Alicia deliberately intruded Hugh's office and saw his spellbound face gazing at the painting. Today, she intentionally wore an above the knee skin-fitting dress, with a long neckline, exposing her cleavage and partly her well-proportioned breast. "Hugh, what you did to me at the fundraiser was really bad. Can't you see? I'm a dignified doctor, well respected but you deserted me at the parking lot."

She placed her palms down on the table and her body bent forward, showing off her cleavage. "But you shamefully threw me out. Humph." She waited for him to reply but he didn't. Taking advantage of the situation, Alicia moved to his side and bent her head to kiss him. Before her lips could touch his lips, he jerked his body forward and her kiss went on the air. She pursed her lips and stood straight, embarra.s.sed but patient enough to relentlessly catch his attention.

She walked back to where she stood earlier and sat sideways on the table. Her smooth leg positioned to showcase its best view. "Hugh, I'll forgive you but in return, I want compensation. Let's have dinner tonight." She thought of bringing him later to her house. Yet, Hugh rose on his feet and walked out of the room. He completely disregarded her presence.

Alicia remained where she was. "Is this your way of telling me that I must stop pursuing you?"

For years, she devoted her attention to him alone, but he never gave her a hint beyond what friends.h.i.+p required. One time, she shamelessly confessed to him. Somehow, it didn't turn out as she wished. He frankly told her she was only a friend to him.

Though rejected, she still hoped she could melt his ice-cold heart, but it was all for naught.

"You're really heartless. Fine, I'll give up." She composed herself, turned to her right, and leveled her eyes on the painting on the wall. "Who are you, girl? I hope you can make him happy."

. . . . .

In the Philippines, Sheila tried to contact Clarence but the guy barred her number and email address. Her last hope was the chat room and went online. She reviewed the previous posts. There, she saw the image Cathy uploaded, the stolen shot of Clarence and Beauty standing side by side at the elevator.

"What a handsome pair," she said softly.

But no, while Clarence was not yet tied in marriage, she would never give up, unless … unless he would personally tell her to give up on him. She exhaled deeply. "At least, I'll try. There might be hope for us." Sheila consoled herself, though she knew it would be difficult.

She read the conversation between GleeGal and SweetCathy. "So this new girl is quite smart. I hope she would join the regional compet.i.tion so I can see what she's capable of." Her mind was set on stealing Clarence from Beauty.

. . . . .

In France, Hugh called La Delicatesse and they gave him her old number from her registration form. Somehow, every time he tried to call, a recorded voice replied, "the number you dialed is not yet in service." This frustrated him.

Hugh opened his laptop and tried searching for Sheila on Facebook first. He opened his own account and figured he had no idea how to navigate his way around. Alas, he left his profile unfinished.

Hugh wrote 'Sheila Hernandez' on the search s.p.a.ce, pressed the Enter key, and there were a lot, maybe more than a hundred. He verified every Sheila Hernandez for days and surrendered. "Why is she not here?"

Why? Because Sheila never used Facebook because of the privacy problem she saw.

He tried to Google her name and found a post when she won second in three consecutive years in the Junior Master Chef showdown in the Philippines. However, there were no contact details.

Then he saw his cousin's name, Clarence Peres, as the winner. "That's it. He knew her. Why didn't I think about it from the start?" But another problem came to mind. "Gosh, I don't even have my own cousin's number. How can I call him?"

Hugh asked Riley, his parents, and other cousins for Clarence's number and at last, he got it from Jenna. He called Clarence.

"Cuz, long time no hear? How are you?" Clarence's voice resounded aloud as Hugh used his phone speaker at home.

Hugh sat on his living room sofa. "Cuz, do you know any Sheila Hernandez?"

"Yes, I know her, why?"

"Can you give me her number or email address?"

"Sorry, cuz, I don't have it."

"Can you ask someone for it?"

Clarence thought it was odd for his eldest cousin to be this adamant. "Why, cuz? Any problem with her?"

"No, not at all. I just met her here and forgot to ask her number." Hugh lied.

"Sorry, cuz but I really have no way to contact her." Clarence also lied.

"Okay, no problem."

Clarence felt guilty but he had no heart to contact Sheila, nor he would allow Sheila to get his new number.

As the days went by, Hugh believed that they were not meant to be. So he tried to forget her but the portrait remained in his bedroom and his office.

. . . . .

Sheila tried to get Clarence's attention again but was in vain. Later, at the finals of the regional culinary compet.i.tion in Cebu City, Sheila was chosen as one of the judges and Beauty won. At the awarding ceremony, she saw how in loved and closed was Clarence to his girlfriend. She was hurting when she saw their eyes locked at each other, full of affection, as Clarence was about to give the plaque to Beauty.

She fled the hall and heard someone shouted 'kiss' on her way out. Her strides went faster. She had no heart to witness their lovey-dovey scene.

That night, she decided to give up on Clarence.

A month after, they met again at the opening of the National Culinary Compet.i.tion. She wanted Clarence to sit at the front so she could talk to him for closure but Clarence didn't want to go. He remained seated with Beauty.

After the ceremony, Sheila followed them to the parking lot and had a tearful reconciliation as friends. From then on, she decided to focus on becoming a top chef but she didn't go back to France.

. . . . .

Days became months and months became years. To be accurate, two and a half years had gone by and Hugh tried not to think of Sheila. Then he heard that Clarence was getting married. He called Clarence again.

"Cuz, you better invite me. I heard your future wife doesn't want a lot of guests. I must be there as one of your groom's men. No more, no less."

"No problem, cuz. I'll pair you with a pretty girl."

"It doesn't matter, pretty or not. Just make sure to include me."

"Sure, but make sure to be here a month earlier."

"What? I have work. How about a week before the wedding?"

"No, you're needed for the clothes fitting or I'll get someone else."

"No, no, no, I'll find a way."

So he scheduled all his patients to have their operation after the wedding. Those were in a hurry had to get another surgeon.

Hugh flew to the Philippines as planned. Riley went two days before the wedding for his newly opened restaurant.

After Hugh had his body measured for his outfit, he got a copy of the wedding invitation card. Then, he saw 'Sheila Jane Hernandez' as his partner.

"Is this the same Sheila Hernandez, I'm looking? Is this really her?"