Phil pulled over to my neighborhood, the actual one I lived in as Rainelynn. Phil didn't understand why I had asked him to bring him here after minutes of driving around the city but I just wanted to see for myself. I didn't get down from the car, I just wanted to observe from afar.
The building I had lived in stared back at me, a relic of both time and circumstance. A shell that once held the narrow, stifling corridors of my youth. Tenants shuffled past, shadows slipping in and out of the doorway, their expressions vacant and tired, as though the place itself drained the life out of anyone who dared to call it a home.
My gaze drifted upward, searching for the tiny window that once framed my entire world. There, in that cramped apartment at the top, I had lived with Uncle Jacob, my poor excuse for an uncle life gave me but he wore that title and held it over my head a lot of time, since he was the only one who would take me in.
Just as memories started to resurface, a loud commotion broke the silence. Down by the building's entrance, two burly men stood with Uncle Jacob in their grip. With one swift motion, they shoved him forward, sending him sprawling onto the cracked pavement. He raised his frail fist in the air, yelling obscenities as he tried to scramble up but the men simply laughed as they towered over him like stone sentries.
I would have found the whole thing funny if it weren't so painfully pathetic. That could have been me being thrown outside like that. Except the universe had other plans for me and it was one I was not going to take for granted. Watching as my uncle continued to yell drunken curse words, I vowed never I would never live that kind of life again. I was Andrea and it was high time for me to embrace it.
"Alright Phil, I've seen enough." The words slipped out as I leaned back in my seat, just as Uncle Jacob's bleary eyes drifted toward the car.
Phil glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "Where to next miss?"
"Um probably a hotel that isn't too far from my work place." I answered after some thoughts, "And Phil, is there some way I can get some files delivered to me."
"What kind of files?"
"Everything I need to know about the company till date, losses, gains, every single detail." The response felt more like a declaration felt more like a declaration, each word driving home a need to fully claim this new path.
Phil turned to look at me, "Well, your assistant Sarah is the one you should probably ask for it but I suppose I could stop by the office and pick it up."
His words brought a smile to my face, "Thank you Phil, you are a kind man."
Phil said nothing and just continued staring at me, a dazed expression on his face as he continued to look at me. For a moment curiosity flickered – had something about this conversation struck him as strange? I asked myself but the thought barely had time to settle in before he turned in his seat, starting the car with a quiet hum, though it wasn't before I saw a faint smile appear, softening his features and crinkling the corner of his eyes.
***
Papers scattered all over the table, reports, summaries, projections piling up like a fortress of the past. All these years' worth of decisions, successes, even the missteps, sat heavy around me and the responsibility of it all pressed even heavier on my shoulders. I've been stuck all day inside the hotel room with reading all of them.
'Aura' that was the name of the company, my company. The biggest fashion company in the whole of the country, built on elegance and strength, shaping trends, creating fabrics that graced the finest silhouettes, managing models who set the world alight.
It seemed pretty easy but it wasn't. Fashion is what I've always been into which is what makes some of the words on the paper easier for me to understand and I think I was starting to get a hang of it. I sipped on my orange juice as I read another report about what differentiate last year sales from this sales and it was all thanks to the silk textures which captured a classic appeal with a modern age.
The allure of Aura's empire became clearer, more real. Every figure, every projection became a thread in a vast, intricate tapestry and now, it was my turn to ensure that tapestry remained flawless. I was going to embrace this new identity the universe bestowed upon me and become the heiress I was meant to be.
The rain continued its symphony outside and I leaned back in my chair, taking a moment to appreciate the stillness when suddenly I heard a beep come from the door someone had come inside! Alarm bells went off in my head as I stood up from my sit while setting my glass of juice down on the table. Grabbing the nearest thing which turned out to be one of the faux books on the nightstand, I approached the dark living room. I heard grunts and few mumblings which told me it was a man's voice,
The fuck? I thought to myself as I neared the switch on the wall just as I made out the silhouette of a figure. Flipping the switch, I ran towards the figure raising the book high and whacking him on the head with it.
The figure dropped to the floor, cursing up a storm, but there was no time for hesitation. Straddling his chest, weapon raised, ready to strike again. Then, in a flash of recognition, my hand froze. "Grayson?"
"Fuck," Grayson cursed, "I knew you hated me but trying to kill me might be overdoing it a bit, don't you think?"
Gasping, I moved away from him as I dropped the book and helped him up to his feet, "What are you doing here?" I asked before noticing the bruises that covered his face and the dried blood on his lips, without thinking, my hands grabbed his face gently inspecting it. "Shit, did I do that?"
"No, no, not you." Grayson's eyes softened, an uncharacteristic vulnerability shining through the usual smirk and I could smell the whiskey on his breath.
Noticing how close we were, I immediately moved away from him. Clearing my throat, I stepped away from him. "What are you doing here Grayson? In fact, how on earth did you find me?"
"My mom owns the hotel." Grayson stated with a shrug.
Fucking Phil! I told him I didn't want a hotel that was family related! I thought starting to feel anger towards my old driver. Tamping it down, I glared at Grayson, "What are you doing here?"
"Can I stay here with you please?" Grayson asked unable to look me in the eyes.
I opened my mouth prepared to tell him he can take his over confident pompous ass somewhere else but something stopped me. I took in his appearance, a soaked linen shirt that had splotch of blood on it, disheveled hair that looked like it had been raked through desperate hands and eyes that hinted at a turmoil I couldn't ignore.
It had clearly taken him a lot to approach me like this. Looking at him now, I realized that there was no way I could spit out the harsh words I thought of. So, instead, I decided to be a little nicer to him.
"Don't fucking try any stupid shit or I'll kick you out in your undies and I do not care if your mom owns the hotel, got it?"
Grayson's lips twitched a little as if he was trying to hold back his laughter but he responded either way, "Got it!"