BEAUTIFULLY UNFINISHED novel Chapter 12

ELEVEN

H A R R Y

"Come on Harry."

"I told you, nothing."

Niall remains silent from the other line and I was busy with my laptop too.

"Tell me exactly why you're helping this woman, Harold?" Niall asks me while he's on the other line.

I fixed my Bluetooth earphone, "Cos she needs help." I answered seriously as I kept my eyes glued on my laptop.

I need to finish my presentation for next week's meeting and I still have tons of other stuff to prepare at the studio.

I hear Niall chuckling. "Is that all?"

"Yes." I answered firmly, still keeping my gaze at my laptop.

"Really?" Niall teases.

"Yes Niall."

"You don't need to lie to me Harry." He persuades me.

I stopped from typing and just stared at my laptop. "I'm not lying." I say.

God my eyes hurt. My head hurts. I think I need to take a rest and Niall is annoying me from the other line. I thought.

"Come on." He whines. "Tell me."

"Tell you what?" I massage my temples.

"I know you. We've been friends and brothers since we were like... What, 16?"

I smiled then bite my lower lip. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on!" He exclaims.

I shake my head, Niall still hasn't change.

"She helped my mother at the hospital." I begin to say.

"Hmmm-Hmm." Niall hums.

"She's a nurse and I just want to return the favor now that she's laid off." I reasoned out as I begin to type on my laptop again.

I'm about to finish this presentation and Niall is still making fun of me.

To be honest, I really don't have any idea why I want to help Miranda so badly. I don't know why I'm doing this, I think she just really needs help. I just want to make sure she gets a job for herself, to support her son now that everything in this world is expensive as hell. Plus, she's the only one earning a living for her son. No one I s there for her. No one is there to half their bills and daily expenses.

Yet, I still remember the way her son looked at me when I first saw him. To be honest, I felt something. Like a connection kind of something? I don't know why I felt that. But it was there. I felt it. And it was weird as fuck, I was weirded out myself too. The hue of emerald eyes were exactly the same as mine. It felt like I was standing in front of a mirror, looking at my own reflection, but a younger version of me.

"Is this the nurse you told me that you sent a box of chocolates to?" Niall asked.

"Shut up." I hissed.

Niall laughs softly. "I knew it."

"Shut up Horan."

Niall continues to laugh. "If ever you're forgetting, you're engaged." He warns.

"I know that Niall." I quickly say. "You don't have to say that to my face. And I'm just being friendly and helpful to her."

"Extra friendly and extra helpful." He corrects.

I rolled my eyes, "Will you stop?"

"No. Then why a box of chocolates?"

"What do you want me to send her? A pot of cactus?" I answered sarcastically.

Niall laughs his contagious laugh and I just smiled at myself.

"Whatever you say Harold. Alright, I'll help this woman cos you want me to." He tells me.

"Thanks Niall. Gotta go, I have tons of paperworks to review."

"Alright. Maybe we could have a get-together with the other lads some other time when I'm in England."

I nod, "Sure. Text me."

"Alright. Later Harry."

I hang up and massaged my temples. I gaze at my watch, it's already eight in the evening and I'm still here in my office while Audrey is already in Milan for another fashion show. She's more busy with modeling than preparing for our wedding. I know she's excited for us to get married but sometimes I feel like I'm not her priority but then I can't blame her, she's been a model even before I met her and she loves what she's doing. I can't stop her even though I want her to. All I have to do is support her.

I pulled myself up and stared at lights of London. I love looking over at London when I'm alone in my office, it's peaceful and it makes me want to think solemnly.

And when I'm alone in here, I think about Rose again. I wonder what's her real name. Her full name. Her age. I don't know where she's originally from and I don't think she's from Los Angeles when I met her. But I still can't forget how she was so beautiful that night at the bar. All I remember was her beautiful brown hair, her small shaped face and her sexy smile.

Me: Hey.

My eyes widened. Why did I send that to Miranda? I was suppose to text Audrey!

Miranda: Hello :)

Me: Are you busy nurse Miranda?

I don't know why I'm texting her. God! Are you flirting? Damn it Harold. Stop it while it's early. I know I wasn't thinking about Miranda when I was typing that message. It was meant for Audrey but why did I text her? Why Harry? Of all people?

Miranda: FYI I'm no longer working as a nurse. But I'm not busy. I'm just teaching Ben how to read. Why?

I smile.

I open to the list of people I've been texting with these days and I see Miranda's name. I stare at it for a while and I have this urge again to text her. Even if I try to pull myself away from her, something about her pulls me back. And I know that I should stop whatever this is that I think I'm feeling for her cos I'm about to get married and I don't want to start any form of anything with her.

Suddenly a knock came by the door and Maria enters, "Mr. Styles?"

"Yes Maria?"

"Your next meeting is ready. They're all waiting for you."

I nod, "I'll be out in a bit. Could you prepare everything that I need for this meeting? Thanks."

"Will do sir."

Maria leaves my office while I quickly fix myself for another meeting. I shove my phone inside my pocket and started walking out of my office. I marched my way to the conference room and walked inside. I see my things are all ready right before my chair. I walked to my place and sat down on my usual spot while the others greeted me. The thing I hate about meetings is that it lasts for long hours.

"Let's start." I say.

••••

I exhale heavily as I finally park my car right outside my pad. I gaze at my phone and still no message from Audrey since yesterday. I hopped from my car and walked towards my front door.

"I'm exhausted." I mumble.

I turned on the lights and locked the door behind me. I stare at my house, it's huge and spacious but I live here alone while my fiancée is out there doing God knows what. I threw my keys on top of the table, kicked my shoes off my feet and sat down on the couch. I haven't had dinner, my head hurts and I'm mad cos I don't know where Audrey is right now.

Then I ended up staring at Miranda's name again. I've been staring at her name since I was at the meeting.

What is wrong with you Harry? I scolded myself.

Me: Just got home from work honey, call me when you get this. Love you.

I sit on the couch for a couple more minutes. I rested my head back and placed my feet on top of the table right in front of me. I stared at the ceiling and tried to relax after a hard day's work. I know I'm hungry but I'm too lazy to even move a muscle.

I gaze at my side and saw the remote control. I began to turn on the tv and scanned through the news. From one channel to another then another then another until I saw this news about Audrey. My eyes jumped from my eyeballs. She was spotted clubbing at Milan with a couple of men last night when she's suppose to be texting me? That's what she's busy with?

I wonder how the world famous singer turned successful businessman Harry Styles would react to seeing this. Does he even know what his fiancée has been doing in Milan? The reporter from the tv says out.

I sigh as I turned off the tv.

I grabbed my phone again and called Maria. Her phone rings for a while and finally she caved in.

"Hello good evening Mr. Styles." She greets. "You called?"

"Yes. I want you to cancel all my meetings for tomorrow and book me a flight right this very instant." I say.

Maria remains quiet.

"To Milan sir?" She finally asks. I think she had seen the news about Audrey too.

"No." I say firmly.

"To New York." I add.