Beauty and the beast

45

Mateo's POV

"Hey man," Joshua greeted me and walked into my office.

I watched in annoyance as he planted himself down on my office couch and pour himself a glass of whiskey from my cart.

"You can't just show up in my office whenever you want to. I have work to do," I replied and saved the document I was typing.

"Hey, it's not my fault. I was here with Chris but he got distracted by Jessica outside. Plus I'm surprised that you're here today, I thought you'd be with Nadia. How is she doing by the way,"

I stared at him in confusion and his features dropped.

"Don't tell me you forgot what today is," he asked in all seriousness and I still didn't understand what today is.

"Today's Cassandra's birthday man. Grace was talking about going to put flowers and release balloons later. She was going to ask Nadia but she wasn't answering her phone," he replied and my heart sank to my ass.

I remembered Nadia's energy being off but she brushed it off when I asked her what was wrong. I figured she was tired from all the orders she's been having lately.

She rented out a commercial kitchen to work out of and her catering business has taken off well.

"I didn't know. I asked her what was wrong last night but she blew me off. When I left this morning, she was still asleep but that was normal," I replied while packing up my work.

I need to get home.

"I'm sure she's okay. Just drive safely, she needs you alive" Josh commented as I rushed out the door.

"Hey man-" Chris greeted but I rushed past him to the elevator.

"I'll be gone for the day. Reschedule everything to Monday and you can have early off," I told Jessica and entered the elevator.

I pulled out my phone and dialled Nadia's number but it went to voicemail.

Shit.

I dialled her office number and someone answered.

"This is Matthews Catering, I'm Stephanie-"

"Stephanie, this is Mateo. Is Nadia in?" I asked turning onto the road from the parking lot.

"Oh, uhm, Mr Hernandez. Nadia didn't come in today. She told me yesterday that she wasn't coming in today,"

Double shit.

"Did she say where she was going?"

Please say she did.

"I'm sorry, she didn't. She did, however, ask me to place an order for flowers and I saw her making a "happy 18th" mini cake," she replied and a lightbulb went off in my head.

She's at the cemetery.

"Thank you," I replied and hung up.

I made a stop at a nearby floral shop and picked up lilies before continuing to the cemetery.

I didn't see the car she drove in the parking but I kept hope and rushed to the grave.

A figure sat with its head on its knees.

I walked closer and they looked up at me.

Nadia.

Her eyes were swollen and tear-filled. She looked so broken. It hurt my heart seeing her like this.

I placed the lilies on Cassandra's grave and sat down on the drying grass next to her.

She moved closer to me and placed her hand on my shoulder. Her arms laced around my bicep and she put her legs over my lap.