What would you do if you returned to the place you call home and it was razed to the ground?
That feeling of numbness, perplexity, and helplessness would probably surface and leave you shelving for some form of truth through the ashes. That was what I'd felt. I still recall the searing images from four years ago: returning from tutorial to find our house engulfed in flames. Despite my desperate pleas, the police barred me from entering. Neighbors corroborated that a blood-curdling scream had pierced the air moments before the fire erupted. But nothing had been proven except the dead bodies of my parents and my poor little sister. My heart was torn to pieces, broken and bleeding. I needed some form of truth. My father had been a chauffeur for the Skyler's family for ten years before his death, and they too couldn't denote what had killed our family until my uncle came along. Alfred Caines. He was my father's younger brother, a once-upon-a-time secret agent who loved solitary and obsessed with the truth. I mean, I had never seen him except heard stories of him from my father. When he walked up to me while I bled my eyes at the crime scene, he felt foreign to me. The autopsies confirmed our worst fears. My parents and others had been brutally strangled, with their deaths staged to appear accidental. Rage coursed through my veins as Alfred revealed damning evidence linking Tyler Skyler to my parents' murder, fueling my desire for vengeance. My biological father had witnessed the death of a prominent family orchestrated by Tyler Skyler himself and likely such witness had to be silenced as well. Thus, Alfred ignited a motion in me that fueled me into agreeing to go to Redwood Academy where I would be trained as an assassin. There'd been a staged plan to be Tyler Skyler's secretary, and get into close proximity with him - but all that had frizzled out like a dream. A shrilling ring cut through my thoughts - breaking into my reverie. Dad picked up his phone laid on the table and walked to the window while replying to his call. "Are you sure you're capable of handling this?" Alfred repeated, facing me - once he put his phone away. "Yes, I am. I am never backing out now," I answered him. "Good, 'cause there would be a change of plans. News reaching me that Tyler Skyler had been involved in a ghastly accident which crippled him into a wheelchair." Alfred's lips stretched wide as he explained. How was he able to get information so quickly? But he wasn't able to detect that I was in a secret relationship? Maybe, because he trusted me so much, he never indulged himself fully in my privacy. Some minutes ago he had been furious upon the discovery that I had almost killed my secret ex-boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend. The word stung me. Devon was my past now. "Is this some better news?" I narrowed my brows, noting the smile on his face. "It is, Zendaya," he gestured widely with arms outstretched. "Twill give you the leverage of getting acquitted with him," he continued, "he discovered that his fiancee was cheating on him the night of their engagement." My lips tweaked upwards. "That I'm aware." "Oh?" His laugh felt so authentic, that he simply found delight in the news. "He got drunk as a result of the heartbreak - landing him into a wheelchair after he drove out drunk. See what I said about love? Now, his mother is seeking a caregiver for him. And this is where you fall in." He explained. "See Dad? Everything will work out in our favor. You don't need to worry." I jumped to my feet. "Where do I need to start?" I added. ******** My face was powdered in light make-up, my hair rolled upwards in a bun while I sat in the couch awaiting Mrs. Skyler for the interview. Dad drove me to Skyler's family house which was a striking mansion. He ran over everything I needed to do and reminded me why this was important to me. Mrs Skyler strode out, eyes squinting on the leaf of paper in her hand while glancing up at intervals. Instinctively, I jumped to my feet, smiling as I threw in a greeting. "You are Miss Suzzie Meyer?" Her brows cocked up in question. I tried a wry smile. "Yes, that's me." "Please, sit down, I'm Mrs Donna Skyler, the wife to late Dean Skyler and mother to Tyler Skyler." She introduced herself as she gestured to the couch. I smoothed the hem of my skirts as I sat on the couch. And she followed suit, sitting in the chair before me. Her fluttering eyes studied my dress, and catching my eyes, her lips stretched again. "You grew up on a farm in Ohio? Do your parents agree to you taking this job or you're just after the money cause you're so young." She intoned. I threw in a light laughter. "I'm not after the money. But money is indeed important as well." At least that was the truth, I said to myself. My foster father had all the money that I mostly lacked while growing up. "I'd lived with my grandmother all my life, she's with my sister presently. I do care about the welfare of people a lot. I attended a vocational nursing home for elderly people. It would do me a great honor to help Tyler Skyler back to his feet." Her hazel eyes which had been on the paper scooted to my face, surprise etched on her face. "You do believe he would be able to walk again?" "Sometimes, miracles are powerful to believe in." Another smile. Was I winning her heart? "Tyler Skyler is a hard man to please. Three women who had the best of skills had to leave due to his stubborn nature. Are you aware of what you're getting into?" "I....." "And who's this?" A deep voice interrupted. I looked up to meet the eyes I once saw, dark and fierce, touch of fury embedded in them eyes and his body thrust in a wheelchair. Tyler Skyler.
