In books, the author writes how valuable life is towards the main character when he or she witnesses the death of a loved one. Sometimes when the character is about to jump to his death. But in the real world people never realize that it is something that we borrowed, to know our purpose in this desolate world. It's also unfair to those who want to live longer, those who want to contribute more before their time comes. Their lives get snatched up in a blink of an eye.
“Do you think he meant harm?” Percy asks, as we wait for Francine to come back from the restroom.
After getting the strange call, Francine had begun to fire questions non-stop, demanding an answer. It took time for me to calm her down and reassure her, not wanting her to be included. Giving up, she went straight to the washroom after we finished lunch. Finding an opening, I relayed my suspicions to Percy, who remained vigilantly by our side.
“What if the man you saw is only a bystander? Did he do… anything?”
I sighed, massaging my temples. “He only stared at us and walked away. As for the caller, I don't know who it is or how they got my number.” It was all so stressful I might even get gray hairs after this.
“Would you like me to inform your father, Miss Maxwell?” Percy inquired, to which I nodded gratefully.
“Yes please, and tell the staff at home to be on guard at all times,” I ordered softly, before seeing him nod briefly.
“Yes Ma'am.”
Taking his phone out, Percy proceeded to dial my father and went somewhere private, leaving the two bodyguards to ensure safety. I aimlessly tapped my fingers against the table, lip pursed as I waited. Eventually, Francine came out of the washroom and wandered back to our table, rummaging in her bag.
“What's the matter, Fran?”
Sitting down, she heaved before zipping her bag close. “Nothing, I just left my hairbrush at the diner. These locks are becoming untamable.” Tying her hair into a harsh bun, she smoothed out a few stray curls and let out a satisfied breath. “There! Let's just hope this scrunchie doesn't split or fall off.”
Eyeing the redhead, I smiled impishly and this made Francine double-take. “W-why are you smiling like that, Rachel?”
Signaling for the bill, I shrugged nonchalantly as the lady handed me the charge. “Oh, nothing. I just had a thought.”
Francine raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “Why do I have a hunch that it's something that I'm against?”
I allowed myself to laugh at her words before handing the lady my credit card. Seeing Percy coming back, I turned to him and shook my head when he was about to relay my father's message.
“It's been a long while since we went to a beauty salon together. I say, let's visit one right now.”
Paling slightly, Francine held up her hands defiantly. “N-no need for that, Rach. I'm all right! I can just wait, read a magazine while you get your hair done and all.”
“Come on,” I urged, as I pulled her with me to the door with the bodyguards following us.
Once in the car, Francine began to make up excuses and reasons as to why she didn’t need to go to the parlor. “I-I just had my hair cut, you know? And it's expensive these days. My mother can just cut my hair.”
Tuning her out, I hummed softly throughout the short ride. Eyeing the different salons, I smiled triumphantly once I found it.
“We're here, Miss Maxwell.”
“Ah, come on, Francine.” I grinned as Percy got out and opened the car door. I pulled the redhead into the salon, ignoring her sputtering protests.
Entering the salon, we went up to the front desk. The woman behind it smiled through her rouge red lips. The familiar smell of hair product wafted into my nostrils; the music playing in the background as the staff chatted somewhere inside. A few customers waiting were scanning magazines or busy with their phone.
“Hello and good afternoon, Ma'am. How may I help you?”
“Hello, um, my friend here needs a haircut and treatment,” I replied, gesturing to the gaping Francine who continued reasoning why she didn't need a cut.
The woman regarded Francine for a moment before typing something on her computer. “Okay, what's her name?”
“Francine Winstel.”
“Please wait for a moment, Ma'am.” The woman stood up from her seat and left, heading further into the salon where the sound of hairdryers whirled.
Turning around, Francine bit her lip and sighed. “You don't have to trouble yourself, Rach. If you want, I'll get the haircut and I'll pay for it.”
Shaking my head, I smiled suggestively. “Now, now. I wouldn't let you pay. After all, this is for you and Patton.” At the mention of his name, her green eyes went wide.
“Parkinson? What does he have to do with—?”
"Francine Winstel? Can I have Francine Winstel, please?" An Asian woman called, her raven hair in a tight bun and scissors in her small hand.
Pushing Francine in the woman's direction, I pointed at my best friend. “Here is Francine Winstel!”
