Replika

Karas POV

all done. I smile at my freshly painted moral. it only took me 3 days to do. it was supposed to be a pale man ripping his chest open revealing a frozen heart. representing someone who has been exposed to this cold world, and it's now frozen, making him a cold-hearted man. at least that's my idea of one.

I downed my last little bit of coffee and left my painting to dry. I wasn't looking forward to working today. my fiance had me touring the largest group of phonies. the french. they can be such narcissistic assholes with all their countries' achievements up their ass. I would know that because I'm french myself.

though I wasn't born in America I do consider myself french American simply because I spent 15 years here. I was only 12 when I left Paris. so that goes to say I spent most of my entire life evolving in America.

but anyway, of course, there will be other investors and private tourists that appreciate good work. but the thing about the french that will be a part of this group is they can be so hard to impress. they're supposed to be our biggest investors.

so, and I quote "it is the utmost importance you make the masterpieces in this building the greatest martial they will ever encounter," Marcus says. he's more intrigued by them than his own bride-to-be.

"kara, love, are you almost ready, we have to get going. don't want to make a bad impression on our guests." I had just walked into the closet to decide on what to wear when he rushed in.

"yes I had just finished, you should see it-"

"honey I'm sure you have done a great job on it but we have to get going...and you're not dressed?"

"I can't decide on what to wear, you want me to impress them remember?"

"yes by being on time as well...you know what, we're gonna gave to take separate cars." that's what we usually do anyway. I don't know what the fuss is about. I decided to go with ruffly and cute but casual. should I shower again?

"that's fine, will you be presenting me as your fiance?" I ask cheekily. it makes me so happy when he shows me off.

"if you're on time yes. otherwise no need" well that's the first. What's up with him.

"oh...well ill be there on time no worries"

"Alright I'm heading over there, ill see you in a bit" he clips his pricey silver watch on then gives me a quick peck on the forehead before grabbing his suit jacket and leaving. I decide to just not have another shower since I had one last night. didn't want to risk being late. I wish I would have gotten Marcus's opinion on my outfit before leaving. "don't worry it looks great honey" so I just imagined his compliment instead, and went with it.

I had another 30 minutes left once I was out of the house, quickly jumping into the back of my driver's car. Damn, I'm I really that slow getting ready?

"step on it Chester"I have to make sure we stay ahead of traffic if I want to make it there on time. here in Detroit, traffic gets really backed up around lunchtime.

"you got it, girl," he says. the meeting isn't until 2, but when I say I only have 30 minutes left, I mean 30 minutes left until traffic jams. if I don't hurry I promise you I will be on the blue water bridge for about an hour. it's why this city gets about 2hrs and 30 minutes of a lunch break for most jobs.

by the time we got on the bridge, there was less than half of the amount of traffic, and it was moving pretty smoothly. score for timing. I was only scrolling up and down my Insta feed to pass the time when I came across a new post my fiance made this morning. he was wearing his new suit for today's investors captioning "wish me luck" with his handsome smile.

he hardly ever takes selfies with me anymore. I read most of the comments wishing him luck but one particular comment caught my attention. a woman commented a winky face and 2 heart emojis. I have no clue who she is. Wait, isn't she the exhibits receptionist. I brushed the uneasy feeling away, giving Marcus's picture a like. should I comment?

BEEEEP!!!

I look up from my passenger backseat at my driver who was beeping his horn at the next driver in front of him.

"what's going on?"

"some dumbass tried to back up, not paying attention" he snaps to himself.

"Why would he back up?"

"there's a crime scene up ahead, we need to make room for investigators"

crime scene? "you mean like a murder or something"

"Kara I don't know girl, but it seems pretty bad" are we gonna be stuck in traffic longer than I anticipated? Marcus is gonna be so upset. damnit.

"you should call Mr. Williams and inform him of our little.... pickle"

I sigh. opening his contact. before dialing it I get my thoughts together.

hi honey, no... Marcus my love we have a problem. baby...I'm gonna be late. munchkin...honey bun?...just stick to honey. I dial his number.

"you're gonna be late aren't you?" huh? I'm completely speechless

"Hellooo?"

"um...yeah, I'm sorry HONEY....there's been an accident on the bridge I believe"

"I don't care whats happened, just get here" *CLICK*

"Okay honey, love you too," I say sarcastically to my phone. no need for Chester to know how upset Marcus is. don't want him to hate him more than he already does. fucking fantastic! I need to figure out a way around this.

"ill be right back," I say getting out of the car.

"wait where are you-"

if I can speak to someone in charge of the investigation, they could probably give me an estimate of how long we are stuck here. once I was closer to the scene I stood behind the caution tape where police officers and paramedics kept nosey people from getting closer.

