𝑁𝑖𝑛𝑜
I ignored the muttering from my staff and entered the elevator with Daniel to the sixth floor where my office was. I mean I'm not married and I have no kids but they must be wondering whose kid is this. I walked out of the elevator, Daniel trailed behind me. I stepped into my office, my father's office. Adjacent to it was my Secretary's office which used to be my mom's office. Gaping at the office brought back the sad, petrified memories I tried hard to forget.
I flopped myself down on my seat, and Daniel sat on the leather lounge opposite my desk. Flickering my eyes around the room, I'm reminded of my parent's demise. This used to be their escape room, their world. To be honest, sometimes I feel like giving up. I feel like I can't do it, it was beyond my aptitude. Most times I thought of selling off the company and starting up a little business which won't be more demanding and stressful but I have fallen in love with art itself. I have fallen in love with my parent's dream which became my dream as well.
I was thirteen years old when my parents abandoned me in the world. When they left me behind. A girl of my age who never knew the way the world operated. My parent's death remained a mystery to me, I mean the cops investigated the murder but the author of the manslaughter left no trace except for the knife they left behind.
Who could have committed that act? My parents had no enemy. They kept no enemy or maybe they did. I thought I was the only one who kept enemies in school. Tears streamed down my eyes as I watched my parent's dead bodies lying on the floor. It remained a dream to me. Like a bullet, fired deep into my bones, shattering them.
The police officer stared at me, giving me an intentive look. "You found your parents like this when you returned from school?" One of the cops picked up the knife although he wore gloves on his hands.
I had telephoned the police station when I saw my parents in their pool of blood. I was stricken to death, I felt sick in my stomach. And it dawned on me that they are gone. But I kept believing it was one big nightmare, I will one day wake up from.
"Yes."
I watched the three policemen examine the crime scene. Our sitting room. Uncle Mark was present as well. I called him too 'cause he lived in the same city, a little bit away from his parent's house. My parents employed him as the manager since he studied art. Graphics to be precise. I called him immediately after contacting the policemen. He went blue at the sight of my parent's corpse. He was stricken- even he lost his voice to ask what happened.
"Do you think your parents had any enemies?"
I kept mute. I was too stunned to speak. The words got stuck in my throat and when the police tried to pressure me more, uncle Mark interfered.
"I believed my sister and brother-in-law had no problems with anyone."
"Do you know if they had any competitors?"
"No- yes." Uncle Mark quickly inserted. "There was this firm they compete with. Technically it wasn't a competition. It was like the other company felt insignificant because of....you know."
"What's the name of the company and the founder of it?" One of the cops narrowed him at me. I hugged myself, feeling chills run down my spine at the news of my parent's death.
"I think it's Pixel pictures and I don't know the founder. Wasn't interested in them tho but I don't think they will do this... I mean all they did was copy our style of work."
"We reported and legal action was taken against them and news came, later on, the company went bankrupt and soon shut down....." As if something trigger his brain, he added. "Do you think the owner of this company masterminded this?"
"Only one way to find out." The policeman sighed. "We need to run a background check on this company and know the real relationship between them and your company."
I saw my uncle escort the police out of the door and they took the knife with them. From my mother's grip. Uncle Mark returned after seeing the policemen out.
I sulked as tears wetted my face.
"Nino?" Uncle Sam called softly. He came to sit beside me and cradled me in his arms. I lost my grip and cried as I have never cried before.
"Nino?- Nino-," my secretary's voice pulled me back to reality. I lowered my eyes which were glued to the ceiling. Recalling the times I spent with my parents.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine." I sniff back the tears forming in my eyes. I looked up to meet my secretary's face and his eyes were clouded with worry. In his hands were some files.
"Okay," he studied my face for a minute and then placed the files on my desk. "She refused to sign them." I already knew he was talking about the singer we contracted to do the voice overlay for our new cartoon.
"She said, she can't do business with us considering the present state of the company..." He paused momentarily before continuing. "I mean in terms of the finances, the amount she's demanding is beyond us."
