Across the town in the opposite Sector, Luca Rhezan woke before dawn, as usual. Only that, this time dread enveloped him as evidenced by his erratic heart beat.
For a moment, he was disoriented, till he took in his familiar surroundings. As he steadied himself, he dragged in a slow breath and murmured, "Damn this dreams."
The city outside was still asleep. He already knew what the time would be.
He turned his head anyways, just to fulfill righteousness. As expected the red numbers glowed back at him, confirming his guess.
It had been a wedding this time. He remembered only in small bits and flashes. The images were scattered across his mind. The candles, the flowers and then there was her.
He tried to remember why he woke up with dread, but the details were now sketchy and was fast fading away from his mind.
He always forgot the dreams but some things remained constant. He could never forget the curve of her mouth. The look in her eyes before everything went dark.
Luca swung his legs off the bed and got up, he instinctively turned towards the far wall and there she was.
The painting.
He had it commissioned years ago, back when the dreams just started and he was afraid of forgetting her face.
He'd described every single detail about her he could remember to the artist, even the artist thought she was real. He'd described her features, down to the way she smiled, the colour of her eyes, the curve of her mouth, but the way she made him feel he kept to himself.
He stared long and hard at the portrait of the woman he had never met physically and wasn't even sure if she existed and spoke to the portrait casually.
"Hey. I know it was you again."
His voice was still husky from sleep. He then chuckled nervously. "Don't you think it's time we stopped meeting this way? Trust me I wouldn't complain if I could remember. "
He rubbed his neck, half-smiling. "Tonight, just tell me where, and I'll come find you."
Dawn crept in slowly as he showered and dressed. He moved through his penthouse absentmindedly, like he was occupying the space temporarily.
The city far below the penthouse buzzed with life, dreams and ambitions of others without a care for his worries or predicament.
He stood by the window without enjoying the view many would have killed to have. Rhezan global practically owned half of the city, but he felt no pride as he watched.
The feeling of emptiness and feeling of missing something important that followed him into every waking morning made it all meaningless.
Once he walked outside, clouds hung low like storms were coming; reaching Rhezan Tower, his thoughts drifted elsewhere, easing the ache inside him but the tension stayed close.
The second he stepped into the lobby, The calculated and shrewd CEO persona snapped right back into place. Voices and the smell of warm coffee welcomed him.
"Mornin'," Amira tossed out,
"Morning, sir," Amira, his assistant, tossed out, her arms full of papers while gripping a tablet under one arm.
"Sir, here are the minutes of the meeting you missed. Also the investor calls are at ten…"
"Postpone the call." He cut in.
"Postpone?"
He continued walking, without a glance at her. "Not in the mood to babysit egos today."
Amira hesitated, but she had no option but to nod in agreement . "Yes, Mr. Rhezan."
He walked past her into his office. The door closed behind him softly.
A woman was already waiting near the window, Elara, his operations chief, too early, too eager. Elara was a vision in heels. Sharp perfume, flawless hair, and armed with a well practiced smile.
Luca poured himself a drink, ignoring that she was there and it was barely past eight in the morning.
As he gulped it down, they both watched each other. Then he thought he saw his lover's reflection in the glass as he set it down.
He blinked and she was gone.
"Great!" he thought to himself. "I'm losing my mind."
The door opened, it was Amira again.
"Sir, I'm sorry it skipped me, Ms. Elara Lane is here. She said you invited her." she said as if the woman could not hear them.
His brows drew together. "Did I?"
Before she could answer, Amira continued in a conspiratorial tone. "Ms Lane, the pastry chef you recommended for the foundation gala, cancelled at the last minute. Should I start calling other vendors?"
"Take care of it on your own," Elara remarked, moving out of the shadows and into the space like it was hers by right.
"I don't need to waste my time on desserts."
Amira flicked her eyes once - then gave a quick dip of her head. "Sure thing, Ms. Lane." Out she went, with the door shut behind her.
Elara faced Luca, her grin plastic lacking warmth or comfort.
"We need to talk."
"You don't have an appointment," Luca said, voice flat.
She smiled. " Since when do I need an appointment to see you?"
He looked up at her, unimpressed. "I'm a busy man."
"You're always busy." She accused as she moved closer, leaning against his desk like she belonged there. Casual, deliberate and familiar.
"What's wrong with you lately?" she asked again, softly this time. "You've been distant. Not sleeping again?"
He gave her a thin smile. "What are you, my therapist?"
She tilted her head. "Maybe both."
The air between them was getting a bit charged. It was obvious they had both blurred the line between business and pleasure occasionally in the past, more than once.
It was over now, at least for one of them, the only thing that remained was subtle regret and the quiet boredom he couldn't seem to shake off.
"You said this was important," he reminded, eager to be rid of her.
"It is." She set a folder on his desk. "The investors want to move faster. I told them we'd meet the board next week."
"You told them what?"
"You'll thank me later."
He stared at her. "You're getting too comfortable speaking for me."
"You made me," she snapped. "When you disappear for hours and don't answer your phone, someone has to act like the CEO."
"Maybe I'm busy elsewhere."
Her expression flickered, confusion then a hint of hurt. "Is there someone else?"
"Don't flatter yourself." he spat out.
"Dinner later?"
"Maybe."
"That's what you said last time."
"Then maybe I meant it."
She gave a tight smile. "You'll call me when you remember how to have fun?"
"Sure." he replied, already distracted.
She lingered for a second, then turned and deliberately sashayed provocatively out of his office."
The door closed quietly behind her, leaving the air a cocktail of expensive perfume and disappointment.
Luca sat there for a while, drink in hand, back to his obsessive thoughts and then he heard it. Small and sure.
"Find me."
The glass slipped from his hand , spilling its content as it shattered across the floor, but he didn't care.
"Is she actually real?" he whispered in awe. " Or I'm officially insane."
His doubts did not trample the small light of hope he held within, as he let out a slow and dangerous smile and said to himself, then he whispered "Whichever one it is, I'll have to try and find you."