Chapter 3#
1573 Words
Riccardo•
I sat. Waiting. Where on earth is this Andrea Queen and why is she keeping me waiting?
I was getting impatient. It was already ten minutes past the scheduled time and she still wasn't here. Who on earth does she think she is, keeping me waiting like this? I had zero tolerance for late comers so why is this...... Andrea Queen keeping waiting?
"Where on earth is your boss?" I directed the question at her secretary who was seated. I wasn't even the only one seated. Other shareholders were also present but they weren't even saying a word even though they were here twenty minutes before me. They seem to be very patient people unlike me. I am the chairman of Emporium and I barely had time to spare.
"Um.. I'm really sorry sir but she'll be here soon." Her secretary apologized.
"Why is she keeping me waiting like this? Does she know who I am? Does she know I'm a very busy person who barely have time to spare?! I see no reason why she should be keeping a major shareholder like me waiting. Does she know I can withdraw my funds in a blink of an eye and invest somewhere else?!"
"Actually, that's a very brilliant idea coming from you, Mr. Del Valle. And when you're done, kindly shut the door on your way out." A woman said as she walked in. She had straight long blond hair and she was wearing sunglasses. Judging from her appearance alone, the expensive attire and adornments she was putting on, it was obvious she was The Andrea Queen.
She walked past us to take her seat. That aura. There was something familiar about her aura but I ignored it, staring at her as she took her seat, placed her bag on the table and took off her robe.
I snorted. "Excuse me? But I don't think you know who I am."
"Oh I very well know who you are, Mr. Del Valle. Everyone does." She said as she slowly took off her sunglasses.
My heart skipped a beat.
Everything around me froze for a moment as my gaze held hers firmly.
No. It can't be.
Rosalie?
"You seem to be quite in a shock, Mr. Del Valle. Oh it's almost as if you've seen a ghost." She told me with a furrowed brow and a smile. "Is anything the matter, Mr. Del Valle?"
I rose up and in a blink of an eye, I covered the space between us and grabbed her hand as I looked at her face.
"Rosalie. It is you. It's you. Rosalie!" I said as I gripped her body into mine. "I searched everywhere for you! What happened?! Guess what? I found out the truth. They were only trying to tear us apart. They were only trying to ruin our marriage. Rosalie, do you hear me?! I said, it was their plan to tear us apart!"
She pushed me immediately and snorted as she straightened her dress.
"I'm sorry but I think you're mistaken, Mr. Del Valle. My name is Andrea Queen. The head and president of Queen Group."
I looked at her shock. "No. It can't be. I know who you are. I can't be mistaken. You're my missing wife. Not some.... president of some conglomerate." The word sounded like disgust on my lips.
She smiled. "But that is who I am, Mr. Del Valle. You're free to ask around or anyone here, Mr. Del Valle." She told me, still smiling.
I looked at her in surprise. "No. That can't be. How is that even possible?! You're Rosalie and what's up with this foreign accent?" I asked her as I grabbed her arm. "Have you forgotten? It's me, Riccardo. You're my wife. You're my Rosalie. I know who you are, Rose. You can fool these people here but you can't fool me. You're the woman who loved living a simple life and you've always disliked matters of business. This isn't....this isn't who you are. This....can't be you." I said, eyeing her from head to toe. "I know it's you, Rosalie, stop lying."
"Um, Mr Del Valle?" Her secretary cut in. "This is Miss Andrea Queen. The daughter of Robert Queen. I get what you're saying, I totally do. Some people look so much like others. Yes! Doppelgangers! Maybe the woman you're speaking of is Ms. Queen's doppelganger! Maybe, they look so much alike and you're mistaking her for Madam president here."
I shot her a glare before fixing my gaze back on Rosalie's. "Cut that crap, I know who my wife is. I can feel her when she's around. I know what her touch feels like. Her aura. And she's standing right in front of me. It's you. It's you, Rosalie." I said as I gestured to touch her face.
She held out her hand and stepped back. "That's it. Security!" She called out as she stepped away from me. "Security!"
Three men immediately dashed into the room and one asks, "Yes ma'am?"
Rosalie looked at me with so much disgust on her face as she pointed at me. "Get this lunatic out of here this instant!"
I looked at her in shock. "What?" I reached for her again but before I could, two men grabbed me. With my strength and stature, it was easily to knock them off as I reached for her again. "Rosalie. Look at me."
"Oh I am. And you know what I see when I look at you, Mr. Del Valle?" She asked me as she clenched her jaw. "I see a lunatic. A blind, daft lunatic. Now, if you don't want to be surrounded by armed men, I suggest you get the hell out of my building now. Get out!" She said and pointed at the door.
"Rosalie--"
"Whoever that woman is, I'm sorry but that's not me. You're heavily mistaken, Mr. Del Valle. My name is Andrea Queen. Get that stuck into your head and please leave. Leave now!" She said in fury.
I looked at her. She was so.... different. She sounded different, obviously looks different and...acts different.
But I can't be mistaken. I know my wife. And this is...this is definitely Rosalie. But why is she claiming she isn't? Why is she claiming to be Andrea Queen?
"Mr. Del Valle, I'm waiting." She uttered, still pointing at the door.
I looked around.
Everyone was staring at me as if I was crazy. A whole chairman of Emporium. Me. Riccardo Del Valle.
I swallowed then looked at her.
"No. I'm not leaving." I announced. "I have a meeting here, don't I? I won't leave. I'll stay right here till the meeting is over." I said and took my seat.
She was still standing, staring at me when all of a sudden, she smiled. "I see. Very well then. But if you ever think of pulling a stunt like that again, I'll make sure your next destination would be a jail cell." She told me then sat back down on her chair. "Now, shall we begin?"
I looked at her. She looked at me for a moment then rolled her eyes as she tore her gaze away from mine. "First of all, I would like to apologize to everyone here. For keeping you all waiting. It wasn't intentional. And secondly, I would like to brief you all on the latest improvements. As you all know, my father is seriously ill. And he has put me in charge of Queen Group. I want you all to know that from henceforth, your shares are now under my conservation. Anyone who opposes to this is hereby free to withdraw their shares and is to never to be seen again in Queen's." She declared as she narrowed her gaze at me. "Are we all clear on this?"
"Clear." The people seated responded but I didn't. Instead, I kept my gaze fixed on her, observing her every move. The way she spoke, the way she flung her hair at every given chance and the way she moved.
This wasn't how Rosalie used to be. The Rosalie I knew before was a brunette not a blond. Although her nose structure was still the same and her lips too, plump and a color of deep rose. But her eyes were different. Rosalie's eyes were blue and before she always wore prescribed glasses because she had problems with her vision but now her eyes were brown and they seem to be sharper than ever. If I didn't know Rosalie personally, I would have doubted she wasn't the one and believed every word she said earlier. But I know Rosalie. I could feel her whenever she was around me. I know Rosalie. This has to be her.
All of a sudden, she picked up a pen and started jotting something down. With her right hand and Rosalie has always been a left-handed person.
Could it be....No.
I still wasn't convinced. She was probably trying to fool me but I won't let her.
"This meeting is over." She suddenly declared and got up. "Now, please, if you'll all excuse me." She said and stalked for the door.
The moment she walked out the door, I got up and went after her. She was about to walk into the elevator when I called out,
"Rosalie!"
She stopped walking. Then slowly, she turned to face me.
"Yes, Riccardo?"
I froze in shock.
- Writer