I knew this will be the outcome, and what celebrity in their right scene want to collaborate with me. I mean right now, I feel like shit. I hung my head for a fleeting moment.
"Hey, are you sure you are okay?" My secretary, Kevin, a young man in his late twenties- probably my age queried with concern. You know I will never ask for another secretary because he's good at everything he does. Both in his work and other aspects. Also, he's a good comic artist, though there are also comic artists in the building.
He's punctual and work-minded when it comes to working. He wasn't the type to be lazy around like some of my workers and to be honest, I admire his energy. His spirited self. "Do you think I can do this?"
He furrowed a brow at me, confused. A little smile appeared on my lips and I shook my head. "Nothing, it's nothing."
I was tempted to tell him I feel useless 'cause of the company's state. I saw him shove his hands in his pockets and lean close to my desk. He stared at me as though he was trying to read me.
"I know you will be fine," I understand, sometimes you feel a lot of burden on your shoulders but everything will be fine someday. It isn't easy to manage a company and I completely understand."
I smiled at his comforting words, and nodded.
"How is the new cartoon going?"
"The drawing department is doing their job, everything is going great but don't you think we should change the storyline? I feel it's a bit simple and cliche for viewers."
"We need something that will hook the audience and not just watch.....like the recent cartoon..."
"You saw the comments, didn't you?"
"Yup," he nodded and leaned out of my desk. "But they are just mere critics."
𝑀𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠? I thought then muffled out a laugh. Those words hurt me, I felt like all of my works are nothing. It lacks the basic things the audience wants.
"Hey, don't worry about it." He interrupted my thoughts and smiled at me. And you haven't had your morning coffee, sorry for my ill-mannered behaviour."
I smiled and watched him scurry out of the door. I narrowed my gaze to the files he dropped, I picked them up and scanned through them. The contract the famous singer refused to sign. Mirabel Walker, I loved her songs and voice and I thought it would be fine to ask her to do the female lead's voice for us. I got my hopes up for no good reason.
But my thoughts were unexpectedly attacked by the memory of last night, how did he know Joana's house? I never introduced him to my friends or tell him where they live. Who is he? Is it some strange being? I fetched my phone from my bag and scrolled through my contacts. I saw him on the recent calls but I knew I never called him.
I looked at Daniel who has been playing some game with his fingers. "Daniel, last night, did you call anyone?"
He looked up from his fingers and nodded. "I saw Mr grumpy, I thought it was your boyfriend so I called. I mean I don't know who to call, he was on your recent calls and I called without thinking."
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be, I'm glad you did."
*********
"How are you feeling?" I questioned, sitting on Joana's hospital bed. We took her to the hospital that night, I wonder what became of her husband because I knew we left him in there. I was too traumatised to think, traumatised by what he did to my friend plus the other side of Toro I witnessed last night.
He beat up her husband so mercilessly, I saw no mercy in his eyes. He handled him as a vicious jaguar does to his prey.
I wonder if he has problems remembering things or what? Something doesn't feel right with him.
"I'm feeling good," she managed to curl her lips into a weak smile. Her face was white and pale, her lips looks dry. She looked helpless to me and older than her age.
"Mom, I'm sorry," Daniel leaned over his mother and raised his tiny hands. Holding hers. "I thought I lost you forever."
"Darling, I'm fine. Mom's is fine and I won't leave you."
Just then, Yass whisked in like one who ran a hundred-metre race. Her eyes dimmed with worry as they landed on Joana. "Joana?" She called softly and rushed to her, hugging her tightly to her.
"God! What did that monster of a man do to you?" Even though she wasn't crying. I heard a tint of she's about to tear up in her voice. "I was so busy in the morning, that my boss won't let me off the hook so easily."
"I had to make up an excuse for him."
"Yass...you..are squeezing the life out of me."
"I'm sorry." She immediately released her. "What happened?"
"Dad was trying to kill mom," Daniel chirped in. "But Nino saved her and he tried to kill her too but Mr Grumpy saved her."
"Mr Grumpy?" Joana and Yass chorused at the same time. And channelled their eyes on me.