Piper was in her bakery, surrounded by the warm aroma of freshly baked goods when her phone rang. She checked the caller ID and saw that it was Alex. Her heart skipped a beat as she answered the call.
"Hey, Piper, how are you doing?" Alex asked."I'm doing great, Alex. How about you?" Piper replied, trying to keep her cool."I'm good too. I was wondering if you'd like to go out on a date with me this afternoon?"Piper felt her cheeks turn red with excitement. "Yes, I would love to!"They agreed to meet at a restaurant downtown. Piper quickly ended the call and began to think about what to wear. She didn't want to look too fancy or too casual. She decided to order a dress online that would be perfect for the occasion.She quickly browsed through some online stores and found a beautiful, knee-length dress that she liked. She ordered it with express delivery so that it would arrive in time for the date. The courier arrived shortly after, and Piper was delighted to receive the package.She hurried back home to change into the dress. The fabric felt soft against her skin, and she twirled around in front of the mirror, admiring the way it flowed around her body. She paired the dress with some simple jewelry and a pair of elegant shoes and headed out the door.When she arrived at the restaurant, she spotted Alex waiting for her at a table near the window. He stood up as she approached, and Piper couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked in his suit.They sat down and ordered their meals, chatting and laughing as they waited for the food to arrive. Piper felt completely at ease with Alex, and the conversation flowed effortlessly between them.After dinner, they took a stroll around the city, enjoying the sights and sounds of the busy streets. They talked about their interests, hopes, and dreams, and Piper felt like she was getting to know Alex on a deeper level.As the evening drew to a close, they hugged goodbye. Alex asked Piper if they could ask her out on a date again, and Piper agreed. Piper went home feeling happy and content, grateful for the wonderful experience she had shared with Alex. She had had an amazing date with Alex, and she couldn't wait to see him again. As she changed out of her dress and got ready for bed, she couldn't help but think that this might be the start of something special.She decided to call Vivian and feed her about how her day went.As she dialed Vivian's number, Piper's heart raced with anticipation."Hello?" Vivian answered on the other end of the line."Vivian, you won't believe it," Piper exclaimed. "I just had the best date of my life!"Vivian's voice filled with joy. "That's wonderful news, Piper! I'm so happy for you."As the two friends chatted excitedly about Piper's date, Piper couldn't help but ask Vivian about her mother's health. Since Vivian's mother had been ill for some time and needed surgery, the cost was prohibitive."How's your mum doing?" Piper asked.Vivian's voice turned somber. "Not great. But I've been trying to save up enough money to pay for her surgery. It's been tough, but I'm determined to do whatever it takes."Piper felt a pang of sadness for her friend but was also inspired by her dedication to her family. "You're such a strong person, Vivian. I know you'll find a way to make it happen."The two friends continued to talk for a while longer, catching up on each other's lives and sharing stories. As they said their goodbyes, Piper felt grateful for having such a supportive and caring friend like Vivian in her life.**********As soon as Piper dropped the call, Vivian went to wash her face in the bathroom. She took her laptop and continued her illustrations.She just got the inspiration to draw a flowing gown. She carefully sketches the gown on her sketch pad. When she was done sketching, she scanned the drawing with her phone, sent it to her laptop, and continued drawing on her laptop. Vivian was happy that ideas were flowing, so she focused on the drawing until she got her expected final result. When she finished it, she uploaded the drawing as an NFT and placed a price on it.She hoped that a good buyer will get the drawing. She took her sketch pad and thought of what to draw next. Then, she got the inspiration for a skirt. Vivian sketched the skirt on her sketch pad carefully. As she was about to complete it, her eyes felt baggy so she left the drawing and couldn't complete it because she was feeling sleepy.She packed her sketch pad and her laptop, then rested well on her small bed, and slept.Vivian slept the night at the hospital holding her mom’s hand. The doctor said her situation is stable, and she should be awake anytime soon, Vivian wouldn’t miss that for the world. Yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about the decision she had made. It was a desperate move. Was it worth it? Yes, as long as she gets her mom back, the question is: Is she ready to do it?The hospital door opens, and Piper comes in, holding a coffee cup. “Hey Viv, I thought you might need a drink.” She hands it over to Vivian, who sat on a chair beside her mom.“Thanks a lot. I really don’t know what I’ll do without you.” Vivian said teary-eyed.Piper hugs her, and they remain like that for a while, They had been close friends ever since. She was like a sister to her. They did almost everything together and dealt with issues together. “How’s she?” Piper asked, sitting on the bedside.“Doctor said she would be waking up anytime soon.” Vivian replied, setting the coffee cup on the bedside table.“That’s g
