Hayley Summer Darnell alighted from her elegant Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a statement of refined taste. Its color was matte black, absorbing the sunlight without a glint. It was a limited edition model, with its own unique serial number, a bespoke supercar one-of-a-kind in design and performance. She stood staring up at the magnificent building of the prestigious Darnell Group for a few seconds. It was a modern skyscraper with multiple levels of underground parking and utility spaces, showcasing urban space optimization. It was one of the most successful companies in America and Hayley was proud of the fact that it was owned by her foster mother, CEO Mirabel Darnell. Taking a deep breath, she walked head held high into the building. Hayley cheerfully greeted the staff as she sauntered past them and made her way to the elevator. The door swished open and Hayley stepped into it. Today was a hectic day. She had a lot of paperwork and meetings that she had been reminded of this morning by Natasha Stalling, her secretary at Summer Fashions company. She also had a showing to organize in New York next week and hadn't even a minute to herself. But Mirabel had asked her to lunch knowing she was busy. Hayley sighed. This was a bad time to sit and talk. The elevator doors dinged and swished open and Hayley stepped out. Sally Davidson, Mirabel's secretary, stood up and ushered her into Mirabel's magnificent office.
The harmonious office boasted a calming balance of colors, textures, and sounds. The opaque office windows kept the inside hidden from the world, adding an air of mystery. With its glass walls and high-tech equipment, the modern office was a showcase of the latest design trends. Mirabel sat dignified in her huge, black leather chair with a sheet of paper in her hand. She glanced up and smiled as Hayley walked in.
"Mom!" Hayley said as she settled in a chair facing her.
Mirabel's face beamed. At seventy-seven years old, she looked stunning in her extravagant and meticulously tailored suit, which reflected her wealth and the opulence of the Jazz Age. The details about her clothing contribute to the overall image of her as a mysterious and wealthy figure, obsessed with appearances and the trappings of success.
"How is your day going?" Mirabel asked, her voice soft, the gentle lilt carrying a tender affection that warmed the room.
Hayley smiled. She could never stay mad at Mirabel, who had a way of soothing her with words. Unlike Mirabel, Hayley was unapologetic. She had clawed her way to the top of the financial food chain by being ahead of the game, turning market turmoil into personal fortune. Her reputation for risk-taking was only surpassed by her success.
"Wonderful," Hayley replied, faking a smile. She pulled out her phone, which buzzed continuously with text messages.
Mirabel smiled. She admired Hayley's optimistic attitude to life. From adopting her at the age of nine after her parents died in a car crash, she hadn't felt unfortunate but was full of energy and enthusiasm for living. This helped her grow up tremendously. She was a self-starter and a go-getter with a "can-do" attitude. She was also ambitious to the core, she exuded an insatiable hunger for success, relentlessly pursuing her goals with unwavering determination.
"Let's go have lunch," Mirabel said, getting up from her chair. "I made a reservation at Nusr-Et Las Vegas.
Hayley accompanied Mirabel out of the company, and they got into Mirable's Tesla Model S, the embodiment of modern innovation. Its color was crimson red, like a drop of blood under the streetlights. Dwayne Albert, Mirabel's driver drove them down to Nusr-Et Las Vegas. The restaurant is world-renowned for its flamboyant food-serving style and steaks covered in edible gold. Mirabel loved everything about the restaurant. It was distinguished, elegant and precise. Hayley ordered a 70 oz Wagyu tomahawk steak which was coated with 24-carat gold. She barely ate breakfast this morning and was famished.
Hayley watched Mirabel eat her 70 oz Tomahawk steak absentmindedly. She noticed Mirabel had lost weight though she looked more robust in her face and hands. She could tell something was wrong. It was unlike Mirabel not to talk while eating.
"Mom," Hayley spoke softly. "Are you okay?"
Mirabel smiled again. Hayley was the only child of hers who could tell if something was amiss. Her son Saint Darnell, who managed Darnell Hotels and Casino, only consulted her about business and nothing else. Her daughter May Darnell Pusey didn't have time to check up on her as she was occupied with her own life.
More than twenty years younger than her children, Hayley showed a deep sense of responsibility.
