"You know, I am not easily phased. Between everything that has happened to me in the past month and a half, everything that has changed and all the dust-filled, manky skeletons that I have unintentionally unearthed from hypothetical closets, I am surprised that I have not actually stumbled upon said wardrobe with an actual skeleton hidden inside. However, do not lose hope. I am confident that I will find an actual skeleton in the not so distant future, just saying.
There are two types of secrets that I hate to discover, firstly because they are secrets and if they were hidden in the first instance, it was probably for a good reason, or maybe a bad one, but a reason nonetheless. Secrets about myself and secrets about my family. Firstly, for those like me who when in times of turmoil hold onto self-identity - secrets about myself feels like having the floorboards under me being ruthlessly ripped out from under my feet. The lack of clarity kills me in some hidden part of my soul and I just can't be having any of that. Likewise for familial secrets, however, it seems that I have been living a lie, literally. So on we go with this mad, mad show. Revelations galore."
"Oh you have got to be f*cking kidding me!" Selena was not a vulgar woman and she absolutely not swear as part of her daily vocabulary but she felt that this particular occasion merited her to break her no swearing rule. "Why on earth do you end up everywhere? What on earth could I have possibly done to you in a previous life that you feel it to be absolutely necessary to appear everywhere like the most unconventional and annoying familiar ever. Are you haunting me? Have you not got anything better to do with your time, like run that multimillion company of yours?" Selena was on a roll now and neither of the men could get a word in edgeways, not that it seemed they wanted to.
The 'Uncle' looked on as she turned pinker by the second, barely drawing enough breath for the rush of words, sounds, accusations, insults and occasional profanities spilling from her mouth like water from a broken dam. Although there was not much change in his poker face, the corners of his mouth did raise a little. He found it immensely funny that the demure young woman that had walked into his poker room before had transformed right in front of his eyes and started going off like a firecracker at his son. "You wretched. Evil. Smug. B*stard. You have not helped at all I all the days that you and I have known each other in a business context, you've been childish and rude, a complete and utter distraction, making me more unproductive and inefficient than I have ever been and then to top all of that off by dealing me the PR disaster from hell." Selena drew in a sharp breath, "don't you have the audacity to smirk at me, you should be ashamed of your behaviour!"
She paused and leant down against the arm of the couch for support, "apologies sir, Adrian has a tendency to grate on my nerves, all day every day." Selena muttered while she used her hand to fan the air around her face, trying to cool herself down.
"By all means little one, as improper as it is, my son does need a dressing down every so often. As far as his old man is concerned, well my punishments no longer have the same effect. You see, when you befriend the henchmen and pay them off, there's not much they won't do for you." The 'Uncle' smiled wryly at his own words.
"Wait, hold on, your son? As in blood-related? As in.... no, it can't be. You're his father?" Selena spluttered.
"Bingo, pipsqueak." The 'Uncle' nodded, a shark grin spreading out across his face.
"Pipsqueak, meet my father, Carter Lee," Adrian announced with a matching wide grin, moving closer and closer towards her
"You do not get to call me that," Selena jabbed a finger into his chest and despite hitting solid muscle and wincing in pain, stared up defiantly, punctuating each and every word with a jab for emphasis.
"Hey, hey, pipsqueak, a lady does not resort to violence." Carter reached over and placed his cane to block a couple of the jabs.
"I'm sorry Mr Lee." She wasn't apologetic and made her true feelings abundantly clear by attempting to glare Adrian to death.
"Anyway now that the two of you have settled your differences and stopped this childish squabbling, you can both sit and listen. Selena, your father and I were very close, his passing has caused a great deal of unrest in both the underworld and also as you know well, the business world. People are looking for an easy target, you must remain vigilant if you wish to keep your footing." Carter motioned for the two children to sit down.
