KARENShort, rapid knocks on the front door jerk me out of sleep making me jump off my seat with a startle. Who could it be?Glancing at the clock over my head to see what time it is, it is fifteen minutes to midnight. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I walk as fast as my heavy legs can carry me, slightly irritated by the consistent knocking on the door by whoever the fuck it is. "Who the fuck are you?" I call out angrily. The knocking ceased immediately. "Karen, it's me," though his voice was muffled, I recognized it immediately. "Henley? What the fuck?" I hurriedly opened the door to find an exhausted Henley leaning heavily on the door post. "Hey baby girl," he offered a weak smile. This man is really stressed out."I have a lot of questions, but come in," stepping to the side to make way for him to pass, I wondered if he's alright. "I didn't know you could swear," he said to me. "Hmm, now you know," I replied sarcastically which only made him laugh. In a goofy way. "It's
HENLEY"Are you ready to do this with me?" I turned my head to face a very quiet Neila whose gaze was fixed on the house.She took a deep breath and nodded, "yes I am. Nothing has really changed about this place since I saw it last, maybe just the flowers," she commented and made to get out of the vehicle."Let me get that for you," I say to her, referring to the door on her end.She gives me a weak smile and steps out gingerly like the earth would swallow her immediately she sets her feet on it as I hold the door for her.Slamming the door shut, I led the way to the mansion with her walking quietly behind me.The weekend was the best time to meet my Father because he had a lot of free time during the weekends. The only downside is that Jason and Mother would be present, just like the last time.
JASONThe glass of wine I was holding a while ago, stood discarded on the ornate bedside table. It's a surprise I didn't even smash the delicate glass in my fury. What right does Dad have to give Henley an opportunity to look at me in a different way?None!He's not my brother, has never been and will never be. No son of a bitch will come from nowhere to steal my inheritance away from me. No matter how hard he tries to hide it, I know that its on his mind. I sneer.He's interested in having control of MERC, everything he does boils down to the company every single time no matter what he does. Everyone thinks he's a saint, fast rising as the youngest billionaire from Africa even though I know he built that company just to spit in my face and mother's face. After I offered to loan him the pathetic amount of money he couldn't seem to raise by himself. "Ungrateful bastard!" I shout and fling out my arm, knocking the glass of wine to the floor in the process, it shattered to tiny bits
KAREN"Hey," I smile sweetly. "Hi, Karen," Henley grins from across the table. It's our second date so far and I'm going to make sure it's not the last. I have had time to think, really think, since the last time we were together and no matter the angle of thought I used to approach the matter, I always arrived at the same conclusion.I'm eager to hear what Henley will say about it once I inform him. Though this isn't an official date, I consider it a date since Henley asked me to go with him. He's been going through a lot ever since his biological mother announced her existence and now, things are getting really out of hand. I don't blame him for needing some sort of moral support and it's touching that he thought to invite me. "Thank you for asking me to come. It's like you know that all I want to do is help you in any way I can," I give his arm a soft squeeze. How is he able to keep his head above water in times like this?I can't help but wonder. "I really couldn't come her
KARENHumming a tune as I wash the dishes, I shake my head this way and that way in tune to the music. I feel good today. I have never felt this good before in my life and I must say that it's an awesome feeling. "Like the circus meets the clouds…" I hum under my breath. They say everything gets better when you're in love and whoever said that couldn't have been more correct. I was scared of baring myself open for the fear of rejection. Apparently, Jason's nonchalant attitude towards me traumatized me to the extent of doubting an honorable man's true intentions. With everything going on in his life right now, I could have lost him. He could have said that a relationship would be extra work for him because he wouldn't be able to focus and give his total attention. What if he realized that I wasn't the one for him the way he's the one for me?What if he had said that he didn't feel love for me but only care?Would I have been able to handle rejection in whatever form it took?What
HENLEYNo matter what I have done or said or even tried to do, nothing seems to be enough to calm her down or make her happy. Hearing her sound so broken and devastated over the phone as she politely asked me to come over was one of the worst moments of my life. Looking down at her as she sobbed quietly, there's nothing I wouldn't do to stop her tears and ease her sorrows. I'd go to the end of the fucking world for her, she just doesn't know the extent of my love for her. "Sweet Karen," I called softly and gently held her shaking shoulders as she buried her head in my neck and cried. Running my hand slowly up and down her back, I coo to her softly, whispering sweet words to her to calm her down. "I can't believe that after everything we went through together they chose to believe him. Of all people, they chose him over their own daughter," she said, her voice hoarse from crying. "It's really disappointing, I agree. They had no right to cut you off like that. Anyone can see that
JASON"I'm calm, I'm calm," I say again and again while pacing my room. My fingers clench into fists and unclench immediately, repeatedly as I give a sharp turn around the end of my bed. Dad is back from the hospital and now is the chance to properly have a talk with him about this whole shitstorm he helped to create. And that's if he's willing to talk. He'd better be willing because Henley is not going to be the only one that gets his attention. "Mr Daniels?" The stand by nurse whom I asked to inform me when Dad wakes up from his drug induced nap raps softly on the slightly open door leading to my room. "Yes?" I ask. "He's awake sir," she says.I dismiss her with a nod. Taking a deep breath, I rub my palms over my face repeatedly as I prepare myself for a conversation that will likely end with voices raised. Something I'm going to do my very best to prevent. Only if Dad is willing. "He doesn't have a choice actually," I say out loud. Not after taking what belongs to me and g
JASONI am not a murderer. I am not a murderer. I am not a murderer. A voice repeated over and over in my head as I created a hole in the rug with my fast paced steps as I paced the room. I wanted to leave the house and just get away from this place in case my fears were confirmed but somehow, I found myself back in my room with the door locked. I can't remember coming here or locking the door, like I was in a daze. A memory clearing daze.All I remember is Dad falling down the stairs like a heavy sack of potatoes and landing with a very dull, odd thud. Is that what it sounded like when one falls terribly?He fell down the stairs and I was the one who pushed him. "Fuck!" I shout and slap my palm across my right cheek harsh enough to sting but I don't feel any pain which only makes me more frustrated."Fuuck!!!" I shouted at the top of my voice, pulling at my hair till stars began to pop out behind my eyes and the stinging pain coupled with the furious stomping of my foot helped to