Chapter 1

Luke stared at the photo of the two people he loved and cherished, his forest green eyes on the identical smile on their faces as they held their new born son. It was obvious that they had been very happy. He knew how hard they had wanted to have a baby, having been there as they struggled with accepting the fact that they couldn't have a baby the natural way. His brother, Daniel, had been so disappointed but he stood by his wife, Rebecca, even on days when she pushed him away out of shame, for being the one with the fertility problem. Luke remembered how Daniel would try to act like nothing was wrong whenever he had been opportuned to travel all the way to London to visit them. He knew his brother well enough to know that he was being served a facade.

Luke had worried for the two and the perilous state of their seemingly perfect marraige. He never did say it, but theirs was a marriage worth dreaming after. Unfortunately, their spats and unending disagreements reinforced his already jaded mind on his decision when it came to relationship; better to be single.

Seeing the normally energetic, adventurous, strong, and happy Rebecca so out of character, her consistently lively face completely devoid of life did a number on him. He couldn't blame her, everyone knew she wanted a baby, a family of her own where she could have what she never did as a child. He was there when her bright violet eyes gradually began to lose its shine, a natural state for someone who had gone from one miscarriage to another for five years. He had been surprised they had remained together during those dark moments.

As luck would have it, the option of surrogacy came in. Rebecca had been so obsessed about having a child that she had jumped at the chance to have one through another woman. Luke had questioned her crazy need for a child that he doubted if she would be able to take care of the child at all. He shouldn't have worried because from that moment on, Rebecca came back to being so full of life again. The moment James Reed Knight was born had been the happiest day of their lives. It was like the sun finally shone on the remaining dark areas, annihilating the dark never to return.

Luke closed his eyes, pushing back the pain that seemed to be taking up space in his chest with every breath he took in.

Why was life so cruel? Why did it have to ruin something so good? Why did they have to die? Why did they have to lose their lives when they had a lot ahead of them? What kind of God would allow something like that to happen to His own people? It was why he never bought his brother's idea of becoming a born again. He had gotten a first hand experience of the pain and suffering that existed in the world. He didn't need some higher power to believe in, not especially one that was painted as all good and merciful. Nobody was all good.

His phone buzzed for the umpteenth time and like the other times, he ignored whoever was calling. He picked up the bottle of gin beside the phone, ignoring the glass tumbler he had been using at first. Luke placed the bottle on his lips, drinking the right amount of alcohol needed to dull his senses and reduce the tearing pain in his heart. He ran his hand back and forth through his black hair, ruining the perfectly styled hair. The office line rang, piercing the silence in the room. Was it too much to ask to be left alone? He wondered.

"Luke! I know you're there. We need you..." It was his aunt, Miranda. Luck pushed back his chair and staggered towards the phone at the left side of the room. He would have yelled for his secretary, but he had sent her home, the same way he had sent everyone he had been in a meeting home when the news finally got to him. Due to the lack of light in the room and his inebriated state, he hit his left knee against a table and fell to the floor. Meanwhile, his aunt spoke on, her voice hitching as she did.

"We... We..can't do this without you, Luke. You need to fly down to London to do what is necessary for the family. I-I..." she trailed off to blow her nose.

"Little Jamie was in the car too. He has been taken to the hospital. It seems he would need surgery." Luke, who had regained himself enough to stand up to switch off the phone, stopped when he heard the name of his nephew. In his grief, he had forgotten about James, he hadn't even stopped to ask what had happened to him.

"I can only imagine-" Luke cut her off when he picked up the receiver.

"Aunt Miranda, I'm on it. I'll be in London immediately. Stay with mother and wait for my call." He hung up after issuing the order then rushed to his phone so he could call his pilot to get the plane ready for departure to London. Then he called the hospital and did the same there. When he was done, he took a deep breath to steady himself, knowing he needed it before he throwing himself into the fire.

Lukewarm felt shame at himself for allowing himself to break down to the point that he had abandoned his responsibilities. In his selfishness, he had forgotten his nephew was also suffering, if not more. But no more. He was going to be there for him now, he would push his pain aside and be the head of the Knight household just like he had always been and will always be.

~

It had taken over eight hours for him to travel down from New York to London. All that time, he had been informed his nephew had undergone surgery for his legs, having sustained serious leg injuries. If he had the ability to fly he would have appeared in the hospital directly to be with his nephew sooner, but he didn't. His only hope was that all went fine with the surgery and his nephew wouldn't have to deal with the possibility of not walking again.

Luke had not gotten a wink of sleep on the flight, choosing to take coffee every now and then to make sure he didn't. On getting to the hospital, he was shocked when he saw the number of reporters there to cover the story. His driver, Martins, twisted in his seat to look at him, trying his best not to show pity.

"Is the front the only way in?" Luke asked him, stifling an involuntary shiver from having to pass through the crowd of hungry reporters, looking for news in the form of tragedy to boost the sale of their newspapers or increase viewership on TV.

Martins' answer was evident in the little shake of his head. Luke nodded before steadying himself. It wasn't the first time he would do something he would rather not. It was what everyone expected from him and he lived up to the expectation because he knew no other way. He got out of the car and they immediately trooped to him, shining bright lights in his face, unfazed by his frown and obvious disgust. Questions poured down on him like pelting rain and he had no umbrella or coat to keep him protected. Instead, he chose to walk through the downpour of questions, pausing to answer no one. Luckily, the police were around to prevent them from coming to close to him.

"Mr Knight, do you think this happened because your brother was an alcoholic?" A mildly familiar voice asked. Luke knew the game, she asked just to get a reaction from him and he gave her one. Lukewarm turned back slowly to search for the issuer of that irritating question. He could tell that his reaction had set tongues wagging and brains turning. Instead of saying all the profanities in his mind, he gave a small smile to the person who had had the guts to ask him the question and continued on his way into the hospital, buttoning up his suit jacket as he climbed the stairway.

Immediately he got in, he was taken to the wing of the hospital where his nephew had been taken to by the administrator of the hospital and some delegates. They had placed James in a private wing, something he had ordered before leaving Newyork. The doors of the elevator opened and he came out, flattering in his step when he saw a woman with her head in her palms, seated in front of the room. He knew that red hair anywhere. It was like there was no other person in the world with that particular hair color; fire red. She had her hands wrapped around her thin frame and he briefly wondered if she was eating. Thanks to the footsteps of he and the others she became aware of their presence. She raised her head from her hands and turned it slowly to where they stood. As soon as their eyes met, his green to her violet, he felt his body go warm and weak. Luke didn't miss the widening of her beautiful eyes when she set her violet eyes on them- correction, him. Cursing himself for pausing and looking like a fool, he continued walking steadily towards the room. She rose out of the seat, her eyes still on him as she walked to meet him. They met in the middle just like he knew they would, but what happened next hadn't been part of what he thought would happen.

Her open palm connected with his right cheek, causing his face to turn sharply to the side thanks to the force of the slap.

The hallway went quiet.