HENLEYA month has passed and I am yet to get used to the fact that I never got the closure I needed before my father passed on. Why is Fate so cruel to me? Maybe Fate decided that there is no need for closure. First, taking my mother away from me and turning my world upside down then taking my Father. Fate, why so cruel?Thirty minutes into this conference and I am already antsy, eager to get the hell out of here and go nowhere in particular. Anywhere apart from here where there is peace and quiet and not people singing your praises because of your financial status. "We'd like to specially welcome the very young Mr Daniels," the host's voice, amplified by the loud speaker brought me back to the present as I met his eyes from across the hall, "thank you for coming," I waved at him as as a way of acknowledgement and everyone else present applauded before he went on to welcome the other dignitaries present. Pulling at my tie carefully so as not to leave it looking rough, I shift s
HENLEY"Wine?" The waiter asked me."No, thank you." I shake my head. My eyes scan the room for any sign of Jason and Karen. He's the fucking host, where is he?"Brother!" Jason called from behind me moments before he slapped my back with his palm. His usual way of greeting. I forced a smile and nodded as I firmly shook his hand. We both know we smile at each other for the public, purely for business reasons. Our family is broken on the inside but no one knows that and we can't afford to let the public see how twisted we all are lest we lose everything. My smile falters as soon as my eyes lock with hers. There she is, standing quietly behind my brother looking like she doesn't belong to this world and is oblivious to the hungry stares that are directed at her. Her lips move upwards in a smile as she walks forward slowly with her right hand stretched towards me for a kiss. "It's good to see you Henley," She said, her whiskey brown eyes focused on mine. I lower my lips slowly
KARENMy heart beats hard in my chest as I walk towards the elevator. I hope Henley will forgive me for leaving him hanging like that. That kiss wasn't meant to happen. I press the button and the doors slide open. He tastes better than I had imagined. Butterflies dance in my stomach as my heart continues to beat hard in my chest as the elevator slowly glides down. What have I done?What if Jason finds out?The elevator dings and the doors slide open and I find Jason on the other side of the doors obviously planning to get in and come look for me. All the blood must have drained from my face because he looked at me puzzled. "Where have you been?" He questions me. "Upstairs," I say and get off on shaky feet. I hope he doesn't observe how shaky I am. "Doing what?""Helping your brother."I say simply meeting his eyes. Twitchy eyes always looked guilty to him. "Why would my brother want your help?" He scoffed. I want to snap at him and tell him that I'm capable of doing thing
KARENMy eyes open suddenly to meet cool brown eyes staring down at me with no emotion in them whatsoever. "You just had to ruin my dinner didn't you?" Jason said coldly. I give him a puzzled look."What did I do?""You've lost your memory too huh?" My heart goes to my mouth as images of Henley and I kissing flash through my mind. He's found out. I think in fear of all the lies I can wiggle out."You're all over the news too," He goes on and taps his phone screen. My lips have suddenly gone dry, I run my tongue over them. "What do you mean?" I ask politely. He shoves his phone in my face and it takes a moment for my eyes to focus. JASON DANIELS' BRIDE TO BE FAINTS AT DINNER HELD IN THEIR MULTIMILLION DOLLAR VILLA.The headline stated in capital letters.I sigh immediately as the cool breeze of relief washes over me. He doesn't know I kissed his brother. "Oh," Memories of the previous night begin to fill my head as I remember everything. I passed out from shock. "Bride to
KAREN"If anyone asks why you passed out, say it's because of the food. Don't embarrass me." Jason says coldly as he leads me into the five star restaurant which is possibly owned by his family. And by anyone he means reporters. I'm not going to hear the end of this for a very long time. He'll keep letting me know that I embarrassed him by passing out on the night he decided to pity me and propose finally. I turn my head to the side and roll my eyes. Like I even wanted him to propose. I don't want to marry Jason and I have to find a way to call off the engagement. It wasn't part of the arrangement. The huge chandeliers twinkle beautifully as we walk into the lobby, immediately a man dressed in a crisply ironed black suit walks quickly towards us with hands outstretched and a big smile plastered on his face. "Mr Daniels!" He said quite brightly with a bow. Yup.They own this restaurant. "The soon to be Mrs Daniels," He bows and smiles at me. I almost want to correct him that
JASONWhere the fuck is she? My eyes scan the restaurant for any sign of her, and yet nothing. Her mother catches me staring and offers a reassuring smile with a pat on the hand. "She's having pre-wedding jitters and it's affecting her bowels. She should be out soon." Mrs Beth says to me. Like I give a fuck if she's taking a shit. I give her my winning smile and nod my head. I just hope she's not out there granting an interview to some nosy reporter about how she never got a proper proposal from me. She doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut. Can anyone be more ungrateful?Her parents jumped at the idea with both feet without a thought when I made my intentions known and she's demanding a proper proposal. For what?She's not even my type. She's too skinny for me and I am doing her a huge favour by choosing to marry her – and her entire family too –Yet she dares question me in the eyes of the public. God! I hate her right now. I stare up ahead ready to storm into the ladi