Vivian rushed to look out the window only to see a big black tinted jeep waiting for her with men dressed in a black suit and glasses waiting for her.She quickly closed the window and opened it back as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.Are you there? – RowanVivian read the message but refused to reply. She was still in shock, she sat down near the windows and steeled herself, she made a deal and she has to honour it, if this is how it’s going to be done, so be it.Yes. Sorry, I went to confirm the ride – Vivian Alright then. I’ll be expecting – RowanVivian let out a sigh. She grabbed the mini gown and put it on along with the shoes. She wasn’t one for accessories, so she didn’t have any. Piper, however, had lots. She checked Pipers wardrobe and found a pair of white ear rings and necklace, she borrowed them and put them on.She stood infront of the mirror, her hair packed into a tight bun wearing a beautiful black mini gown and lovely shoes to match, white earrings and
The golden doors automatically slid open for them as they approached. The interior of the diner looked very homey. Couches and tables made up the reception, several famous celebrities were sitting in wait drinking champagne and eating all sort. Rowan led them to the reception desk and slid a golden ticket towards the receptionist.“Mr Rowan and Miss Vivian. Room 97. Enjoy your stay.” The female receptionist cut the ticket at the top and gave them a golden pass card.“Please follow me.” A red-haired female usher said and led them into an elevator.“Wow!” Vivian exclaimed, seeing how beautiful the entire place was.“It’s lovely, right?” Rowan asked, also impressed even though he has been here countless times. He still gets shocked about how amazing the place, actually is.“It has been in existence for over twenty years, formerly a hotel. Owned by the Yang family.” The red-haired girl explains.The Yang family is a famous family. They own several institutions across the States, from priv
The next day, Rowan sat in his office thinking about how yesterday went. After breakfast, he took her to watch a movie and then got ice cream. From his perspective, she was perfect for the job. He felt relaxed with her, plus she knows what she was getting into and has standards unlike other girls. When he made the rule of no intimacy, he had expected her to protest, but she seemed pleased with it, happy even like that was what she wanted.However, that was his opinion. It’s not enough for only his opinion. He needed another person opinion. A stranger that just met her, and that was why he told Fred to pick her up. Not only was Fred job to pick her up from her apartment but also to study her.A knock jolted him from his thoughts. It was probably Fred at the door. “Come in.” He ordered.Fred closed the door behind him as he entered. Still dressed up in his professional wear, which was a black suit and pants with glasses. “Boss, you called?” “Yes, please take a seat.” Rowan offered.F
After the date, Vivian went back to the hospital only to receive the sad news that her mother hadn’t woken up yet. The only thing she’s thankful of is the fact that the surgery was successful. At least her mother is no longer cancerous.The doctor still said she’ll wake up soon, in a doctor’s language soon can be years, hopefully not in her case. Vivian headed back home to have a change of cloth and a shower, Piper had left the hospital by the time she got back.Vivian ate the sandwich she left in the fridge along with her soda for dinner and went to bed earlier than normal. The next day, she was woken up by the sound of knock on the front door. She stood up from the bed groggily, slipped on her foam like slippers, and walked to open the door.“Hey Viv.” Piper said, enveloping Vivian in a hug.“Hey. You slept over?” Vivian asked, closing the door.“Yeah, he wanted me to. I forgot my key there, and you were not picking up your phone calls.” Piper explained.“Oh, sorry about that. Was
The drive from Rowans office to PJ Brand headquarters didn’t take long. Whoever owns the brand had guts to actually set it up close to ROWES headquarters.PJ Brand company was about eight storeys high, there were several bodyguards stationed around the building, high standard security pass and security camera everywhere, it was some kind of fortress.Rowan was impressed. He stood beside his bulletproof cherokee Jeep watching the building from afar, Max stood beside him, scribbling something down on his notepad as he took note of the surroundings.A large red neon sign PJ Brand announced the presence of the brand to the world, it was a sight to behold, anyone that passed by surely gave it a second look, some even stopped to take pictures of the magnificent building.Not like, ROWES company was small on comparison, but everyone loves something new and ROWES has been existing for a while and has lost some of it’s spark.“When do we go in, sir?” Max asked, staring at the building. “Very
