After a long hard day, Derek made his way out of the city. The windows of his sports car coming down as soon as he left the city behind.
The Haven manor was forty-five minutes from the city. The commute a welcome one for Derek, which was why he chose to go there every day after work instead of sleeping in his penthouse in the city.
No matter the hour, driving through the quiet roads always calmed him. And with all that he dealt with, calm was something that he valued greatly.
If he were not able to find his small moments of peace, Derek was pretty sure that he would lose it within a week and strangle the likes of his uncle. Especially if he caught him pulling yet another stunt.
Derek was so sick and tired of that man. If it weren't for his uncle using his influence and blood ties to make sure he could not be sacked, Derek would have fired him long ago.
Speeding up, Derek banished all thoughts of his uncle from his mind. He stressed over him enough during the day, he did not need him clouding his thoughts at night.
By the time he got home, the Haven mansion glowing like a beacon, Derek had once again found a semblance of calm.
He walked in to the news that his mother was currently hosting some foreign dignitaries out in the garden. Steeling himself, Derek went to say hello.
Lucky for him, it was only a small party of around ten people. He spotted his mother easily enough. Cassandra Haven looked as lovely as always.
Time had been kind to her. Were it not for the fact that her dark brown hair had streaks of white in it, Derek would have sworn that time had not passed for her.
"Darling," She called gently when she saw him, one delicate hand beckoning him closer. He went without complaint, kissing both her cheeks in greeting. She smiled up at him, her hair pulled to one side, flowing down the side of her evening gown. Her earring glittered in the light, the blue gems matching perfectly with the dark blue of her gown.
"Let me introduce you to our guests," And that was how Derek spent two hours of his time. Mingling with people he did not know, but who no doubt would be beneficial in the future given that his mother had invited them over.
Once he was finally able to excuse himself. Derek made his way over to his wing. From there it was a simple matter of shrugging out of his work clothes and picking out one of his many swim trunks.
Derek swam until he couldn't anymore. His body aching in a way that he knew he would still be feeling the next day if he did not get himself into some freezing water soon.
But even knowing all of that, he did not immediately go for an ice bath. Instead, Derek dragged himself over to the nearest lounge chair, and just sat, and thought.
Was this it for him?
Was this how his life would always be? One endless day after another, begging his body for scraps of sleep?
Over the years he had spent millions on specialists and so called miracle cures. Nothing had worked, but part of him still wanted to believe there was a cure out there for him.
That maybe one day he would actually sleep, instead of faking it so that his mother would not have to worry about him. But that day had yet to come, so all Derek could do was go through each night as best he could.
With that thought in mind, the young CEO made his way to his room. Perhaps if he started up on sleeping pills again, things would not be so bad. But he was wary of those, they made him feel awful. Plus, his father had died of an accidental overdose, he did not want to risk that. Maybe with all the excitement that he'd had that day, he would be able to get in at least an hour of rest before realm of sleep kicked him out.