CHAPTER 1

EMA

Surprised to see my best friend, Fernando and for short, Ferdi; whom we haven’t had any communication for a while with all the work at the office, gave me a questioning expression, like a what-is-going-on look and I asked; “what are you doing here? And how did you get in?” 

“I’ve been knocking on your door for a while now and I thought you were not around until I had to touch the doorknob, only find the door open, so I let myself in guessing you’ll be in your bedroom if you were at home” he said oh shit! The Hanna lady left the door open when she left and she didn’t even make me aware of it.

 “Ok. So why are you here this early? Aren’t you supposed to be at work by now cause I’ll be out of here soon.” Touching the back of his neck, he started stuttering, 

“uhhmm…..I have bad news…” there! I knew it! With that kind of expression on his face, I knew there was something there; something’s wrong and that’s what I didn’t want to get after waking up on a good side today prepared to start work on a good stance. This isn’t good at all!! And the sadder his face looked, I could imagine the gravity of how bad the news was but I still wanted to hear it.

Ferdinand Carlson is a very good friend of Ema's and they are co-workers. Ferdi is as hard headed as Ema and compassionate as well; he is not as fearless as Ema but time and challenges can change a person completely. He is focused and diligent when it comes to his work which he is same with Ema in the technological department of the L&M Company Ltd and is responsible for the security of the company while Ema is part of the Design Department of the same company and is responsible for every product/service design the company offers and is part of. Ferdi and Ema are not only co-workers, but neighbors as well.

Ema……..

“Yeah, Ferdi what’sup? Why are you looking so pale? You’re scaring me you know……” he took a deep breath twice then spoke which left me speechless. 

“Okay…..there was an accident and your Dad was involved while on his way here to see you. He died on the way to the hospital………am sorry Em that I have to break this to you this early. I couldn’t wait..” 

I lifted my hand to cut him off cause that was one hell of a bad news to get this early in the morning and too much to assimilate. I didn’t know what to feel or say, then I thought of my Mum! 

“Where is she? I mean my Mum” I asked, still not looking at him, I just couldn’t 

“She's with him at the hospital, she asked me to call you, but I decided to just come get you at once,” he said, shifting from one foot to the other. 

“Okay let me change and we can go.'' Grief was beyond me and it was so hard to accept cause my dad was my closest friend and my mum, don’t have words to describe the kind of relationship we had……..I changed into something presentable like my genes and blue t-shirt with my converse and we left for the hospital

There were times I always thought life is and will just continue being as interesting and just wanted to revel in the moment and wished it never ends. Little did I realise life or rather fate has its own surprises for each and every person in its own time. I never thought my life could get any worse as I hoped Dad gone will just be a grief and pass and then life goes on while I deal with the pain! But no! There was something more and there is always something more......

Dad passing away was just the beginning of how bad my life would turn out to be. Dad always acted like all was okay and well and nothing was wrong, I believed him. Hell! He was my rock and always there for me when I needed him. He always told me everything was going to be fine even when he was troubled about something, little did I know our financial situation was that bad; no make it worse! 

I was so confused and most of all, shocked! After the funeral when the lawyer called us I didn't think or rather it didn't even cross my mind that the situation was that bad. I knew Dad had some business problems but not as bad as it was now and he always said he'll find a way each time I tried to help out when he comes to pay me a visit which was always often and he'll say 

"My dear don't worry, just focus on your job there's nothing wrong sweetheart everything is fine. I’m fine. Am just glad you're happy with what you do..." and who am I to say otherwise? I'll just let it pass and move on. But now I know exactly why.....

".....he tried to remedy the situation of the company but it got worse as there was a mole in the company.....Ema are you with us?"

I was pulled out of my thoughts and wasn't even listening to what the lawyer was saying any longer. It was too much to take in at once.

"....uh yeah I am...just what were you saying didn't get the last part?" I was lost......"yeah I know this isn't an easy thing to take in and it's a lot I didn't tell you since it wasn't my place to do so and he didn't want to do so I had to respect his decision but now that he came across a sudden death I have no choice but to let you know the situation at hand.." the lawyer said. 

The poor man; he's not too young or too old could be in his mid-forties. Mr. Mark is a strong looking man despite his age, and I could see the stress lines furrowing on his forehead but I had more to worry about and a decision to take. 

So from all what he was saying, it seems my Dad's company had gone bankrupt and he was trying to recover from the losses due to the act of a mole that was in there working for one of his competitors. And I think this is more than a competitive rivalry.

Then he was in an accident not long after he found a way to revive the company! This is a lot more suspicious than I thought. There is more to the story than what meets the eye! I have a feeling the accident and bankruptcy are connected somehow but that's something for another day.

Thank God my best friend came with me. I don't know what I would do without him! Mum was another story! She had refused to come and acted like she didn't care Dad was gone. I don't know what to say to that.....after I insisted and asked her why she acted like Dad going didn't seem to border her, she then accepted to follow me just to evade the question but I knew she felt his absence even if she acted as though she didn't. There was much more to this story and she knew something!