1 Do I Know you?

HAILEY’S P.O.V

It was 10:15 pm. I stood by the side of the road waiting for a taxi. I held my umbrella and my bag tightly. It was very late and it was raining cats and dogs. I saw a taxi and flagged it down. It stopped in front of me. Although it was a bit more expensive than the usual, I had to accept it in order to get out of the rain. I heaved a sigh of relief after getting in.

It was a really stressful day at the shop, today being Monday. Even if it was my usual routine, Mondays are the most stressful.

I’m Hailey Drew, twenty three years of age and an average American lady. I’m light skinned, with dark brown hair. I’m not too slim or too fat. I’m just somewhere in between. I’m a graduate who studied medicine and surgery but got no job. So I delved into my own specialty, baking. I bake whatever that can be baked and I have a shop where I sell my products. So I’m self-employed. I don’t make so much from it but it is enough for my daily upkeep. So I’m comfortable, living in a two bedroom apartment.

Speaking of parents, I don’t really have parents… Ok, I do. My dad is a well-known multimillionaire business man and my mum happened to be his mistress. I was the product of their illicit affair. My dad’s wife found out and made him break up with her. After giving birth to me, my mum abandoned me at my dad’s house, but I was taken care of by a nanny, not in my dad’s house. He sent me to school, paying for my tuitions without his wife’s knowledge. She finally found out a year before I graduated, two years ago. She made my dad choose between his family and I. Of course, he chose his family and cut ties with me. I had to fend for myself without a mum or a dad throughout my last year in school. And here I am, still strong and alive. I know my dad would have been able to get me a job but he’s under the control of his wife. So I mean nothing to them. Not like I'd go ask them for anything. But I'm sure that one day, I’ll get a decent job, a better apartment, a nice car and a lovely family.

I arrived at my apartment. I paid the taxi driver and alighted from the car. I was in a hurry to get out of the rain but I stopped walking when Something or someone caught my attention. A man was lying on the street, under the rain.

"What is he doing there?" I muttered and walked to him. "Hello sir." I called and tucked my hair behind my ears. I bent to him. He reeked of alcohol. He must be drunk. But he looks like a well to do guy. I observed his dressing, they were quite expensive. I don’t think he is some drunkard. But why is he under the rain?

I looked around, the street was almost deserted. No sane person would want to be out, under this heavy down pour. Should I take him in? What if he tries to hurt me? But I can’t leave him out here at this time and the in this weather, he might fall sick. I have to help him. It seems he isn’t fully unconscious because he kept muttering the name "Janice." I wonder who she was. Probably his girlfriend, mum or sister. Jeez Hailey, he wouldn't call his mum by her name. So it has to be his girlfriend or sister or even wife.

"Come on now." I said as I placed his hand on my shoulder and my hand around him. "Gosh, you are heavy." I muttered. I managed to get him to my door. I brought out the key from my bag and inserted it into the key hole and opened the door. I took him in and shut the door. I took him to a room, not mine though. I dropped him on the bed and he laid haphazardly. I sighed.

I switched on the lights and walked over to him. I got a clearer view of his face. He was dripping with handsomeness. He had brown hair. He wore a diamond stud on his right ear and his face was so cute.

WOW!

His clothes were wet, should I take them off? Gosh! How can I undress a grown up man? I can’t do that. I walked to the door.

But.. If I don’t take off his wet clothes he may fall sick. "urgh" I groaned and walked back to him. Gosh Hailey, what have you gotten yourself into?

I sat beside him. He looked stressed. Why was he drinking? I took a deep breath and started unbuttoning his shirt. I was so cautious.

"Janice". He called. I took off his shirt and noticed two black stars tattooed on his neck. He must be a wayward and rugged man. I went to his trousers. I hope he is wearing shorts inside. I closed my eyes and undid the belt and zipped the trousers. I carefully opened my eyes and heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that he was wearing a blue short. I removed his trousers and dried his body with a towel, then I covered him up with a blanket. I hung his clothes on the wardrobe beside the bed and switch off the lights.