Mirabel sliced off a piece of her steak, put it into her mouth and began to chew slowly. Hayley observed she had difficulty swallowing her food.
"Mom is...."
"Eat up dear, you must be hungry," Mirabel interrupted her.
"We could talk as we eat Mom," Hayley said, concerned. "Tell me what's wrong?"
Mirabel took her time swallowing and reached out for her glass as she began coughing. She took a sip, placed her glass gently on the table and looked up at Hayley, who stared into her eyes searching for answers. She knew she couldn't deceive Hayley into thinking everything was alright because it wasn't.
"I never said anything was wrong."
"Mom?" Hayley gave her a fed-up look.
"Okay, okay," Mirabel "I will tell you when you are done eating."
Hayley put down her cutlery.
"I'm done," she said firmly.
Mirabel took in a deep breath. It was time to let Hayley get on with what she had been secretly battling with.
"I am sick!" She said, watching Hayley's face for her reaction.
"Yes you look sick," Hayley responded. "You need to see a doctor,"
" I have been seeing my doctor, Hayley," Mirabel forced a smile.
"What did he say?" Hayley asked anxiously.
"I have mesothelioma," Mirabel said. Her voice was a barely audible whisper, as if sharing a precious secret.
Hayley's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God," she exclaimed.
This explains the weight loss, persistent coughing and difficulty with swallowing.
Mirabel smiled weakly as she picked up her fork and stabbed her steak.
"Is.. it advanced?" Hayley stuttered.
Mirabel stared into her frightened eyes.
"I have a long time to live, don't you worry about me," Mirabel said and smiled weakly.
"Mom, everything is going to be okay," Hayley said reassuringly. Her husky voice carried a distinct warmth, wrapping around Mirabel like a comforting embrace.
Mirabel stared into Hayley's eyes and wished in her heart it would.
As Hayley drove home she thought about Mirabel. She knew Mirabel hadn't told her everything about her illness. She wondered how long she had been sick and hadn't noticed. She wouldn't have known if Mirabel hadn't asked her to lunch. She felt she was a bad daughter who was so occupied with work that she hadn't time to take care of Mirabel, who had insisted she lived with her instead of Aunt Kay, Hayley's mother's younger sister, when her parents died. Mirabel had spared no expense to see that Hayley had forgotten about her parent's death. Hayley lived a luxurious life as a child till an adult. Now Mirabel had a rare type of cancer and was slowly ebbing away. It was so devastating.
Hayley sighed dejectedly. If there was anything Mirabel wanted in a child she got it from Hayley. Hayley was a source of happiness for Mirabel. She always made her proud. Mirabel wanted her to get married to have a family and had introduced Hayley to Rob Walsh, an engineer who worked at Ericsson Tech. Rob was three years older than Hayley and had proposed to her three weeks ago, having been persuaded by Mirabel. To please Mirabel, Hayley accepted his proposal and a delighted Mirabel had fixed the wedding to be held next month.
"Did she do that knowing she was dying?" Hayley asked herself.
She picked up her phone and dialed Rob's number. It rang and went to voicemail. She tried it again but got his voicemail.
He was probably at work and wasn't expecting her call since she was supposed to be at work too. After receiving this bad news, she felt exhausted and needed to rest a little.
With an electronic buzz and a loud click, the gate slowly opened like a raven's wings and Hayley maneuvered into their driveway. Compared to the other, sleek and sophisticated mansions on the street, this one stood out ostentatiously as if it needed to one-up its neighbors at all costs. They had gotten the mansion as an engagement gift from Mirabel and had moved in together two weeks ago as requested by Mirabel. Hayley would do anything to please Mirabel.
Hayley made her way up her neatly swept front steps and unlocked the door.
She climbed up the steps but stopped midway when she heard some noises. Music was playing in the background, and you could place the noises like people's voices.
No one was home at that time. She quietly grabbed a vase and walked stiffly towards where she thought the noise was coming from.
Their bedroom door was slightly ajar and Hayley pushed it open, and a gasp escaped her lips at the same time the vase fell from her hand, shattering into tiny fragments at her feet.