Chapter 35

I woke up early in the morning feeling the cold bed next to me. I never liked to get up too early, but today my brain decided everything differently.

My hand reached out to the bedside table to grab the mug of water I always left out at night. A couple of sips of cooling water finally woke me up. Putting the mug back, my eyes accidentally fell on the laptop that was lying next to me.

The handheld computer was on a white blanket over my legs. I lifted the black cover, turned on the device, and then swiped my finger over the sensor and successfully clicked on the Skype application icon. The call did not take so long, to my surprise, it was accepted quickly enough. A black square appeared on the screen with noise in the background, after which an image of my friends appeared.

'Hey guys, am I distracting?' I smiled sincerely, noticing the same welcoming smiles on their faces.

'No, James, everything is just in full swing. You are just missing,' Nick pulled out the phone, bringing his surprised face closer to the camera. 'It's only morning now, isn't it?'

'Yes, damn timezones.'

It was 11:27pm in London at the same time as 07:27am in Sydney. At first it was difficult for me to adapt, but over time, the body solved this one important problem.

'When are you coming to us, Jay? Five years have passed, and we still haven’t seen you, everything is just on the screen on the phone,' Nathan asked quietly, looking sadly at the camera.

'You'd better come to me, culturally I will take you to one of my establishments.'

'Here, someone is developing in the right direction,' Evans slapped Miller on the back of the head. 'and someone we are, the same hooligans who have only parties and fights on their minds.'

My purpose of moving to another country was something special for me, the beginning of a new stage in my life. I wanted to change my image, maybe become a really different person. I wanted to forget the gangs, the crime, the really bad things that happened in London, leaving only the good memories that I still have.

Now James Williams Foster is a successful businessman whose network of cozy and interesting cafes has spread to cities in Australia. I was no longer the leader of a criminal gang, now my name did not mean danger and fear in other people's minds. To this day, James Williams Foster meant only the name of the owner of a large network of small establishments throughout the country.

I became an ordinary man.

'How are things going with your districts?'

'Ah, these lands, lands,' Miller sighed, taking a long sip of the amber liquid from his glass. 'You always have to keep it tightly in your bosom so that the scums do not take it away. Recently, Stanley finally took the leadership of the South from Jack. You would know how the whole city stood on knives.'

'It was indeed a dangerous time, but that was to be expected,' Nathan agreed.

'Yes, I see, you will not get bored. Nothing, in fact, has changed. There was always some kind of mess in London.'

A slender girl with a deep neckline appeared in the review, which opened up a view of her plus size charms. Her shadow crept up behind the sofa on which the young people were sitting. She bent over, elbows resting on the soft back of the furniture for support.

'James, honey. What's up?' Her palms rested her chin, showing in an imperceptible gesture that she was really interested.

'I'm fine, thank you. How are you?'

'As you can see, everything is the same in this club. Nothing new.'

'You should be done with this, Amelia. Start living for yourself, you will get more pleasure from it.'

'If you will only take me to your place,' the girl finally answered after a long awkward pause.

She really thought about Foster's words, for there was truth in them. Amelia had long wanted to quit her 'cheap' job, which had a different meaning to that meaning. But she was frightened by one single question, where then to find the money for which you can live?

I glanced at the time that glowed in the right corner of the laptop and realized that it was time to wrap up.

'All right, it's time for me to get ready for work. I'll call you later, see you soon.'

Young people waved at the camera and the screen immediately went out, after which the desktop reappeared. I flipped the lid down and set the computer back on the cabinet.

The hands on the clock were spinning on their axis while I was getting ready. The water flowed pleasantly over my body, refreshing my brain with each jet. Coffee and morning light food gave new energy to the body. I was completely ready when the black suit with the same color shirt was on the body. After adjusting my brown hair to one side for the last time, putting on my shoes and picking up a small leather suitcase with precious papers inside, I left my apartment.

Fresh air hit my nose as soon as I stepped outside. The sun peeked through the white clouds nicely, but I still pulled black glasses over my face to protect my eyes from the glare.

A large black car was parked very close, literally three steps from the entrance. I got into the car, throwing my suitcase into the passenger seat. My phone stunned the silent by announcing that there was an incoming call.

'Yes, I'm listening, Veronica.'

'Good morning, Mr. Foster,' but something in my life has not changed. 'The girl who is scheduled for an interview is already waiting for you in the hallway.'

'I'll be there soon, don't let her get bored in my absence. Why is she so early, I seem to still have time?'

'Mr. Foster, she just flew in from another country. Their flight was changed to an earlier time.'

'Okay, thanks for the info, Veronica. Let her into my office and offer her coffee or tea. I'm moving out, wait.'

I used to always make people wait. This long intrigue and pause, when I was not there yet, the blood froze in their veins, and their palms sweated from excitement. After that, I came in, with an imposing and arrogant gait, slowly and slowly. After all, I did not go to them, but they to me.

The girls sighed languidly at the sight of my arrival, the guys clenched their jaws and endured, because they could not say a crooked word to me.

The car was flying at high speed along the track, I was really in a hurry. I didn't want to keep my future colleague waiting.

I got to my office pretty quickly. People greeted me when they saw me and politely made way. The elevator opened in front of me, after which I went into a spacious room. I pressed the button for the 8th floor and began to wait patiently, although my body was a little cowardly from the fact that I still had to wait. I still hated it.

A loud sound informed me that I was there. The elevator doors slowly parted and my personal secretary Veronica Stone became available to my eyes.

'Good morning, Mr. Foster. The girl is waiting for you in your office, as you requested.'

'Thank you, Veronica.'

My black patent leather shoes stepped on the white tiles, making a peculiar sound. I literally flew into my private place, on the way putting a small suitcase with papers on a wooden table. I turned around, adjusting my jacket and clearing my throat to greet my guest.

'Hello, welcome to our company.'

She was unusually beautiful, her long brown hair lay in curls on her shoulders, a tired smile was present on her lips, and this look... There was something extremely familiar in it.

'Hello,' she straightened her cute blue dress, rising to her feet.

'What's your name?' I asked, intently examining her from head to toe, as she me.

'Hailey.'

I slowly took off my sunglasses, which I had completely forgotten about. My blue eyes widened at the mention of her name. Picture after picture began to gather in my head at lightning speed, and I realized that she was also studying me.

'Hailey,' I whispered, tasting the name on his lips.

A knock on the door startled us, causing our bodies to jerk in surprise. The secretary looked inside, addressing me: 'I'm sorry, Mr Foster...'

I heard nothing more, my eyes returned to the girl of my heart. Her large dark craters widened when she did recognize me.

'James...'

I saw her brown eyes, in which feelings began to play, and my heart came to life again.