Staring at Francine with her black, beady eyes, the hairstylist gestured for her to follow. “This way, Ma'am.” Giving me one last glance before I motioned for her to go, Francine disappeared into the salon.
“Miss Maxwell,” Percy mumbled and pocketed his phone. “I just received word from your father. He strongly advises you to come home and remain there until he arrives.”
I heaved a sigh, utterly exhausted. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I nodded softly.
“Please tell him I'll head home afterwards.”
Without a word, Percy went back to his station, joining the other bodyguards. Taking my phone out, I directly sent Dad a message to ease his worrying, maybe a little.
To Dad:
Hey Dad, please don't worry too much. I have Percy and two more bodyguards. I'll be home in just a bit.
Waiting for a reply, I took a magazine off its stand and began flipping through pages mindlessly. Gaze wandering off, I stared at the bodyguards standing by the door, a few women staring at them in intimidation and some in admiration. Placing the magazine back, my phone vibrated. A new text message.
From: Dad Rachel, whatever you are doing right now, it's not important. Follow me and go home immediately. Don't roam around the city and, if you want, you can bring Francine with you. Just go home.
I stared at the blank screen, about to reply, but I stopped myself from doing so. After deliberating for a minute, the phone's screen turned black and I pocketed it once again. After a few minutes of staring at people passing by, I let out a yawn and rested my head against the wall. Unbeknownst to me, I dozed off, darkness engulfing me.
***
“Rachel…”
“Huh?” I groaned softly, squinting my eyes, expecting to see the dark, comforting room of mine….only to see bright lights shining down on me.
The searing brightness made me go blind for a minute before I blinked multiple times. The cloudy vision diminished until Francine's worried face became clear.
I sat up straight and yawned. “Yeah?” Glancing at the clock ticking on the wall, I rubbed my eyes from sleep. It's only been an hour. Returning my gaze at Francine, I smiled at her new look.
Sporting a small grin, Francine spun around. “Tada!”
“Now, that's more like it,” I commented, and touched the soft, shiny curls. Francine’s curly hair had been cut up to her shoulders, and was now tamable by the chemicals in the hair product the hairdresser had used.
“Wow, just wow. I didn't know my hair would ever be this soft,” she mumbled, before smiling. “Thanks, Rach.”
I shrugged. “No need to thank me, Fran. Just tell Patton how you feel about him.”
That caught Francine's full attention, her eyes growing wide before a blush tainted her cheeks. “U-um, I don't know…” She trailed off, staring into space as she began to slightly fidget. “I don't have the slightest idea how to. I mean, after all, he only sees me as a friend, like I want him to.”
“Nonsense! I'm sure ol' Patton likes you.”
Or even more.
“Miss Maxwell.” Percy, who stood behind Francine, stepped forward. “It's time to go.”
I swallowed, suddenly realizing that Dad was still waiting for me to come home. Oh, man...
“All right, let me just pay.” Heading towards the front desk, I pulled out my wallet and presented my credit card to the woman. After checking the card, the woman stared at me as she handed the card back. “You're Rachel Maxwell? As in Maxwell, the owner of that huge hotel?”
“Uh…” I trailed off as Percy gently pulled me away from the woman. The two bodyguards followed.
“Miss Maxwell, we have to go. Your father is demanding I take you home this instant,” Percy whispered as the car door was pulled open. I hopped in after nodding multiple times.
“What's the matter, Rach?” Francine inquired as the car drove off, going back to the diner to drop her off.
I shook my head, waving my hands around. “No. There's nothing wrong! Dad is just requesting me to attend this...meeting. Yeah, a meeting. I have to get there as quickly as possible.”
“Oh, I thought for a minute your father thinks you're in danger or something.” Francine laughed lightly and I merely smiled.
How can she guess it correctly without even hints? It didn't take long for us to arrive in front of the diner, the small building containing only the staff and a few customers looking for a snack to munch on.
“Thanks, Rach. Thanks for the haircut and lunch. See you next time, okay?” Hugging me, the redhead got out of the car and waved goodbye. I returned the gesture as the car sped away, back home.
Out of sight, I flopped down on my seat and let out a sigh, rehearsing words that I constructed in my head to ease Dad's worries. Dad, I'm sorry if I didn't get home quickly. I mean, why worry when I have bodyguards around. Right? I palmed my face. That will only give him more reasons to reprimand me.