Vivian sat by her mother’s side, holding her hand and watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest. She has spent her morning here ever since she resigned from her job, and since Piper was not around to alleviate her boredom. She, however, continued to make fashion designs on her laptop, making nfts for sale, anything to make money.Rowan has not made due on his promise yet on getting a new job for her. Somehow, she trusts he would, but she just doesn’t know when.She was busy on her laptop when she suddenly felt a buzz from her phone, she quickly looked at the phone in anticipation but it was just a text. Seeing the text, a brief flash of disappointment crossed her face. It was a text but from an unknown number.Hi –Unknown NumberHey – VivianIt’s been a while — Unknown NumberVivian stared at the text confused, who was this? and what has been a while? She racked her brain, trying to remember whoever this person was.I’m sorry, do I know you? —VivianPardon my manners, Vivian — Un
Rowan's Mansion made the top ten grandest mansion in the world. His mansion spanned over five plots of land used to perfection. Ever corner and crevice of the land was well used and maintained.Tarred roads led up to the huge gates of the mansion manned by armed men and large pit bulls. What the gate houses is what some would call heaven on Earth, greens decorated the land, several beautiful flowers and gardens welcomed whoever stepped in, personalised water fountains of different shapes and sizes decorated the environment. There were several gardeners in today trimming the overgrown leaves and making it look appealing to the eyes, cleaners were also around removing fallen leaves from the surroundings. At a corner of the compound lies a swing, which further added to the stunning aesthetic of the environment.A glass house sat in the middle of the beauty, standing gloriously and fanning out majestically claiming the land as its. The glasses were all bulletproof, which added to the sec
Marcel was deposited into the trunk of the car while he was knocked out. They managed to sneak him outside before the nurses who were supposed to come in for their night shift. Fred called the security personnel in charge of the security cameras to delete footage of them taking Marcel out of the hospital but leave footage of him entering the hospital, thereby leaving no trace of them.They had taken him to a safe house that wasn’t traceable. It was hidden in plain sight, yet no one knew what it was about. It had a front disguised as a tattoo parlour, but at the back, Fred and Rowan ran business as usual.They stripped him while he was still knocked out, leaving him in only his underwear, and they wrapped chains around his leg and hanged him, facing upside down to the ceiling.His back was filled with several scars from the jobs he had taken. Fred took notice of this as he assessed his body. He had callouses on his hand from years of profession.Fred sat in front of him reading the do
Mr Peter had not been at peace nor settled ever since his encounter with Maria in his office. He had not been able to concentrate while he was at the mansion. His thoughts had been muddled, and all he could think about was what Maria had said to him and how he was going to do what he had been asked to do.The mansion was heavily monitored, and security cameras were at every corner of the house to report any suspicious activity from any of them. He knows for a fact that their phones were being monitored as it took a while after the meeting before their phones were returned back to them.He didn’t step out of his allocated room for a while. He couldn’t afford to cry with the cameras watching him, although hidden in the rooms, he knew there would be cameras inside the rooms. He has always known to be very crafty and cautious when it comes to business, and he wouldn’t want anything to mess up his plan.The only freedom he had was whenever he was in the bathroom. He would cry and wail whil
Alex had planned to meet up with Rowan in their private spot, which was reserved for meetings as they didn’t want anyone to know about their relationship as best friends. It was to their advantage, of course, as they were able to get information from their rivals and report it to themselves, putting themselves a step further than their rivals.A lot of people don't know they are friends except for a few. The only time they meet is during events where they act professionally, leading everyone to believe they were nothing more than acquaintances. Other times, they meet at their private spot, a place out in the open for all to see and hidden enough for no one to suspect anything. Valerie’s Bar, a bar which was co- owned by Rowan’s parent and Alex parents when they were still alive. It became their private spot some years ago after they discovered it had been abandoned every since the accident and when Alex parents left the country. They renovated it in secret and built it to what it wa
Marcel had been scouting the hospital for any sign of Fred or his men had he had not found any. He was pissed at himself for leaving Mark, the guard who had managed to survive alive. He had thought he would come to death before anyone found him, but he had been wrong, and now, with him alive, it is a threat to his identity and could implicate him or, worse, kill him. He had to do something about it, and that was finishing what he started. Marcel was an assassin who specialised in death that looked like an accident or death that could not be traced as he was very careful and made sure to leave no witness alive. He had retired from the profession long ago after he was almost caught during one of his job, he wanted a simpler job and met one of his pals then who had introduced him to a bodyguard agency. He accepted and was later recruited by Fred to work for ROWES.He was in shock when he received a call from an unknown number who said they his services. He wondered how they had gotte
