Ash and her baffled heart

Ash, a young CEO of Aurora enterprise. She has made her name to the top when she had to take over her father's role ten years ago. She's in the top not because her father fell sick, but she worked hard over the years despite the gender discriminators inside the corporation. Her mesmerizing looks can be deceiving. Her impeccable face can hoax people into bullying or exploiting her. They were wrong.

Ten  years ago, she was a lively, funky, radiant college girl , now She's an alluring Goddess of Wit, Stoicism, Spunk and Flair.

PARTY IN A LUXURY YACHT

I wasn't ready for this party. I hate parties. But as a CEO,I have no choice but to fake the smiles and talk with people around. So I dressed up in a black solid rib knit Bodycon mini dress with my favorite dangling diamond earrings and a necklace. I wore a little makeup and put on brown shade lipstick and  braided my hair into an updo.

I left my place to the club in my limo.

I joined my people inside the party hall and we toasted to our grand success, Our Tenth Anniversary together. As we conversed and congratulated each other, everyone dispersed slowly to their groups.

  I found a table for myself and sat alone with my chardonnay glass. I felt myself besieged by a group of men who claimed to be eligible bachelors waiting to court me. This is why I hate parties. I could no longer stay patient with the ramblings, I chugged down the drinks and moved up my chair. Suddenly an arm tapped on my shoulders making me turn around to see the one who dared to touch me. It was my friend, Aura, my savior.

"Thank Goodness, You're here! I can't tolerate it anymore!" I whispered.

'When I'm here, no fear!' She chuckled and took my hand and walked to the door. ' The Ruthless Queen of businesses need my help to escape these men.'

" I can handle anything in the business world but not the world of hearts! '

Those men kept chasing despite Aura's rejection. She managed to get me out of the place and drove me back to my home.

As I got out of her car, I asked her, "Do you wanna sleepover. It's late already!"

'Ah! Come on, he is waiting for me,' she winked at me.

"Damn! He's back here after his vacation? I mean his business trip!" I lifted my brows and pouted.

'Yes, so I can't help you for a month. You better avoid parties for a month! Good night' she waved and left.

I heaved a big sigh and entered my home.

Aura and I go way back. When we were kids, she would always be there for me. Now, she is married and she had to leave me. It's rare for her to see me around and I wonder who told her about the party and how she came after me despite her husband being at home.

Well, he is a good person but not to me. I pranked a little trick on him, a day before his marriage with Aura, which backfired and made me look like a devious person. Ever since  he has become a sworn enemy of me and never let's Aura go to me.

I wonder, "How did Aura manage to help me? What's happening around me? Something seems fishy!" I stepped up and moved to my door.

I could feel something strange, the gut feeling of not knowing something like being watched or tracked or something like that!

I locked my door, and kept my purse on the dressing table to change into my pajamas. When I was about to take off my dress, I heard a voice and switched on the lights in a hurry only to see my mother sitting on the couch.

'Mom, you just choked me out of my breath. What are you doing in the dark?'

'I was waiting for you! Did you find anything?' her voice was stiff.

"It was a success party. How can I possibly find anything suspicious?"

'Maybe you are enjoying the attention you get and forgot your sole purpose of being there Honey!' she moved up and walked out slamming the door.

"Tch ….. .Am I enjoying the attention? You are insane and you are so blinded by whatever you have in your mind? Why don't you give a damn about us, your children for once?" I yelled at the door she slammed, tears rolling down my cheeks. I fell on my knees, my heart heavy, I cried a river, sniffing and wiping my tears.

A sudden ringing of my phone made me control my emotion and it was from an unknown number.

I answered," Hello!"

"If you can go to the party held by one of your executive directors next month, you may find something that you have been looking for the past ten years!"said a deep voice.

"Who's this?" I asked and the call ended.

I  called my assistant and told him to find out about the party and the intention behind it.

"Who was that?" I got curious about the unknown number.

"He sounded so sexy and familiar !" I grinned and cleared my throat, "He's just a stranger who tipped about a dangerous person and he might be dangerous as well, I shouldn't care about him, but look for whatever he says!"

I changed into pajamas and hopped into my bed and laid my back on the headboard and started reading my favorite novel. I flickered my fingers on the phone and giggled at the funny romantic scenes.

When I woke up suddenly from my bed, I remembered reading the novel but I couldn't recall when I slept.

I looked at my clock, it was almost 7.I rushed to the bathroom, took a shower, changed into my work attire and went down to the dining room to have breakfast. I couldn't see my mom and I left having the toast and my orange juice.

As I got into my car, I recalled my conversation with my mom and how she has changed over the ten years after that incident with my father.

Even her own child, I have no effect on her, she became the opposite of the toting mother she once was.

But I don't deserve the treatment she gives me. What did I do wrong for her to be like that, when I'm at no fault. She can't justify her acts with the sadness or worry loomed over her. She was only worried  about him but what about Me? I am taking care of the whole business with all those vultures waiting for my downfall to prey on me, to victimize me, to make me a loser, to take upon the whole business my father put his blood and tears into, for which he's now lying in the hospital bed for a decade. 

Now I'm being targeted instead of him. I managed and made it to the top these years, but who would care for me, if not my mother? Who would hear me out rambling all those hurdles I faced in this corporation when there was no one to protect me? Who would look at me and say." You've changed so much, You're brave and confident, I'm so proud of you! ",if not for her!

"Ma'am, Ma'am….", I snapped out of my thoughts with the knocking sound of my window.

The driver looked surprised by my absent mindedness, as I've become ruthless and always kept my eyes open even If I slept. There have been so many secret attacks to get rid of me, but I survived, I wonder how? Yeah, my mother did hire someone. Atleast she did that, I sighed, and got out of the car and entered the lobby of Aurora Enterprises..