I walked out to my room. I took a hot bath and changed into something warm. I laid on my bed, thinking about the guy in the adjacent room. I hope he is a good guy. I don’t want to regret helping somebody. I took my pepper spray from my bag, just in case he turns out to be vicious. I kept it beside me as I slept.

NEXT DAY

CALVIN’S P.O.V

I opened my eyes a bit and rolled over the bed but I fell down from the bed.

"Ouch." I yelped. My bed isn’t this small. I opened my eyes and surveyed where I was. This isn’t my room. Where am I? I held my head as I was having a migraine, a hangover. The room wasn’t big and luxurious. It was just plain with simple purple walls. There was a wardrobe beside the bed. Wait, are those my clothes? I looked at myself and realized that I was only cladded in my shorts. How did that happened? Where is this place? What am I doing here? How the fuck did I get here?

Suddenly the door creaked open and a lady walked in. She looked like she was in her early twenties. She had nice brown wavy hair. She was dressed in a simple outfit of a blue jumpsuit but she looked beautiful, so beautiful. She smiled at me and I was confused.

"Do I know you?" I asked and she giggled.

"No you don’t. Good morning." she said politely.

"Who are you? Why am I here? Where is this place?" I asked.

"Why are you on the floor?" She questioned, ignoring my questions. "Are you ok?" She asked.

"What happened to me? Why am I naked?" I asked.

"Um… technically, you are not naked, you're wearing short." she said.

"You think I don’t know that?" I asked.

"If you know then why say you're naked?" she asked and I ruffled my hair and stood up.

"What happened?" I asked and she sighed.

"Well last night, you were lying subconsciously on the street despite the heavy down pour. I figured you were drunk so I took you in." she said and I remembered what happened last night. I was so drunk, I couldn’t help myself. My heart was in pains. "If you don’t mind me asking, why did you get so drunk?" she asked and I remembered the event that made me result to drinking. I waved it off.

"Thanks for helping me out. I’m really sorry for making you go through the trouble of taking me in." I said.

"It’s okay, just get dressed." She said and left. I can’t believe that I laid on the street all because of Janice. I'm really grateful for this lady’s help. She is really nice.

I got dressed and walked out of the room. There was a door opposite the room. I walked through the little passage and found myself in a living room. The lady was having breakfast.

"Come join me." She offered.

"Um…. No, thanks." I said.

"Please, I insist." She said. She really looks beautiful. Gosh Calvin, snap out of it.

"Ok, just a little." I said and walked to her. She dished out some food for me and I had a bite. It was so delicious. After eating, we both walked out. She seemed to be going somewhere.

"Thanks again Miss…" I trailed off.

"Hailey Drew." She said.

"Miss Hailey, thanks a lot. I’m Calvin by the way." I said.

"You are welcome, Calvin." She said. I’m sure she doesn’t know me, or else she would have addressed me as Mr Calvin or Mr Hart.

"What can I do to repay you for your kindness?" I asked.

"Nothing. I have to go to work now. Bye." She said and hurried off.

"Wait a minute." I said and walk to her. She turned to me. "Let me drop you off to wherever you are going." I offered.

"You own a car?" she asked and I was really surprised.

"Do you really not know who I am?" I asked. She stared at me for some time.

"Nope, am I supposed to?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Wow… Ok, anyways I do own a car, so can I drop you off?" I asked.

"Sure." She said and we walked back to my car.

It was parked at the front of a club. I actually came here yesterday with the aim of drowning my hurts. But the hurt was still there.

Hailey gave me directions to her work place. I parked the car and she got down. She ran to my window.

"Thanks for the ride." She said.

"It’s nothing." I said.

"Ok, this is my shop." She said pointing at the shop that had the name, HAILEY’S BAKERY. "You are welcome to patronize me, Ok?" She said and I nodded.

"Yeah." I said.

