Chapter 20:Withdrawal

It is odd how, when you have

announced that you are leaving,

it is as if you are already gone,

even if your physical departure

still lies months away. People

begin to erase you from their

minds, and you walk the halls

with a feeling of growing

transparency.

----------Paul Watkins.

**************

E.H.

Twelve years ago.

"Mr.Hart!"

Scott screamed as a truck screeched nearby. I had spaced out for a moment.

I daydreamed of Blue, sitting on the opposite side cafe with a book beside the screen. May be it was my imagination.What's happening though?I would have been dead meat by now if not Scott had dragged me back.

As Scott made me sit on the side bench,I laughed out, aloud.Seeing Scott furrow his brows like the sly character from Lemony Snickets,I laughed harder.He might be thinking that I had gone back to my hysteria mode.But nope.

I was absolutely fine.Fine,okay.

Just as fine as one could be without any sense or mind.

Nevermind this crap....

I stood up and straightened out the imaginary creases of my tailored suit.

Before all this,I regretted my childhood but now I hated my entire existence. I couldn't make her stay.....

Thus shaking off my melancholy,I shrugged at Scott and gestured him to follow me.After settling in my Maserati Levante,Scott reported me about our share market prospects with our investment in the Albert's Architecture Ltd. and the like.The headquarters over New York, LA,Berlin were doing well but the only hitch was the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro. He had been a blood sucking leech.He needed commission, that to under the table transactions for every sanctioned work.We weren't doing anything illegal. Yet no worries,we had already unearthed all the skeletons of his closet.Just we have to wait for a climax time and then.....Boom!

Further discussion relating to the marketing was done quickly and Scott bade me farewell before leaving me in my Presidential Suite.This suite overviewed a far stretching beautiful valley.Perfect was it like Blue.

And today had been quite tiring yet my heart being restless,I stood leaning on the balcony.The view from here was breathtaking,and as I gazed at the horizon,I felt Blue's presence again. She seemed to be so near me,not a mirage or an oasis, but the real one.

Reminiscing back,I visualized Blue-her intense sapphire eyes,her laughter like the melody of chimes,her foolish expressions and her dark chocolate fetish.My God, she really had been a unique gem.And my,the one...

"Man,I need a strong drink." I muttered.

But thinking back, why couldn't I stop her?

Wasn't I the 18th richest man on earth?

Wasn't I,The Edward Hart?

No biggie.....there.

Blue had learned about my identity when she took internship in of our head office branches and well,it had been an apocalypse. Though in the end she had accepted the real me with ease.

But unfortunately till then,a lot of incidents toppled my life...

So,yeah I am Edward Hart,of The Empire Co. Ltd.