KAREN"Take me home, please," I settle in with a sigh of relief. What a day!I unbuckle my silver strapped heeled sandals and slip my feet out of them with a quiet moan of relief. One of the worst days yet. A day filled with nothing but pretense and disappointment. ..but what's done is done..I now know where I stand in my family. I'm the one who's life has to be sacrificed for a family that has no sympathy whatsoever. A waste of time and effort. Now I know what all those years of intense grooming really were for. I wasn't groomed to be the perfect wife for Mr Right, I was groomed to fit in front of the cameras. To keep up pretense. Ever since I was born, I have done everything for them and what do I get in return?Nothing.Responsibility. Duty. Loyalty.All an excuse to hide their selfish intentions. When do I get to do something I really want to do?At this rate if I keep sucking it up to them, it'll be never. That'd mean giving up my entire life all for nothing. No can
HENLEYMeetings back to back, it can be tiring. I don't know which is more tiring.Online meetings or physical meetings. My eyebrows rise and fall in a quick move, my eyes feeling like lead. Both type of meetings are tiring, that's for sure. Especially when you have to attend several in a day on two hours of sleep. I really do need to sleep properly.But I have to keep it up until I achieve my goal.Defeating my brother and Mother in the business world. Mostly mother because, come on, she basically runs the company through her puppets Jason and Father.Mother would prefer I kiss Jason's ass and lick his balls at his beck and call. No can do. Not after she's told me several times that I am a nobody. Well, I'm someone now mother, how about that?It's not a usual thing for one's mother to hate her child but that's what fate cursed me with. I feel nothing for her.I heave a sigh. Their surprise when they found out I carved a path for myself outside of MERC still remains a strong m
HENLEYA month has passed and I am yet to get used to the fact that I never got the closure I needed before my father passed on. Why is Fate so cruel to me? Maybe Fate decided that there is no need for closure. First, taking my mother away from me and turning my world upside down then taking my Father. Fate, why so cruel?Thirty minutes into this conference and I am already antsy, eager to get the hell out of here and go nowhere in particular. Anywhere apart from here where there is peace and quiet and not people singing your praises because of your financial status. "We'd like to specially welcome the very young Mr Daniels," the host's voice, amplified by the loud speaker brought me back to the present as I met his eyes from across the hall, "thank you for coming," I waved at him as as a way of acknowledgement and everyone else present applauded before he went on to welcome the other dignitaries present. Pulling at my tie carefully so as not to leave it looking rough, I shift s
JASON Today has a feeling to it, there is this feeling in the atmosphere that signifies that something is amiss and the very dominant knowledge that he isn't coming back. There is a particular stillness and calm that is settling all around me which gives off an eerie feeling and makes me feel like I am being watched from behind. I know I'd definitely look and sound crazy if I told mother but it's not an easy feeling to shake off, though I have tried. It might be because all the hustle and bustle that came with Dad's death has finally ceased and is immediately followed by silence so still that even birds aren't chirping as they used to and the breeze is blowing so softly it can barely be felt. It's like the universe is trying to use its own way to tell on me. Suddenly feeling nervous, I unconsciously glance over my shoulder and then get up from the bed to walk to the window whose curtains are drawn shut leaving the room in semi darkness. I part the curtains a little and star
HENLEYThe incessant ringing of my phone succeeded in clearing sleep from my eyes and pissing me off. I thought ignoring the calls would make it cease but instead, someone is hell bent on interrupting my sleep.With a groan I turn over to check the time on the ornamental wall clock hanging on the wall far away from the bed. I only got two hours in before this rude awakening and two hours is not enough!I badly need proper sleep and waking up now will only ruin my mood for the day.My phone finally stops ringing and I heave a sigh of relief preparing to force myself back to sleep as there's a lot to do in the morning. As I close my eyelids, my phone begins to ring all over again drawing a loud groan of frustration from me.I might as well answer it.Without bothering to check who was calling me at such an ungodly hou
