decent wife for me.”       Terrence cracks a slight smile.       “And I hope Simon Ringer will leave me alone after my name is no longer associated with Cameron somehow,” Terrence expresses hope. “May she solve her problems by herself. May that egoist go to the fuck and live as she wants. I give a fuck about what would happen to her! She can sleep, embracing photos of herself, and hang them on the walls of her room. Of course, if she has it.”       Terrence nods slightly, still looking through the window.       “I will forget you, Raquelle Cameron!” Terrence adds confidently. “I swear you will leave my mind and my heart once and forever very soon. I will find a more decent girl, who will be much better than you. Who will truly love me. Not play love for others and date me to make her family happy and make everyone get off you.”       Terrence raises his head proudly.       “From now on, you are nobody to me,” Terrence says to himself. “You do not exist for me. You are dead. And I do not care about what’s happening to you, where you are, or what you are going to do. Live as you want. I gave you freedom, but you be nice, give it to me.”       Terrence crosses his arms on the breast and starts walking in circles around the whole room, saying nothing for a few seconds. And then he simpers quietly, not hiding his happiness caused by the fact that Raquelle is going to have to solve her problems with Simon by herself.       “Wow, Raquelle Allison Cameron stayed all alone,” Terrence notices with a sly smile. “Nobody cares about her problems… Ha… I wonder what that girl is going to do after she stayed alone with her problems. Well… Now it’s none of my business! I don’t care what would happen to her, and what Simon would do to her. I have already said I would not get upset because of her and would not shed even a tear.”       Terrence slowly turns around and starts walking in circles on a different side.       “Listen, it seems like I’m getting luckier and luckier,” Terrence says confidently. “My former girlfriend decided to break our relationship and got out of this house to the fuck with her stuff… And I met Rachel. Just in time…”       Terrence raises his head up proudly.       “Fate definitely gives me excellent gifts,” Terrence notices cheerfully. “It seems like someone saw how much I suffered in the relationship. And someone decided to give me so many gifts. I’m going to get a chance to get into the musical world thanks to Rachel’s father.”       Terrence smiles widely.       “Damn, it seems like life is getting better and better,” Terrence says confidently. “I should’ve just broken up with the girl, who was like a ballast that was dragging me down. Maybe, now, I will feel like a man again and remember who Terrence MacClife is. Remember that he’s always been the most wanted man in the world, who is wanted by absolutely all the girls.”       Terrence comes to the table, which is placed near the bed, and on which there are some things of him, takes a little thing and starts wrapping it in his hands with a slight smile.       “So, Rachel, it’s your time to become a savior of mine,” Terrence says confidently. “If you do your best for me to fall out of love with Raquelle and stop thinking of her, I’ll definitely be ready to date you and become what you want me to be. Yes, maybe, I don’t love you, but your care and support would not surely leave me indifferent.”       Terrence raises his head proudly.       “I am sure you will take care of me much better than my ex,” Terrence expresses hope. “And make me remember what it’s like to feel like an irresistible, handsome guy, who has no weaknesses. Take care of me and support me in everything, and I will answer you back with pleasure and give you the love you’ve never gotten from anyone. For you, I am ready to change and do my best to become happy next to you.”       Terrence fixes the collar of his shirt slightly.       “May Cameron bite her elbows and get jealous of me,” Terrence adds. “Get jealous of my success and my happiness. She will see how much she lost. She will see what she lost. I will show her… I will be working not only for you, but also for a wish to kick her ass.”       Terrence thinks about something with a sly smile, going to use the moment and use Rachel to forget Raquelle. Of course, he does not exclude that he could not play the love but actually get the love for his former schoolmate. Nevertheless, his heart belongs to his former girlfriend so far. No matter what, he keeps having some feelings for her, but the man wants to get rid of them at the nearest time.       

***

      One week later. Great Britain. London. It’s already morning in the city. Amelia is currently sitting at home and feeding her little daughter Hailey, while her husband Raphael left to work and earn money for his family. Since the woman started to think that something bad would happen to Raquelle very much, she prays every day that her problems are solved, and the girl breathes out with relief.       Amelia finishes feeding her daughter Hailey and is getting ready to put her to sleep after the girl did not sleep all night and did not let her mother sleep. Now the little baby looks very sleepy and definitely wants to lie in bed as soon as possible.       “Okay, my sweetheart,” Amelia pronounces softly, putting Hailey in bed. “I fed you well, and now you should sleep.”       Amelia kisses the little Hailey tenderly on the forehead and caresses her head, while the girl looks at her with her big eyes.       “Sleep, daughter, sleep,” Amelia adds. “When you fall asleep, your mommy will sleep a little, as well. You didn’t let her sleep the last night, and she didn’t get enough sleep. And your dad slept badly and barely got out of the bed.”       Amelia starts slightly shaking the bed, in which the little Hailey is lying, to put her to sleep.       “I will stay with you, don’t worry…” Amelia promises softly. “C’mon, Hailey, close your eyes.”       Amelia starts quietly singing a lullaby to help her daughter fall asleep as soon as possible, slightly shaking the bed. She does it until she sees Hailey starts falling asleep quietly. When she makes sure that the girl is sleeping well, the woman stops shaking the bed, steps back from her on her toes, comes to the window, and watches what’s happening behind it with sadness in her eyes.       “I wonder, how’s Raquelle doing there?” Amelia asks. “What about her problem? Did she solve it? Or did everything get much worse?”       Amelia frowns slightly.       “It’s weird that Alicia hasn’t called me and hasn’t told me anything,” Amelia notices. “Hasn’t she talked to Raquelle’s grandfather? It’s been one week, but I still know nothing about it.”       Amelia embraces herself with her arms.       “Sadly, I can’t find out anything thanks to the lines of the girl’s palms because the palmistry doesn’t tell anything like this,” Amelia thinks. “I’ve found out everything I could. I found out that the life of the girl would be full of tests. She would have to go a long way before getting peace and love. If Raquelle doesn’t listen to the advice I gave her, she will get her happiness much later.”       Amelia glances at the bed, in which Hailey is sleeping quietly.       “However, I can’t judge her,” Amelia thinks. “Raquelle wasn’t ready for the relationship. She started an affair because of Alicia and Mr. Cameron. If those people hadn’t literally forced her to become someone’s girlfriend, everything would’ve been otherwise. A conscious wish to become someone’s girlfriend would’ve made her much happier. But she began to date the man, not being ready for that. And I’ve got a feeling that those people didn’t explain to her what a girl should’ve done to make her man happy.”       Amelia frowns slightly.       “Sadly, that girl doesn’t know what it means to be with a beloved man at sad and happy moments,” Amelia thinks. “Besides, I think she began to date Terrence very quickly. She didn’t get to know him better when everything was getting started. Who knows… Maybe, she liked only his body about him. Maybe, they came together just because of their passion. Everyone knows that a relationship that starts because of passion will end early or late. So, they are going to break up, too.”       Amelia sighs quietly.       “But everything was written on her lines,” Amelia thinks. “They said she would meet a man, who she would feel a strong passion for. Most likely, it happened. So, I can confidently assume that the relationship started under the pressure of the family of Raquelle and because of passion. There was no wish to love and support each other. So… If those people break up, Alicia shouldn't be surprised. She shouldn't say I was right when trying to make her sure that such things as a relationship, marriage, and the birth of a child must be done at your wish.”       While Amelia reflects on the situation that is happening to Terrence and Raquelle, the phone starts ringing in the living room. The woman quickly goes here with the hope that the call will not wake Hailey up, takes the phone, and answers the call:       “Hello, I’m listening.”       “Hey, Amelia, it's Alicia,” Alicia’s anxious voice pronounces.       “Hi, Alicia.”       “Don’t I bother you?”       “No. You don't. I’ve just fed Hailey up and put her to sleep.”       “Did she just fall asleep?”       “She didn’t let Raphael and me sleep the last night. She just began falling asleep.”       “Wow…”       “I was going to sleep a little while Hailey was sleeping,” Amelia closes her mouth and yawls from tiredness. “I feel very tired.”       “Oh, I’m really sorry…” Alicia apologizes. “Go to sleep then, but I will call you later.”       “No, it’s okay! I was going to call you and find out how you were doing. But you called yourself.”       “I want to say a couple of words. I promise I will not take a lot of time from you.”       “Sure, honey, tell me what happened to you.” Amelia frowns slightly. “By the way, I think you’ve got a strange voice. Are you alright?”       “Not quite…” Alicia pronounces a little excitedly.       “What?” Amelia rounds her eyes. “What’s wrong?”       “Raquelle has serious problems, after all.”       “What do you mean?” Amelia tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “What are you talking about, friend?”       “The case is that a certain young man called me this morning,” Alicia says a little excitedly.       “Man?”       “Yes. And he said Raquelle would be dead very soon.”       “Who is that man?”       “I don’t know. But it seems like he’s young. Judging his slang. And words that the youth often uses. I often hear it among my students.”       “Wow…” Amelia shakes her head. “So, does it all have to do with Raquelle?”       “I clearly remember everything that man told me.”       “So, what did he say?”       “He said, ‘Remember, Alicia, your beloved niece will be dead very soon. She stayed all alone after fighting with everybody. And that girl recently disappeared, taking her stuff and getting out of the house, in which she lived with her boyfriend. And that’s not all. Something terrible is waiting for Raquelle soon, and she will not surely take it.”       “So, did he say it?”       “All the words!”       “Did he know your name?”       “I was surprised, too! How did that man know what my name was? And what does he have to do with Raquelle?”       “Wasn’t that Simon Ringer?”       “No, hardly… The man, who called me had not such an adult voice.”       “Couldn’t he change it?”       “Would it make sense? I don’t know that man personally and don’t know how his voice sounds. I only know that it’s very disgusting and raspy, as Raquelle said.”       “My God…”       “And yeah, imagine, that man tried to make me sure that my niece was mentally ill and advised me to bring her to the mental hospital because she might’ve been very dangerous for people.”       “He said that?”       “Yes! You know how mad I got when I heard that! How much I wanted to tear that man for insulting my girl like this!”       “My gosh…” Amelia falls into silence for two seconds. “Did she really leave home? Or did that man dream it up? What do you think?”       “He didn’t dream up,” Alicia confesses with sadness in her eyes. “Raquelle really took her stuff and left Terrence.”       “Left Terrence?”       “Yes… I recently talked to Mr. Cameron, and he told me Raquelle went to his home one week ago with tears and begged him to let him live with him.”       “Oh, did you talk to Raquelle’s grandfather?”       “At first, I had called him by myself, but Mr. Cameron could say nothing. And the next day, he called himself and told me what happened.”       “But why did she leave her boyfriend?”       “He tried to find out what happened between her and Terrence, but my girl just said that man refused to support her after Simon showed up.”       “What?” Amelia rounds her eyes. “Did Simon Ringer show up?”       “Yes, Amelia, he did,” Alicia nods confidently. “What we were afraid of has happened. Somehow, he caught Raquelle, attacked her, and began to threaten her, Terrence, and her friends. Even his own mother became a victim of him.”       “My gosh… So, did Raquelle’s grandfather tell you what happened there?”       “Yes, during our second talk, Mr. Cameron told me about Raquelle, her conflict with Terrence, a move, and her words about him being a liar, stinker, betrayal, and the most terrible man that she decided to break up with.”       “Break up?”       “Yes. And she said she would listen to nobody. If Mr. Cameron and I minded it, she would not be back to him.”       “Didn’t he call you the reason for their conflict?”       “Alas, no. But Raquelle is definitely mad at him and refused to come back to Terrence even when Mr. Cameron promised to help her solve the problem.”       “Wow…”       “She is so mad that she is charging us for what happened.”       “Mr. Cameron and you?”       “Yes. We literally forced her to start dating him and didn’t listen to her. Raquelle never wanted to have a relationship and never loved Terrence. She used him to make us get off her.”       “Did she say that?”       “That’s what Mr. Cameron said. And he got shocked when he heard these things.”       “You know, Alicia, don’t get mad at me, of course, but I guessed Raquelle would say it early or late,” Amelia confesses confidently.       “So, do you think the affair of my niece is about to end because of Mr. Cameron and me?”       “If you hadn’t insisted upon her wedding and said being unmarried and having no children was bad, she would’ve taken this thing with a greater responsibility.”       “But she loved Terrence! I clearly saw the way Raquelle looked at him! And her friends could confirm she could be talking about him for hours.”       “Maybe, she felt something for him. But the pressure from you and Mr. Cameron didn’t let her enjoy her feelings.”       “Raquelle is just angry,” Alicia assumes. “That’s why my girl said these things. She never loved Terrence and thinks Mr. Cameron and I are guilty of what happened.”       “No, Alicia, she said everything not in anger. Your niece clearly let you know that you were guilty of what happened.”       “I can’t believe it,” Alicia shakes her head. “She was so happy when she told me and Mr. Cameron that Terrence suggested she date him.”       “And you were happy!” Amelia exclaims. “You didn’t explain to the girl what being a good girlfriend and a loyal wife, and a wonderful mother meant. You always told her to find a boyfriend, get married and give birth to a child, but you never explained what that meant. Raquelle knows nothing about love and everything about it. She doesn’t know why she needs it.”       “Why doesn’t she know? We’ve always told her she must support her man in everything. She should be happy about his success. She should take care of him.”       “And the question is whether she wanted it? Did she want to show her care and support her man?”       “I didn’t see my niece being unhappy because of her relationship with Terrence. Raquelle smiled much and could be dressing up for another date for hours.”       “Didn’t you think she could be hiding it? She could be pretending?”       “Nobody made her date Terrence. If she hadn’t wanted it, she would’ve rejected him and left him without problems.”       “But she dated him. Not because she wanted it. Because your niece got sick of the pressure from you and Mr. Cameron. And Terrence stood in her way at the right time. So, Raquelle decided that the man would help her save herself from talks about her relationship.”       “No, Amelia, I don’t believe it!” Alicia says confidently. “Raquelle is not so bad to play with the feelings of the man, who loved her with all his heart.”       “Yes, maybe, Terrence really loves her. He is ready to create his family and probably dreams of having children. But there might not be love on the side of Raquelle. Well, since she has confirmed it, that’s really the truth.”       “Do you wanna say it’s all was just an act to make people believe that she is happy?”       “As far as I know, their fans still truly believe that Raquelle and Terrence have a perfect relationship. And Mr. Cameron and you both thought so. But actually, everything is much worse.”       “My God…” Alicia shakes her head. “No, I don’t wanna believe it… I don’t wanna believe my girl used that man all this time.”       “So, you and her grandfather should better think about what you were doing,” Amelia advises softly. “And next time, you should think better before putting her under pressure.”       “But…”       “Trust me, when one person doesn’t love another but dates them, it will never lead to anything good. Early or late, this type of relationship comes to an end. Raquelle would not play love forever, and Terrence would not take the indifference of his girlfriend forever. Even if he loves her to death, her behavior towards him may quickly kill the love inside him and even make him hate your niece.”       “Did they fight because of that?” Alicia frowns slightly. “To leave the boyfriend’s house, there must be a serious reason.”       “Who knows, friend…” Amelia shrugs. “Maybe, Terrence kicked Raquelle out of the house because he no longer wanted to live with her.”       “Oh, poor Terrence… My God… He’s such a wonderful man… What did Raquelle need? He is young, rich, and loving… A perfect man! She would hardly find someone better than him!”       “We don’t know what actually happened between them. Don’t protect that man. What if he actually did something bad.”       “What do you wanna say?” Alicia frowns slightly.       “Nothing yet. But if Terrence understands Raquelle has never loved him and used him, he may be very, very angry. And he can do anything to her.”       “God, Amelia, what are you talking about?”       “First, we should find out the truth about the conflict between your niece and her boyfriend and then decide who’s right and who’s guilty. Maybe, both of them are guilty. Who knows…”       “But the thing that’s clear is the fact that Raquelle did a very bad thing to him if she really used Terrence and just played love with him.”       “Listen, don’t you know if Mr. Cameron is going to talk to Terrence about his conflict with Raquelle?”       “Mr. Cameron said he wanted to go to his home, but Raquelle begged him not to do this with tears. That nothing will be changed, and she will never forgive him and has already broken up with him.”       “As I understand, she told him not everything.”       “Who knows. But I don’t exclude that Mr. Cameron may say nothing to her and go to Terrence’s home. Besides, he is less good to him. When Raquelle told him that the man betrayed her and treated her like a doormat, that man got mad.”       “He probably understands their conflict could be very serious.”       “Who knows. Anyway, Mr. Cameron is determined to understand this situation and solve this problem, no matter how hard it is.”       “Anyway, both of them need advice from older people.”       “Yeah, but they are not teenagers to break up after every single fight and tell the world about a breakup. Terrence and Raquelle are adult people, who should understand it.”       “I think they understand,” Amelia assumes thoughtfully. “And they wouldn’t claim about the breakup without a reason.”       “Definitely… If they didn’t break up much earlier.”       “Anyway, Raquelle needs someone’s care and support. No matter how bad the thing she did is, you and Mr. Cameron should support her and let her know that she is not alone.”       “Yeah, I know…” Alicia sighs heavily.       “Now everything is so hard that she needs any kind of love.”       “You’re absolutely right. Moreover, absolutely everybody left her! Her boyfriend and her friends… She has nobody to ask for help.”       “Did everybody really leave her?”       “Yes, Mr. Cameron confirmed everything. He said she fought with one of her friends very strongly. That girl betrayed her and became an accomplice of Simon.”       “Come on?”       “You know how it hurts that my girl believed it! Raquelle has known her for a bigger part of her life, but she decided to believe the sick stinker that washed everybody’s brains so well that they turned their backs on her and refused to contact her somehow.”       “My gosh…”       “I don’t understand… Why did they decide to leave her at such a hard moment? Did they believe that my niece was guilty of everything that was happening and had mental issues? How could they do it? Everybody knows well that Raquelle has always been absolutely healthy!”       “So, they are not so loyal. Real friends always stand for each other.”       “Maybe… When everything was fine, they surrounded her. But when they felt a threat to their lives, everybody instantly disappeared.”       “But I must admit that Simon does know what to say and what to do.”       “He can do anything he wants, but I will not turn my back on my girl, despite nothing,” Alicia says confidently. “She is my niece. Almost my own daughter, whom I love with all my heart. Whatever she does. She is my flesh and blood. My closest and dearest person.”       “Anyway, I’m afraid that everything is going to get worse.”       “I know, but what can I do?” Alicia shrugs. “I don't know how to help her. Moreover, I’m so far from her and can’t even hug and comfort my niece.”       “Aren’t you really going to join the others and leave your niece in trouble because she is allegedly mentally unstable?”       “Never! I swear to God, I will never betray my niece, even if the whole world is against her. If those stupid people don’t know who Raquelle is, but I do know her very well. And I shall not let any sick stinker make everyone think she’s crazy and guilty of something.”       “I wish…”       “Oh, my God…” Alicia sighs heavily. “How hard everything is… I thought everything got better, but no…”       “Yeah…” Amelia nods. “Your niece broke up with her boyfriend, and Simon Ringer showed up and is doing his best to turn her life to hell…”       “You know… You were right about the relationship. Raquelle decided to live with Terrence too soon. They should’ve probably dated a little bit longer and gotten to know each other better. That man suggested that they live together a few months later. But sometimes it happens that people date for ages.”       “Everything would’ve been otherwise if Mr. Cameron and you had been a little wiser. If you’d let Raquelle decide when she’d love to start a relationship. And whether she actually wanted to start it.”       “We were afraid she would never love to get married and would keep thinking of herself and her career.”       “I’ve gotta agree with you. I already warned Raquelle that getting busy with her work would lead to sad consequences. But it seems like she didn’t listen to me.”       “Yeah…”       “But the case is not only about her obsession with work. Many things happen at the same time. The obsession with work, the pressure of her relatives, and some kind of passion.”       “Do you think she felt something for him?”       “The lines on her palms say your niece would meet a man, whom she would suddenly get a strong passion for. She would not love him very much, but she would feel very strong physical affection.”       “Maybe, she agreed to start a relationship with him because of that? She was too experienced, believed it was love, and agreed?”       “It’s possible…”       “Oh, my gosh…” Alicia sighs heavily. “I thought my girl found her happiness. She chose a wonderful man, who she would get married to and give birth to children from.”       “Anything happens, darling,” Amelia shrugs.       “Oh…” Alicia runs her hands over her face. “Mr. Cameron and I really did a stupid thing… We were worried she would not get married… And that’s what it led to…”       “I’m glad you’ve admitted it,” Amelia smiles slightly. “It happened late, but still…”       “Yeah… You were absolutely right… We’re kind of guilty of the fact that the happiness of our girl was so fragile.”       “Don’t blame yourself, Alicia. You and Mr. Cameron are not guilty of anything.”       “No, Amelia, we shouldn’t have been so blind.”       “I completely understand you wished Raquelle happiness and didn’t want her to stay alone. You can’t be judged for that.”       “We should’ve watched them much better and found out how they actually treated each other. A couple of talks wasn’t enough to help them analyze everything and make a decision.”       “Who know… But even if they had feelings, they would’ve hardly thought about something. Passion. It could make them blind and deaf and close their eyes to all the bad things. Make them believe they could be happy.”       “If I could turn time back upon, I would’ve made everything different. I would’ve made them sure to wait for a while and get to know each other better before starting to date and living together. And I would’ve talked to them and found out why they made the decision. What got obsessed with them.”       “It’s too late now. They began to date and literally broke up.”       “You know… I’m calling some memories and realizing that they were really connected with passion. And Raquelle was obsessed with a wish to get benefit from the relationship. There was no talk about care, respect, and loyalty.”       “Passion is the thing that comes and goes, but true love stays with us forever. When it comes, it will never leave, no matter how many years are gone. Some people live in harmony for fifty or even sixty years for a reason. And they do love each other.”       “I agree.”       “No matter how sad it sounds, I wasn’t sure their relationship would last for a long time,” Amelia confesses hesitantly. “Yes, they’re a very beautiful couple, but they have nothing from what those, who love someone truly, have.”       “That’s probably why Terrence left Raquelle so easily. He didn’t need my niece and… I could say he used her, as well. Physical affection…”       “That’s why I advise you not to defend him and to remember that the man might not be holy. He could also get a benefit from the relationship.”       “You’re starting to open my eyes, friend. It seems like I was sleeping all this time and noticing nothing.”       “You just wanted to believe everything was okay. So, you refused to recognize the truth.”       “You’re right.”       “This type of relationship never lasts for a long time – only until the passion or the physical affection are alive. I’ve got a friend, who got married just because of marriage, but when it was gone, her husband was disgusting to her, and everything was eventually over with divorce. They lived in marriage for two or three months. But they spent very much money on their wedding. Her parents still can’t pay the debts, pay the credit they got for that case, and work for hours to give everything that was wasted for nothing.”       “Yeah, that’s why I’ve always liked modest wedding ceremonies. I’ve always thought the more fabulous a wedding is, the sooner people would get divorced.”       “Anyway, Raquelle is young and will meet someone she will love someday. The one she would be ready to take care of as a loving girl. And this time, she will remember the mistakes of the past and will not do what she is doing now.”       “And Mr. Cameron and I will be smarter this time. We will not make her get married. She will do this when she wants.”       “That’s right! It must be the decision she should make. As conscious as the birth of children.”       “You’re right…”       “I think I could say she already became free. Thank God, she is not married. Divorce is usually a long process. And if you had children and property, everything would be much harder.”       “Yeah, I think nothing connects them anymore.”       “But now the important thing is to do our best to get Simon Ringer punished.”       “I am sure it will happen.”       “I don’t know what we should do, but I believe justice will glory, and Raquelle will not feel sorry for him again.”       “I wish, Amelia, I wish…”       Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which Alicia sighs heavily, and Amelia thinks about something and glances at the child’s room, where it’s very quiet.       “Listen, Alicia, did your niece go to the police?” Amelia asks. “Did she report Ringer?”       “Erm, no, as far as I know,” Alicia shrugs. “Mr. Cameron said Raquelle refused to report to the police.”       “Does she have familiar people?”       “In the police?”       “I think we need someone to be trustworthy in this case. Someone to do his best to make Ringer pay for everything he is doing now and everything he did then.”       “I remember Raquelle had an admirer, who was working at the police.”       “Admirer?”       “Yes, but it happened a very long time ago.”       “And who is that admirer?”       “He was in love with my niece for a long time and tried to win her attention, but she considered him just a friend. They were communicating for a long time, but then they suddenly stopped meeting.”       “Sorry… He could help Raquelle if he’s still working in the police.”       “Yeah, but my girl would be afraid to ask someone for help, and all the contacts with that man are lost.”       “She could at least explain the situation to him and ask him to advise something.”       “I know, but that’s impossible.”       “Does Mr. Cameron know how to contact him?”       “Hardly.”       “Did he know him?”       “Yes, that man went to his home at the invitation of Raquelle multiple times.”       “Maybe, you should talk to him about that man?”       “Do you think I should do?”       “Why not? In this case, you better ask a checked person for help.”       “Oh, okay…” Alicia sighs quietly. “I will try to ask Mr. Cameron about that man. But I am not sure if we can contact him somehow.”       “If Raquelle was close to him, she is supposed to have his contacts.”       “I don’t know… Maybe, you’re right. Anyway, I will surely ask Raquelle’s grandfather about that man when I call him.”       “Alright! If you know something, let me know.”       “Sure!”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds.       “Alright, I will better not bother you anymore,” Alicia says thoughtfully. “You wanted to sleep a little – go to sleep.”       “Yeah, okay,” Amelia nods. “I will go to have a rest before Hailey wakes up.”       “If I know something new, I will surely contact you.”       “I’m always on the line.”       “Thanks for listening to me,” Alicia cracks a slight smile. “And thank you for opening my eyes. Making me understand how much Mr. Cameron and I were wrong.”       “Glad I helped you.”       “Alright, see you soon.”       “Okay, see you soon.”       Amelia ends the call and puts the phone where it was placed before, and she thinks about something with sadness in her eyes for a few seconds, not being able to stop thinking something bad is going to happen very soon. At some moment, the woman sighs heavily and decides to give herself some time and have a good rest, at heart, being happy thaat she finally managed to explain to Alicia why the actions of Frederick and her led to such sad consequences for Raquelle.       

