Concrete Jungle

The rising sun cast a gentle glow through the curtains. It lit up the room as it continued to rise. However, Alexander was still in bed. He was debating whether he should get up now or sleep in more.

He wanted those minutes of sleeping time. Especially after what he had just gone through at Gear World.

As he was debating, his phone rang. The persistent blaring of the alarm ruptured his eardrums.

Woozy, he reached for his phone, which was above the bedside drawer, with his eyes still not opened.

Against all odds, he retracted the incoming alarm from his phone. However, after turning the alarm off, a phone call came in.

It was his father. His heart quickened at the realization that his father was calling. He didn't know why he would call. Especially after the heated argument they had the other day.

Alexander took a big breath before answering the phone. When he answered, he could faintly hear the breath of his father.

"Come in. Now," said his father with a commanding tone.

"Okay, okay," Alexander complied.

He knew that if he didn't arrive at the building in a set amount of time, his father's men would come to pick him up.

Without wasting much time, he began preparing himself for the upcoming meeting with his father. With resentment, he dragged his tired legs out of bed.

He walked doggedly and slowly into his bathroom. His mind raced at the thought of the meeting. He felt anxious, yet somehow excited.

"What if he's just giving me a gift?" Alexander thought to himself, trying to be optimistic.

He took off his clothes and hopped in the shower. The warm shower gradually smeared every inch of his body and revitalized him. The shower was the first of many of his morning routines.

With each drop of water, he scrubbed away the remaining fatigue from his body. This helps him mentally prepare for the day.

After the warm and gentle scrubbing, he took a step toward the sink. There, he wet his face and then plastered his face with facewash.

"But then again, it could also be another reprimand," he said while rinsing the soap off.

The early morning passed in the blink of an eye. Alexander swiftly cleaned his room before heading to his father's office.

While on his way there, he stumbled upon an elderly woman. She was having trouble crossing the street while holding on to her groceries.

Without a thought, he approached the elderly woman. When he was close enough, he tapped her on the shoulder.

"Sister, let me help you," Alexander said with a warm and compassionate voice.

"Sister? Oh my," the elderly woman blushed and nudged Alexander.

While waiting on the handoff, Alexander waited in place, hands out, and a smile on his face. The elderly woman, touched by the heart of Alexander, handed her groceries over to him.

"Bless you, child," she exclaimed, a wide smile spreading across her worn, wrinkled face.

As Alexander picked up her groceries, she commented, "It's not often I encounter kindness. Especially here."

"Ha, ha!" Alexander couldn't help but chuckle at her comment.

While they cross the road, the elderly woman gives a summary of her life as they stare at the concrete jungle.

When they crossed the road, the elderly woman turned to Alexander, and her eyes twinkled with gratitude.

"You have an amicable heart. Hold on to it," said the elderly woman as she touched Alexander's chest.

"I will, ma'am. Thank you," replied Alexander with a nod.

After scurrying around the concrete jungle, he reached the front doorstep of the massive tower that contained his father's ever-growing empire.

When he entered, the lobby was larger than most hotels. The large glass panels allowed for easy viewing of the street outside.

Sitting on the couches of the lobby were influential figures that could shake up the nation. Whether they were in governmental positions or located in the private sector.

Everyone moving around the lobby was walking with purpose. Important conversations filled the air, along with a tang of corporate buzz.

Surrounded by the bustling crowd, his eyes met with his fiancée's, Sarah. She sat near the elevator with her golden blond hair. Her expression was a mixture of warmth and concern.

Mesmerized by her beauty, he approached her. "Morning, Sarah," Alexander said with a smile.

"Bernie~!" she squealed and jumped at Alexander.

Bernie, the shortened version of Bernard. Bernard was the name his father gave Alexander when he adopted him. With connections, he could even change names already written on the birth certificate.

"Let's go get brunch!" Sarah exclaimed while rubbing her face on Bernard's chiseled chest.

"I wish we could, Sarah. But I've got a meeting with him," said Bernard as he pointed upward.

Sarah's disappointment showed on her face. "It's always meetings with you," she said with a dejected look.

Shameful, Bernard made a simple promise. "I'll make it up to you," he said.

After the quick encounter with Sarah, we walked into the elevator. As the elevator closed, he waved goodbye to Sarah.

While on his way to the top, his sense of uneasiness grew to an unimaginable level. The ambiguity of his father's call was the cause. Bernard's mind raced as he approached the seventieth floor.

He heard the bell as he reached his destination. He took a deep breath as he exited the elevator's doors.

On his way to his father's office, Bernard could feel the pressure on his shoulders as he walked closer to the office's door.

Beyond the door was the place of power, a place where important decisions were signed. He took another breath and pushed open the door, ready to face whatever awaited him.

What greeted him was his father, who was sitting atop his chair, along with his secretary of thirty years.

"Hello, Father. Uncle, too," said Bernard with his head bowed.

"Hello, Bernard," replied his uncle while adjusting his square-shaped glasses.

Meanwhile, his father was still sitting atop his chair, staring him down with a stern expression.

Bernard looked at his father and asked, "What is it, father?"

"You remember how you wanted to study that nonsense?" he asked with a disapproving tone.

"Paleontology?" asked Bernard.

"Yes, that nonsense," said his father.

"Aaron, call him in," his father instructed the secretary.