'Matter to solve?' Sarah murmured.
'What happened Ms Brown? Any problem?' Asked Mr Niall.
'No..nothing.' She said, still lost in her thought. Then, she suddenly saw Mr Niall was looking at her.
'Look in front, Mr Niall!! What are you doing?!!' She yelled.
Niall scoffed at Sarah but Sarah was terrified. She hates accidents the most after violence and darkness. She doesn't know why?...
'By the way, where did you hurt yourself in the stomach?' Asked Sarah to Niall.
'You don't need to know.' He said and suddenly Sarah felt chills and the awkward silence took over the atmosphere.
Finally, after driving ten minutes more they reached the venue. Now, Sarah was standing beside Niall. They had to walk along a red carpet to enter the hall in which the party was thrown.
'I'm nervous.' She said and took a deep breath.
There were thousands of journalists they had to pass through.
'Is it necessary to have many reporters?' She said with frustration and frowned eyebrows.
'Let me help you. I'll take you there.' Said Niall and suddenly locked his arm with Sarah. He started to walk.
'Leave me, Mr Niall, what are you doing?' She yelled in a low voice.
But Niall is Niall, and no one could change his decision if he has made one. Niall and Sarah walked past all the reporters and they started aiming questions at them.
'Mr. Niall, it's been a while since we've seen you with a woman, is she your new girlfriend?'
'Mr. Niall, where Ms Carla? Why isn't she with you?'
'Mr. Niall who is this lady?'
'Mr. Niall people say your managers leave the work because you're a psychopath, what is your opinion on this?'
'Mr. Niall, we've heard that your relations with your brother are not good, is that true?'
'Mr. Niall, are you a psychopath?'
On every question, Niall had a blank expression while Sarah was feeling an enormous pity for Niall. He was not answering any question but it didn't mean that he was not hurt by those questions. But still, he managed to hide his anger, until one reported asked,
'Mr. Niall, why did you boycott everyone and hid in your own house two years ago?'
Niall stopped for a second and looked at the reported with his eyes filled with anger. While Sarah looked at Niall with confusion.
'None. Of. Your. Business.' Said Niall with blank expressions.
Though Niall's face didn't reflect his anger, his eyes showed the reporter his place. That reporter stepped back a little, bowed a bit, and said,
'I'm sorry.' In a very low voice.
They walked in and Niall's mood was all spoiled now. It could be seen on his face.
As they entered,
'Niall!!'
'I knew you would come.' Said Drake with a bright smile and spread his arms to hug him.
'Move aside.' Niall said to Drake in a very low voice.
Niall went away and Sarah followed Niall. Drake stood there feeling embarrassed and his bright smile disappeared in thin air. He was feeling disgusting once again. There were hundredth of people who noticed their conversation and some were even laughing. But there was one woman who didn't appreciate this act of Niall.
Drake walked away in an alley where he could be all alone. But there was this woman who followed her there cause she felt unpleasant for Drake.
Here Niall went in a corner and sat on the sofa, while Sarah followed him
'Mr. Niall, you're okay?' She asked.
'Hmm..' Mumbled Niall.
'Should I bring you something to drink?' She asked.
But before Niall could answer someone interrupted in between.
'Niall!! You came?' Said a very shrill voice.
Sarah turned around and found Carla standing, she was wearing a white dress that ended just above her knees. Her black hair was lying on her shoulder on one side. She looked pretty but her voice made her look a bit fastidious.
She went and sat beside Niall too close. Sarah looked at Niall who didn't bother to pay attention to Carla, at all.
'Please sit a bit far away.' He requested.
Carla whispered something in Niall's ear and she smiled He then stood up and held Carla's wrist and took her somewhere, leaving Sarah behind.
'What did just happened? He left me behind?' Said Sarah in frustration and went to take some drinks.
****
I stood in the dark corridor where no one had to come. I stood leaning my back on the wall just in front of the door. It was the best place for a slave like me to hide. In this dark world of mine, no one could see me, it was the best way for me to live. I was all depressed when suddenly my life got lightened up when I saw that someone had opened the door of the alley. A lady was standing on the threshold of the alley. She came in and gave me her hand to hold. I shook my head in refusal, I don't want myself to be insulted again. I don't want to make Niall angry.
She came in and said in a warm voice,
'Don't hesitate.'
As she said I recognized who this woman was,
'Emma? Why are you here? Please go and enjoy the party.' I said to her humbly.
'Not without you.' She said and stood beside me.
'You are not supposed to be here, Emma. Go and enjoy the party.' I said.
'How can I enjoy myself without you, you've been my friend in all my hard times haven't you.' She said.
Why was she so humble? Why is she just so humble to a slave?
'You shouldn't hang out with a slave.' I said.
'Do I look like a master?' She replied and we both laughed.
Emma's mother died when she was ten years old. Her father only supported her brother. She used to herself pay her college fees and doing part-time jobs. She had to do whatever her father asked her to do. It was her who asked Niall to make Jeremy join his company. So, she is also in fact a slave of his father. It was hard for her until she met someone who helped her pay her fees and got her a job in Niall's company. It wasn't me, it is someone unknown to me and Emma herself. Even today that person helps out Emma whenever she is in trouble. No one knows who that person is but there is one thing, that person loves her a lot.
And that is why I hide my feelings for her. I never told her that I love her since college time. When she comforted me because I broke down due to my family situation. I got lost in the past...
'Drake? You're alright?' asked Emma.
'Hmm..' I said in a low voice.
'Then, let's go outside.' She said.
I refused but she dragged me out.
****
As they came out they heard Mr Johnathan trying to get people's attention by clicking his glass of wine.
'Everyone, pay attention here.' He said and everyone looked at him.
Drake was happy to see Niall standing beside his father and smiling, it was a fake smile though. But Drake was still happy cause he at least got to see the real son standing beside his father and not a slave.
Here Sarah was standing just in front of Niall but far away, drinking a glass of red wine slowly. She was worried about his party.
She mumbled,
'Oh! I'm nervous about it.'
'Today I'm really happy to see my eldest son Niall here. And so, I have to make an announcement now.' He said with a bright smile.
Everyone was eager to listen to what he has to say,
'Today I'm officially announcing Niall's engagement with Carla...'