NARRATIVE
"Sir Chairman, the young Miss is home now, her brother brought her back."
"Okay." Jamie Grey said after hearing his subordinate's words over the phone. The moment he ended the call, Jamie let out a sigh as he stared from the patio of his private villa into the dark night.
He had promised his eldest daughter_Heidi as he calls her, he'll be spending the night in the family's manor but now, Jamie wasn't willing to anymore. Not after his younger daughter cried yet again, because of him. He knew he'd receive the cold shoulder from the rest of the family_Heidi aside, should he go over tonight.
His relationship with Imogen, his younger daughter wasn't always like this but it was all Harriet's fault.
Imogen as a young child used to be smart and well behaved but as she grew older, her behaviors changed to the opposite. Jamie who couldn't find it in him to forgive himself for sleeping with his late wife's scheming bestfriend on their matrimonial bed, had no time to think about any other thing other than to live a gloomy life, wallowing in his regret and hatred towards their mother, Harriet.
Things wouldn't have come down to this if he'd controlled his liquor decades ago after his wife's death.
For a long time now, he'd lived in regret and still do, only this time, there's a reason he could smile again_though, occasionally.
_____
Harriet sat down on her daughter's bed, running her hand over her glossy brunette hair while she watch her sleep.
It was her fault, she knew that right. It's because of her that her beautiful daughter had to suffer like this. She's responsible, she wouldn't deny_but isn't it enough already? Isn't the decades she'd spent in misery because of her terrible decision many years ago enough to pay for her crimes? Why not let her bear it all alone? Why let her children suffer from the consequences of her action too?
Her vision blurred as she felt the painful lump build up in her throat. She pursed her lips and smiled painfully.
She couldn't sit still and let this go on. Whatever Jamie Grey had up to his sleeves wouldn't favor her, she knew that well enough. She's lived with him many years enough to know that. And for her children's sake, the new girl had to go. She was going to do all she could and more, to ensure of that. Having gone too deep in this dangerous game, she knew there's no backing out now.
Harriet blinked back her tears as she stroke her daughter's hair a little more.
"You see now, why we can't let her be the CEO?" She turned sideways and stared at her son who had been standing by the bed side a while now. "It just must not happen, Ashton. Do you hear me?!"
At this moment, Ashton felt stuck between his mother and father. He'd always know their relationship wasn't ever good but what he and his twin never knew was why? They could only guess and assume from rumors the town's people talk about_as their mother never had a satisfying answer for them.
Their mother was the illegitimate wife of the famous Chairman Grey and they, were his illegitimate children.
She's the whore and backstabber who stole her bestfriend's husband right after her death.
It was easy to ignore those remarks and provocative comments from people when it was just them but now, Ashton knew it would never be easy to ignore the remarks again now that his father's legitimate daughter's around.
His mother was right; Scarlett is a formidable opponent he shouldn't get overly comfortable with. She is a threat to many positions in his life and not just his, both to his mother and sister.
He had never liked disappointing his mother before and had never imagined it. Now torn between being a responsible son to his mother and meeting up standards to please his dad, Ashton knew he had to make a decision_a crucial one at that.
He just couldn't sit back and turn a blind eye to his mother and sister's hurt because he wants to be his father's best behaved child.
"Yes, Mother." He finally said.
____
In a magnificent villa in the east region of Birmingham city, a young man sat in his swivel chair in a large and grand study, a distant look in his berg chocolate eyes which was concealed by a thick mass of black lashes. His naturally red lips was pursed as he pushed several strands of hair off his handsome, perfectly structured face.
Soon, he tapped his chin thoughtfully, his eyes now brooding over an exquisite wristwatch in his hand. A random memory popped up in his mind and he smiled before returning his gaze into the dark night and beautiful city.
"Sir Chairman," He turned around on his swivel chair to face the subordinate who'd just come in his study.
"Yes, Sam. Did you check?" He asked.
"Yes, Sir. At the moment, she's having a night shopping at the Vernice Bradley's Shoprite in city center." The man, Sam, announced.
"Oh great, isn't she an amusing one? What normal human shops at night?" The young chairman chuckled. "Come on, let's go say hi to her majesty." He was on his feet already, his face brightening with his smile. Sam gave a slight bow and smiled at the chairman.
"Yes, Sir." He said.
_____
Inside a popular shopping plaza, Scarlett Grey stood by the section for armani glass shades, a happy smile on her beautiful face as she picked up several shades in her hand.
She was occupied in another world now_the world her addiction led her to, so much that she didn't care what time of the day it was.
Scarlett stared at her reflection on a lengthy glass mirror with a satisfied smile on her face. She removed the shade from her eyes and daintily place it in the minicart by her side. Several others were already there but it didn't matter to her. She looked around the section again, striding along while looking at several piece on the show glass.
"Nope, already have that. And this. This too..." She hummed softly a beautiful glint in her silver-grey eyes.
"Yes!" She exclaimed joyously the moment she'd glanced back briefly and her eyes landed on an exquisite patterned shade. Must be one of the latest designs as she's yet to have it in her collection.
Turning swiftly on her heels, she made to hurry towards it_as though afraid someone else would get it before her, when she suddenly missed her footing and saw herself about to collide with the floor backwards. The disguise hoodie she had over her head, falling backwards.
At this moment, she was more concerned about hiding her identity than anything else_ including the glass shades or even falling to the floor.
With her hands tightly supporting the baggy gray hoodie she had on, Scarlett shut her eyes tight as she awaited the moment of her fall.
*Oh my gosh! I can't let no one see my face, especially as I'm falling down!!!...* she screamed within her.
Just when she'd mentally pictured her butt colliding with the hard surface and was only counting seconds before it'll actualize, she suddenly felt an arm around her waist, warm breath on her face and her nostrils picked up a really nice smell of a masculine perfume and in that moment, her long lashes fluttered open.
Her eyes widened and a gasp left her lips the moment her eyes came in contact with his.
*Oh My Gosh!!! How gorgeous! How freaking gorgeous! What a drool-worthy unearthly male!* Her thoughts collided with each other in her head, momentarily lost as she gaped at him.