“Are you all right, Miss Maxwell?”
I waved my hand, kneading my temples. “Yes, I am. The sooner we get back, the better.”
I hope Dad's not worried or mad.
No, he's absolutely furious!
Shaking my negative thoughts off, I uttered a small prayer. Passing by the Veterans' Memorial Plaza, I stared at the tall fountain where a few tourists were taking pictures. A couple stood kissing beside it, too engrossed in their own little world.
Two this afternoon. I'll pick you up in front of The Fountain of Eternal Life.
It was almost four. I was sure he’d given up and gone back to his office, probably lamenting why he didn't listen to me. Why can't a man like him understand that I have other business to do? Looking down at my phone, I wiped off the thumbprints on the screen when it lit up. Seeing that it was Arianne's message, I let out a soft yawn and proceeded to read it.
From: Arianne Howard Hello Miss Maxwell. Sorry if I'm disturbing you, but Mr. Chad Montgomery requests that you meet him immediately. He said it is urgent. Apologies once again, Miss Maxwell.
“Stop the car!”
Screeching to a halt, a few cars behind us honked in annoyance as Percy looked behind me while the rest of the guards began to stare outside, probably searching for the cause of my sudden order.
“What? What is it, Miss Maxwell?” Percy inquired hurriedly, face filled with concern and alarm.
Parking the car at the side to avoid other drivers, I immediately got out of the car. “Wait here for a minute! I-I'll be right back!”
“Miss Maxwell!” Percy yelled as I quickly abandoned the car and ran to the fountain, ignoring the looks bystanders gave me. Reaching the centerpiece, I circled it in search of a streak of the blond hair that was awfully becoming familiar to me. “Where is he?” I muttered, searching for Chad. Did he actually leave? Am I too late?
“I don't know if you're actually interested in business, Miss Maxwell.” His voice suddenly boomed out, causing me to sharply turn to face him. A small smile curled his lips, his cheeks slightly red due to the cold weather, hands tucked in the pockets of his dark blue coat. “Because if you do, you have a funny way of showing it.”
Panting softly, I slowly approached him, making sure to steady my breathing and my heartbeat before talking. “M-my assistant, she told me it was urgent…” I managed to puff out, taking deep breaths as my ears rang loudly.
Grinning, he began to circle me like a shark circling its prey. “I knew you'd come the moment I said it was urgent. I didn't think it would work, but here you are!”
I merely stared at him, words rendering me speechless. Laughing lightly, he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “So, are you just going to look at me all day? I know I am good-looking and all—”
“Save it.” I grumbled, rolling my eyes at him and sighing, pinching the bridge of my nose. “What do you want? I have to get back home before it gets dark.” Dad is probably furious, fuming with rage over why I didn't follow his orders. And Harvey? He'll be suspicious, very suspicious.
When he didn't answer, I gazed up, wondering what the holdup was. The blond man in front of me bit his lip, eyes lowered and staring at his polished shoes in contemplation. Hair swaying slightly as the winds blew past us, the green blades of grass obediently following. Silence slightly deafening, but at the same time it was a blessing. The moment he looked up, I gave him a questioning expression.
“Well?”
“I got Mr. Lim to reconcile with your company.”
“Yes. I heard.”
Inhaling sharply through his nose, Chad stared up at the sky, the light slowly fading out. Sooner or later, the moon would appear.
“How did you do it?”
My question caught him off guard, causing him to double take. “Excuse me?”
“I am wondering, how did you get Mr. Lim to schedule a meeting with the two of us. What did you do?” I couldn't help my curiosity; how easy it was for him to do such things without as much as batting an eyelash.
A huge smile spread across his face. “It's not what I did, it's what I said.”
Now, that only added flame to the fire of curiosity that I couldn't extinguish. “Fine, then what did you say?”
A small rumble of laughter escaped his lips. “Now, that's for you to find out and me to know.”
I scowled in displeasure as he waved a finger at me, secrecy in his eyes. “After all, a magician never tells his secrets.” Patting my shoulder, he began to walk away. “Don't trouble yourself, sweetheart. To be honest, you should even be grateful.”
Grateful? I frowned deeply at the ground, about to ask him why when he was a few feet away from me.
“Wait!” I yelled at his retreating form, catching up with his long strides. “Mr. Montgomery, how can I be grateful when I don't even know what you did?” I sucked in a breath as I continued to catch up, his pace implausibly fast.