"Bye." She said and walked away. It was crystal obvious that she doesn’t know who I am, if she did, then I’m sure she wouldn’t be this informal with me. But I love that she is free with me and not formal like the others. I think it is better this way.

I’m Calvin Hart, a billionaire business man. I’m twenty six years of age. I’m every lady dream guy because of my handsome features, wealth, fame and physique. More so, I’m the only child of my parents, Mr and Mrs Hart. I’m not that lively or timid, I’m just myself.

I drove into the mansion and parked the car. I still felt the hangover. I alighted from the car and went inside.

"Calvin." Mum called and stood up from the sofa and she came to me.

"Good morning mum." I said absent mindedly.

"Calvin where were you all night? Where did you spend the night? Why weren’t you picking my calls?" she asked fondling my face.

"I’m fine mum." I said.

"No you’re not, talk to me, why is your face like this?"

"I have to freshen up and get ready for work mum, I’ll see you later." I said and walked upstairs to my room. I locked myself in and fell on the king sized bed. I couldn’t help but feel so sad.

"JANICE." I muttered in sadness. Why did she have to cheat on me?

Janice is or was my girlfriend, actually fiancé. I already proposed to her. But just yesterday I saw her with another guy on her bed, having sex. I’ve always loved her with all of my heart, undermining her short comings but she ended up throwing my love into the mud. She is so selfish. After everything we’ve been through together, she disregarded me and cheated on me with a complete scumbag.

"Gosh, I’ve been so foolish, Dang it." I punched the wall angrily. "Come on Calvin, you can’t be sulking for someone who doesn’t care about you." I said to myself and wiped my tears. I stood in front of my mirror, staring at myself. "You are more than this." I said and heaved a sigh.

I walked to the bathroom and freshened up. Even though it hurts me, I’m going to cheer up and move on. I dressed up for work and took my phone and car keys. I walked out of my room and walked downstairs.

"You’re off to work already? Won't you have breakfast?" mum asked.

"I already had breakfast." I said.

"Where?" she asked.

"Somewhere, I really need to be at the office." I said.

"So you won’t even say hi to your dad?" She asked and I remembered I had not seen my dad yet.

"I will." I said and went upstairs to my parent’s room. I opened the door and went in. He was lying on the bed but wide awake.

"Good morning dad." I said and he nodded with a slight smile. He took his phone pad and scribbled some words in it. He gave it to me and I read it.

"Good morning son. Your mum said you didn’t sleep here last night, what happened?" I read.

Ok… my dad is dumb, unfortunately. It happened four years ago after he had an accident. But anyways, he’s a really great dad, not annoying like mum.

"Dad… Janice and I broke up. Actually, I broke up with her." I said.

"Why?" He scribbled.

"I caught her sleeping with another guy. She has been cheating on me all along. It’s just so painful, dad. After the two years we spent together, she threw it all down the drain." I said. He sat up and pat me on my back.

"It’s ok, you will get over it soon enough. She doesn’t know she lost a ruby." He scribbled and I smiled.

"Thanks dad. I’ll do everything I can to let her go." I said and he nodded.

"Hurry up now, you have to get to work." He scribbled and I stood up.

"Bye dad, I’ll see you later." I said and walked out of the room. I went downstairs.

"So tell me, why are you sad?" mum asked with motherly concern. I told her everything I told dad.

"What? No way, Janice could not have done that. I know she is a decent girl." Mum said. Trust mum to always be on Janice side.

"Decent indeed. Mum it’s the truth. It’s over between us." I said.

"It might be a mistake. You took things too far by breaking up with her." She said but I didn’t say a word. "Come on Calvin, give her a second chance. I’m sure she didn’t mean it. She loves you a lot." She said.

"Mum, if she really loved me, she wouldn’t have cheated on me. We are through. I can’t get married to a slut." I said.

"Calvin!!!" She exclaimed.

"That’s the truth mum. I won’t be able to love her anymore and I don’t care if you like her a lot. All I know is that I’m not getting back with her." I said and walked outside to my car. I got in and drove to the office.