Chapter One

Today was quite different, for someone alarm to ring for a long time and the owner keeps tossing through the sheets. The alarm snoozed for a short period before blaring again, this time the sun was already out and it hit the sleepyhead on the bed.

"Aaow my eyes." A feminine voiced whined at this, she couldn't glare at the golden rays that sat proudly on her face.

She slowly stood upright from the bed, she inhaled deeply before letting it out.

"I'm still tired" she murmured and slowly dragged herself out of the bed to the bathroom.

There's being progress, well good enough progress to know what step to take. Being ideal wasn't something she was familiar with, but this feeling of not waking early and going to the same place to live your passion is something that sets her head in flames.

Her father, Hector Valcan. Sends her money occasionally and given his daughter's personality he made it look like she was working for it by sending her projects and made her do summaries on some projects.

Cassandra Valcan.

She grew up with her father's love and was a bright mind. Her father was business man and owned a multi-million dollar company, he had talented work under him and it was what contributed to the growth until one day.

Hector Valcan worked hard and tolled more than half his life to get to where he was and beside him was his sweetheart and love of his life, Jenna.

The world was cruel especially to people of colour but Hector was stubborn and refused to give up, the only advantage he had was that he had a white man as a grandfather.

After having Cassandra, Jenna passed on after a few hours, Hector made sure he was strong enough to raise their daughter despite being heartbroken and almost fell into depression.

But he loved his daughter and did not spare any expense in her upbringing.

In the business world, there were rules and those rules were one that binded the society despite it being... ancient.

"Hello, Dad."

"My princess how have you been?"

"Pretty much alive.

"That's good news, any plans for today?"

"Grocery shopping and a quick stop at lovey's

"Lovey's. Why does a library sound like a candy shop?"

"It's something I can't give reason to since it's a free world." Hector laughed, his deep voice vibrated down the line.

"Tell Quinn I said hi, she's the only friend of yours I recognize."

"She's my only friend."

"Come home and have dinner with me, I have a gig for you."

"Will do Pops." She sighed with a smile on her face as the call ended. She got out of the car after parking. The car isn't much but it was one of a kind, it's like pure luck because it has only broke down once since she bought it.

Grocery shopping was something she had manage to obtain as a skill. It's a skill not everyone can obtain in a day.

Cassandra smiled when she saw the price caught by 30%.

"Lucky me." She turned and suddenly bumped into something hard, it wasn't painful but enough for her to fall over, something gripped her arm and another circled her waist, preventing her from falling

"Are you alright?" She briefly felt a hot breath on her cheek, his voice was deep and velvety.

"Yes, I'm fine." He slowly let go of her and she could see his profile.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't see you back then.

"No I'm at fault too I shouldn't be hurrying down the aisle" He said apologetically he picked up the pack she dropped and handed it to her, she couldn't help but notice his sharp features.

Raven black hair, steel grey eyes and a 6'3 frame she couldn't help but look a bit longer at him.

"I'll be on my way then" He smiled. He looked like a college student, black top, flannel and leather jacket with jeans.

"Right." His smile wasnt making it easy to be rude, he was young so flashing a smile was normal. She wheeled her cart away. She reprimanded herself for looking too long at him, he could be a minor for heavens sake.

She's almost forty and divorced, she was repelled at that label. It's almost two years and she was thankful that it was over.

A dinner with Dad was great but not the fact that Aunt Alora would be present too but it was her Dad's wishes not her step-mother.

"Was just about to call you" She was expecting the person at the other end to shout at her but her voice unexpectedly calm

"Where are you?"

"I'm almost there.

"There's alot of work waiting for you"

"I'll be there soon." lovey's was a private library that has owned a reputation for helping students get good grades. It's more or less a Cram school for high schoolers and university students and Quinn Hallows was the Crown princess of that institute.

Having been let off by the Prestigious high school that she worked with for five years her friend, Quinn didn't have second thoughts on begging her to teach in his Cram school, he knew the kind of talent she was and made sure she saw the contract and sighed in satisfaction.