***

      The United States. New York. It’s ten hours in the morning. Terrence’s life is getting better. Well, or at least, he thinks so. He makes himself think so and enjoys the life of a single man. The man does not almost think of Raquelle and does not hide that he is very happy she left his house. Terrence calls the memories of her at times for a few minutes, but then he quickly forgets her as if he does not think of that girl. As if she has never been a part of his life…       Terrence is having much pleasure spending time with his friend Rachel Sanderson. Now they are coming to the house where the girl is temporarily living. By the way, she had to persuade her father to talk to her friend and make him sure at least to listen to him playing and singing for a long time. That’s why Terrence went to the meeting right now. Before this day, he had met Rachel somewhere on the neutral territory and enjoyed the pastime with her almost every day.       The man thinks they have hangouts as friends but sometimes lets himself do something more towards the girl, who makes him feel better and better. And the sympathetic blonde truly believes she has a wonderful chance to win his heart because he does not refuse to spend time with her and make him forget the one, who did not appreciate such a wonderful man, feeling for who she is getting again.       Time flies fast while having a nice talk. They do not notice that Rachel arrives to the wide gates of one of the most beautiful and largest residences in this neighborhood at some moment. There are two young and tough at first sight guards that smile at Rachel cutely. They welcome her and easily let her into the territory. Then the girl’s automobile goes to where she is living with her father and stops not far from one more parked car.       A multimillion-dollar three-level residence, the walls of which are snow white, with many high windows, balconies that are fenced with a black railing with beautiful patterns. It definitely has many rooms that could be large or small. Bright green grass is growling on the large territory as well as flowerbeds and a few small trees, which professional gardeners are regularly taking care of, and every single corner would be well-lighted thanks to much light outside and inside.       “Wow…” Terrence expresses admiration, leaving Rachel's car and closing the door. “Listen, friend, you’ve got a gorgeous house! Of course, my house is gorgeous, too, but this one is magnificent.”       “I love it, as well,” Rachel replies with a shy smile, leaving the car and carefully fixing her hair. “I love living here much more than anywhere else.”       “Really?”       “Well, I also love the house of Daddy and me in Miami. It’s very large, as well.”       “Are you and your father so rich that you’re able to buy such a gorgeous house?”       “My daddy works very hard for us to have everything. And his hard work gives him a very great result.”       “You and your mother are lucky…”       “Very lucky… But I’m sorry that my mother is no longer with us.”       “What?” Terrence sharply moves his widely open eyes to Rachel. “What do you mean your mother is no longer with you?”       “Sadly, she died.”       “But why?”       “She had some problems with her health… It was possible to fix it, but it happened that Mother ran into a bad doctor, who made a fatal mistake. My mommy eventually was put in intensive care and was turned to all the possible machines for a long time.”       “Wow…” Terrence shakes his head. “What news…”       “Sadly, doctors could do nothing. And someday, Daddy and I were told that my mother was gone.”       “But she was quite young when I met her the last time.”       “She was young, but she always had bad health. Even Dad’s money didn’t help her, and we lost her anyway.”       “My gosh, I’m so sorry… She was such a good woman…”       “Dad and I still can’t take the loss,” Rachel confesses with sadness in her eyes. “For us, it became a great tragedy. He lost his beloved wife, and I lost my beloved mommy, who was my best friend.”       “I’m shocked…” Terrence shakes his head, putting a hand on his heart. “Shocked…”       “You know how wild Father got when he found out about Mother’s death. He almost destroyed the whole hospital and almost killed the doctor, who made a mistake and doomed her to death.”       “Did he sue the doctor and the hospital?”       “Them to pay off with the money? No, it can’t be forgotten for money! But Dad made that doctor, who eventually got fired, really nervous. And then he was banned from working in medicine.”       “Wasn’t he put in prison?”       “He could’ve done it, but Father showed mercy and was happy with the fact that he got fired.”       “Wow…”       Terrence caresses Rachel’s shoulder softly with sadness in his eyes.       “I’m very sorry, Rachel,” Terrence shows sympathy and caresses both of Rachel’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry you lost your mother.”       “Thanks a lot, Terrence,” Rachel cracks a slight smile.       “I don’t remember her well because the last time I met her was when I was eight or ten. But I memorized her as a very good and light woman.”       “Although it’s been many years, I don’t believe she’s not with us…” Rachel sighs quietly, squeezing the handle of her purse with both hands. “But Mother always wanted us to smile and be happy about our lives. And… We decided not to disappoint her and to keep living together and being happy to have what we have.”       “Wasn’t your father looking for a wife? Maybe, he was dating someone?”       “No, c’mon! Dad has no time for wives! He’s busy with work and gives his everything to his wanders, whom he considers his children and loves with all his heart.” Rachel glances aside for a second. “Besides, he still loves my mother and thinks he would betray her if he married someone.”       “Would you be happy if a stepmother lived with you?” Terrence asks.       “Well, if she made my father happy, I would do my best to get on well with her and be happy for them.”       “And wouldn’t you mind if they made a child?”       “Of course, no. How could I ban Daddy from being happy? If someday he wants to bring a woman home, I will accept her.”       “Has he never fallen in love with anyone?”       “Nobody! Daddy and I are living together. Well… Not saying about the servants that live in our house and travel with us when we leave. And also a few guards, a gardener, and someone else…”       “Do they travel with you?”       “Yup, we hire only those, who are ready to move regularly. But nobody complains, and everybody is happy. Moreover, there’s a good house for all those people with everything where they’re living, eating, sleeping, and doing their business.”       “I see…”       “Since we go somewhere very often, Dad bought a house literally in every place in the world. So, if we arrive in a country, we will always have a place to live.”       “What if you don’t have a house?”       “We can quietly move into a five-star hotel. Or Dad leaves me alone in one of the houses and travels around the world.”       “As I understand, don’t you feel boring?”       “No, I don’t,” Rachel smiles cutely, still behaving a little provocatively to get Terrence’s attention on her. “I have good friends, who I have fun with, everywhere. And I have the pleasure to walk in the city and try to find some good places.”       “Would you show me at least something?”       “With pleasure!” Rachel tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I would be very happy to spend time with such good people. With such a wonderful man.”       “Nice to hear it.”       Although Terrence smiles widely at Rachel, he does not want to see her sighs of attention or does notice them, but he does not care about it and keeps behaving like he is spending time not on a date with a girl but on a walk with his good friend.       “I actually wanna have a trip someday,” Terrence confesses and glances at the big, large house of Rachel’s father. “To see the world, discover new places… Relax… Have a rest… Distract myself from everything that’s happening in my life…”       “Would you take me with you?”       “If you want, I will be very happy to spend time with such a wonderful girl.”       “I’m sure we’ll spend a wonderful time together.”       With these words, Rachel smiles mysteriously, still behaving playfully enough and not being shy about looking at Terrence for more than two or three seconds. The man says nothing and just gives the girl a true smile, literally forgetting everything in the world and calling more and more memories about what being happy and feeling easy and free means.       “Erm, okay…” Rachel pronounces thoughtfully, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Why we would stand here… Let’s go to meet my father. He's already waiting for you.”       “Yes, sure…” Terrence replies confidently with a slight smile. “Let’s go.”       Terrence does not understand how Rachel takes him under his arm and pulls him after her. This provocative behavior of his friend makes the man a little confused, but he says nothing and silently follows her. At this moment, he keeps examining the amazingly beautiful places that surround him, gets more admired by how gorgeous everything is and notices his friend is lucky to live here.       The girl quickly takes Terrence to the wide and high hall door with interesting patterns and rings the doorbell two times. A few seconds later, the door is opened by a young, short girl with dark green eyes and dark brown hair, who is wearing a black servant uniform and a white apron.       “Hi, Marjorie!” Rachel greets with a slight smile. “It’s me!”       Rachel asks the servant to step aside and enters the house with a modeling walk with her head proudly raised, still pulling Terrence after her and holding him under an arm.       “Good afternoon, Rachel,” Marjorie says. “You are an early bird today.”       With these words, the servant named Marjorie closes the hall door.       “You’ve been doing something and going somewhere since the morning…” Marjorie notices confidently. “But you usually wake up much later.”       “I really have many things to do,” Rachel replies thoughtfully. “For example, I should’ve brought this young man here because my daddy should talk to him about something.”       “Yes, yes, I remember.” Marjorie comes closer to Rachel with a slight smile. “Your father warned me. Did you manage to persuade him to talk to one more guitarist?”       “It’s true!” Rachel pronounces cheerfully. “Dad couldn’t believe this man would surprise him, but I do believe he would be nicely shocked and not wish to say goodbye to him.”       “That’s how…”       “By the way, Marj,” Rachel smiles shyly and points at Terrence standing next to her. “This is Terrence MacClife. For your information, he’s my school friend. We studied at the same school and were good friends.”       “Nice to meet you,” Marjorie nods with a slight smile, moving her eyes to Terrence.       “Same,” Terrence pronounces quietly.       “Mr. Sanderson is already waiting for you at his office. Go there.”       Meanwhile, Terrence thinks unconsciously:       “Wow, didn’t she recognize me? Didn’t she recognize Terrence MacClife himself? The sexiest man in the world! Fuck… Is my time really gone, and did everyone forget me? She reacted to my name too quietly. But just a mention of it used to make girls whoop and literally faint from happiness. What’s happening now? Why has everything changed?”       “So what, Terrence?” Rachel asks Terrence. “Let’s go to my dad? He’s supposed to be waiting for you at his office.”       “Erm, sure,” Terrence pronounces a little hesitantly, slightly biting his lip. “Let’s go.”       “Don’t worry, my daddy doesn’t bite anyone and isn’t gonna kill you when you show up.”       “I’m not afraid.”       “Let’s go, pretty boy, let’s go! Don’t make him wait!”       Rachel takes Terrence under an arm again and takes him somewhere, while the man does not like the fact that he has literally to run after his too excited and smiling companion to catch her because she goes too fast.       “Of course, I don't wanna be rude or hurt her…” Terrence thinks. “But I’m starting to dislike the fact that she always takes me under an arm and literally drags me after her like a heavy burden. I literally have to run after her! Could Rachel at least walk a little slower? Or I’m gonna be standing in front of her father with my tongue out like a dog after a long run.”       Terrence exhales very quietly and rolls his eyes for a second, while Rachel does not see it and keeps leading him after her.       “Anyway, it’s her only weakness…” Terrence thinks. “I would help her get rid of it if I talked to her and asked her not to drag me after her. But I feel very good with her… This girl listens to me very closely, supports me, and always laughs with me… She tells me something with pleasure… And I’m interested in talking to her… I would say it’s easy… It’s nice that someone can listen and talk.”       Terrence cracks a slight smile.       “It seems like I know what I missed all the time when I was in the relationship…” Terrence assumes. “Simple heart-to-heart talks… I really wanted to talk to someone and tell them something. But sadly, Cameron never listened to me and didn’t suggest we talk about me, my business, or my feelings. But now I have a wonderful talker. I’m so lucky that Rachel completely understands me and supports me at this hard moment… If it keeps happening like this, I will definitely be able to forget that brainless idiot and get the love for Rachel. She does deserve to be happy, and I wanna do my best to make it happen… I don’t wanna play love with her. I want to love her truly. With her, I will get the peace I’m missing so much. I will get happiness… I will get a loving and loyal woman…”       While Terrence thinks about all of it, he follows Rachel and looks around, not showing that he is unhappy with the fact that his friend pulls him after her and noticing that the inside design of the house is no less fabulous than the outside, the best and most professional designers with excellent taste worked on it, and furniture was definitely ordered somewhere abroad.       