CHAPTER 2

The traffic was terrific, he kept sighing while fiddling with his phone. The driver was nervous; his hands on the steering were sweating enough to wash off a dirty foot. He kept on looking through the mirror at his boss.

'Should I wind down the windshield by your sides?'

No reply. Instead, the air grew more uncomfortable by a hundred degrees. HE coughed and adjusted his tie. Still, the boss sat stiff and fixated on his phone. 

'Sir, should I turn on the AC?' this one came out more shaky and raspy than the last. Tears were threatening to spill out from his small eyes. He was biting through his lips, eyes running through the e mirror and the street. 

Finally, the boss lifted his face but gave no reply. He began tapping his knuckles on his knees, his focus was on the window.

'Are you uncomfortable?'

'I do not think so, sir.'

'But you think I am uncomfortable and probably suffocating in here, why?'

The silence that ensued was louder than the sound of a roaring volcano. It was heightened by the boss' sudden look at the mirror, where his driver's eyes were focused. It was as though his eyes were boring into the poor man's soul, so much that he had to lose his grip on the steering.

'You should focus on the road that is what I pay you for. You are not my nanny neither are you my mom, so do not nag.'

The driver heaved a sigh of relief although he felt mildly insulted by the first statement. His gaze was back on the street just in time to see the lights turn green. He had already turned on the ignition when he caught sight of two ladies running across the road just in front of the car. He cursed aloud and jammed his fist on the horn, letting out a blaring sound. The shorter lady laughed and stuck out her tongue while she dragged away the tall hideous-looking one. They deserved a lashing for that, or maybe two weeks on the wheel car to learn.

'They are so young and carefree, something I never have been.'

'They just missed being hit by a car. That's being young and stupid; you are more knowledgeable than that.'

'Sounds like my mom and I can't have two. Have you ever let yourself loose, ever had fun?'

'All I have ever done is try to make enough so my kids will not go through the hellish experiences I had as a child. You know that better than anyone.'

'Says a man who is old enough to have grandkids but has no child. At this rate, you may die a hopeless, lonely, and miserable old man. I am sure my mom did that to you, always keeping you by her side. I thought she had a hold on you, you never budged. Maybe you never noticed, but you urged on her ruthlessness.'

His words quickly affected the older man. His expressions had been blank while he delivered the truth which no one in the family had dared to state for years. His mom was the sole architect of his, giving rules that only favored her existence and he had not been able to stand up to her after all these years. Secretly he hoped that he would one day say how he felt to her face and not be the bitter boy who hid in the closet every time he tried to defy her orders.

'Drop me off at the employees' parking space. Tell everyone that I will be coming in quietly.'

'But...'

'No buts, my mother can scream to her if she wants.'

Mr. Williams had not suspected this move when he asked for a single driver and not the regular convoy, although he took the decisions without his mother's approval, he went ahead to move in a saloon car that had been stowed in the basement for years. It had been his father's first car which was the least of all they ever had after then. He had no major appointments for the day, so it posed no issue to anyone. In what words would he explain to the lady Margaret that her son was walking into one of his companies like a commoner?

They were the richest and most influential family of Northingard. During one of his tours, the boss had picked a brand of pen over another's during his interviews and the rejected brand went bankrupt in weeks, the act was not carried out intentionally because he just loved the fact that the pen's covers matched his dress. 

His pretty face made him more attractive, even the men were swooned by him. With all these features, he was still single to his bones. No lady had been able to win over his heart. But this made him even more attractive, he was the most wanted single man in Northingard.

 Who would not fall head over heels for a very rich, handsome, and intelligent sole heir to the most influential family?

Although his mother nagged and grumbled over his inability to find a befitting bride after setting him up on different dates with very eligible single and sometimes married women among the high powers in the country and beyond, his singleness served a purpose. Almost every high-class power tried to get on his good side. This made work and sealing deals less cumbersome for him.

Apart from being a towering 6'2 male with every girl's dream body and face, he had a rich fashion appeal and was always easily among the best-dressed businessmen of the year. His aura was intimidating and yet so captivating. He had a deep voice that sent chills down spines. 

To every girl that had met him; they fell in love at first sight. He was the ideal father, lover, and role model. To everyone, he was perfect, he was every girl's dream.

Although the world had a better-perceived view of him, he did not hold himself in the same regard. He felt that he was just an unfortunately born child to a woman who never cared about his happiness, who wanted him alive for her selfish reasons and to have her hands on the reins of power. He was barely emotive, had no friends, and doubted if he was capable of loving anyone.

His thoughts were interrupted as Mr. Williams announced their arrival at the parking lot. He stepped out before the older man could arrive at his door side to let him out. The norm was that only his guards could open the door for him. Having already worn a disguise, he was sure to go in unnoticed.

It was so strange to finally see everyone move around him freely, all his life was full of paparazzi, and it felt good to be normal. His disguise had his face and arms covered, with a little protruding stomach and loosely fitted clothes. His shirt was tucked in on the right side and left flapping on the left.

He made his way into the elevator and punched in a random number, leaning on the elevator when he went in. On arriving at the first floor, a brunette in heels that looked too high and a skirt too short worked in. She was chewing gum with a nasty attitude and blowing bubbles when she noticed that he was in there. For the first time, he felt invisible and it was not a good feeling. She barely looked at him, judging from his uncomfortable-looking shoes to his hair and dress. Almost immediately, a ghostly-looking girl ran in. Her face was hidden by the strands of unkempt hair that framed her face.

She avoided looking anyone in the face and drove herself to the corner opposite his. The air was unsettling; with the heel-shod lady standing as far as she could from them while blowing her gum like she owned the space and the probably mentally impaired lady tapping her foot in a beautiful rhythm. He instantly guessed that she was humming a song. She seemed locked in her world, refusing to allow anyone in. Her attire was weird, a gathered gown with a pair of sneakers that should have been discarded a century ago. He wondered if she could talk, she seemed mute.

Suddenly, the elevator began to whirr uncontrollably and it seemed as though it was tumbling. Chaos was unleashed and for the first time, a mental lady lifted her face. Her eyes were the last things he saw before darkness came upon them.