"As for you, Adrian, you have done exactly the opposite of what your late Uncle Zhao and I asked you to. She is right in the instance, you do have your own company to run and under the pretext that Lee Corporations and Zhao Hai Industries are rival companies operating in very similar sectors, I suggest you stop flitting all over the Zhao Hai Industries headquarters like a restless child and get that arse of yours back to your own offices. As CEO's of these two companies, excessive cavorting may be seen as threatening behaviour, however, intense childish rivalry such as yours may scare off potential investors as they deem the both of you too reckless and irresponsible to take care of their hard-earned, dirty money." Carter Lee paused for a moment and studied the cards that were twisted in between his fingers, the seven of spades and queen of hearts.
"Very well, children, there is another matter I'd like to discuss with you two. Adrian, go and make sure that my men and Elise are away."
Adrian did as he was told. He rose from his seat, unfolding his long limbs elegantly and Selena was reminded of a swan. "Why?" she couldn't help but ask.
Carter didn't say anything but held up a hand, the universal sign for 'shut up' until Adrian gave a curt nod, indicating the all-clear.
"In this line of business, you can never be too careful, Adrian, you know this but Selena, your father trusted is PA Elise with you, however, keep your eyes sharp. You know about the Equinox Ball coming up don't you?"
"Yes I do, but why does that matter, I'm not going," Selena replied quickly.
"No pipsqueak, you are going. You are but a fledgeling, young and fresh-faced. No one knows who you are, many of your potential investors still know you as that impudent brat from when you were 16. I know that that is not you anymore, however, they still do, even now and that could impact business in a bad way. Hence, you need to think of this as your debutante ball into the unsavoury world of business politics."
Carter Lee turned his attention onto his own son and Selena zoned out. She was torn. Although she couldn't remember ever having met this man, it felt as though she knew this man from somewhere, as if there was intrinsic knowledge in the back of her mind. And then there was the dilemma of trusting him as well. Everything he had said had made sense. Logically speaking it all made perfect sense. But he was a stranger. She had never met him before, she didn't know his means, his motives or anything. And the fact he was somehow related to Adrian who was the epitome of unreadable just made the whole situation more confusing, as if that was necessary.
"Selena?" Adrian snapped his fingers repeatedly in front of her face until she swatted at his arm and whacked his floating hand straight back into his face.
"I am not a dog." She answered curtly and turned away, intentionally flipping her hair so that it whipped him across the face. "Do not click your fingers at me."
"Pipsqueak, it is late, you are excused. I have asked your PA to make sure that you do not miss your dress fitting appointment." Carter's voice held a tone of finality that made even Adrian stop in his tracks.
Selena, who had been unintentionally holding in a breath, let out the air slowly and nodded. She needed distance, space, whatever. Anything to get away from the uncomfortable encounter and the strangely familiar man, his son and the intense atmosphere that sent shivers down her spine and daggers stabbing into her skin.
"Thank you." She rose, legs shaking and instinctively wrapped her arms around her shoulders, drawing her coat tighter in towards her until it felt comfortingly constricted. Her leaving the room, the warehouse and getting back into the car that drove her here all felt like an out of body experience for Selena, as if she were watching someone who looked and dressed exactly like her going through the motions however, not really being able to control the motions herself. It was a terrifying thought to have lost all autonomy over her own body.
Selena didn't speak a word to the driver, nor to Elise, who sat quietly on the opposite side of the towncar that drove them back towards the city, a place that Selena knew far better than the dingy back-alley district that she had just visited. She shook uncontrollably like a leaf in a thunderstorm and the fingers of her left hand drummed non-stop on any and every surface that she could find . Selena willed her breathing to sow; her heart rate to drop and the blood to stop rushing in her ears to no avail and when they finally reached the entrance of her apartment complex, she stumbled out. Selena used one hand to steady herself while the other clutched in a claw-like fashion onto the fastening of her coat while her handbag swung wildly behind her.
She could tell it would not be an easy night for her, but, it would only get worse from here.