They quickly come to a door with beautiful patterns and inserts made from glass. After this, Rachel enters the office of her father without warning, still dragging Terrence after her. At the office, the design of which is made in brown shades, she sees the man, who is a little taller than the girl but shorter than her friend. He is wearing squad glasses, from which it’s possible to see his brown eyes, and wearing a black suit that consists of a jacket, a shirt, and pants and perfectly fits his new shoes that are perfectly cleaned.       “Hi, Dad,” Rachel pronounces happily. “Here am I!”       Rachel lets Terrence's arm go, comes to the man, cutely kisses him on the cheek, and gets the same answer from him.       “Hey, Rachel,” the man pronounces amicably. “How are you doing?”       “I’m fine,” Rachel replies with a slight smile. “How are the guys doing? How was their yesterday’s show?”       “Excellent! So many people attended yesterday's show. That’s a great success for a band that is not so famous yet.”       “But if it keeps happening, they’re gonna be recognized around the world very soon.”       “Tonight, they’re gonna have one more show in a bigger arena. I count on an excellent success and hope they will not frame me.”       “I’m sure it’d happen.”       “We’ll see, sweetie. Besides, they are not the only wards of mine. You know I’m planning to promote one more band.”       “I know.”       The man puts some papers that he was examining aside while sitting on the writing table. And Rachel comes to Terrence very closely with a mysterious smile, enfolds his arm with her arms again, and says:       “By the way, Dad, did you not notice that we have visitors?”       “Visitors?” the man wonders. “What visitors?”       “Here is our visitor!”       Rachel points at Terrence, and her father frowns slightly when he moves his eyes to the unfamiliar man, who smiles shyly and sometimes looks at expensive things in the office, which perfectly fit the design.       “Oh, I’m sorry, sir, I did not notice you,” the man apologizes with a slight smile and fixes his glasses on the bridge of the nose. “Erm… Terrence MacClife, if I am not mistaken?”       “Yes!” Rachel exclaims with a wide smile. “This is Terrence MacClife, who I told you about, and who I asked you to talk to about a place in the band.”       “I'm very pleased to meet you!”       The man gets up quickly from his work table and comes to Terrence, who pulls down slightly his black blazer, which stands out against his skin, which is white from nature.       “Let me introduce myself, my name is Albert Sanderson,” Albert introduces himself. “I am the owner of the label ‘Whisper Records’ and the father of Rachel.”       “I'm also very pleased to meet you, Mr. Sanderson,” Terrence replies amicably.       Albert and Terrence tightly shake each other by the hand to greet each other.       “Rachel told me very much about you,” Terrence adds.       “And I heard much about you,” Albert confesses thoughtfully.       “But do not worry, she told me only good things about you,” Terrence specifies with a slight smile.       Albert laughs amicably and fixes his tie slightly.       “Well, if it’s so, I’m very happy,” Albert says with a slight smile. “It’s always nice to hear your work is appreciated somehow.”       “I think everyone has already appreciated everything you’re doing.”       “Yeah. The success of the artists that work with my label speaks for itself. So, I cannot disagree with you.”       Terrence says nothing and nods with a smile on his face, while Albert glances at one of the wide windows in his office for a second.       “Alright, I think we have something to discuss,” Albert says thoughtfully. “So, let’s not waste time and start a talk right now.”       With these words, Albert sits at his work table and quickly puts some papers aside so they do not bother him.       “So, I will not bother you,” Rachel says with a slight smile. “I will come to you later. But now I will go to Marj and ask her to do something.”       Rachel leaves the office quickly enough, finally letting Terrence's arm go and letting him relax a little. When he watches his daughter, Albert points at the free place on the sofa at his gorgeous office, saying gently:       “Come in, young man, sit down. Do not feel shy.”       “Thanks,” Terrence thanks gently.       Terrence sits on the sofa placed in the office, while Albert folds his hands on the table in front of himself, looking at his visitor from head to foot with an examining look.       “By the way, I noticed you felt a little awkward when my daughter took you under an arm…” Albert notices thoughtfully.       “Erm, yeah…” Terrence stutters a little. “Yeah…”       “Didn’t you like that she was doing it? You had kind of a strange face at that moment…”       “No, everything is alight…” Terrence replies hesitantly, scratching the back of his head, and folds his hands in front of himself with a shy smile. “Rachel was just going so fast that I barely could catch her… That’s all…”       “Do not pay attention to that! My daughter loves taking some of her friends under an arm and dragging them after herself…”       “Yeah?”       “Rachel loves to hug and squeeze up against someone.”       “I noticed it.”       “I kiss and hug her very often and try to be a father and a mother for her. Unfortunately, Rachel’s mother died.”       “Yes, yes, Rachel told me.”       “It was a great tragedy for me and my daughter because we loved that woman very much. Rachel considered her literally the best friend, and I could always count on her support and advice.”       “I understand. I’m really sorry.”       “We still cannot take it, and we don’t forget her. And we go to the cemetery where she was buried on every death anniversary of her, take photos of her from a closet, and call the memories of her…”       “I’m glad you remember her.”       “Although I do my best for Rachel not to feel deprived of her mother’s love, she wants much more attention. And she seeks love from those, who are close to her. But I think only a young man, whom she does not have yet, could help her.”       “Rachel said she had been single for a long time.”       “Yes, she has been for almost two years. She communicated with men, but she doesn’t fall in love with anyone.”       “Alright…”       “So, if she always presses herself on you, accept it quietly. My daughter just wants attention.”       “Well, I do not,” Terrence replies with a slight smile. “And I’m happy to give her as much attention as she wants.”       “Excellent then.”       Meanwhile, Terrence thinks:       “I wonder, how much attention did Albert give his daughter? How much time did he spend with Rachel? Did he compensate for a lack of his attention with expensive gifts, clothes, and everything she wanted? As far as I remember, that girl has always really been the one and hasn’t definitely gotten enough love. But… I could fix it if I really wanted it… If Rachel made me forget Cameron…”       “Alright, I got you,” Albert says confidently. “Let’s talk about what you would like to talk about.”       Albert clears his throat quickly.       “As I've already told you, I own my recording studio, which promotes some unknown and talented people,” Albert says with his head proudly raised.       “Yeah,” Terrence nods.       “Many artists, who have signed a contract with my studio, got famous. Their names sound loud around the world, and they are known anywhere.”       “Yeah, I’ve heard much about you and your success.”       “For me, every artist is like a child. I try to support every one of them and accompany some of my favorite guys on a tour or attend some award ceremonies.”       “Do you love them so much?”       “Very much. And I understand how much they need my support. A musical business is a hard thing. Those, who are a part of it, work too hard and need good support and motivation to keep doing what they are doing.”       “I'm sure they have reached a lot thanks to your excellent management. The work of their teams.”       Albert laughs amicably again and fixes his glasses on the bridge of his nose.       “Yeah, you are right to some extent,” Albert says with a slight smile. “The artists of my label have really gotten much, and I'm proud of what they have already reached. But the guys are not going to stop, and they keep conquering new levels of the musical Olympics.”       “That’s good when someone doesn’t stop after reaching something,” Terrence replies confidently.       “That’s right.”       Albert folds his hands on the table while Terrence closely listens to him with a slight smile on his face and nods, doing his best to impress Rachel’s father in a good way.       “Alright, now let's talk about the case,” Albert says quietly. “If you don't know, I want to say that Rachel asked me to talk to you about one case that you are supposed to be interested in.”       “Yes, I asked her about it,” Terrence confesses. “She told me about the band that needs a guitarist. And I really want to play in it.”       “So… I would like to offer you a place in the band. At the moment, that band does not have a guitarist, but we need them so badly.”       “Excuse me, is that a new band?”       “No, no, not new, but their managers do not give them too much attention because they think they are not ready for that yet.”       “But do they perform?”       “Of course, they do. The management team can easily agree on a performance at a small arena or a music festival. But they are not working with that band too hard.”       “But will you do it?”       “Sure! But at first, I need to find a guitarist.”       “Excuse me, what happened to the previous one?”       “The previous one did not meet our expectations. He played just disgustingly. Probably, that was the worst guitarist ever. And no matter how hard it was for me, we had to say goodbye to him. So, the team is looking for a new guitarist for the band, examining any offers we get, and organizing an audition for all the potential members. Besides, sometimes Rachel helps me and brings some of her friends and familiar people to me.”       “That’s how…”       “They are looking for a guitarist that could also become a backing vocalist.”       “Backing vocalist?”       “Yes, they need the one to have a good voice. And Rachel told me you really got an ear and could sing very well.”       “Yes, I can really sing very well,” Terrence replies confidently with his head proudly raised. “People highly appreciate my singing and believe I could be a famous singer. And I also think I could do it.”       “Really? Could you sing something right now for me to listen to your voice and see if it’s true?”       “Sing right now?”       “Yes.”       “Erm… Yes, of course… What do you want to hear?”       “What you want. Sing any song that can show everything you can do.”       “Oh, alright… Now…”       Terrence thinks about something for two seconds, then recalls a song and starts singing some lines quite confidently, not looking timid or scared. The man completely understands that he is singing for the one, who can change his life, not at hangouts with his friends, where he can even sing off-key. That’s why MacClife gives his everything to signing a little snippet of a song, trying to show the power of his voice and take quite high and low notes.       A few seconds later, Terrence falls into silence, and Albert nods confidently with a slight smile, definitely approaching the ringing voice of this man.       “My God!” Albert admires with a wide smile. “What an excellent voice you’ve got!”       Albert puts her hand on his head.       “So ringing, powerful, and clear… You did not even sing off-key even once! It’s clear you’ve got a wide range.”       “Thanks, Mr. Sanderson,” Terrence smiles shyly.       “Say, Terrence, didn’t you get vocal lessons?”       “No, I didn’t.”       “But how did you learn to sing so well?”       “I’ve just liked singing since childhood. I sang literally everywhere.”       “Wow… What about playing guitar?”       “Nothing special. I learned to play guitar on my own.”       “Your own? Come on?”       “It’s the truth, Mr. Sanderson. Sadly, I didn’t have an opportunity to get vocal and guitar lessons. I had to learn with lessons on the Internet or in books. And experienced friends helped me, too.”       “Wow… So, are you a self-taught one?”       “Something like this.”       “Oh, I do deeply respect self-taught people. It’s always hard to learn something on your own when you have nobody to tell you something and let you know about your mistakes.”       “Yeah, but I think I still have something to learn,” Terrence smiles shyly. “I am too far from being a great singer.”       “Right, you should really get a couple of lessons from a vocal teacher and learn to understand your voice better. But it’s actually beautiful. And I see a great talent in you. Which you must show the whole world.”       “Glad I gave you a good impression about me.”       Albert smiles shyly and falls into silence for a few seconds.       “You know, young man…” Albert pronounces thoughtfully, stroking his chin. “Because of such a voice as yours, I’m ready to give you a chance without an audition.”       “Really?” Terrence rounds his eyes.       “And if you are as talented at playing guitar as you are in Rachel’s opinion, and show it to me someday, I will suggest that you continue to play in the band and become a full member. Today, I will talk to the team of the band about your candidature, so they can talk to you.”       “Wow…”       “So, I would like to ask you… Would you like to become a new member of this band or at least try to play in it?”       Terrence smiles widely and understands that he just cannot reject such a good offer that would help him finally make his dream come true. The man starts to believe in his luck more and more and already imagines himself on the scene in front of thousands of people.       “Of course,” Terrence nods confidently with a slight smile. “Of course! I will be very happy to work with you and that band.”       “So, do you agree?” Albert specifies.       “It would be great if you and I managed to work well.”       “Great! I am very glad you made the right decision. In this case, come to my recording studio tomorrow at any time to let me introduce you to the band and listen to the way you play guitar.”       “No problem! Huh… Address? Where do I go?”       “Oh, now… I will write down the address.”       Albert takes a pen and a small piece of paper and starts to write something with his left hand, while Terrence watches him with interest.       “When you come to the studio, I will introduce your band and their team to you, and then we will discuss and specify all the details,” Albert adds.       “I will come, Mr. Sanderson,” Terrence replies confidently. “Without a doubt.”       “Actually, I can ask Rachel to drive you there. But I am giving you the address just in case anyway.”       “Say, the band… The members… Are they… Good?”       “Don’t worry, Terrence. All the guys are very good and will accept you when I tell them that you are going to play with them. And if you cannot do something, these people will help you.”       “Would I have a conflict with someone?”       “No, you should not.”       “Who are the members of that band?”       “Two men and one girl.”       “Huh, one girl…”       “She is a little wayward, but she always does her job perfectly. She is very responsible for what she should do.”       “Alright…”       “Don’t worry, you will surely find a common language with them.”       “I don’t worry. I don’t usually have problems communicating with people. Moreover, I’m more of an extrovert than an introvert.”       “So, that’s good…”       Albert writes something down and puts the pen aside.       “So, take it,” Albert says confidently and gives Terrence the paper with the address he just wrote down. “The studio ‘Whisper Records’ is located in the center of the city. It's about twenty minutes from my house to there. If you are confused, my daughter will explain to you how to go there or drive you. She will show you a way once, and you will memorize it and go there alone.”       “Thanks a lot!” Terrence thanks with a slight smile and looks at the paper that Albert gave him. “I will figure it out.”       “And yeah…” Albert thinks for two seconds, closely looking at Terrence, or, to be clear, the way the man is dressed up at the moment. “Tell me, what do you think about changes in your appearance?”       “Erm, changes in my appearance?” Terrence rounds his eyes.       “Don’t look at me with such scared eyes,” Albert chuckles kindly. “You do not have to dye your hair red, get tattoos, or puncture your tongue and eyebrows. You should not also shave your head.”       “Oh, thanks for relief,” Terrence laughs shyly. “I would not like to do it…”       “I just want to tell you that clothes for performances may not be what you are used to. I can describe your style as classic and severe, but the looks of the guys from the band are casual and grunge.”       “It’s not a problem. Yes, I prefer a severe style more and do not usually wear something like ripped jeans or t-shirts. But If I have to, I can quietly perform in any look.” When acting in movies, I sometimes had to wear what made me feel uncomfortable. But I handled it because I should’ve done it.”       “I get it.” Albert thinks for some time. “I think my daughter will tell you everything about it. My Rachel knows the fashion and sometimes helps the guys pick up clothes for shows.”       “No problem,” Terrence shrugs slightly.       “You also need to be ready because your band will often be traveling when the time comes. Concerts, tours, interviews, and shootings… But I think you understand me very well, and my daughter already told you everything about that.”       “Yes, I know. And I am ready for it. Moreover, it’s all very familiar to me.”       “Good. In this case, did we agree about everything?”       Albert gives his hand to Terrence.       “Yes, I agree,” Terrence pronounces with a slight smile.       Terrence tightly shakes Albert by the hand, not hiding his happiness that he got a chance to try to show himself in music and finally start to do something. Not to wait for someone to call him and say what he is waiting for so much.       “Excellent!” Albert exclaims. “So, I will be waiting for you tomorrow.”       “I think we will get on well,” Terrence replies amicably.       “I really hope so.”       With these words, Albert chuckles kindly again, not making Terrence feel disgust and not making him think being with this man is not very nice.       Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which Albert takes a paper and quickly writes something on it, and Terrence looks around the whole gorgeous office where he is now and silently notices that the brown sofa he is sitting on is so soft that he is literally drowning in it.       “By the way, I must confess that I heard much about you,” Albert confesses thoughtfully. “When you came here, and I looked at you, your face seemed familiar to me.”       “Yeah?” Terrence pronounces surprisingly.       “And I just called the memories of seeing you in the movie that I love very much. But you were a little younger than you are now.”       “Yeah, I act in movies,” Terrence confirms shyly. “But I’ve lately received fewer offers to play a role.”       “So, wasn’t I wrong? Are you really an actor?”       “It’s correct.”       “And yeah, I heard that you have been dating a famous model for a few months… It seems like Raquelle Cameron, right?”       “Yeah, it’s true,” Terrence pronounces amazingly quietly as he shrugs. “That’s her.”       “Oh, I really like her,” Albert smiles shyly. “She is so beautiful. And she is so confident…”       “Agree with you…”       “She did the right thing by deciding to become a model because she’s got a perfect face. Of course, that girl is too skinny, but her features are really incredible. Besides, she is very charming. It seems like Raquelle is a common girl, but she can show herself so well that anyone would start to admire her.”       “So many men have a crush on her for a reason.”       “You are very lucky to be a boyfriend of hers,” Albert notices confidently.       “Yeah, but…” Terrence runs his hand through his hair, getting sadder and sadder. “The truth is… There is nothing between us anymore.”       “What do you mean?” Albert frowns slightly. “Are you going to break up?”       “We’ve already done…”       “My gosh…”       “We’re living apart from each other,” Terrence shrugs slightly. “And I am glad we just lived together and were never married. Or I would've had to wait for us to get divorced.”       “Is everything really so bad about your relationship?”       “I would say yes…”       “But why? You were such a beautiful couple and an example of imitation for many of your fans.”       “When people smile in photos or videos and confess their love for someone they love on social networks, it doesn’t mean everything is really true. Sometimes everything might not be as beautiful and cute as it seems.”       “Do you want to say your relationship with that model was PR?”       “No, not PR…” Terrence swallows up nervously. “We began to date by mutual consent. I just understand we were moving too fast. We believed that having strong feelings would be enough to live a long life together. And we decided to live in the same house.”       “Did you go against your families and act like teenagers?” Albert smiles shyly.       “Nobody stopped us,” Terrence cracks a slight smile. “Vice versa, our families pushed us into the affair and dreamed of our wedding. And I think it also played its role and eventually brought us to wish to break up.”       “I get it… I personally know those, whose parents insisted on someone’s wedding or someone’s affair. And they eventually weren’t happy and suffered because they lived with someone they did not love.”       “Honestly, I loved her much more than she did. I mean, I thought I loved. But that girl, so to say, dated me just to make everybody get off her. Besides, we didn’t get on well after we met for the first time. Maybe, it also had to do with it. Because affairs usually start with a good relationship.”       “Do you do want to say she didn’t love you?”       “She never loved me.”       “So, then, a breakup will be the best decision. People should decide to date and get married on their own, not under the pressure of family or society…”       “Now I understand it very well,” Terrence says without emotions, nervously twirling the zipper on his black blazer. “And I promise not to make the same mistake the second time.”       “It’s probably very hard for you to get over that.”       “Very hard…”       “Do you still love your ex-girlfriend at heart?”       “I doubt that my feelings can be called love. It’s likely a physical affection…”       “So, don’t you actually feel any kind of love for her? Remember how you loved her at the beginning of your relationship… You were supposed to feel something. If you decided to date her, it means you liked something about her.”       “Oh, honestly, I loved only her beauty,” Terrence confesses a little hesitantly, folding his hands on the table. “Raquelle is very beautiful and attractive, and I really lost my heart from her beauty. But loving only beauty is not enough for a strong relationship.”       “Many people confuse passion with love. And they start to hate each other when this feeling is gone.”       “And I think she liked only my look about me… That girl never cared about what I felt, what I dreamed about, or what I was worried about… Yes, she asked me about it, but I felt she didn’t care about me. She did it not to seem too cold and egoistic. And her indifference made me get cold for Raquelle. I… I wasn’t worried about her and wasn’t interested in her business. And I began to lose a physical interest in her. I wanted her to death somehow, but then I suddenly lost that wish.”       “I think anyone would like someone to be interested in them, to take care of someone… That’s real love. Readiness to sacrifice oneself, do anything for a beloved person, and be by someone’s side in sad and happy times – that’s what true love is. What you are describing is just a sexual attraction. Which is very fleeting. As well as passion. This feeling can’t live for a long time.”       “Unfortunately, I did not get all of that when being in a relationship. But I lacked just simple heart-to-heart talks and such words as ‘I love you.’ That girl was more interested in her career and her kind name. She just used me.”       “Yes, everyone says Raquelle has always been too obsessed with her career. Many fans of her often talk about it. And I prefer believing them, knowing how much she works and the fact that she talks about her work with great love. Watching her interviews, I always thought that girl loved her modeling job much more than anything and would definitely be ready to choose it over a family.”       “You’re right,” Terrence nods confidently. “She doesn’t need a family. She’s living without it well… But I can’t close my eyes to that and live with a girl, who is not ready to sacrifice something for me. I want to be with the one that would share my wish of creating a family.”       “I get it.”       “I don’t tell a girl to give birth to ten children. I just want to see that she is ready to take care of me, support me and listen to me. She would put her family in the first place and put other things in the following places. But Raquelle chose her career. Fame. Love of her fans. She likes hearing compliments from other people much more than giving them to her boyfriend.”       “Sadly, there are very many girls like this. The only meaning of life for them was only children and husband, now they prefer giving time to themselves and their job.”       “That’s why I am glad we broke up. She is not the only girl in the world, and I would surely meet another girl that would be much better than that egoistic careerist.”       “Of course, you will,” Albert smiles slightly. “You are young, successful, provided, and attractive enough… I’m sure many girls would surround you if they found out you broke up with your girlfriend.”       “Very many girls had surrounded me before I started an affair with her. I didn’t literally have time to give attention to all of them. But after I began to date that girl, I got much less attention. Anyway, I think I will be popular again when I’m back on the list of eligible bachelors.”       “I hope you’ll be really lucky. Life doesn’t stop after a breakup. Don’t give a damn about yourself and deprive yourself of happiness. I see you want to create your family and dream of having a wife and children. So, keep reaching your goal. Even if you marry and divorce many times, you will surely meet the one you will spend your whole life with, early or late.”       “You’re absolutely right.”       Although Terrence says all of it without emotions on his face and is behaving quietly enough, he feels like cats are scratching inside him. The man thinks about something with sadness in his eyes while silence settles in the air for two seconds.       “Say, Terrence, have you really known Rachel since school?” Albert asks amicably. “She told me you were a good friend of hers.”       “Yes, we were studying at the same school,” Terrence nods and starts to wrap a pen in his hands that he takes from the table. “Rachel was a good friend of mine, but no more. I helped her, and she helped me.”       “Somehow, she told me she liked you so much,” Albert replies with a slight smile.       “It’s true. Rachel never denied that she was in love with me.”       “She has a crush on you now.”       “No, her love is in the past now. She told me that.”       “I don’t know what she told you, but I see my daughter is still not indifferent to you.”       “So, do you think your daughter lied to me?”       “Well, maybe, she didn’t lie… Her feelings start walking up inside her after she met you.”       “I love Rachel very much, but I love her as my best friend,” Terrence confesses thoughtfully, getting too busy nervously wrapping the pen in his hands. “She’s a very beautiful and sweet girl, but I’ve never found her my potential girl. But I’ve always been ready to help her, support, or comfort her somehow.”       “But could you love my daughter now, when you broke up with your girlfriend? Honestly!”       “I think I could…” Terrence smiles shyly. “Rachel is supporting me in everything, always ready to listen to me and advise something. She does really care about what’s happening to me. I like telling her something. I like listening to her. I feel comfortable. And I get the support and love I did not get from my ex-girlfriend.”       “Why wouldn’t you try to flirt with her?”       “Flirt?”       “Rachel is a very kind and caring girl, who is ready to give herself to the one, who would love her. But since she is not indifferent to you, she would do anything to make you happy. My daughter completely understands that it’s hard for you now and is trying to comfort you somehow.”       “And it helps me very well,” Terrence smiles shyly. “We’ve spent time together almost every single day in the past week. Going to cafes, walking in parks… Recalling the school years… I found out very much from what happened to our former schoolmates.”       “Yeah… You’ve known her since school, but I just found out that you studied with my daughter.”       “My mother didn’t also know all my schoolmates. But it doesn’t have to do with Rachel. She knew her.”       “Do you really like spending time with my daughter?”       “Very much. Thanks to Rachel, I forgot that someone did a very cruel thing to me. I finally felt the wanted peace that I missed so much. I am really grateful to her for everything she is doing for me.”       “It’s love, Terrence,” Albert smiles slightly. “Passion and affection are just additions. The most important things about true love are care and readiness to sacrifice something, to get something, and to give something.”       “I think a girl like Rachel fits me very well,” Terrence replies confidently. “Now I understand that I don’t want to feel a crazy passion that makes me feel dizzy, I want to be surrounded by care and love. No matter what a strong and independent man I am, I need it anyway. I want to be loved and needed… I don’t wanna be forgotten and hear no good word.”       “Here’s my advice, young man, if you want to be happy, pay attention to my daughter and give her a chance to become the one you are looking for,” Albert advises with a slight smile. “Believe me, Rachel would be a thousand times better than Raquelle and would not choose you over a career. Or she would manage to keep a balance between family and work if someday my girl wanted to earn money on her own.”       “To be honest, I already started to pay attention to her. Of course, it’s early to say about great love, but I’d be happy to give Rachel a chance to be much better than Raquelle is. And something tells me that she could replace the one, who didn’t appreciate me and lost the one, who could’ve made her his queen.”       “Someday your ex-girlfriend will understand what she lost when she chose her career over you. Maybe, it will happen very late when nobody pays attention to her. But trust me, she will surely understand her mistake and hate herself for that.”       “I do want to show it to her,” Terrence says with his head proudly raised. “I want to show how much she lost by rejecting me and using my feelings for her. And while I’m happy with another girl, she keeps building her career and believing it’s the happiness.”       “Having the experience, I can say many girls start to appreciate men when they lose them.”       “No, I don’t mind if my girl wants to work. That’s fine, nobody is going to give her a ban! But I am not ready to be with someone, who thinks only about their job. If she wants to work, she must learn to keep a balance between two things.”       “I absolutely agree with you in this case. But I am personally for traditional families, in which a man is an earner, and a woman is a homemaker.”       “If work doesn’t do bad things to a family, why not.”       Silence settles in the air for some time, during which Albert clears his throat quickly.       “You know, I must confess that my daughter did not love anyone as much as she loved you,” Albert confesses confidently. “She has had many admirers, who were quite good, as I thought. But I didn’t see a special gloss in her eyes. Yes, she loved, but she did not very much.”       “She let someone love her?” Terrence specifies.       “Something like that.”       “Does she still feel something for me?”       “Anything is possible. If it’s so, she will use a chance and try to get your attention on her again.”       “Does she have friends here?”       “Of course! Rachel has many good friends. She is quite a talkative girl and easily gets on well with people. Because we often travel to countries, there are those she spends time with almost everywhere.”       “That’s great when you have friends, who would help you distract from something bad…” Terrence notices with sadness in his eyes. “I have made sure about it many times…”       “Yeah, but sometimes it’s hard to understand who your real friend is.”       “Agree. I have run into that many times…”       Terrence glances aside, feeling truly sorry for Rachel, who definitely suffers from one-sided love. The man would really love to help her stop worrying about it and give her the caress and care that she deserves. And he promises to do his best to make it real.       “By the way…” Terrence decides to change the subject and puts the pen that he was wrapping in his hands aside. “How did you end up in New York? Rachel told me you came here for a while…”       “Yes, my daughter and I are currently living in Miami and came here for a while,” Albert replies amicably. “I have some things to do here. And I support one of my favorite bands, which is currently on the tour. They stopped in this city.”       “Are you so close to them?”       “Very close. And I must admit that some people even get mad because of it. They think they have more privileges due to their close relationship with the owner of the label. Though, I don’t personally make anyone very important, and I appreciate every artist’s talents in the same high way.”       “I see. And when will you leave?”       “In one month. A few more shows are scheduled in New York, and then they will go to New Jersey. But they will go on the way without me.”       “Does that band perform in America’s cities?”       “Yes, but in the future, the band is planning to go to Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, and some other countries. They have very many plans… But who knows if they can make them come true.”       “And the band I will be working with… Have they had any shows in the country?”       “My label has been working with those guys for a few years… And the managers have not organized shows behind New York yet. To be honest, we do not give too much attention to the band now.”       “But why?”       “Because we are looking for a guitarist that we would not be ashamed of.”       “Will you start promoting the band if I work with them well and do my best for them to like me?”       “Yes, when you’re used to your band and examine the material, the managers will start thinking of organizing shows on large stages and agreeing with organizers.”       “I will do my best to meet your expectations,” Terrence smiles shyly.       “Let’s hope.”       Terrence says nothing and nods with a slight smile, looking forward to the day he goes on the road with his band and fills stadiums with people that will be listening to his play and singing with great pleasure. He cannot wait to meet his new band as soon as possible and start to work hard to get famous in the musical business at the nearest time.       And then Rachel smiling shyly comes into the office with a cup of coffee in her hands.       “Didn’t I bother you?” Rachel asks amicably. “I wanted to check how you were doing here.”       “No, no, honey, we already finished the talk,” Albert replies cheerfully. “Terrence and I had a very good talk.”       “And what?”       “I agree to work with this man without any auditions.”       “Really?” Rachel opens her mouth slightly. “Without an audition? Are you serious?”       “Listening to his singing was enough for me to get surprised.”       “He sang for you?”       “Yeah, and I was nicely shocked. I haven’t met people with such a powerful voice and a broad range. I can’t miss a chance to make him famous.”       “I did tell you he would perfectly fit your band. But you didn’t believe me!”       “I know, my sunshine, I know… I’m sorry about not agreeing to talk to him earlier.”       “Your daughter would never lie to you.”       “Of course, the band’s team will listen to him playing guitar later. But I would obviously be ready to give him a chance because this man amazed me with his voice to the bottom of my heart.”       “Trust me, Terrence plays not worse than he sings.”       “I believe, daughter, I do.”       “I actually think he could become a vocalist. It’d be okay if the band had two vocalists with strong voices.”       “We’ll see what happens. If the team likes everything, they will probably make some changes to the band and make him a vocalist. But now I am giving him a chance to join the band as a guitarist with pleasure.”       “Remember, I took Terrence under my protection and am ready to vouch for him,” Rachel says confidently with her head proudly raised. “If he doesn’t meet your expectations, I’ll take the blame.”       “My intuition tells me that we’ve already found a new star that could slay the whole world.”       “And you’ll help him do this. Right, daddy?”       “Sure, sunshine, undoubtedly.”       With these words, Albert caresses Rachel on the cheek cutely and tenderly kisses her on the temple.       “I hope you will do a nice thing and tell your best about the band’s business, their style, their music, and everything like that,” Albert says softly. “You know everything very well, and I am asking you to tell him what he should be ready for.”       “I will do it, daddy!” Rachel exclaims with a wide smile. “I will care about it!”       “Thanks, my little star, you’re just a gem.”       While Rachel smiles shyly and drinks coffee from her cup that she puts on the table far from the papers, Terrence quickly looks around the whole office and slowly gets up from the sofa.       “Well, as we discussed everything, I will better go,” Terrence says thoughtfully. “I think you have too many things to do… And tomorrow, I will come to the studio and meet the band.”       “Erm, are you leaving?” Rachel wonders, using her charm and trying to softly drop a hint on the fact that she would not mind spending some time with Terrence and accepting his invitation to go somewhere together.       “Yeah, what do I do here? We’ve talked about everything and agreed to meet tomorrow.”       “I can accompany you,” Rachel says with a slight smile, fixing her hair with a beautiful gesture of a hand. “Well… If you want it, of course. What? I have nothing to do, but sitting at home for a whole day is kind of boring.”       “Okay, I would be happy if you accompanied me,” Terrence shrugs with a shy smile on his face.       “Excellent then!”       “I am now absolutely free and going nowhere. So, I would invite you to walk somewhere with pleasure. We could go somewhere and walk in the city.”       “Oh, great!” Rachel smiles widely, not being able to decline Terrence’s suggestion that she has been waiting for so badly. “I will spend time with you with pleasure!”       “So, in this case, I wish you to have a good time,” Albert wishes with a true smile.       “Thank you so much,” Terrence and Rachel thank by one.       “Okay, Daddy, we’re leaving,” Rachel smiles shyly. “I think I won’t come back soon.”       Rachel kisses Albert cutely on the cheek, and Terrence shakes him tightly by the hand to say goodbye.       “Goodbye, Mr. Sanderson,” Terrence pronounces with a slight smile.       “Goodbye,” Albert says goodbye. “I will be waiting for you tomorrow at my studio.”       “I will surely come.”       Rachel and Terrence leave the office together and close the door, while Albert watches this couple with a slight smile on his face, thinking these two could make a beautiful couple if they decided to start dating.       “Ah, they could be a nice couple…” Albert sighs quietly and crosses his arms on the breast. “They fit each other so well. This guy does fit Rachel, and she looks so great with him. My sweet girl shines with happiness when she is next to Terrence. I haven’t seen her so happy for such a long time. Ah, if he paid attention to her and got the love for her, I would be so happy…”       Albert shakes his head.       “Maybe, Mr. MacClife broke up with his girlfriend for a reason?” Albert asks himself. “Maybe, this is a sign? A sign for my daughter! Rachel did suffer because Terrence never paid attention to her so much. But she suddenly got such a wonderful chance to get happy.”       Albert cracks a slight smile.       “What could someone dislike about Rachel?” Albert wonders. “She is my beautiful and smart girl! Caring, kind, loyal… Just a gem! My beloved daughter deserves all the best. And that young man could give her everything if he wanted it… Terrence MacClife would be a wonderful partner for her.”       Albert folds his hands on the writing table.       “And I am sure she could be lucky this time…” Albert assumes. “Terrence doesn’t definitely mind flirting with my daughter. And he didn’t resist when I tried to softly encourage him to do something. Maybe, some time later, they would come to me and tell me that they are daring… It would be really great…”       Albert knows very well that his daughter Rachel was in love with the man, who never paid attention to her, always saying they were best friends. And he is very happy that Terrence does not really mind trying to start a relationship with Rachel, not thinking about the fact that he broke up with Raquelle some time ago. He is ready to give a damn about it and let himself start a new affair with the girl, who has been waiting for this chance for a long time. If she understands she has a chance, she will surely do her best for Terrence to get any thoughts out of Raquelle out of his head and get the love for the one to be ready to make him as happy as he has never been before.       

