Collision

"Wake up honey", a feminine voice chimed through the air as Andre stirred on the bed, a bit disgruntled that the sleep that had taken much effort to come was now being interrupted by his companion in the room.

" Wakey wakey!!", she continued, not wanting to give up her attempts at waking the sleeping young man. She seemed excited by what she had planned, she knew nothing of his reluctance.

"What is it Tanya?", Andre grumbled as he tossed the pillow he had been holding close to his body aside, his muscled body and his tattoos on full display as he tossed the covers from his body, he had not intended to be awake this early and had tried to resist any attempts to be woken, but this was Tanya, she always found a way to get what she wanted.

" What's all this?", he muttered, rubbing at his eyes as he sat up on the bed and looked around the room.

The first thing Andre notices is the soft lighting in the room. Tania has arranged for dimly-lit lamps and candles to create a cosy and intimate atmosphere. The candles are placed in elegant candle holders on the bedside tables and coffee tables. The soft flickering of the candles adds to the overall ambience of the room, creating a peaceful and relaxing environment.

As Andre looks around the room, he notices red rose petals scattered on the bed and floor. Tanya had taken the time to carefully place the rose petals in a heart shape on the bed, as well as a trail of petals leading to the bathroom.

Tanya had also added a personal touch to the room by displaying some of their favourite photos on the bedside table. The photos showcased their journey as a couple, from their first date to their most recent adventures together. 

"What are you playing at?", Andre asked, a little irritation building up in his tone as he spoke.

She had also arranged for a small table in the room, adorned with a beautiful white tablecloth, two champagne flutes, and a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket. 

" Playing? Does this look like a joke?", she asked, the excitement on her face when she had woken him was dimmed a little by his poor reception of her gestures.

Tanya had even left small chocolates on the pillows, added a soft and plush blanket to the bed, and placed fresh flowers in a vase on the coffee table. 

"Explain yourself, Tanya, what's happening? And what's all this?", he snarled, not allowing himself to take notice of how much his actions were reflecting on the mood of the beautiful woman that stood a little distance from the bed.

" It's our anniversary you jerk, it's been a year since we met. Tell me you remembered at least", she shrieked, it was obvious that she couldn't take it anymore and was going to bare her mind irrespective of what his mood looked like.

"There's no reason for you to be raising your voice. An anniversary?? Come on!!", Andre chided as he got off the bed and tossed the duvet aside to get a proper look at the room. They had been together for a year but at this moment, the last thing he wanted to do was pop champagne and celebrate an anniversary with Tanya.

" You'll have to send these back", he said in a low tone as he gestured towards the flowers and the drinks. 

"You must be Joking", Tanya gaped. All the excitement that had informed her decision to wake him had suddenly disappeared, she was now stuck between disbelief and hurt. In her wildest dreams, she could not have imagined that this would be how her morning would go, the morning that had taken her so much effort to plan.

" I mean what I said. I have to be at the restaurant, it's the opening day", Andre said coldly as he walked off towards the bathroom. He preferred not to take another look at Tanya, he didn't want to give her hope. There was nothing in his heart for her and he wanted her to know that, she seemed to have misunderstood the arrangement.

Tanya let herself sit on the bed as he closed the door to the bathroom, wondering what she had done wrong and how she hadn't seen this coming. The events of this morning had gone very differently in her head while she had made the plans. Unfortunately, nothing had gone according to plan.

Tanya sat there staring like a lost puppy at the bathroom door while she listened to the sound of the water splashing and Andre taking his bath. She had always suspected that Andre wasn't as committed to this "relationship" as she was, she had always wished that they were more than the sex but it was painfully clear this morning that he had never for one second thought so.

"You look like you saw a ghost", Andre observed as he stepped out of the bath with a clean towel wrapped around his waist, walking towards the closet to dress.

" Am I not good enough for you?", she responded with sadness in her voice. This prompted Andre to turn around and look at her, concerned that she might have gotten the wrong message.

"You knew what you were getting into, Tanya. This was no relationship", Andre snarled as he turned back to the closet to retrieve his suit. Tanya kept staring at him, and even while a tornado of emotion threatened to rip her composure apart, she still admired him, the strength of his frame and the heat of his masculine form, she could feel a shudder escape her lips and the heat beginning to spread at her core.

" I have never meant anything to you, Have I?", she asked, keeping her eyes on him, she wanted to look into his eyes and see the truth, she was disappointed however. As he turned to look at her, all she could see was the cold, calculating eyes that she has always known, the same that had asked her to be his consort and nothing more.

"I have left a thousand dollars in the drawer, you might not ever see me again", he responded coldly.

He was fully dressed at this point, his suit fitting his regal frame perfectly. He did not spend a moment more in the room and picked up his phone and wallet to leave. Tanya was hurt but not so much anymore at the mention of the compensation that he had left her. It didn't sound so bad after all.

" You know how to find me when you change your mind", she yelled at him as the door slammed shut.

Andre let out a frustrated breath as he walked out of the room, he had grown tired of how many people had tried to take advantage of his family's wealth by associating themselves in some capacity with him. Tanya had just proven that she was one among these people and no longer worthy of his trust.

It felt disgusting to him, he'd had such high hopes for her and with the actions she had taken this morning, she had fallen dreadfully short, showing how manipulative she could be.

"Good morning Mr Andre", the driver greeted as he held the door of a black Rolls Royce open for Andre to enter the vehicle.

" A very good morning to you Stanley, how are the kids?", he responded, getting in the car and watching his driver hurry to the drivers side after closing the door behind him.

He had always taken a more lighter tone when he spoke with male folk, they were not always trying to use him for his money unlike the females around him.