JASONI am not a murderer. I am not a murderer. I am not a murderer. A voice repeated over and over in my head as I created a hole in the rug with my fast paced steps as I paced the room. I wanted to leave the house and just get away from this place in case my fears were confirmed but somehow, I found myself back in my room with the door locked. I can't remember coming here or locking the door, like I was in a daze. A memory clearing daze.All I remember is Dad falling down the stairs like a heavy sack of potatoes and landing with a very dull, odd thud. Is that what it sounded like when one falls terribly?He fell down the stairs and I was the one who pushed him. "Fuck!" I shout and slap my palm across my right cheek harsh enough to sting but I don't feel any pain which only makes me more frustrated."Fuuck!!!" I shouted at the top of my voice, pulling at my hair till stars began to pop out behind my eyes and the stinging pain coupled with the furious stomping of my foot helped to
JASON"I'm calm, I'm calm," I say again and again while pacing my room. My fingers clench into fists and unclench immediately, repeatedly as I give a sharp turn around the end of my bed. Dad is back from the hospital and now is the chance to properly have a talk with him about this whole shitstorm he helped to create. And that's if he's willing to talk. He'd better be willing because Henley is not going to be the only one that gets his attention. "Mr Daniels?" The stand by nurse whom I asked to inform me when Dad wakes up from his drug induced nap raps softly on the slightly open door leading to my room. "Yes?" I ask. "He's awake sir," she says.I dismiss her with a nod. Taking a deep breath, I rub my palms over my face repeatedly as I prepare myself for a conversation that will likely end with voices raised. Something I'm going to do my very best to prevent. Only if Dad is willing. "He doesn't have a choice actually," I say out loud. Not after taking what belongs to me and g
HENLEYNo matter what I have done or said or even tried to do, nothing seems to be enough to calm her down or make her happy. Hearing her sound so broken and devastated over the phone as she politely asked me to come over was one of the worst moments of my life. Looking down at her as she sobbed quietly, there's nothing I wouldn't do to stop her tears and ease her sorrows. I'd go to the end of the fucking world for her, she just doesn't know the extent of my love for her. "Sweet Karen," I called softly and gently held her shaking shoulders as she buried her head in my neck and cried. Running my hand slowly up and down her back, I coo to her softly, whispering sweet words to her to calm her down. "I can't believe that after everything we went through together they chose to believe him. Of all people, they chose him over their own daughter," she said, her voice hoarse from crying. "It's really disappointing, I agree. They had no right to cut you off like that. Anyone can see that
KARENHumming a tune as I wash the dishes, I shake my head this way and that way in tune to the music. I feel good today. I have never felt this good before in my life and I must say that it's an awesome feeling. "Like the circus meets the clouds…" I hum under my breath. They say everything gets better when you're in love and whoever said that couldn't have been more correct. I was scared of baring myself open for the fear of rejection. Apparently, Jason's nonchalant attitude towards me traumatized me to the extent of doubting an honorable man's true intentions. With everything going on in his life right now, I could have lost him. He could have said that a relationship would be extra work for him because he wouldn't be able to focus and give his total attention. What if he realized that I wasn't the one for him the way he's the one for me?What if he had said that he didn't feel love for me but only care?Would I have been able to handle rejection in whatever form it took?What
KAREN"Hey," I smile sweetly. "Hi, Karen," Henley grins from across the table. It's our second date so far and I'm going to make sure it's not the last. I have had time to think, really think, since the last time we were together and no matter the angle of thought I used to approach the matter, I always arrived at the same conclusion.I'm eager to hear what Henley will say about it once I inform him. Though this isn't an official date, I consider it a date since Henley asked me to go with him. He's been going through a lot ever since his biological mother announced her existence and now, things are getting really out of hand. I don't blame him for needing some sort of moral support and it's touching that he thought to invite me. "Thank you for asking me to come. It's like you know that all I want to do is help you in any way I can," I give his arm a soft squeeze. How is he able to keep his head above water in times like this?I can't help but wonder. "I really couldn't come her
JASONThe glass of wine I was holding a while ago, stood discarded on the ornate bedside table. It's a surprise I didn't even smash the delicate glass in my fury. What right does Dad have to give Henley an opportunity to look at me in a different way?None!He's not my brother, has never been and will never be. No son of a bitch will come from nowhere to steal my inheritance away from me. No matter how hard he tries to hide it, I know that its on his mind. I sneer.He's interested in having control of MERC, everything he does boils down to the company every single time no matter what he does. Everyone thinks he's a saint, fast rising as the youngest billionaire from Africa even though I know he built that company just to spit in my face and mother's face. After I offered to loan him the pathetic amount of money he couldn't seem to raise by himself. "Ungrateful bastard!" I shout and fling out my arm, knocking the glass of wine to the floor in the process, it shattered to tiny bits