"Mr Miller, what's your response to the people who say you conned your fiance of her family's fortunes? I believe you heard the rumours."
A young reporter in her early twenties threw the bomb that silenced every other person at the venue. She asked what was on the minds of all others who didn't dare breach the topic.
Even Malcolm Miller's supposed intimidating gaze did not deter her from shoving her microphone toward his lips.
The cameras kept flashing away furiously, and Malcolm realised that he either responded now or forever accepted the public's opinion of him.
A huge television screen mounted at the city square displayed the interview, and everyone paused for his response.
"The Millers nearly became bankrupt to support the Bowmans from falling apart…" He began, and the reporter lost her balance for a moment. "We agreed that the Bowmans would always protect our investment and ensure that we do not lose everything to bad financial decisions."
At this moment, every reasonable person already recovered from the brief shock. Who was Malcolm Miller kidding? The Bowmans were a hundred times richer than the Millers, yet the latter lost a fortune trying to save the former. This was suspicious at best.
"I helped when Iris lost herself to drugs and caused the company to lose billions from terrible deals. I only stepped in to prevent a conglomerate like the Bowman Corporation from failing at the hands of my fiance. Most of you don't see it that way, but even my fiance hasn't challenged me."
The reporter then retorted with a jab, "You must love the Bowmans dearly. After all, not everyone can do what you did."
This was a slap in the face, but Malcolm kept his cool. He didn't get here by being impulsive, and no random reporter could get under his skin. Giving her a once over, as if committing her form to memory, he resolved to deal with her later. Ruthlessly and mercilessly.
"To assure you all, I promise to keep the thousands of employees and investors at the back of my mind when making decisions. After all, it's a merger and not just a takeover…"
He seemed so sincere he could sway anyone.
"Malcolm Miller… you will pay for this. All of you will pay!"
At the city square, a young lady glared at the large screen with a chilly gaze that could scare anyone. Iris' body trembled slightly, and she wiped a lone tear from her eye before stepping away quietly.
Crash!!!
The heavy-weight truck struck a petite woman, sweeping her off her feet. When she finally landed on the ground again, she was broken beyond repair. Soon, the car was nowhere to be found. It was as if it wasn't even there to begin with.
"Aaaahhhh!!!" One onlooker shrieked in fright.
"Oh, my God!!! Is she dead?" Her partner mouthed, equally shaken.
"Call 911… Somebody call 911!" a more composed onlooker bellowed to the crowd. She looked distressed; as though she knew the victim.
She would have dialled the emergency code if she had her phone.
"I think she's already dead… no need to rush the ambulance." Someone chimed in.
"She's going straight to the morgue… tsk! tsk! Such a horrible way to die. I mean, she's so pretty… I think she looks somewhat familiar…"
Her body was filled with nothing but pain, and she was fast losing consciousness.
"It hurts… So bad… How can I die like this? It's not supposed to end like this. I can't die… Not now… Mmmhh!"
Iris could faintly hear the unconcerned chatters in the distance and the heart-wrenching cries of someone beside her. However, she was all alone until now.
Her whole life flashed past her eyes like a horror movie, and Iris could only conclude that she let her family down.
Her parents left her in charge of her sister, yet Rachel died most brutally. Then her family's billion-dollar empire fell into the hands of the scheming duo; her assistant and fiiance.
Now that she had a glimmer of hope about claiming back everything she lost, the accident happened.
"I've been all alone this past month. I have no loved ones left…"
She struggled to open her eyes, but they felt heavier than any weight she had ever lifted.
"Who is crying for me? Why?"
Onlookers continued to discuss the accident. Some even brought out their smartphones for snapshots and videos of the unfortunate victim. Everyone wanted to be the first to post the accident.
However, one person was going crazy at the sight of the lifeless, mangled body before her.
"Sleep… Just sleep… The pains will all go away…Sleep, Iris." she croaked as tears slid down her cheeks.
"I cannot die like this. God, if you're out there, do something. Just one more chance… Even if it's only for a day…" Iris mused in anguish…
Iris Bowman succumbed to the darkness, wondering who was crying beside her.
An old woman stretched her bony and trembling fingers toward Iris' face, wiping the bloodstains from her lips clumsily. Noticing that her body was turning cold, she let out a heavy sigh before she began chanting some strange words…
An onlooker far from the crowd reached for his phone and called a number on speed dial.
"Speak!" an icy voice commanded from the other side of the phone.
"Boss, it's done." The caller responded in glee, before adding, "This time around, I assure you she's really dead. I've already sent you a few photos."
[Beep!]
The line then went dead without further response.
*******
"Hmm? Where am I? Am I not dead? H..how come I can feel my body? There's no pain anywhere. The darkness… is also gone. Iris! Iris! Calm down. Just breathe, Iris. Breathe!"
Iris Bowman woke up with a start, her pillow and bed sheets thoroughly soaked with sweat. She took a while to understand what was happening to her and around her.
Finally, taking her surroundings into view, Iris jumped from the bed and started pacing around.
"Lights? A soft bed? Sounds of cars?..." [Sigh] "Could this be a joke? Is someone out there playing a prank on me? This isn't funny, you know. Whoever you are…"
The feeling of being in such a warm bed was so foreign that she couldn't wrap her head around it.
"When was the last time I felt this good?"
When she got knocked by the truck, she was cold and shattered through and through. She couldn't even lift a finger. How was she suddenly able to do these things that only living humans could do?
"Do dead people also have dreams? Wait! What's today's date?"
Iris only had a fleeting thought, not knowing that her whole life changed as soon as her eyes fluttered open. She moved robotically to her phone on the bed, and what she saw threatened to drive her insane.
"June 20, 2024?"
Her body shook violently, and Iris plopped on the floor to steady herself.
"It's the day of the board meeting… I'm alive."
She shed tears of joy, positioning her head between her thighs, as she balled her eyes out. After a while, she was more composed and lifted her head to take in her surroundings.
It was the day of the board meeting that caused her to lose everything. It dawned on her that someone out there heard her. God might have given her a second chance to right her wrongs. Her prayers were answered.
"Iris Bowman is back."