HOPE

2.

Kennedy.

"Hello, is this Asmythe Agency?"

"Yes it is, how may I help you?"

"I'm Kennedy Melroe, ceo of Roe inc, may I speak to the head of the agency."

"Mr. Melroe, I am the head of Asmythe, I am terribly sorry to have to decline your booking, as we know the state of your company and we would like nothing to do with debts that may not be paid  if we are to help you."

I guess I should consider selling my company, there is nothing I can do now, this had been the sixth agency this morning and they have refused my offer.

All of what is happening now is because of that day, I brought it on myself.

~

"What the fuck Luca!"

I had walked in on my best friend and my boyfriend having sex in my penthouse, I couldn't find remorse or shame at all in their eyes.

I had given my boyfriend everything he ever asked for, all he ever wanted and I gave it to him because I was blindly in love, standing in front of them now, I start to realize why he never wanted to do the simplest things with me, to just talk or go on a date.

He wasn't mine to do all that with.

I knew he wasn't committed to us, so I stopped giving him what he wanted, that when the fights began, it escalated till I told him we had to break up. He pleaded and  promised to fix us, I gave him a chance but he never did, I was just a blank check to him.

"Get out!" I was furious, Finn who I considered my friend just put on his clothes, a smirk on his face and left. Luca was sitting on the bed crying but I couldn't take it anymore.

I knew what had been happening, but I never had proof, now I had it, the cameras all over the penthouse had recorded it all.

Today I was there to witness for myself and I wanted nothing to do with them both, I wanted them gone.

Luca was the favourite celebrity for tabloids with fake pictures and story line he would feed them, to just grow his fame, which I never wanted.

After he calmed down he sttood up, walked to the drawer and pulled out an envelope, he handed it to me with a letter, I just grab the manila and he walks out.

I slumped down to floor, exhausted with everything that went wrong with my relationship, so I closed my eyes and dozed off on the rug.

~

Waking up and realizing I had slept on the rug wasn't the least of my problems, it was the envelope that had been handed to me.

I couldn't believe what I saw on the documents inside, there were millions missing from my company, and if it wasn't rectified within a year the company would be bankrupt and I would be forced to sell.

Investors  would pull out obviously, who would bet on horse that's half dead. What I had done to deserve this, I didn't know, I trusted people and I had failed to see who they really were.

Though Finn was a businessman, we were equally successful, he envied my success despite that fact and now he had double crossed me and used Luca to take from me.

I kept looking through the documents until a note dropped from in between the sheets of paper.

Ken

I loved you at first and I fell out of love but then I wanted the money, so  I stuck around. I fell in love with Finn and I wanted him not you because I no longer loved you.

Thanks for tthe money and showing me the finer things in life.

Luca

I wasn't furious or sad, I was broken, all that had happened  I brought it on  myself with my own pride and self importance, money wasn't everything and I regret how I had turned into someone I didn't recognise.

~
.

Now I've as a failed businessman. Sitting in my office on a Sunday, hoping that the only department that's still bringing in any income with their fashion line, can hopefully get a decent male model as the face of the campaign,  so we can launch.

That had been the agency to decline in one morning, I felt like a failure, I built Roe Inc on my own and now I was almost bankrupt.

Frustrated I walked out of my office in my dishelved state. I make my way toward a park near the company, I needed some air and some form of an idea to save the launch, which was in a few weeks.

I stare at nothing thinking of ways to save my company as I sat by the bench. One of the little boys playing, kicked a ball my way,  it almost hit me but I caught it.

"Thank you mister, can I have our ball back now, we want to play." He eagerly spoke pointing to a similar kid who looked similar to him. There we twins, I wondered what their parents thought giving the two boys that kind of hair colour.

I  gave the ball back with a smile and he ran off to play with his brother and two other kids. I was envious when I saw the kids with a man, I couldn't see his face but the three seemed happy.

At one point I was planning on doing the same with Luca, propose to him then plan our future together, I had it all planned but it didn't go the way I wanted.

I left the park and headed to Chad's apartment, we barely hung out as friends  but when I needed an escape him and his girlfriend welcomed me.

Chad was an ass when it came to his girlfriend, he's cheats on her so many times, I always reprimand him but he never listens. Though I told him it would catch up with him one day, he ignored it.

When I got to his door it was open, I walked in to find him seated on the couch talking on phone, I couldn't get the conversation so I sat down and waited for him to get done.

After his call he turned and looked at me, he looked like shit, more so than me. "What happened?" I asked. "She walked in man, saw me with another girl, we had a fight and she left." I didn't feel bad for him and I was going to say it.

"I told you so." They I gave him a bro hug. We sat in his lounge, as I explained what was happening with the company. I left a while later because I had to try find a model or models for the launch.

It was already evening when I finally quit my search and headed back to my apartment, I had to sell my penthouse, I got my place which felt less lonely.

My assistant didn't fail to remind me that I had meetings tomorrow with the shareholders that didn't bail, she also suggested I try contact independent models for the launch.

It gave me a little hope for tomorrow since I was running dry on ideas, it was worth a try.

~

I had my pitiful chinese noodles dinner, drank my anti-depressants which I started on after Luca left.I slipped into bed and stared at the ceiling, my mind kept going back to the park, that little family, I wished I had my own.

+++

LMJ