I was filled with awe as I watched the busy streets and the towering buildings as we drove our way to my supposed father's office. From the looks of it, we are in a big and fancy city. I have never seen such a beautiful city with awesome architecture and landscape. I felt like I traveled somewhere out of the country. I knew nothing about high-end or luxurious living but I felt that this place is filled with filthy rich people.
Those fancy cars I knew nothing about, made my eyes grew big as it passes by the window. I only see them in magazine pages and movies. Those huge buildings which looked like five-star hotels, malls, boutiques, and a bunch of other business establishments, surrounded by beautiful parks, with verdant trees, and brightly colored flowers. Fountains, statues, lamp posts, and benches. People dressed in fashionable apparel added to the whimsical vibe of the city. It's calling out to me, inviting me to explore all of it 'til my feet sore.
The awesome sight made me feel like I was caught in a trance rather than a dream. I was snapped back into reality when I heard the butler's voice.
"We are here Master."
The car came to a halt in front of a sky-high building which seemed to mimic the beauty of the clear blue skies. As I stepped out of the white limousine, my eyes narrowed due to the thoughts I have in my head. To my surprise, I blurted it out loud without meaning to.
"Do I always have to come in this white limousine."
"I'm sorry Master, I know how much you loathe fancy things, but it is your father's orders. You will be meeting with the board members, business tycoons, foreign investors, and some of your father's acquaintances. Your father wants you to come and appear as presentable as possible. Besides, you seemed to get so much attention from the public. We could not risk you making it into the front page of the newspaper without looking your best."
"Ugh, those shutterbugs," I said out of the blue as I put my hands into my pocket and started walking.
I can't help but wonder how I intended my words to sound nice but ends up sounding so cold when it leaves my mouth. I kept walking and was greeted with two huge pillars that were beautifully carved into what looked like angel maidens. Both pillars were joined with an arch decorated with clouds and cherubims.
As I walked in, the spacious hall caught my attention. The well-maintained white marble floor reflects the cherub-painted ceiling and the glimmering chandeliers which pulled my sight all the way up to the ceiling. I took a deep breath in only to smell the aroma of fresh-baked pastries, chicken stew, and a bunch of other foods cooking. I heard my stomach growl lightly. I can only imagine the mouth-watering foods being cooked and served. The thought of it made me regret my decision not to munch on anything before we left.
I looked around and saw how impressive the interior is. The furniture and the paintings on the wall were something I haven't seen in my entire life.
Vincent is a freaking rich kid!
As I stood there in awe, I was caught off guard when a red-head girl suddenly came up to me and started fixing my tie. Out of reflex, I slapped her hands. She was taken aback by what I did. Her scarlet eyes widened and shimmered as if she was about to cry. She bit her bottom lip, and I noticed how she held her hands together.
"You could at least pretend to be nice to me on occasions like this, and not show how much you resented having to put up with me. I don't think our dads would be happy to see us not getting along. That cold heart of your's will be your downfall one day."
She turned away without looking back. I watched her disappeared from my sight. I didn't know who she was, but I'm relieved that people aren't catching up with my behavior. Maybe I should thank Vincent for being a cold-hearted and distant guy. He's making it easier for me to dodge people and long conversations. I didn't know how long I stood there, but after realizing that I am clueless about which place to go, I started to feel a bit tensed. I looked around to see if the butler was here, but he's nowhere to be found. Great! He disappears when I need him the most.
"Master, your father summons you to his office." A middle-aged woman that looked like five feet and four inches tall came up to me. Her blonde hair is neatly coiffed, she wears a black suit with a white top underneath, paired with a knee-length black pencil skirt. She's holding a pen and a planner, that gave me the idea that she must be a secretary.
She scanned me from head to toe as if she was looking for flaws. Her eyes went back to my tie which I think looks definitely fine to me. She fixed it and even adjusted my suit from the shoulders. She brushed my back with her hand, then pulled the sleeves down. It feels like she was trying to tidy up a kid.
"Master, please be nice to your father this time. I know the two of you have not been getting along for a long while now. You may not like his ways, but please, support him on this one. After all, you are the only heir to his empire."
She ushered me to follow her. We padded our way to the huge hall and turned left to the elevator. My heartbeat is raising, thinking about the things that could happen. I should not say more to keep myself from trouble. Just when I thought I'm done dealing with amnesia, here I am stuck in this rich guy's body being clueless. What's scarier is the fact that I am surrounded by adults.
People my age are easier to dodge. People in school are easier to get along with since they don't know anything about me. But being Vincent -- damn! How can I handle all their queries? It's hard to be around people who knew you for so long. The thought just made me let out a sigh.
Ding! The sound of the elevator startled me.
"Why, you looked so white. Don't worry Master. Everything will be alright. Just follow me around, and you will be good. I know that you aren't acquainted with these people."
"Thanks. What's your name?"
"It's Jean, Master. You've been gone for just a month, and you forgot about me. As always, you are bad at remembering names." She answered as she gave me a light pat in my head and a warm smile. She made me feel warm and relaxed -- like a bear cub with her mom around.
I followed her and I could see the huge golden brown doors at the end of the corridor that we were treading. I lagged behind Jean like a scared cub getting into the wild. I took a deep breath and tried my best to compose myself. Then the huge doors opened.