CHAPTER 5: Stranger at the canal 2

NARRATIVE

   It took some seconds for the woman to register what she was seeing. 

   Standing few meters away staring at the crowd of people in confusion, was the replica of the late Paige Grey. Her long black hair flying in the wind, her silver grey eyes were squinted and her thin naturally elevated brows were raised in surprise. Not forgetting her almond shaped eyes or her red plump lips or her prominent chin and well defined jawline. Everything about her, screamed Paige Grey! Even her Dolce & Gabbana flora print summer dress was similar to one of Paige's summer dress. 

   It wasn't up to a minute before the entire crowd had noticed her and some courageous ones had began walking towards her while the local camera men that had accompanied the women to take shots of the event, all turned their attention to her as their camera's clicked and filmed. Some onlookers had gathered and they weren't left out in the frenzied moment as they turned on their phone cameras and began to take pictures and videos of her. Some bloggers present even went live on the spot.

Meanwhile;

   Skylar was just about to say something to Scarlett when she noticed the crowd of women heading their direction. At first, she was confused but immediately got scared on seeing the banner of the identical woman who looked like her precious bosom friend. She immediately clinged to Scarlett who looked much more shocked than she was. Their hired tour guide wasn't anywhere to be seen at the moment.

  Scarlett stared with trembling body at the banner, hanging high in the air. Her attention wasn't on the crowding women or on the media men and neither was it on the onlookers. She couldn't understand why the lady from her dream turned out to be an important figure but more also, she was startled to discover the lady was dead. 

Why and how was this related to her? Why did she have to see the woman for the first time in years? Why are the people staring so intensely? Why did she have so much striking resemblance with this lady?

   For the first time in her twenty two years life, Scarlett was scared out of her wits. Now, she wasn't scared of the crowd. No, her fears lie in between the reality of the recent happenings. Doubt crept into her heart the moment she saw that last name, Grey. That name was the surname she beared all her life. The name her mother told her, was her father's last name.

No, this has to be a coincidence nothing more... She tried to encourage herself but deep down, something screamed disagreement. She felt a reality she wasn't expecting, soon capturing her and drowning her.

   She wasn't in her consciousness again and she didn't hear or she was probably zoned out from the people around her. She didn't hear their questions, she didn't feel them touching her, she didn't see the brightness that instantly began to glow in the eyes of the women while they stared at her. She felt just one thing though, Sky's desperate grip on her bicep.

And then, she felt the tears... 

   The tears that clouded her eyes now ran down her cheeks but she did nothing to hold them back. She was at the verge of breaking down completely from her fear of the unknown when someone suddenly and quickly pulled her away from the crowd.

But she was too lost to care, long gone to be concerned about who was pulling her away. Her heart hammered hard against her chest and desperately, she hoped for one thing.

She wished, this was a bad dream she'll soon wake up from.

IMOGEN'S POV

   'What do you mean it's been rescheduled?...No, this is the third time this week. Can you help me with your chairman's phone number? I'd love to speak with him personally over this issue.'

   'I'm afraid that's not possible Miss Grey.' 

    'You aren't willing to assist me, you mean. Are you looking down on the only daughter of JP's Enterprise? You should consider it a favor that we're willing to have a partnership with your Song and Kwan Group and as such you mustn't dare reject our offer!' I yelled angrily into the phone.

This low-life woman thinks she's all high and mighty just because she's KK's personal Secretary. I've been nice enough to her -which is against my policy- but she still dares to provoke me. 

   'That's going overboard Miss Grey, but I'd rather not say anything in that regards. Do have a wonderful day.'

   'Wait, what? Don't you dare hang...' She ended the call. 

   'Damn you bitch!!!' I sweared in anger, ignoring my driver's stare from the rear-view mirror.

It's only because Mother said to try and secure a contract with the Song and Kwan Group in other to make Father proud and possibly win his love, otherwise I wouldn't be in this situation.

Well, there's another reason though...

I've always wanted to meet Kyle personally - as he catches my fancy and I'd love him for myself; which is a big dream by the way- but it's never been possible. He's not based in the UK even though there's a branch of his company here in Birmingham city and each time he visits, it's always on a business trip.

You don't think it's easy to meet him do you? 

   Kyle Kwan is a famous multibillionaire chaebol who's not been spotted in company of any woman other than business partners. He's rumored to be really strict and so difficult to please. I can agree to that because I can't understand why he keeps postponing a supposed business meeting with the number one company in UK. 

He ought to be grateful dad wants to partner with his company in the upcoming big project. If he'll just be reasonable enough, I'd be able to kill two birds with just a stone. I'll get the opportunity of meeting him and of course, luring him and getting him hooked to me. Why am I so confident about this? Well, he's a man isn't he? Also father would finally recognize my efforts and see how serious I am in building the company and would place me in a higher position like he's done for Ashton.

   While I pondered on my thoughts, notifications popped up on my phone and I stared at it.

ASHTON

  Tell Cora to piss off and leave me the f**k alone! I'm not interested in a bitch as her.

I rolled my eyes at his message and stared at the next notification.

YORI

In for a wide party at Bruce's tonight??

Well, my answer to that is certain bitch.

   I scroll down the several other notifications; many came from random guys and people I wouldn't ever let have my contact. Some were emails. Urghh! Those boring business emails. But just as I made to flip the phone on my lap, a notification came in along side many others. 

The headlines made my head spin for a while.

JUST IN: THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. CHECK OUT SHOCKING PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF JP'S CHAIRMAN'S FIRST WIFE, PAIGE GREY

OVER TWO DECADES OF HER PASSING, THE EXACT REPLICA OF JAMIE GREY'S WIFE SEEN AT THE CITY'S CANAL

A MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE: MOMENT PAIGE GREY'S MOURNERS FOUND HER REPLICA AT THE CANAL.

IS THE FAIRY QUEEN RETURNED FROM THE DEAD OR NOT? CHECK OUT THE EVENT GOING ON LIVE AT BIRMINGHAM'S CANAL

    I tapped on one of the notification and it led to the live video going on at the famous city canal. I gasped and cupped my mouth on seeing the exact look alike of dad's first wife standing there looking down right shocked and so frozen.

Is this some kinda joke??!!!

I stared out the car window and my eyes widened on seeing the various LED screens on several tall buildings displaying the same video of the mysterious lady.

   'Turn the car around Carlo! Drive straight home immediately!!' I ordered though, panickingly at my personal driver. My earlier irritation over KK's Secretary, gone.

I need to see Mother immediately, she'll probably have an explanation to this.

But boy, she's blindingly too beautiful.

NARRATIVE

   Finley panickingly walked into the private office to meet the chairman. He knew he had failed and was outrightly expecting the chairman's rage.

   'I know what you've come to say but save the explanations for later. Immediately, find her and make sure you do. I don't care how many men you need or how much resources. Do whatever you must do but bring her safely to the secret location. Also find out who took her and report back to me.' The chairman ordered. 

He was standing by the window-door with his back to Finley as he stared into space. 

   'Yes, Sir Chairman.' He bowed.

He wasn't surprised that the chairman already found out someone else took the girl before his men got to the location. Rather, he was relieved that the chairman didn't fly into rage as he was likely to do, considering how important this person is in his life.

As he walked out of the building and down the underground parking lot, he soon placed a call to someone.

   'Get everyone ready immediately!' He commanded.