But Quinn was a maniac and utilize her other known qualities which worked too well.

Cassandra was a black woman with gifted qualities when it comes to her body shape, she was blessed to look sexy In anything she wore from tracksuit bottoms to dinner wears.

And for the past two years, Quinn had more students than the local college downtown. Business was booming and it was all thanks to a talent like Cassandra.

The door opened and a curvy woman entered, Quinn looked at her like she was some heavenly entity, her blue orbs glistened like glasses that had the morning rays fall on them.

"I thought I lost you."

"You've got a lot of strength for drama."

"Today is quite special, you know."

"Yes, students are coming in to get the best the institute is offering."

"Yeah about that..." Cassandra held her mug and was on her way to the Expresso machine but stopped in her tracks,she felt something was wrong

"What is it?"

"There's been some new developments. Some dickheads made a report."

"About what this time

"It's more complicated than that and I have to be away to settle this, that's why I want to have you manage the place

"Quinn, this is so sudden

"I know, I'm aware but if I don't answer to this one we may shut down for real" Quinn was never a down to earth person but this was something that she has taken years to build and with the support of Cassandra.

Cassandra did not doubt her skills when it came to handling the reins of an organization, she worked with her father's company years ago and this sort of thing often happened then.

"Dont stay for long"

"Wish me luck, don't worry too much" With that this blond woman grabbed her coat and bag and headed out from the office.

"She didn't even tell me for how long she would be gone." Cassandra sighed and took a sip of her latte.

***

With headphones on, it was easier to focus and block the world out as he ran through the woods, he was fast and easily maneuver over the fallen tree logs, he parkoured over the little hill and used his surrounding to make his way forward.

Soon he was in front of a house, a black and glass house. The glass were dark and not see through from the outside. It was opaque outside and only reflected the outside environs but the inside could see everything outside and the sun rays was reduced and bearable.

The running man sighed and walked to the kitchen and got a glass of water from the fridge. He removed the headphones and took a large gulp of the water.

A low buzzing sound came from the phone on the counter, he picked it up and swiped putting it on loud speaker before dropping it back on the counter.

"Good morning Sir, everything has been arranged and your mother called."

"I'll be there in two hours."

"Yes sir" He closed his eyes and a small smile tugged on his lips as he exhaled heavily.

'finally' he thought.

The white Pagani drove towards where the plane was and parked not far from it. The driver alighted and looked at the plane , a man in navy blue suit walked towards him.

"Aerion?"

"The contract was signed and their discretion has been sealed by it

"It takes a while to make one

"This was supposed to be a gift to their old sponsor but after being delayed, the contract compels them to make few sacrifices.

"This is so sudden.. and perfect, Take care of things here Franco I trust you will do well." He said. his boss stretch out his hand with key in it

"I'll send it for maintenance.

"Do whatever you want to do with it, it's yours." With that he walked towards the private jet, his cream denim and white shirt with few buttons undone.

"Inform my mother I won't be in London until next week,Franco" Franco clutch the key so hard like he was going to turn back and say it was a joke and collect the car key back but instead he turned to tell him to misinform his mother about his arrival.

Was this the price for the Pagani?

Franco nodded. This car was supposed to stay at least a year in the show room but young master ordered for the car after Franco debriefed him about it.

Going home after 15years was something a normal person would anticipate, but he was excited but not about the fact that he would embraced by his family but it wasn't the same for him, coming home was more of a summoning.

His grey eyes looked at phone brief his hand reach for compartment under the table he pulled it open and through the phone inside before shutting it.

He sighed and relaxed his body into the chair.

Italy gave him that serenity he needed and it felt like home because of the memories it held, the succession game already started long before he was born and after 24 years the flames hasn't died down.

Henry divorced his wife last year making them stand as equals in this game, but it didn't even bother him because there was alot of preparation before today.

Uncle Tobi already told him everything.