Zade
I drew in a deep breath, swung open my front door, and stepped into my apartment. The sensation was surreal.
I was - utterly liberated.
I could enter any room at my whim. I could open the refrigerator and indulge in any culinary desire. I could take a shower whenever I pleased.
After more than forty-eight months behind bars, I was finally free.
A smile played on my lips. This wasn't a dream. The days of my incarceration were now firmly in the past.
I surveyed the surroundings.
Everything appeared just as it did on that morning when the police arrived at my door with a warrant for my arrest. I had instructed my weekly cleaning service to leave no speck of dust upon my return, and last week, I had arranged for a thorough cleaning and restocking of my refrigerator with all my preferred foods.
I opened the refrigerator and fetched a bottle of Dom Perignon. Popping the cork, I took a swig straight from the bottle. Unscrewing a jar of beluga caviar, I dipped my finger, scooped some of the glistening beads, and placed them on my tongue.
Yes...oh, yes.
I took another sip of the cold bubbles, closed my eyes, and relished the taste. It was challenging to fathom that four years had passed. I thought it would never end, but here I stood. Finally, unequivocally free to resume control of my life. However, it wouldn't be business as usual.
Oh no.
For starters, there was no more Stein-Bart. Four years ago, I wouldn't have believed it, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened. I didn't need Randy. I flourished without him. From behind bars, I had established my own operation – BB Tech Solutions.
No one knew that the CEO of BB Tech had an office in a ten-by-ten cell he shared with another man. No one cared enough to inquire what BB stood for; otherwise, I'd have to confess it was short for Behind Bars.
If Randy believed he had ruined me, he was mistaken. I entered prison accused of stealing a few hundred thousand dollars. Now, I was worth millions. Armed with only a computer and internet access, both available in the prison library where I spent every possible moment, I had thrived. Rick, who had married my sister, Mia, proved reliable and honorable. He handled all the legwork outside of prison, and I ensured he was generously rewarded.
He was now a very, very wealthy man and about to get even richer.
Walking toward the massive windows overlooking the park across the street, the scene was beautiful. Yet, thoughts of Randy's betrayal fueled the familiar rage coursing through my veins.
The age-old adage about betrayal by those closest to you had proven true. He orchestrated a perfect setup. And I knew why. Despite being partners for years, I recognized that I was the brains behind our operation, while he merely wrote checks in the beginning.
I was so engrossed in work that I hadn't sensed his underlying resentment, and my loyalty kept me from breaking out on my own. I would have supported him for the rest of my life if he hadn't revealed his true colors.
What a pity for him that he completely misunderstood me. I was on the verge of securing a deal that would benefit both of us immensely. However, he thought I was going to betray him and establish my own enterprise. To prevent that, he framed me on a fabricated embezzlement charge.
Sitting in front of my lawyer, I grasped how much I had misjudged Randy. The only way forward was to play along and secure a reduced sentence, ensuring a fresh start without messy battles over intellectual property rights. Of course, Randy took the bait, dissolving our partnership, and I was free from his influence.
My jaw clenched as I thought of my once-best friend now being my sworn enemy. I had covered for him throughout school, yet for reasons only known to him, he had turned on me. They say the past is the past, but those who utter that phrase haven't experienced betrayal by someone they trusted.
There were old scores to settle before I could close the chapter on the last four long years.
True to my nature, inevitably, after pondering Randy's betrayal, my thoughts would turn to Sapphire.
Sapphire, the woman I once loved. Profoundly.
She led me to believe she would stand by me forever, but she abandoned me when I needed her most. She never called. Not once. I searched for her, but she never showed up in court. She essentially vanished in the midst of my worst nightmare. Never did she ask me, "What happened, Zade? Tell me your version because I’m your woman and I’ll stand by you, no matter what."
That bitch!
She crossed my mind with Randy. The mental image seared my chest. Downing another gulp of the finest champagne money could buy, it tasted bitter.
I would move on from Sapphire as well... after exacting my revenge.
I would have the last laugh.
I wasn't yet sure how, but it was a necessity. Randy's betrayal infuriated me, hers shattered me. While I had already more than reclaimed my financial stability in prison, now I needed to mend my heart and soul. I couldn't do that until Randy and Sapphire faced the consequences they deserved.
Until then, to hell with them both. I wasn't going to let them spoil my first day of freedom.
I turned away from the window, scanning the eerily silent surroundings. Turning on some music, I ordered dinner. The food was precisely what I needed. I had almost forgotten the taste of good Chinese food.
Later, I settled into bed, indulging in two seasons of Succession into the late hours, content to be in my own bed with a luxuriously thick mattress and lavender-scented sheets. As my eyes gradually closed to the hum of voices on the television, I whispered a prayer for my future. A future without her.
It seemed so bleak...
As my eyes reopened, I lay still, staring at the duck egg blue ceiling. Memories of the previous day flashed before me, and I sat up. Looking around, a tiny smile played on my lips. It hadn't been a dream. It was real. I was free.
Rolling out of bed, I placed my feet on the floor. My toes sank into the plush mat by the bedside, and when I lifted them, they made me shake my head ruefully. These feet seriously needed some attention. And while I was at it, so did my hands, face, and hair.
I was no longer a convict but a man with a plan. A day at the spa sounded like just the thing.
My secretary swiftly made the necessary booking, and within an hour, I surrendered myself to the skillful hands of a masseuse. I felt the first stirrings of new energy in my body. Moving from station to station, by that afternoon, my muscles felt supple, my hands and feet felt rejuvenated, and my hair looked surprisingly good. I looked every inch the successful young executive. Sometimes, I couldn't believe I was just twenty-seven, going on twenty-eight. Prison makes you feel like you're a thousand years old. But now, I was onto the next phase.
A glance at my watch told me I had twenty minutes to get downtown to my office. I had a meeting with Rick, who had been holding the fort. Obviously, I had met most of my staff electronically, but now I would see them face-to-face—all twenty-six of them.
I hopped into the blacked-out Koenigsegg Jesko. As the formidable engine roared to life, I smiled. Life was amazing. Even without her. Yes, even without her.
It was a brief trip to my office building.
I provided my name to the parking garage attendant, who stared at my car in an awed daze, and entered the underground parking space. Easily finding the section assigned to BB Tech, I chuckled at the banner marking the CEO's spot.
Welcome back Zade!!!
I watched as the numbers on the elevator panel climbed to the twenty-second floor. The doors opened, and I stepped into a plush reception area. To my surprise, I was greeted with loud cheers.
Every member of the staff was waiting in the lobby. Rick approached and pushed a glass of champagne into my hand. He raised his glass, as did everyone else.
"Welcome back. Hip hip!"
"Hoorayyyyyyyyyy!!!" my staff yelled.
My face broke into a grin as I raised my glass and clinked it with Rick's. I looked around at the staff, all beaming at me. With Rick's help in recruitment, I had interviewed each of them via video call and felt as though I knew them all. Even staff meetings had been conducted with me on video.
"It's nice to finally meet you all in the flesh," I said.
"You're much taller!" someone shouted from the back.
"And more handsome too!" a woman from the accounts team joined in cheekily.
That had everyone rolling for a few moments. There was some handshaking, and I delivered a brief speech to express my appreciation for all they had done for the company. Afterwards, they dispersed to their workstations, and Rick showed me to my office. Once he left, I sat for a few minutes silently enjoying the view of the city skyline.
Life was good. Even without her.