I let out a squeak once the heel of my shoe got stuck in the drain, the faint but obnoxious smell of the sewer causing me to wrinkle my nose. Biting my lip, I pulled my foot, only for the heel to stay stuck in the grates leading to the sewer. I stared at my foot. “Why…” I gritted my teeth in irritation and began to pull harder.
“Oh!” I cried out as I fell to the ground, landing on my tush, unladylike. My cheeks turned to crimson in embarrassment as I felt eyes staring at me. All that was lacking was the boisterous laughter of people reaching my ears.
“Let me.” As I looked up, Chad bent down and carefully took out the heel. I merely watched as he took my foot and slipped the shoe on, humming softly. “There,” he said, dusting off the white dust that stuck to my stockings.
I felt myself grow redder than a tomato. “Um, t-thanks?”
Chad smiled and winked. “Don't mention it, Cinderella.”
Just as I was about to brush myself off and stand up, he suddenly grabbed both of my legs and carried me, much to my surprise. “W-what? Put me down, you brute!” I immediately reached down, not wanting the skirt of my dress to fly open for everyone, including their grandmother, to see. That would just be so disappointing to my parents, to see their daughter's undergarments posted on every site and newspaper available.
“Just stay still!” Chad grumbled out, and like a hero who had just received his reward from the king, he walked regally.
The occasional joggers and other visitors of the park stopped to stare at the display, their murmurs slightly audible. Out of instinct, I covered my face. Chad laughed.
“Seriously, Miss Maxwell? I'm pretty sure pulling your heel out of that canal like some madman is more embarrassing than this.”
“Shut up.”
“There she is! Miss Maxwell!”
Turning around, I watched as Percy and the two bodyguards ran towards us. Stopping in front of us, Percy stared in sheer panic.
“A-are you all right, Miss Maxwell?” Percy inquired, before staring at Chad, who only ignored them.
“Yes, I'm fine,” I answered, as refined as possible due to the awkward state I was in.
Nodding in utter relief, Percy exhaled. “Thank goodness…” Moving his gaze back to Chad, he cleared his throat. “Your father is waiting for you, Miss Maxwell.”
“All right—”
“I'll take her there,” Chad announced, gripping my legs tightly so that I had to fight the urge to slap him.
“B-but Sir…” Percy trailed off once Chad narrowed his blue steel eyes, exuding dominance over the bodyguard.
“If you like, you guys can follow behind us. No need to argue, after all, we're just heading the same way.” I gazed at the two men, wondering what would happen when Percy himself backed away.
“Lead the way, Sir.”
With a satisfied grin, Chad walked off. I remained silent, not wanting to say or add my thoughts for it would only lead to an argument. And that's not good for business. We headed towards a red, shiny Koenigsegg CXX. Due to Harvey's huge interest in fast cars, I would end up knowing which car was which after spending an hour listening to him ramble as I signed documents. As Chad set me down, the door to the passenger seat opened and I slipped inside. Musky, masculine scent drifted towards my nose. I put on my seat belt.
Shutting the car door, Chad went to the other side and climbed in, keys in his hands. “Aren't you going to tell me that I have a nice car?” He grinned and the engine roared to life. “Or do you prefer that pumpkin carriage?”
Seeing my poker face, Chad shook his head and buckled his seat belt. “Just asking.”
The car lurched forward, making me gasp softly as I had a mini heart attack. Realizing what just happened, Chad bit back a laugh, to which I frowned. Why, the little devil… Backing away, the car accelerated forward and down the road, Percy and the two bodyguards following behind us.
“Is he your boyfriend?” His eyes watched the car through the rearview mirror.
I shook my head. “No. Why? Why do you always assume that every man who's near me is already my boyfriend?”
He laughed, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. I rolled my eyes and instead focused my attention on the buildings we passed by. The sun was slowly setting and the streetlights were already turned on. Heaving a small sigh, I turned to see Chad focused on driving, eyes never leaving the road.
“Stop pouting.”
My eyes slightly widened, lips parting. “W-what?” Did I pout?
He smirked. “Stop pouting, you look like a plum.”
I gaped at him in shock. “I do not!”
His laughter reached my ears. I averted my gaze away and grumbled in my seat. This man is so—
“I was only joking, Miss Maxwell.”
Silence.