Rowan was in his mansion having a day off from work. He had a long week already and was planning to just rest today and not think about everything that had been happening, but that was just wishful thinking.He had been disturbed several times by the ‘hyenas’ who went by the collective noun called ‘reporters’ they wanted more information on what led to him releasing Charles from the company. He had ignored all of them like he always does, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still find a way to disturb him.He has no choice but to deal with them. After all, he was the one that ordered Fred to release an anonymous tip to the reporters, so it’ll garner the attention of companies, most especially PJ Brand. His plan was falling into place, and it was only a matter of time before PJ Brand fell into the trap he had placed for them.He paced around the living room downstairs with his phone near his ears as he talked with his grandmother. It had been a while since he talked with her, and he misse
Following the release of Charles from ROWES brand. The reporters had been hinted by an unknown source about the news, and every news station across the city started reporting about it.It had become part of the headline story and everyone was interested in the story, both the public and corporations across the city as Charles was a very talented individual who was great with technology and since he had worked with one of the best they wanted him to work in their companies and would pull out every shots to make it happen.“Charles Davies, one of the most recognised talent in the city, has been released by ROWES brand. No one knew exactly what had led to the release, and quite frankly, I don’t think anyone is bothered about that.” A male reporter said to his co-host on the news channel Charles was watching. Charles chuckled at this and took a sip of the orange juice he had in hand.He lived at an old apartment that belonged to his parents before they travelled out of the country. He had
Piper had always worked hard her whole life. She never wanted to depend on anyone and had fought through trials all by herself. She had built a name for herself and opened a bakery with her name on it. The only reason she actually goes to work is so she won’t be too lazy doing nothing at home, and she loved serving her customers and seeing the expression in their eyes when they get their orders.Ever since Piper and Alex boarded their love train, they never wanted to spend their days apart. They always find a way to meet up whether at a restaurant or at a park or maybe in a hotel. Piper never thought she would fall in love this deeply. All her past relationships never lasted as she was never serious with any of them or paid them much attention.She had once told Vivian, ‘Men are like children when they love you. You’re expected to give them all your love and attention else they wouldn’t be satisfied’. Piper wasn’t the type to run after men, nor was she the type that like when men ran
Max had been hard at work gathering the list of the names of all executives and workers that were needed to work on the grand project. He had to make sure to screen all of them and ensure none of them were spies. He worked hand in hand with Fred in tracing their movement and checking their communication history for any suspicious activity. So far, so good none of them have behaved suspicious in any way, and all of them have been cleared.He had sent out letters to all the chosen people on the list and had ordered them to file out to the secret mansion in ones so as not to raise suspicion in groups. They had been ordered to come individually in public transport and not to carry anything with them except for the documents they might need.Public transport were not allowed through the estate where the mansion was located. Hence, they had to walk down to the mansion, which was a few miles away from the main gate. The estate was very secure and was very intentional about security. No one c
Vivian had noticed that Charles had stopped showing up at work. His desk was empty, and his office had been cleated out. She wondered what had happened with him.It also didn’t help that her co-workers were less quiet lately and had been whispering among themselves and discreetly looking at her like she had done something wrong.She tried confronting them, but they immediately shut down and pretended as though they were busy working and not gossiping about her. She then decided she would have to ask Mr Peter, her boss, about it.She finished working on some designs and printed them out. She packed them up into a file and was confused as to where to submit it as Charles was no longer around, and he was the head of the department.“Hey, let me get that for you.” A cool voice offered. The voice belonged to one of her co-workers, David. He was close friends with Charles and always helped her out once in a while, but it had increased more lately as he was always checking on her.“Thanks a