"The children send their regards sir", the driver responded as he took his place in the driver's seat and started the noiseless engine of the vehicle.

" Well that's very good to hear. Let's go to the restaurant please", Andre instructed firmly as he flashed a quick smile at the driver. He was not in the mood for much conversation this morning but he had to oblige Stanley, even if it was momentary.

They had already begun moving before Stanley had been given the directions, and as expertly as he was expected, he conveyed Andre, his principal to the location that was described.

Andre had always wanted to own something on his own, a piece of this city that stood outside the influence of his father. Most of these people who regarded him did so because of his father. He hated that.

This restaurant was meant to change things, this was how he would step out of his father's shadow.

"Isn't it beautiful?", Andre asked as he stared at the finished restaurant. All his desire had been poured into that building, all his effort to strike out on his own, it was no mean feat.

" Go pick up dad, he should be here by now", Andre instructed as he stepped out of the vehicle on his own, not waiting for Stanley to respond. The black luxury car glided away as he stepped out of it.

The press were already here and cameras had began their rapid capturings of him before his personal assistant Margaret came running with his security personnel. They surrounded the both of them as he walked into the building.

"Is everything ready Margaret? Where's Paul?" Andre inquired as he walked, he was the kind of person that kept those in his employ on their toes and Margaret was well aware of that.

"Uh! He was just around here somewhe….."

"Good morning boss", Paul came running to match their pace, the security personnel parted to let him through to meet with Andre.

Andre stretched his hand to shake the man he had trusted to manage the restaurant, Paul Dillinger. He was a real estate guru that was on his way down from his peak and needed something to hang on, Andre had met him through his dad on one of what could only be described as one of the man's attempts to lobby himself back in favor of Andre's father.

That hadn't worked out so well for him and Andre saw the opportunity, he had excellent organisational skills and his relationship with people would be a key factor to draw the kind of people Andre needed here. It was a smart move by all accounts.

" Good morning Paul, how are things here?", Andre returned, still looking around in inspection of the restaurant's readiness to receive guests that were billed for this morning.

"Everything is ready sir….. Sir?", Paul responded in sudden surprise. Andre was still shaking his hand but had turned it around to look at his own hand.

" Shit!!" Andre exclaimed, he had left his ring, his family heirloom in the drawer, the same drawer that he had left the thousand dollars for Tanya, this wouldn't end well if he didn't act now. 

Not responding in explanation to Paul, he let the man's hand go and pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled Tanya, pressing the phone against his ear as he did.

"Hello Tanya, I know you saw my ring. Stay put!! I'm coming to get it", he said coldly into the phone.

" You better hurry", retorted Tanya and the line went dead. The tone of her voice told Andre that she had already begun to get other ideas.

"Where's your car?", Andre asked Paul quickly, looking him in the eyes as he did.

" It's parked outside sir", the manager replied nervously.

"Hand me the keys", Andre pressed on as he looked at his phone one more time.

Paul shot a look at Margaret to see if she understood what was going on here, but she was equally at a loss.

" Hurry upl", Andre insisted and without any further delay, Paul reached into his pockets to hand the key to him.

Andre continued dialling Tanya but she wasn't picking up. He walked briskly towards the exit trying to find the car key in the bunch that Paul had just handed him. He got outside and pressed the button on the key he had found. A black lexus Suv parked neatly on the curb horned in response.

Margaret ran after her boss but he was moving too quickly for her and by the time she was out of the door, he was already close to the car and there was nothing she was going to say or do that would be able to stop him from getting in the vehicle.

"Mommy, that man's walking too fast", a little voice called from beside Margaret. The frustrated personal assistant turned her gaze from her boss who had already gotten into the car to the two people standing closest to her. In front of her was a young woman probably in her mid twenties and a cute little girl presumably her daughter.

The mother was smiling nervously at Margaret, probably trying to make up for how loud her daughter had been.

" Sorry about that, she gets too excited sometimes", the mother said while smiling. Margaret returned her smile warmly.

"Oh, it's no problem. We were all excited little girls at one point", she said, squatting down to touch the little girl's nose.

" Here for the launch?", Margaret asked as she played with the little girl trying to make them both as comfortable as she could as the woman seemed embarrassed.

"Oh no!! I mean I'm here for the launch but not as a guest, I don't know if they have any vacancies for a job. I really need a job", she muttered shyly.

Margaret looked up from the little girl she had been occupied with.

" And what if I told you I knew the manager here personally?", she said while smiling at the woman.

"I wouldn't ask that much of you", the woman said smiling nervously but excitedly.

While the two ladies got to know each other, Andre had received a phone call, he stared at the screen and was met with frustration, it was his mother. She couldn't have picked a worse time to call.

" Helloooo booooyyyy", her slurred speech came from the other side of the line. It was clear she was drunk, this early in the morning. A look of disgust had already spread across Andre's face.

"Don't haang up booy", she continued, unable to string her sentences together intelligently and even irritating Andre further.

" What do you want mom?", he retorted sharply, not giving her room to continue her slurs.

"I heard you're a biiig restaurant ownerrr nowww", she slurred, her words having to take a constant struggle for her to pronounce.

" Goodbye mum", Andre snarled angrily as he put the car in drive and stepped on the accelerator, he had more important business to attend to and listening to his drunk mother struggle to make intelligent sentences over the phone was not the way to go if today was to be salvaged from the mess it was becoming.

He had barely driven anywhere when he heard a piercing scream and felt a light thud against the front of the vehicle. He immediately threw down his phone and looked through the windscreen. Margaret was looking down in shock at the road in front of his vehicle.

Andre pushed the door open and ran to the front of the vehicle. There was a woman lying on the road and a little girl trying to wake her. She wasn't moving.