***

      It’s about two o’clock. Natalia is walking on the streets of New York and enjoying the good weather that has settled in the city. She recently visited Anna at home and spent a good time with her. By the way, the girl still has to stay home because her parents hope to change her mind and make her behave as she should. However, sometimes Anna runs away from home to meet her secret admirer, who she could be talking about for hours with a wide smile on her face.       “It seems like Anna definitely fell in love with that guy,” Natalia thinks with a slight smile. “It’s been a few weeks, but they haven't stopped communicating. I would say they have lately met much more than before. Everything is really serious if that guy hasn’t stopped meeting her. And he cares about her. If he calls her so often, invites her on dates, and he is ready to listen to her and tell her something.”       Natalia shakes her head with a shy smile on her face while slowly walking on the popular street in the center of the city. There are many enough people around her, who are hurrying somewhere to do something, cars and buses that go on different sides, many stores that offer clients some discounts, and some street dogs and cats that might be a little timid and stay aside or run to everyone or open tents and ask for some food with pity in the eyes.       “Oh my gosh, our little girl Anna has fallen in love!” Natalia thinks with a wide smile. “Truly much! But some time ago, she was just dreaming of love while reading love books. That’s how she confirms that sometimes tales could come true. Well… Or sometimes someone definitely knows where to find the one that’s waiting for him…”       Natalia sighs with a slight smile.       “I'm so happy for her, ‘cause everything’s fine, at least about her,” Natalia thinks. “But what’s she gonna do to her parents? What if they strengthen measures and do their best to separate her from that guy? Now those people don’t watch her enough and naively think she will stay home and think of her behavior. If they find out that she’s meeting that man, they will surely ask someone to watch for her not to let her go anywhere.”       Natalia sighs quietly.       “My God, it’s wildness…” Natalia resents silently. “Let the girl decide how to live. Why do her parents wanna choose her life and doom her to an unhappy life? Sacrifice their daughter’s happiness for their benefit… They’ve never been happy and want Anna to suffer and not to know what being loved by someone means. But I am sure my friend would not give up and would fight for her happiness. She does know what that is and will not let anyone ruin it. And Seymour can take it! I believe in her!”       Natalia glances at a homeless doggy that is running around a teenager and definitely begging for food, but that boy does not understand anything and is just talking to it about something with a wide smile on his face.       “Thank God, my parents aren’t like them…” Natalia exhales silently. “Of course, they’re worried that I haven’t gotten married and met a boyfriend yet. But Father and Mother wouldn’t do such radical things. Because these people do respect my choice and would never make me do what they think is right. I’m very lucky in this case… I’m lucky because my parents are my friends. The friends, who always support each other.”       Natalia keeps walking somewhere with a slight smile on her face and looking around with interest. And some time later, the phone starts ringing in the girl’s purse. She stops, goes aside, takes her smartphone, runs her finger over the screen, and puts it to her ear to answer the call.       “Hello,” Natalia pronounces quietly.       “Hey, beautiful,” the nice, cheerful masculine voice pronounces. “It’s Edward.”       “Oh, hi, Edward…” Natalia smiles widely. “Glad to hear you.”       It seems like not only did Anna get a secret admirer… The case is that Natalia has met and spent a great time with a man named Edward, who she met one week ago. She definitely likes that young man, talking with whom makes her get a nice impression and some kind of easiness.       Natalia does not hide that she is very happy she has met the one, who really cares what’s happening to her and notices not only her beauty. Edward always cares about the life of his new acquaintance and gets pleasure from talking to her, judging the fact that he shows initiative and suggests that the girl and he go somewhere.       “How are you doing?” Edward asks.       “I’m great,” Natalia replies with a slight smile. “And you?”       “Everything is good. What are you doing?”       “Me?” Natalia bites her lip slightly. “Well, walking in the city for nothing… And I recently visited my friend. We talked a little, drank tea, and ate something sweet.”       “Great!”       “What are you doing?”       “Nothing, now. But I helped my neighbor with something this morning. I went to one place with her. But when I did everything, I went home.”       “You did men’s work?” Natalia laughs shyly. “Hanging a picture, cleaning a sink, fixing the door of a cupboard…”       “Yeah, something like that. Sometimes I help her fix or do something.”       “That’s how!”       “It’s not hard for me.”       “M-m-m, wow…” Natalia smiles mysteriously. “Your future wife, who’ll get such an amazing husband, is gonna be lucky. Because he does men’s homework without problems.”       “Nice to hear it…” Edward smiles shyly.       “That’s cool when a man can do anything.”       “Well, I think your future husband is gonna be lucky to have such a wonderful girl, who could easily make anyone smile and feel just wonderful.”       “Really?”       “Really! When I talk to you, I wanna smile. Even on the worst day, my spirit gets much better.”       “My gosh…” Natalia laughs shyly while getting a little blush on her face. “Stop making me blush! I’m in public! I would feel embarrassed if I got blushed because of what you say.”       “I’m used to saying what I have on my mind,” Edward replies amicably. “And I don’t wanna hide what I think of you.”       “Nice to hear it, you know.”       “It’s also nice for me to know I can make you smile.”       “Thanks…” Natalia thanks shyly. “I think I need it so badly right now… To smile and try to find reasons to be happy.”       “I hope I help you get through what happened to you somehow?”       “Of course, you do! I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t next to me.”       “If I can do something else for you, let me know,” Edward says confidently. “It wouldn’t be hard for me to do something nice for you.”       “No, Edward, there couldn’t be more…” Natalia laughs shyly. “You’ve already done much for me to feel much better.”       “I hope I will finally make you stop being sad very soon. And I would see your beautiful smile more frequently.”       “I will try to do my best just for you.”       “I will do my best to keep your wish.”       Natalia says nothing and keeps smiling shyly, already feeling she gets much better and easier. Edward is definitely shy and even a little nervous while talking to the girl on the phone, but tries not to show it and behaves as confidently as possible.       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, and then Edward cleans his throat, going to break the silence.       “Okay…” Edward pronounces a little hesitantly. “Listen, Natalia, I would like to ask you something…”       “Sure,” Natalia says softly.       “Say… Are you gonna be free tonight? Or do you have some business?”       “Tonight?” Natalia laughs shyly. “I’m always free for you! Even at two hours in the morning…”       “Really?”       “Yup… But why? Why did you ask?”       “Don’t you want to walk with me somewhere in the city?”       “In the city?”       “I don’t know where we could go, but we can think up something. Something romantic…”       “M-m-m, romantic?”       “Yeah…”       “So, are you a romantic?” Natalia asks with a slight smile.       “Yeah, I’m quite romantic and a little sentimental.”       “Wow… This is the first case when I meet the one to be like this.”       “Did you never meet romantic people?”       “Never. Those men I have ever known definitely need it. But I would really like them to have a little bit of romantic.”       “That’s how…”       “You’re the first romantic among my familiar people.”       “And you are the first girl that I wanna spend as much time as possible with.”       “Edward…” Natalia laughs shyly.       “It’s the truth, Natalia. I miss you when we don’t meet. And I literally count down the minutes until our meeting.”       “But we’ve known each other for just one week!”       “And what? When you feel good with someone, you shouldn't care how long you’ve known them.”       “Well… Actually, you’re right… I… Also feel very good with you. I love spending time with you.”       “Nice to hear it.”       “It’s the truth!”       “So what, beautiful?” Edward specifies. “Do you agree to join me tonight?”       “Erm, I…” Natalia smiles shyly.       “Agree, sweetie, why would you stay home and feel bored? We could go somewhere to walk… I can give you a chance to choose a place.”       “Would you agree?”       “Of course, I would.”       “Okay,” Natalia pronounces confidently. “I will spend time with you with pleasure.”       “So, do you agree?” Edward asks.       “Yup, I agree. You called at a very good time, ‘cause I’ve got nothing to do. But thanks to you, I’m gonna spend the rest of the fast in the company of the charming man, not watching movies.”       “Great! Then I’ll come to take you at seven o’clock!”       “Seven?”       “Yup. Would it be okay?”       “Okay, I'll be ready by seven!” Natalia agrees confidently. “I’ve got a lot of time. I will go home, eat… Decide what to put on… And think of what to do to my hair.”       “I will be waiting for our meeting with impatience,” Edward smiles shyly.       “Me too.”       “I’m gonna help the incredibly beautiful girl to feel happy again. And get much more smiles from her.”       “My God, if you say a couple of compliments again, people are gonna stare at me ‘cause my smile is gonna be much wider than Cherish Cat’s one,” Natalia smiles widely.       “M-m-m, trust me, beauty, you’re gonna hear much more compliments very soon.”       “Much more?”       “I wouldn’t be able to hold myself down if I saw you.”       “M-m-m, you’re a lady’s man, Mr. MacClife,” Natalia says confidently.       “Just telling the truth that I don’t want and will not hide.”       “I got it…”       “Okay, as we’ve agreed about everything, see you tonight. I will go to your home at seven o’clock.”       “Gonna be ready and waiting for you.”       “Okay. See you tonight, gorgeous Ms. Rochester.”       “Bye…”       Natalia turns off the call with a slight smile, puts her phone in her purse, and keeps walking somewhere straight. The girl feels so happy probably for the first time in her life. She never met a man that she would feel so comfortable with. Although Edward and she are communicating as friends, something clicks inside her when the blonde thinks of him. Besides, understanding that she is about to meet him soon, Natalia gets a little nervous and already reflects on the look that her new acquaintance i could like.       Edward definitely came into her life at the right time because he is the reason why Natalia starts forgetting about Raquelle and what happened between her and her former friend some time ago. The girl no longer cries and does not suffer from the fight with the girl. Salvation came to her suddenly but at the right moment when she needed someone to be next to her and help her distract from bad thoughts.       Natalia is madly happy she met such a wonderful man. She was not lucky with men for a long time and communicated only with those, who would hardly take care of her and listen to her stories about what she was worried about. But everything has changed. The girl finally met the one, who was ready to do anything to give her peace and do his best to make her feel good. Edward has already given her many wonderful memories that she will always remember with a slight smile on her face. Who knows… Maybe, the brother of Terrence MacClife, who showed up some time ago, would really make Natalia’s life much better, give her many smiles and much happiness, and make her life much more colorful.       

***

      But Raquelle does not have a good enough mood to smile and be happy. She has lived in Frederick’s apartment for one week, and she does not almost leave it. Besides, she also turned her phone off, so nobody calls her, even if the only person, who could bother her is Simon. However, her offender does not let her know about him even by sending letters, as if he hid somewhere, is waiting for something, and is torturing his victim, who is suffering much because of what’s happening to her, on purpose.       While Frederick went out somewhere for his business for two or three hours, Raquelle has not gotten up from her bed since the morning because she feels very badly, being obsessed with a panic that she cannot explain and a thought that she is about to clean her stomach.       “My gosh, what’s happening to me?” Raquelle asks herself, trying to suppress a feeling of nausea that’s coming to her throat. “Did I get poisoned? Why do I feel sick? It seems like I need a little to clean my stomach… Oh…”       Raquelle puts her hand on her stomach and moans quietly.       “And my stomach hurts…” Raquelle thinks. “Is this because I can barely eat? Or is the reason stress? Do I feel so bad because of worrying?”       At some point, Raquelle decides to turn on her phone, which has been turned off literally since the day she left Terrence’s house. The girl barely reaches the smartphone that is placed near her on a small table and turns it on, leaving the silent mode turned on.       “Maybe, I should sleep a little?” Raquelle asks herself, still fighting with a wish to clean her stomach so hard. “What if this sickness is gone… I can’t lie in the bed all day… I’ve gotta brace myself somehow… Oh…”       Raquelle comfortably lies on the bed to try to fall asleep. However, it’s not very easy because she gets obsessed with bad thoughts that have to do with what has happened in the past few days. She twirls for a long time and moans quietly from a feeling of nausea and pain in her stomach.       But when Raquelle starts falling asleep, her smartphone placed on the table near the bed, starts vibrating very strongly. The girl slowly opens her eyes with a quiet moan, not wishing to answer the call. But because the vibration gets her madly irritated, she decides to do this, taking her smartphone from the table, running her finger over the screen, and putting it to her heart.       “Hello…” Raquelle almost groans in a very quiet voice.       “Hi, Raquelle,” Simon pronounces happily. “I hope you have not forgotten that I exist.”       Raquelle wipes her eyes and slowly sits up in the bed, not getting too scared or surprised by Simon’s call because she was ready that he would call her when she would be waiting for it less than anything.       “You’ve shown up, finally…” Raquelle throws coldly in a little hoarse voice.       “Oh, honey, what’s wrong with your voice?” Simon wonders. “Why is it so hoarse?”       “Wow… I thought you left me alone.”       “Listen, where did you disappear so suddenly? Honestly, I got really exhausted while trying to find out where you went. Even my loyal helper could not find you!”       “That’s how…”       “Were you swallowed by the ground? Or did the black hole get you dragged in without a wish to let you go?”       “Do you want to reach it? You want to wipe me out!”       “I could say so…” Simon smiles slyly.       “Maybe, you tell me when you are going to finally let me live a quiet life? When would I exhale with relief, knowing I would not surely meet you and your accomplices?”       “Do not even dream, my sweetheart,” Simon replies confidently. “I will not leave you alone so easily.”       “How long are you going to torture me?”       “I want to torture you a little bit more before I do what I planned so well.”       “What?”       “But I promise I will not torture you too hard and will stop when it’s time. Because I do not have your premature death on the list of my plans. I don’t want you to be found with open veins in the bathroom or on the edge of a high building, which you would like to jump from.”       “Listen, Ringer, when are you going to leave me alone?” Raquelle asks loudly. “When are you going to stop?”       “When I want.”       “What do you want? You almost brought me to despair! Because of you, I lost everybody I loved. I stayed all alone! Everybody thinks I am a psycho, who is allegedly dangerous to them! Everybody the fuck ignores me and does not even want to talk to me! Because of you, bastard!”       “Okay, quiet, quiet, baby, quiet,” Simon pronounces quietly and confidently. “Do not scream like this.”       “What do you want from me? What? How are you going to torture me? Why are you doing your best to drive me crazy?” Raquelle sniffs quietly. “Maybe, you should really try to bring me to a wish to kill myself? Then let me do this! I have nothing to lose!”       “No, do not do it,” Simon protests. “It’s not time.”       “Why? Let me quickly end all of this! Everybody gives a fuck about me! All my close people think I’m a sick, hysterical girl! Because you told them a lie about me and turned them against me and me against them. You did it so well that I really looked like a mentally sick person in their eyes.”       “It’s all your problem… You probably confirmed it yourself when you were behaving like crazy.”       “I am absolutely healthy and have never had this type of issue.”       “What if it’s not the truth? You got many mental issues in childhood. The bullying of your schoolmates impacted you and gave you some doubt about yourself. And it made the problems that you had had before much worse.”       “Tell everybody that it’s not the truth now! Tell everybody that I am not ill!”       “Ha, serious?” Simon smirks evilly.       “I am not sick! NOT SICK! MY MENTAL HEALTH IS ABSOLUTELY FINE!”       “Ah, Raquelle, what a naive girl you are…” Simon shakes his head. “Do you really think I would run to everybody so easily and tell them that you are fine? Not at all!”       “Simon!”       “I want them to keep thinking you’re guilty of everything and believing that you’re crazy and could be very dangerous. I do not need them to start helping you destroy you all together. It’s not a part of my plan.”       “Ha, you washed everybody’s brains so well that nobody wants to talk to me. Even those, who I have not fought with yet.”       “So, may they keep thinking so,” Simon smiles slyly.       “I can’t believe they believed you, the one that nobody knew before. Even those, who’ve known me for a bigger part of life, believe that I am sick.”       “Anyway, there is a part of the truth about what I told them. Yes, you are not sick, I do not deny it. But you cannot be called quiet. Anyone could do something to make you prove that you’ve got a hard character. And you are a little similar to your ex-boyfriend, who actually gets excited very easily.”       “Do not dare to mention that bastard! Do not even dare to call the name of one of your accomplices.”       “It’s the truth, sweetie. Although you have always called yourself strong, your modeling career has made you more vulnerable. It made you confident about your beauty, but it deprived of your nerves and turned you into an enraged gal.”       “What are you talking about?”       “Do you want me to tell you why you’re so obsessed with your work? Because you want to prove to everyone that you are worth something! You want to show those, who insulted and humiliated you, that you are no longer an unhappy, insecure, and ugly girl. By having photoshoots for magazines and walking on a runway, you are letting everyone know that you cost one million dollars. Your fans give you tons of compliments, and it warms your soul up. It makes you feel much more confident.”       “When did you decide to become a psychologist?”       “I understand something about psychology and can say what every single person is made of,” Simon replies confidently. “Thanks to this, I can easily make people sure about what I need. I was born a psychologist! I know how to control any person.”       “I already see it.”       “Besides, some people you worked with some time ago told me about your hysterics. About scandals that you started after getting popular around the whole world. So, I tell everybody that you are not an innocent angel that you want to be for the reason.”       “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”       “Would you keep denying that you were behaving like a queen? You could easily start a hysteria two minutes before shooting or actually cancel it!”       “I’ve never started hysterics.”       “Yeah? Maybe, I remind you of a canceled shooting at the beginning of the 2010s that you disrupted because you were not pleased with the condition of work? And how you were hysterical when people refused to give up on you? Huh, Cameron? Did you forget that? But some people remember! And they could easily tell everyone what happened!”       “And I can find anyone, who would confirm that it’s a lie. I can prove that working with me is very comfortable for people, and I’ve never had the hysterics that you are talking about.”       “Ah, my darling…” Simon sighs with a slight smile. “You can deny it as much as you want. But people would find out that you are not as holy as everyone thinks, early or late. Many people just keep silent because of fear of losing a job and being bullied because of an alleged lie. Just like it happened to me when everyone found out that you were slandered. I mean, I tried to tell people that you were not an angel. Or maybe, you’re threatening to destroy them if they say something… Or your managers threaten to sue anyone, who dares to say something bad about you.”       “Fuck, do anything you WANT!” Raquelle shouts in despair, wiping tears off her cheek. “Just leave me all alone! LEAVE ME ALL ALONE!”       “Never.”       “Please, Simon, forget about your revenge and stop torturing me…” Raquelle sniffs quietly. “Please… Stop… I can no longer live the life you made me live…”       “No, Raquelle, I will not stop and will get what I want early or late,” Simon says confidently. “And now it’s going to be much easier to do this because I got almost everybody that could prevent me from making my dream come true out of my way.”       “What did those, who surrounded me, do to you since you reached them and terrified them? I don’t understand! And how did you do it?”       “I already told you about it the last time.”       “Ah, you told…”       “Do you still not believe me, and do you still think that your friend did not betray you from jealousy for your success?”       “Do not remind me of that betrayal! As well as the one, who is one more accomplice of yours. The one you agreed with before I met you.”       “M-m-m, do you mean your ex-boyfriend? Well, yeah, yeah… One of those, who left you at such a hard moment, as well…”       “Listen, Ringer, maybe, you leave alone at least those, who just became your victims and believed the lie about me?”       “Well, I will think if I want to keep mocking them. Who knows, maybe, I like it and love to do another trick on them.”       “What did those people do if you were threatening them? My relatives and friends do not have to do with our business.”       “Why don’t they have? They do! They are connected with you!”       “Stop, Ringer, stop!” Raquelle begs loudly in despair. “We can’t live like the life you made us live anymore. We c-a-n-n-o-t! Get it!”       “We?” Simon pronounces surprisingly. “What do you mean under the word 'we?' Your former friend Natalia, who is dreaming of revenging you and happy everybody left you, and your life is getting ruined to the fuck? Or are you talking about your ex-boyfriend Terrence, who already met a new girlfriend? While you decided to become a recluse and almost think of a self-murder.”       After hearing what Simon told her about Terrence and his new girlfriend, Raquelle gets quite tense and rounds her eyes. She tries to keep breathing quietly not to let emotions get obsessed with her, but the girl understands that she literally starts going crazy from anger and jealousy.       “What?” Raquelle frowns strongly.       “Yes, yes, you heard it right,” Simon replies confidently. “MacClife broke up with you some time ago, but he is already going on dates with another girl.”       “I do not understand what you are talking about,” Raquelle replies as coldly as possible.       “My gosh, do you really know nothing?” Simon asks loudly.       “I don’t know and don’t want to know.”       “So… Then I am ready to tell you the latest news about your former boyfriend and tell you who he is having fun with.”       “Don’t do!” Raquelle throws coldly. “I do not care how that scumbag is living! MacClife is dead for me!”       “But I will you anyway!”       “Shut up, Simon… Shut up!”       Simon smiles widely with a feeling of pleasure, while Raquelle moans quietly with her eyes rolled up, tightly clenching a free hand into a fist.       “Attention, breaking news!” Simon exclaims cheerfully. “Literally a few hours ago, the famous worldwide actor and one of the sexiest men in the world, Terrence MacClife, got caught on the streets of New York, in one of the parks of the city. He was wearing clothes, which were black – his favorite color, and walking proudly with a wide smile on his face.”       “That’s very interesting information…” Raquelle growls quietly. “I do not care about what that bastard is doing.”       “And there was a very beautiful long-legged blonde, who was a little shorter than the man’s shoulders,” Simon continues to speak confidently with a wide smile. “She was literally hanging on the former boyfriend of the all-favorite model, Raquelle Cameron, looking into his eyes with an ogle gaze and trying to press herself to him as close as possible. And MacClife himself did not mind it and was happy to give her attention. He often smiled at the unfamiliar beauty and behaved like a real gentleman.”       “I do know that MacClife and Rochester have hooked up for a long time and want literally to get married.”       “Is the all-favorite man of all girls cheating on one of the most wanted girls in the world, knowing that he feels free to flirt and even kiss that mysterious blonde? Who is she? The investigation is going on! Follow the latest news to be the first one to know who is the mysterious girl that was next to Terrence MacClife and what’s happening to his relationship with Raquelle Cameron, who, judging the rumors, he has some issues with.”       Simon falls into silence for two seconds and closely listens to Raquelle, who, however, says nothing, rolling her eyes.       “So, didn’t your heart miss a beat?” Simon smiles slyly. “Didn’t you get obsessed with jealousy for the man, who you rejected so easily?”       “Not at all,” Raquelle pronounces as confidently as possible, getting wild after everything she just heard and breathing heavily enough.       “Come on, my sweetheart, confess that you got hurt by this piece of news.”       “I do not care who that man is kissing and hugging.”       “Yeah? You know, everybody does not care about you, too. Your ex-boyfriend is already hugging and kissing another girl, deciding not to wait for some time to be gone. Your friends have their own lives, and your relatives actually forgot you.” Simon smirks evilly. “Nobody needs you, Raquelle Cameron. Nobody needs your problems. It is hurtful to know that everybody left you and thinks you are mentally ill… Right?”       “And how do you know everything?” Raquelle asks coldly, understanding that everything is burning inside her from anger and jealousy for Terrence, who has met a new girlfriend.       “I did say nothing could be hidden from me,” Simon replies confidently.       “You know, you should work as a detective. Or the help of a detective. I think you would do this very well!”       “So, are you jealous? Are you jealous of your ex-boyfriend and that girl?”       “No,” Raquelle lies hesitantly in a little shaking voice.       “Lying.”       “Not lying.”       “I do feel it. You are obsessed with anger.”       “I said I don’t care about it!”       “M-m-m, you know how beautiful that girl is…”       Simon smiles widely as if he gets pleasure from mocking Raquelle and making her feel anger.       “She is a blonde with gorgeous hair and long legs…” Simon pronounces confidently. “She is thin… With gorgeous breasts… She’s got something to grab. Unlike you, a board with zero-sized breasts and a flat ass.”       “Why do you say it all?” Raquelle asks coldly, breathing heavily enough and understanding that every single muscle of hers is very tense.       “And MacClife looked at her with such a tender ogle… M-m-m… He definitely fell in love with her. At least because she looked at him as if he was God. Not like shit. Just like you did it.”       “Listen, bastard, when would you finally leave me alone?” Raquelle starts shouting. “HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO TORTURE ME?”       “So, did I hurt you?” Simon smirks evilly.       “I hate you, Simon Ringer! I HATE YOU! CURSE YOU! BURN IN THE HELL! ALIVE!”       “Quiet, quiet, my girl, quiet,” Simon pronounces softly. “Calm down… Don’t waste your strength because you are going to need it later.”       “YOU REALLY ANNOYED ME! BECAUSE OF YOU, MY LIFE WAS RUINED TO THE FUCK!”       “Sorry, sweetie, but I have to say goodbye to you.” Simon smiles slyly. “But I will call you again very soon. And I think I will tell you what I actually want to do to you and your fucking family. And what you should do to make your life a little easier.”       “I WISH YOU DID NOT LIVE UNTIL TOMORROW!”       “See you soon, Raquelle. Don’t be sad because your ex is now kidding another girl and not thinking of you anymore. And don’t kill yourself earlier. You will do this when I need it.”       Simon turns off the call with a mocking smirk, and Raquelle slowly moves the phone off her ear and puts it on the bedside table. Then she thinks for a few seconds, being shocked by everything she heard a few seconds ago. The girl doubts that Simon told her the truth about Terrence and his new girlfriend. But just one thought that another lady could be next to him makes Raquelle get obsessed with anger and a wish to strangle both of them, or at least one of them.       “No…” Raquelle shakes her head with tears in her eyes, breathing heavily enough and looking into the distance. “No, I don’t believe it… It can’t be the truth… I don’t believe it!”       Raquelle sniffs quietly.       “How could that bastard dare to do it?” Raquelle resents. “We broke up literally yesterday, but he’s walking quietly on the streets with another lady! And he is KISSING her! BEFORE EVERYONE’S EYES!”       Raquelle shakes her head.       “Couldn’t he wait?” Raquelle wonders. “Or does he want to fuck someone so badly that he doesn't want to wait? He didn’t want to wait and decided to have fun with other ladies openly!”       Raquelle clenches her hands tightly into fists, not hiding her anger and hate for Terrence and the girl, who is having fun with him.       “I hate him…” Raquelle pronounces with evil in her eyes. “I hate that bastard! And that that dyed mob, who is having an affair with the one, who was a boyfriend of mine some time ago. I HATE BOTH OF THEM!”       With these words, Raquelle sharply hits her hands against the bed.       “Fucking horndog!” Raquelle blunts under her breath coldly. “We broke up literally yesterday, but he already began to flirt with other ladies! First, that bitch Natalia got him to lose his head, and now another otter showed up.”       Raquelle smirks evilly.       “Or is that ‘long-legged blonde’ the betrayal?” Raquelle asks herself. “Or does he have a lot of dyed blondes? I would not be surprised! He is now single and wanna feel wanted and irresistible. So, he found some mangy chickens that were singing praises to this bastard. He is walking like a fucking peacock and enjoying it! ENJOYING, THE FUCK!”       Raquelle quickly looks around and throws off a glossy glass for pens and pencils with a loud shout and tears in her eyes. Which eventually falls to the floor with a crack and gets broken into many pieces.       “HORNDOG!” Raquelle screams at the top of her lungs with evil. “HE DOES WANT TO FIND A WHORE AND FUCK HER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! THAT BASTARD IS THE FUCK HAPPY AND ENJOYING HIS LIFE!”       Raquelle sniffs two times.       “I WISH EVERYONE LEFT HIM AS WELL AS EVERYBODY LEFT ME!” Raquelle wishes. “I WISH THAT BASTARD FELT EVERYTHING I AM FEELING NOW! I WISH HE WAS NEVER HAPPY! NEVER! I WISH THAT SCUMBAG SUFFERED! I WISH ALL THE GIRLS TURNED THEIR BACKS ON HIM AND STOPPED CALLING HIM IRRESISTIBLE!”       Raquelle starts shouting at the top of her lungs, grabbing her hair with both hands.       “I CURSE YOU, MACCLIFE!” Raquelle shouts loudly. “I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!”       Raquelle sniffs quietly, takes a pillow from the bed, and, hiding her face in it and embracing it tightly, starts crying much harder than before. Simon’s words about Terrence broke the girl down and made her bad condition much worse. Even if she was never truly attracted to her ex-boyfriend, something definitely clicked inside her. Anyway, her offender managed to hurt his victim. Moreover, she even wants to look at the girl, who dared to start an affair with him after he literally ended his previous relationship yesterday. She wants to see her and drag her by the hair as hard as possible. And she is dreaming of strangling the man, who is doing his best to forget the one that did not make him happy and become the one he was dreaming about.