Louise Rose

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Oh God, I can't believe I messed up.

Have I lost my touch when dealing with clients abroad? Surely not. It's just that Hendrix was way beyond. He's out of my league. He is strong and attractive, and his irresistible charm sets me apart. It felt like I had been struck by lightning when he stood in front of me. I was blown by the wind and out of my mind.

Now I have to prove to him that I am Rosy. He must believe in me!

"All I have are the records from six months ago, my dear. You can review them and reach out to each family to see if they're still interested. And if not, just cross them out of the list," Aunt Rosy yawned.

Despite the late hour, I couldn't ignore my responsibility. I had to resolve this before morning, or the weight of my mistakes would drive me to madness.

"I told you that it wouldn't be easy, Louise. Madame Violet's son is very picky. With so many broken engagements, it must be hard to find a match for him." She yawned again and rubbed her eyes.

My shoulder sagged. I felt sorry for waking her up. She should be dreaming by now.

"It's alright, Rosy. You can go to bed now." I stood up and grabbed my bag. I kissed her cold cheeks.

Rosy was still sitting on the edge of her bed, waiting for me to leave. She was tired, and it seemed like she had a big day today with all the activities around her, keeping her busy. It was fun, she said to me.

"Why don't we return the deposit, Louise? I did not spend the money. You can check it in my account when you get home. You know my secret pin and everything, right?" she smiled, getting ready to lay back in bed.

"Yes, I know. I will check and think about it. Thank you, Rosy. . . I love you, and goodnight," I said, sending a flying kiss before closing her bedroom door.

The stars shone brightly as I sighed, facing the sky. At least the twinkling stars alleviated the tension and worry I felt at the moment.

I arrived home close to midnight and decided to make myself a soothing chamomile tea to help me sleep. And before going to bed, I logged in to Rosy's bank account and checked the money. My mouth partly parted when I saw the deposit Madam Violett made six months ago.

"Fifty grand? Woah... It seems like the old Madame was desperate to get her son into marriage," I murmured to myself.

That's the only money left in Rosy's account. Many of the deposited transactions on records Rosy's done were all for me. I ended up scrolling back five years and calculated the estimated amount of money Rosy spent on me while I was in university. That's not all. She also spent a lot of money when I had just started my apprenticeship.

I felt guilty and, at the same time, sorry for her. She's done a lot for me, and I'm very thankful for that. I owe her my life. That's what I feel right now. She's my mother... my only one.

-

"Shella! Oh, my goodness. Look at you?"  I embraced Shella tightly. We hadn't seen each other since I left Eden for Singapore. Although we often communicate through emails, seeing her personally in fthe lesh is diverse.

"You are stunning, Louise! My God?" She glanced at me from head to toe. I shook my head, letting out a small laugh at her comment.

"And you are still into boots, girl!" One of her eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Oh well, there are things that are hard to change. It's my trademark," I proudly responded.

"Certainly is." She chuckled.

We sat down on the restaurant's veranda and enjoyed the warm chocolate drink, which was accompanied by vanilla cream cake and dark chocolate cake on my part.

"Remember we used to hang out here a lot? Those were the days," I pounded as I ate my cake.

"True. And remember your first love?" The grin on her face reminds me of my first heartbreak.

"Ugh!" I rolled my eyes, and we both laughed.

"So, what are you up to now? Are you staying in Eden for good?"

"Hmm, not really. I would love to, but there's nothing for me here. I took a four-month vacation from work. I will keep an eye on Aunt Rosy's health. She's important to me, and I love her dearly." I wiped my mouth as I finished my cake.

"What about you? Is work okay?"

"Yes, all good. I'm busy as always. But it's all good," she winked.

I pout a little bit. "I hope I did not interrupt you with work?"

"Oh no, please don't say that, Louise. We haven't seen each other for ages," she rolled her eyes, laughing.

"So, are you in a relationship now?" Her eyes came down to my fingers.

"No. I'm not." I then looked at hers. My eyes widened when I saw her engagement ring. "You are engaged?"

"Yes, I am!" The happiness was obviously written all over her face.

"Oh. . . I'm so happy for you, Shella. So, who's the lucky guy?" I twinkled my eyes.

Shella is as beautiful as ever. I always get jealous of her natural tan skin and curly hair. Back then, I always used to curl my hair when I was with her, whether we were going out to parties or camping. Boys admired her beauty.

"It's Ramil," she giggled, and my mouth parted.

Woah, I did not see that coming. "Ramil? Ramil Gonzales?" I cleared my throat, making sure I had the right name.

"Yes, he's an engineer now, one of the most famous in Castleburgh. He works at GV-Drive Dragons."

My mouth shaped into an O in amusement. I heard that GV-Drive Dragons is a multi-company owned by the Smith-Mondragons. They cater to structural, mining, coal, and infrastructure here and abroad.

"Good on you." I almost lost my smile when I realized that the skinny boy from high school had become an engineer.

"You should go out and date, Louise. We are not getting any younger. You better find the right person now, or you will regret it later."

I feel a pang in my chest. Shella spoke the truth, and it's true, I'm not getting any younger. But I don't want to date just for fun or hooking up. I still believe in love, and I hope I will experience the spark of it before my age fades in the calendar.

"I'm still young. Twenty-eight," I grinned.

"By the way, have you heard of Saxe Hendrix Mondragon?" I changed the topic. I'm pretty sure Stella knows him. I mean, hello? Everyone knows them. He belongs to the royalty of Castleburgh, and he is a Mondragon.

"Oh gee! You mean, Hendrix? The most elite, handsome bachelor of all time? Of course!" Her smile widened, but it did not last long. "Hang on for a second. Is your Aunt Rosy back into the matchmaking business? Why do you suddenly ask about Hendrix?" She looked at me in suspicion.

"Uhm, y-yeah. . . Aunt Rosy is back in business!" I stammered. It's a lie, of course. I only intend to get some information about Hendrix and nothing else.

"That's going to be tough. I heard that Hendrix has very high standards when it comes to choosing a wife." She twisted her lips slightly.

"I mean, he already ended four engagements. He must be seeking something unusual to assume those women belonged to the highest echelons... They're all attractive and flawless."

"I don't know if the gossip was true, but a lot of them said that Hendrix probably is a. . . you know." She gazed at me intently and then abruptly waved her hand.

I gasped and choked on my saliva when I finally understood what she meant by that. I laughed hard.

"You think so?" My face flushed.

It's hard to imagine Hendrix loves the same sex. I cleared my throat, trying to get that stupid imagination out of my mind.

I got home with enough information in hand about Hendrix. Shella was like a talking machine gun. She never stops. She knows every gossip in and out of town.

After checking the list of candidates Rosy had on record, I managed to finalize them minimally. I rang each one of them, checking if they were still available for the matchmaking. When asked who was seeking a match, I mentioned it was Hendrix, which got everyone excited.

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c.m. louden