"excuse me?... sir?... Officer!..can you please tell me how long this is going take"

"Ma'am, please step back"

"Sir please, it's an emergency"

"I do apologize ma'am but the time consumed for the investigators to take all evidence, pictures, and reenact the scene, the medical team has the cleanup, on top of that we got half of the damn bridge out of their vehicles just to be nosey, the chances of traffic moving up is a no. so the estimation could be up to 2 to 3 hours.

you've got to be fucking me right now...in the ass. "no you don't understand, sir I'm late for a very important meeting, there's got to be something you can do-" at that moment I witnessed one of the investigators lifting the white cover from the body. it was enough for me to see that it was a man who had a fatal death. his chest had a huge hole in it as if someone punched straight through it.

I must have had the most horrified look on my face. I honestly wasn't trying to look that way. I couldn't have cared less about what happened, but my eyes just looked past him. the sight of a lifeless man triggered my brain to a very daze state. that's the first dead body iv seen.

"hey are you alright" the officer waves in front of my face, snapping me from my thoughts"

"don't look over there...pretty gruesome" I just nod

"Listen, lady, your, not the only person late for something, your best bet to get out of here is walking"

just my luck. shit. It didn't take long for my hysteria of being late to overrule the sight of the dead body. I quickly make my way back to the car to grab my purse.

"What did they-"

"I have to walk"

"Seriously? but I hate walking"

"if I don't I won't be on time. and your not going"

"But you can't go alone, and you can't just leave me here" he whins.

"Just stay here with the car, ill be fine"

"but-" I slammed the door. Chester wouldn't understand how important it is that this meeting goes well. I wouldn't hear the last of it from Marcus. best way to stay in his good graces. it took me 10 mins to get off the crowded bridge. but I had a much more longer walk to go. I don't know the approximate time I would arrive at the exhibit. I pulled out my phone and opened my maps for an idea and it estimated an hour and 6-minute walk.

I couldn't Uber because some drivers are either booked or weren't working due to the high traffic volume. and a taxi defiantly wasn't an option because they were all booked out, most were stuck on the bridge. welp, best get to it."fuuuuck!" just my luck. speed walking should do the trick. in heels kara!? I do my best at speed walking but I was only walking for about 15 minutes when some asshole attempts to snatch my purse and runoff.

"hey! give that back!" I slip my heels off for a better chance at running.

"Someone stop him!" no one does anything. Detroit is full of shitheads. just when I was beginning to give up chasing him, the mugger crosses the street at a no-crossing light and was hit by an all-black luxury Limousine. similar to mine except a little more expensive...and longer.

I ran to where the mugger lay in pain to attempt to get my purse back. the little shit wouldn't let it go.

"let go you fucker" he kept pulling and got up pulling harder snatching it from my hand. he began to take off again but slammed into the chest of a tall man. his chest must have been as hard as a brick wall because the mugger fell on his ass again. dude had to of broken an ass cheek by now.

"I don't think that belongs to you," that man says sternly but yet so softly. looking down on the mugger. the mugger tried to get back up again but the man pressed his shiny-looking expensive shoes on the mugger's leg holding him down"

"ahh!" the mugger screamed. ouch. who is this guy?

"I said I don't think that belongs to you" the man repeated again with the same tone, not an ounce of anger.

"alright man here! just let me go" the mugger handed the man my purse.

"ill let you go, Mr. Kevin Pierace? right?"

"Wh-what?" the mugger seemed afraid now

"yes I know your name, and I know you live with your very old grandmother, your social security number ends in 3465, and that you are 18000$ in dept, your grandmother will lose her house."

the mugger looked at the man shocked and terrified, how could this man who accidentally hit him know this much about him. I take a good look into the mugger's eyes. if he needed money that bad he could have asked. my fiance is basically rich after all. But it's not exactly my money yet.

"I can give you money," I say to the mugger or Kevin.

"that won't be necessary" the tall man takes out his wallet and removes a black bank card.

"the pin to it is on the back of the card, you have 1 hour to remove what money you need from my account afterwards the card will be canceled. but if I find you mugging again I will take your grandmother's house leaving you both on the streets...understand" the man was so calm and emotionless with his words. all that Kevin could do was just nod taking the card once the man let him go.

I have never encountered someone willing to just pay off a criminal's dept. I would have just given him a grand or 2 but not paid his entire debt. how nice of this man. he turned around and had finally looked at me and my GOD. hubba hubba. I was practically drooling over him. how is it even possible for a human being to be this sexy? kara you are a whore, you will be married in 3 weeks, close your legs! but why does he look so familiar to me? like iv seen him from somewhere.

"I do believe this belongs to you"