"I don't know you anymore, Kel."
"We're no longer the same people."
Prologue
Her head tilted to the side resting against the black leather seat in the limousine hidden from the world behind the dark glass, the car navigated through the streets of New York. As the car stopped on the red light she observed the scene in front of her a mother holding the hands of two children as they safely crossed the busy street, such a simple daily thing. This used to be her dream...now it was a reminder of what she gave up to be where she was now.
Kelly Taylor, the owner of one of the most successful PR firms in the States and the master mind behind it all. The times when she started in the small office with drab walls and her first three clients were long forgotten. She was on top now, the big names ringing at her door pleading to work with her, her company employing nearly two hundred other people. Her eyes wandered back to the woman and two children who were now skipping on the pavement next to their mother talking excitedly, maybe about their day in pre-school. This was the price she had to pay for her success.
While her professional life was going from strength to strength, her private life took the opposite direction. After breaking off her engagement with Matt Durning, she landed in Dylan's arms for nearly two years before he realized once again that settling down was not what he wanted and disappeared from her sight and life. Then there was Jake, Adam and finally Travis with whom she broke up six months ago. That was the final straw and she simply stopped looking it was not going to work out anyway.
"We're here Miss Taylor!" Her assistant's chipper voice pulled her out of her thoughts as the limousine stopped in front of Mandarin Oriental.
"Abby, how many times do I have to remind you, it's Kelly and not Miss Taylor." Kelly sighed looking at her assistant from behind her shades.
"I know, I know...it's just a force of a habit. After all you're nearly an icon in this business." Abby let out a girly giggle.
Kelly rolled her eyes unseen to her. Abby was a great assistant, her organizational skills proving to be a lifesaver on several occasions, but there were moments when she behaved like a teenage fangirl which nerved Kelly endlessly. Luckily for Kelly the door opened and she stepped out of the car their conversation ending before it even started.
Her black heels tapped against the marble floor as she walked through the lobby. Bowing her head in a greeting towards the receptionists she headed towards the elevators without stopping. She has been a frequent visitor to the hotel and knew her favorite suite was already prepared for her, Abby will take care of the rest. She could barely wait before she could kick the heels of her legs and dip herself into the warm bath tired after the long flight from Los Angeles. Maybe she'll head out for the dinner later on, just by herself enjoying the solitude before the meeting that was awaiting her tomorrow.
Brandon looked at the baggage standing in the hallway wishing it would miraculously jump back into his closet. He was not in a mood for a trip and definitely not after the break up with Susan yesterday. It was not like he couldn't see it coming, but the definitive of it all caught him off guard together with the fact that she moved out of his apartment the same evening. Their four years together ended in four sentences and thirty minutes. That's how long it took her to pack the boxes and leave his apartment and life.
They were both ambitious people, both striving for success and while they cared and respected each other, their relationship couldn't withstand their busy schedules and longer periods apart. Maybe if he proposed to her last year she'd be still here. He knew he was lying to himself, they stood no chance. With their work coming first for both of them their relationship was doomed to fail. Maybe instead of being surprised by the break up, he should be surprised it lasted so long.
His cell phone pulled him out of his thoughts. "Yes? All right, I'm coming." He said briskly clasping his cell closed and slipping it into the back pocket. His taxi was there. Dragging the baggage down the stairs he placed it into the trunk before sitting in the back seat. His flight to JFK shouldn't take off earlier than in four hours, but the frequent traveling taught him to rather be early than late.
Reaching into his bag that was resting next to him he pulled out a black fascicle. His newest job, the Green vs. HSBC case, the long awaited trial, something that could potentially bring the company down. He felt the excitement running through his veins, he lived for cases like this and although he was doing fairly well at Chronicle and the higher ups were happy with his work, this could be his break through work, something that will shoot him to the top.
He skipped through the papers, not able to concentrate on anything he pushed the fascicle back into his bag. He'll still have time to go through the papers at the hotel. Looking into his itinerary he raised his brows, this time the newspaper did him good, a five star hotel, he couldn't wait until he will land in New York later in the day.
