In a meeting room on the fourth floor of the hotel, stood a young man by the window. The man had handsome and distinct features. His sharp eyes had a hint of dominance and power in them. He was wearing a white dress shirt and had a tie loosely hanging around his neck.
He had just rounded up a call when he saw the scene on the ground floor. He had watched two men drag a teenager into the rain and the drama that unfolded thereafter. It was a pitiful scene.
Although he couldn't hear them, he could still grasp that it was the classic case of the powerful eating the weak. It was of no concern or interest to him. He wasn't the type to interfere in the affairs of others.
He was about to shut the blinds when he witnesses the kid being pushed into the pool. He paused and watched. It had been over four minutes and the kid had not surfaced. Not feeling like witnessing manslaughter. He reached for his mobile phone and was about to call the hotel management when the teenager surfaced.
He unknowingly let out a sigh of relief.
However, he noticed obvious changes in the behavior of the teenager even from his distance. The kid stood taller, her gestures were more daring, confident, a sharp contrast from her previous behavior.
While in thought, he did not notice he was staring too hard until she looked up at him giving him a clear view of her face. He was taken aback by her striking features then was even more surprised that she had spotted him.
Having a clear view of her face, he had understood the words she mouthed. This was the first time someone had openly threatened him. The corners of his lips arched into a small smile.
'Interesting' he thought.
Eli allowed herself to be dragged off like a broken doll.
She was taken a good distance away from the Hotel before being dumped off on the corner of an intersection. She watched the backs of the bodyguard grow smaller as they walked away. A rueful smile on her face.
She couldn't remember the last time someone dared to manhandle her.
Adjusting her position on the pavement, she rested her back on a nearby street lamp. Feeling some pain, she looked down to see the skin on both knees was broken from landing hard on the pavement. Eli signed then made herself more comfortable on the floor. She raised her head to the sky, taking the brunt of the rain.
She felt heartbroken, overwhelmed, tired, and lost but she knew these were not her emotions. They were the emotions left behind by the former owner of her body. She could her consciousness lurking around in her head.
She sorted out the new information that appeared in her head. Eli Carter, Fifteen years old. She was abandoned as a kid at the age of four by her mother who wanted a better life that did not include a love child. Moved between five foster homes between the ages of five to eleven but always returned to the system.
While she was always easily selected from the crowd for her distinguishing looks, she never had luck with foster homes. Three returned her when they had kids of their own, while the other two were abusive homes.
She finally lucked out when she ran from her fifth adoptive family where her foster father was a pedophile and met an old grannie who took pity on the severely abused child and adopted her.
she had only lived four years with her adopted grandma before it was discovered she was critically ill and in need of surgery.
The previous host, being a smart kid who was already in her final year in high school way ahead of her peers on a full scholarship. However, while it was easy for her to win tuition grants and Scholarships, getting institutions to give funds to an underaged kid was a different matter.
She had had no choice but to seek out her estranged mother who, after abandoning her, did nothing to hide and was constantly flaunting her wealth and her new family all over social media. The result of their fateful meeting ended with Eli being pushed into a pool by a member of Melina's security team and losing her life.
Eli let out a long sigh. Be it in the past or this life, she never had it easy.
She picked herself off the pavement and inserted her hand into her pant pocket drawing out the four hundred dollar bills Melina threw her way. While she felt bad for the previous host, she did not feel any shame picking up this money. Only a fool turns down free money.
She had been reborn in a world that looked much like hers but wasn't. The geography was different, countries were named different, and they did not share the same history. She didn't exist in this world.
Pride, self-respect.
She scoffed.
Could she eat those?
Holding on to such emotions at this time would be foolish. Having such emotions to Eli, were nothing but a burden. She had lived like a dog in the slums, bidding her time then singlehandedly climbed up the food chain and destroyed three generations of the family who ruined hers, earning her the nickname 'Lucifer' in her past life.
She had fulfilled her revenge and passed away with no regrets. So, what was the reason for her rebirth? Eli wondered for a while, then decided it did not matter. She might as well go with the flow. She has now received a brand new chance of life, what could she not endure?
In this life, she will just earn money and live a lazy life. Treating those who were good to her and the previous host well and dealing with those who crossed her. It was her simple way of life and to begin, she would start with saving the previous host's grandma.
She carefully arranged the money and put it back in her pocket before getting up. "it was time to make some more money" she thought.
Eli began walking, recalling the previous host mobile device she dug her hand into her other side pocket and pulled out the device. To her surprise, it was still functioning.
"Thank God for waterproof phones" she mused aloud. A call interrupted her monologue.
