Prologue

Today was a regular Friday.

"Fuck faster!" I said under my breath.

I was in traffic for the past 15 minutes. Today was the last day of college, so Jo and I were about to meet outside the café at nine and now it is ten. When I arrived I saw her outside

standing by the car with two coffees. She had worn a black crop top with high waist jeans. Her raven hair was in a messy bun. I parked the car and walked towards her.

"I am so sorry I am late."

"Really I didn't notice?" She said sarcastically and we both started walking towards the college.

"I am sorry. My dad called at eight and we started to argue and it ended at nine-thirty."

"Fine. If it was your father I can say anything." She sighed.

"Are you ok though, did he say anything?" Worry was prominent in her voice.

"Not now, I'll tell you while packing afternoon."

"Okay."

I never had a healthy relationship with my father. He is an abusive bipolar. I don't even know what our relationship is other than business. The hallway was crowded as usual.

Tomorrow morning me and Jo fly back to California and like the lazy person I am I didn't do packing last night, so Jo is going to come over and help me. We went our separate ways to our classes. We both are majoring in business. At the end of the semester, we bid our farewell to all we know and care to tell them that you pissed us off less than others.

Right now we both are at my place.

"Shit!"

"What happened?" I looked up from what I was doing.

"I may have forgotten to label the boxes before taping them." She gave me a sheepish smile.

"Josephine!" I groaned and put my face in my hands.

"Oops? Sorry."

"It's fine let's order pizza I am done with is packing."

After eating Jo went back home. I set my alarm for 3 am, my flight is at 5 am so now I am only getting 4 hours of sleep. Laying on the bed I looked at the ceiling and a single tear escaped my eye. I wiped it off quickly and went to sleep thinking about what my father had said.

*****

That morning at 8 am I am getting ready to meet Jo at the café and the route whichI go from usually has traffic. I was doing my make up when my phone rang. I sighed and looked at the ID caller. 'Dad'. With trembling hands, I accepted the call.

"H-hello?" Cursed myselffor stuttering.

"Maria, you and Jo are coming tomorrow so Taylor will come to pick you up from the airport."

Taylor was my driver.

"Ok, anything else?"

"Yes, the day after tomorrow that is Sunday there is a charity ball which I want you to attend. You can invite Jo as a plus one because you don't a boyfriend."

Well, thanks for the last part.

"Sure but don't you think we would be tired after the fight. Is it fine if we do not go?" My voice was slow and making sure not to mess with my tone.

"Don't teach me what to do. You are useless, I tell you what to do you simply have to follow my instructions and not backtalk at me! Is that fucking hard!" He raised his voice.

My heart clenched at what he said. All these years he speaks to me this way sill I am not used to it. He continues before letting me speak.

"You know I never give a shit about what you do, Nova was better than you, she was always looking for such opportunities! But you just like to make my blood boil by disappointing me repeatedly!" Still not lowering his voice.

My eyes started to water but did not give the satisfaction of tears running down my face. Nova is my sister who passed away a few years back. She was everyone's favourite, till one point mine too but then things changed after a night.

"I don't even remember what I said to make him this angry I am sorry. I will talk to Jo and we w-will go to t-the charity Sunday." My voice bit wavering at the end.

"Good!" He says angrily and cuts the call.

Am I really a disappointment? Was Nova's death really my fault? I looked at the clock and saw 9:30. Well shit!

I woke up with the sound of my alarm and got ready for my flight. I have travelling sickness so I usually eat less before going onboard. Getting my necessities and bags I locked my apartment and got into the taxi I had booked earlier. Jo was already in the cab barely awake. We both dragged our luggage to the airport. After going through the security and all the checking we boarded our flight at 5.

We both didn't have much conversation because we were tired and knew once we got home we would be barely relaxing. I didn't have anything other than coffee, I cannot live without it.

We reached California around 7:30 am. We did our check out and got our bags. Outside the airport, I saw a familiar face holding a board saying 'Maria Reed'. Well, that's my ride. Jo lives near us but not so near to be within walking distance, so she had her own driver.

I turned towards Jo, "Well I'll call you by afternoon and we can go for buying a dress for the ball."

"Yeah, sure!" We hugged and bid our goodbyes.

I walked towards Taylor. He had worn his usual uniform, black suit and pants with black sunglasses. I don't think I have ever seen him without his glasses. He was 29 years old and approximately 6"1, with built muscle. I was 5"5, average height I guess.

"Hi, Taylor," I said with a polite smile.

"Good morning Ms Reed. Let me get your bags."

He put the luggage in the SUV waiting nearby and we sat in. The last I saw him was 4 years back when he came to drop me off at the airport.

"So, how are Gia and your son?" Gia is his wife, she was pregnant with a boy.

"She is good and Nick is now 3 years old, both are great." Taylor is the second male person I was comfortable around with and saw him as my father figure because he was practically raising me if not my father.

I would always go to him if I had any problems. He is also my assigned bodyguard.

"That's good."

"So how was college." He asked while driving.

"Great actually, I came second in my class, made a lot of friends." I told him happily.

"I hope no boys."

Well, being a father figure these qualities came along with it. He never likes me near boys, he is a typical father, unlike my real one.

"Wel, I actually had a boyfriend." I lie teasingly.

He raised an eyebrow at me through the rearview mirror giving me a look saying 'I am not buying your shit.'

"Ok fine I didn't. He didn't say yes."

Well, that was true, I felt sad that even though how hard I try I don't get the one I want.

Taylor looks at me with an apologetic face, "Well that's his fault that he missed something great to have in life."

"Weren't you just sayirng don't go near boys?" I raised my eyebrow.

Taylor looked at me sheepishly.

"Did I, I don't remember" He says playfully.

We both laugh. There was a comfortable silence after that. It takes one hour to reach home. I see the mansion from my window. Well, nothing has changed in the past four

years. The gardeners were working in the garden, maids cleaning the fountain, few men watering plants. We had a huge garden cause mum likes it, personally, I don't. Don't get me wrong, it looks beautiful but nature has lots of spiders, and I hate spiders.

Our home was away from the city so was quiet down here. We parked near the gate and saw my mum waiting for me happily. Well at least someone is happy with my presence. Taylor opens the door for me to step out. So here it goes.