The Night We Met

Mark’s POV

I was in my home office going through some work files when a reminder for the shareholders' meeting popped up on my laptop. 

I heaved a deep sigh immediately when I saw it. I knew for sure what that meeting was about. Those old folks just couldn’t wait to remove me as the CEO of my father’s company.

However, just before I could confirm my attendance at the meeting, I heard a knock on my door,

“Sir?” Rita called and waited for my response.

“Come in,” I answered immediately, packing up the files spread out on the table.

“Did you find her?” I asked with curiosity, leaning back into my chair.

Rita marched forward and placed a folder on the table, looking anxious and quirky,

“Uhm, I did, but not much.”

“What do you mean?” I questioned with a frown on my face.

“I mean I found the woman, but it seems like she has completely disappeared in the last eight years. All her records are gone,” Rita explained, leaving me even more confused.

“Disappeared?” I asked, raising my brow in curiosity. How could a person just disappear?

“Yes, the woman you slept with eight years ago can’t be found on any database. It’s like she just vanished,” she answered.

I heaved a deep sigh, scratching my head in confusion. I knew I was drunk that night, but I couldn’t have been that drunk to hallucinate an evening together with a total stranger.

Something felt odd. I could remember some things from that night. She was different from the other girls I’d been with, just the same way Anna was.

Could it be possible that they were the same person? I wondered and quickly shook my head, dismissing the thought. I met her in Brigdon, whereas from Rita’s reports, Anna seems to have lived her life in Delroy. 

“Sir, I also checked Ms Brookes's data,” Rita said, interrupting my train of thoughts.

I looked up and gestured for her to proceed.

“She’s twenty-eight years old from Delaware, no parents, went to college in Campbell, graduated top of her class, and is currently living downtown in Abbey Street,” she said.

Anna seemed a lot more impressive on paper than she did in person, which made me even more curious about what she could be hiding.

We’ve met twice and I could tell on both occasions that there was a certain mystery to her, and whatever it was, I had to find out.

“Is she married, any husband or kids?”

“Uhh…I don’t think so sir, I think she’s single,” Rita answered.

I remained quiet for a long while, something didn’t seem right. From Rita’s reports, it seemed that Anna could not be the girl I slept with eight years ago, but I could not shake this familiar feeling that we had met before. 

I was sure it wasn’t all just in my head, the girl I met was real.

‘Urghh! Why could I not find her?!’ I screamed in my head.

This was so frustrating. Whoever she was, she had sparked something in me I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel again, not since Laura. 

For the first time in many years, my heart ached for something, to risk the chance of breaking again, of loss. 

I needed to find this girl, I needed to know who she was. If Anna was really her, then this time I wouldn’t let her slip away so easily.

Suddenly, an idea lit up in my head. If Anna was truly the girl from eight years ago, then I’d need her close to me, that way I could find out by myself. So immediately, I turned towards Rita,

“I need you to add a few more conditions to the contract for Ms Brookes.”

Rita stared at me for long with questions.

“Include that Ms Brookes will be the one to knot my tie every morning when I’m leaving for work. 

She will also be present every day to serve me my breakfast and dinner,” I said, and paused for a brief moment, reconsidering my last rule.

I knew it wasn’t any of my business to be concerned with this, and also not entirely fair to her, but while I confirmed that she wasn’t the same girl from eight years ago, I needed to be sure I wouldn’t stand the chance of losing her to anyone else. So, with that, I cleared my throat and continued,

“Ms Brookes will not have any affairs with anyone and will remain single while she works here.”

Rita seemed taken aback by my last rule, but she understood she was not in any position to question me, so she swallowed her words and asked,

“Is that all sir?”

“That’ll be all, you can go,” I uttered and immediately she turned to leave.

“Oh, Rita… Inform me immediately you get more information about that girl,” I added.

She nodded in response and walked out.

As she walked out, I hunkered in my seat, replaying the memories of the night I had with that girl, trying to find any clues about her.

We were both drunk that night, and she was wearing a mask which made it almost impossible to identify her.

It was an unforgettable night, ironic that the only thing I could remember was kissing the birthmark just further down her shoulder, whispering in her ear how beautiful I found it.