Lightning snapped, illuminating the skies followed by the aggressive sound of thunder distracting her. The intensity of the rain had picked up in the last few minutes. It fell loud and hard. Eli felt it weigh down her clothes as she walked. Eli ran a hand over her face trying to clear her vision.
Looking back to the vibrating phone, the caller ID showed it was from a call from the attending nurse of the previous host's grandmother. Combing through the host's memory she knew that receiving a call this late must mean an emergency.
With the intense sound of rain and bursts of lightning with thunder, Eli did not notice the car headed in her direction until it was in close proximity but by then, it was too late.
Eli rolled off the hood of the car and landed a couple of feet away on the wet tarred road. She had instinctively turned to her side to try to reduce the damage.
Meanwhile in the car sat two people. The driver, Bernard, and in the back seat sat a finely dressed middle-aged man- Kim Asher, the head secretary to John Carter, Chairman of Carter Corp. one of the largest corporations in the capital.
Secretary Kim was on his way to the very birthday party from which Eli was thrown out as a representative of Carter Corp. John Carter and Jason Osborne, the chairman of Osborne hotels and grandfather of Mason Osbourne were once buddies in their youth, and although the relationship did not transcend to the second generation, giving face was necessary to maintain business relationships.
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Bernard looked up at the rearview mirror in fright. "Secretary Kim, I hit someone! I...I will go out and take a look" Secretary Kim gave a nod of approval and Bernard hurried out of the car taking quick steps towards Eli.
"Young man, are you okay?" Bernard asked in worry.
Eli rose from the ground and patted herself about confirming she did not hurt anywhere. Luckily, apart from the pain in her shoulder, she was unharmed.
"You shouldn't move about, come let me help you!" said Bernard holding onto Eli's upper arm to support her, before pulling out his phone from his breast pocket and dialing 112.
"Just hold on young man, I'm calling for an ambulance. Yes hello, we need an ambulance, there was an.."
"There's no need" Eli interrupted, freeing herself from his hold.
"I'm fine".
Bernard paused mid-speech and, looked her over. He was unconvinced initially but seeing her clear eyes, he apologized to the emergency personnel on the line and ended the call.
Eli walked towards her phone which was discarded a few steps away. The first call ended and another call came in again. She didn't hesitate this time and answered the call.
"Hello, miss Eli, you need to come to the hospital right away, your Grandma had another episode and she is not doing too well" came the nurses' urgent voice.
"I will be on my way there now" Eli replied in a solemn voice.
Bernard patiently stood by the side and watched her take her call. He noticed the change in her expression and asked.
"Young Man is everything alright."
"I'm fine and I'm sorry. This accident was my fault. I was not paying attention to the traffic lights. So you don't need to worry or compensate me." she bowed slightly in his direction and began walking away.
"Please hold on young man," He called out, before walking towards the cars backseat window. Eli watched him walk away from her to discuss with someone in the car, before jogging back towards her.
"Young man, my boss insists we get you to a hospital for a check-up, just to make sure you are alright," said Bernard apologetically.
Eli did not object this time. "Take me to St. Patricks General Hospital then." She needed to get to the hospital anyways and a free ride would be appreciated.
Bernard sighed in relief and walked Eli to the car. On closer inspection, it wasn't just any car but a Phantom Rolls Royce. Would I be the one to compensate' she wondered as Bernard led her to the other side of the car, opening the back door for her to go in.
Eli felt bad for ruining such fine leather seats with all the rainwater, she combed her short hair out of her face. It was no wonder he had referred to her as 'young man', she was sporting a short haircut common with boys plus due to neglect of herself in an effort to raise funds for her grandma's treatment and working so many part-time jobs, the previous host was malnourished and had zero boobs or curves.
She looked up from her reverie and caught the older gentleman sitting next to her observing her.
When their eyes met, the man's eyes enlarged revealing his surprise before he regained his previous composure. Eli noticed this but choose to ignore it and lightly nodded at him in greeting and looked out the window.
Bernard returned to his seat and started the car. "Secretary Kim, this young man is.." realizing he never asked, he paused in embarrassment.
"Eli" she supplied. "Eli Carter"
Kim was once more surprised. He turned to Eli with deep eyes. "Bernard drive us to The Capital Hospital, we need to make sure Ms Eli is unharmed from the collision"
Bernard was about to respond when Eli interrupted. "No. I need to go to St. Patrick's." Seeing the urgency in her eyes Secretary Kim did not object. He gave Bernard a nod in acknowledgment.
As the car got in motion, he took out his mobile phone and sent out a message.