“So, you're just going to let my apology slip pass your ear and ignore me?”
Shutting my eyes, I pinched my nose in frustration as we drove back to my house, Percy following close by. That's when the car went beyond the speed limit, causing me to grab anything close by in panic.
“W-what are you doing?” I questioned in fright, as we zipped through cars, avoiding crashing into them.
“What's the matter, Miss Maxwell? Am I going too fast?” he asked, a small, mischievous smirk on his face. It terrified me.
The small ray of hope I held that Chad might get flagged down by an officer, or anybody, was snuffed out the moment we hit the lonely road, no cops around. “Please, slow down!” I yelled. If it weren't for the seat belt strapped to me, I would fly out of the car.
“What? I can't hear you, sweetheart.”
I paled as the car went faster and faster, the things around us becoming blurry lines. It's too much!
“Stop it! Please! You're scaring me!” I exclaimed, shutting my eyes. “Please! Stop it, Chad!”
I felt the car slowly descend to a stop, the sound of my heavy breathing the only thing I could hear. Opening my eyes, the sight of the huge gates to my home greeted me, the on-duty guard pulling them open.
The car drove forward and, the next thing I knew, we went to a full stop in front of the house. Huge hands, smooth and warm, took my hand off the seat belt, making me realize I was gripping it hard due to the terrifying events earlier. Blue eyes scanning me, I watched him with trepidation.
Taking my hand, he pressed a kiss on top of it. “I'm sorry, Rachel.” He smiled softly, face drawing near, inches away from mine.
No, you're not.
Blinking at him once or twice, I cleared my throat, looking away. “It's all right. Just don't scare me half to death again. If you want to know, I'm not keen on dying early. So, if you are, do it when you're on your own.” I replied, teeth gritted with irritation.
This made him laugh and he backed away, calming my frazzled nerves as he got out of the car. Opening the door for me, he stretched out a hand, which I gingerly took. I gasped when he pulled me closer to him.
“Next time, be careful. Who knows, next time you'll fall down a manhole if you're not paying attention to where you're walking,” he muttered, a little humor in his words.
“Sis?”
Sharply pulling away from Chad, I stared up at Harvey, who looked at me in confusion. Sean, who stood behind him, regarded me with wide eyes.
“Aunt Rachel!”
Running towards me, I embraced the little fellow, rubbing his head. “Hey, Sean, it's good to see you.” I smiled, gently pinching the boy's cheeks.
“It's nice to see you too, Aunt Rachie, but I'm going home now,” the boy answered, pouting his lips at the idea of returning to his house.
“Aw, that's too bad. I was looking forward to spending more time with you, but it's okay.”
“Good evening, Miss Maxwell,” Henry greeted, bowing his head and turning to Chad. “Good evening, Sir.”
He merely nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “I have to get going, Miss Maxwell.”
Before I could even reply, the car occupied by Percy and the two bodyguards rolled into the driveway.
“Here is the car, little one. Percy will bring you home.” Henry smiled at Sean and took the boy's hand before walking him towards the car.
Facing Chad, I folded my arms on my chest, giving him a stern look. “Drive safely, Mr. Montgomery. I mean it.”
He cracked a smile and chuckled. “Don't worry about me, Miss Maxwell. I can take care of myself.”
“I doubt that.”
He winked. “See you tomorrow, plum.”
My cheeks turned red and anger bubbled within me. “I told you, I am not a plum.” I hissed at his back. The annoying man hopped into his car and drove away. Good riddance.
“Miss Maxwell, are you all right? I'm sorry if we lost track of you, the car was just too fast for us to catch up,” Percy said, as Sean went inside the car, humming London Bridge while playing with his hands.
I nodded slightly. “It's all right,” I replied, turning to face Harvey, who stood silently behind me.
“Was that a Koenigsegg CXX?”
My eyes widened at his words, not expecting him to ask. I thought he was going to start grumbling about why Chad is here again.
“Uh, yeah. It was.”
He closed his eyes, muttering under his breath, before looking up. “Are you going to tell me why he brought you home today?” Straightforward, just like Dad.
I patted his head. “Don't worry, Harv, he's just a business partner. He wanted to see me due to 'urgent' matters. I had to go.”
“Rachel.” Lips parting in surprise, I stared back at my father who stood at the door, face grave and eyes narrowed at me. “We have to talk.”