4. How It All Started

Emma Coleman's Narrative

My name is Emma Coleman and this is my story. 

 I'm the only daughter of Samuel Coleman, the CEO of Coleman Airways. Standing at a height of 5'11", I have a slim figure with ample curves that accentuate my wide hips. I possess a captivating physique that even my father's friends and employees can't help but admire.

I was in my final year at Malmo University, studying industrial engineering before I dropped out of school and went after Brandon Henderson. A man who stole my heart and went back to Stockholm. 

. 

During my childhood, there was one man who was constantly present in my life. He would take care of my daily needs, cook for me, and even assist me with my schoolwork. He was my teacher, my mentor, my guiding light, and my source of inspiration. I always believed that our bond would last forever. However, one fateful morning, reality shattered my illusion. I woke up late for school, and for the very first time, nobody embraced me with adoration.

"Sweetheart, Brandon Henderson has gone back to Stockholm," I recall my mother's voice resonating in my mind that morning. Even at school, all I could hear echoing in my thoughts was, "Brandon Henderson has gone back to Stockholm."

My tears did not cease flowing throughout the entire day. For an entire year, my spirit remained drenched in darkness, as if a veil had been cast over my existence. I made numerous attempts to see Brandon, but his security personnel would not grant me access to Julian Henderson Estate, where Brandon resided. 

My endeavors to reunite with Brandon proved futile. Even when Brandon was informed that I was standing at the gate of his estate, he expressed no desire to see me. My heart fractured that day, and I ceased my visits to his estate. Gradually, I began to accept the painful reality that Brandon had departed from my life and had seemingly forgotten about me, his best friend.

Exactly nine months ago, marking two years since Brandon returned to Stockholm, I found myself in my room, gazing out at the sunset as it descended beyond the horizon. Without warning, the door to my room swung open, and my father walked in.

"Pumpkin guessed what?" Samuel said. I wasn't looking at him, but I could tell he was laughing.

"What?" I asked, my eyes still fixed on the sunset that cast golden hues on my face.

"Brandon Henderson is on his way here!" Samuel exclaimed, and my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't quite define what I was feeling at that moment. It wasn't exactly excitement, nor could I label it as sadness.

 Slowly, I turned my head and looked at my father, who stood in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets, smiling at me as always. Samuel had me when he was just seventeen, and every time he glanced at me, he couldn't help but flash that proud smile, as if he were the youngest father in the world and deserving of a spot in the Guinness World Records.

"He's getting married on Saturday and coming to invite me and Anthony to the civil ceremony," Samuel announced, flashing a smile. Unexpected sadness suddenly overwhelmed me and it appeared on my face instantly. My dad's smile faded into a frown and he shrugged. I quickly pretended as if something had caught in my throat hence the frown. I hastily got down from the bed to head to the bathroom. My dad followed me, concern written on his face.

"Pumpkin, are you okay?" Samuel asked. After coughing for a while, I washed my face and nodded.

"Dad, I'm fine," I murmured, my face still wearing a frown.

"All right, please take your maids to clean up Brandon's room. You know it's been two years since anyone entered that room," Samuel said, and I choked again.

I had been avoiding that room ever since Brandon left. Countless memories were buried within those walls. Brandon always kissed my forehead, never venturing beyond that boundary. The night before he returned to Stockholm, he surprised me by kissing me on the lips.

 It was my first kiss as an adult, and it seeped into my bones and tendons. That day, I realized that Brandon was secretly in love with me.

As I stepped out of my room, "Welcome to Coleman's Villa" banners adorned every nook and cranny of the corridor. A red carpet stretched from the entrance gate to the villa's entryway. My heart raced, alternating between moments of excitement and unease.

The maids, who had been patiently waiting behind my door, fell in line as we approached Brandon's room. My heart raced as I turned the doorknob and swung the door open.

"What's wrong?" Vera inquired, her eyes fixed on my face.

"Nothing," I murmured, barely audible. A soft summer breeze drifted through the cracked guest house window, evoking a wave of nostalgia within me.

Taking a seat on one of the sofas in the guest house, I gazed at the servants who were arranging the room. My thoughts wandered, torn between my desire to see Brandon once more, to get lost in his captivating gaze, and to demand answers for his abrupt departure and why he did not want to see me. On the other hand, a part of me secretly wished Brandon had stayed away from me forever.

"Vera, could you please remove the tequila and champagne from the bar?" I instructed Vera who was stocking up Brandon's personal stash of alcoholic beverages.

"Brandon doesn't drink," I added.

"Emma, he abstains from alcohol because you prohibited him from drinking after his hospital discharge two years ago. And let me tell you, Emma, he faithfully follows every single instruction you give back then. Now, Brandon isn't the friend you can boss around anymore; he's now the CEO of Zenith Incorporation. I bet he enjoys popping champagne bottles with his billionaire buddies," Vera said with a mischievous smile.

"Vera, I didn't ban Brandon from drinking alcohol. I was merely ensuring he followed his doctor's orders," I clarified. 

Brandon's health was delicate. Any time he exceeded one glass of wine, his control over his libido deteriorated rapidly. His doctor had recommended he never exceed that limit, and as his best friend, I felt responsible for ensuring he stuck to it.

I fixed my gaze on the bed that one of the servants was making and lost myself in thought once more. It was on that bed that Brandon and I played all night and shared our first passionate kiss, only to wake up late the next morning and discover he had returned to his State. I never knew it was a goodbye kiss. 

"Emma!" Vera called out, snapping me out of my reverie. I turned my head and looked at her. 

"Stop dwelling on Brandon! He won't even spare you a glance, let alone shower you with the affection and pampering he once did while living with us," Vera chuckled and resumed her task.

"It's been two years already! Brandon won't even remember your name, let alone the special name he gave you that made your heart race every time he called you," Vera remarked.

"Vera, Brandon may forget everything else, but not his… Jewel," I stammered because I was not sure anymore. 

"You ceased to be Brandon's jewel the day he left Malmo without saying a word to you!  The day you visited him and he openly told his security personnel that he didn't want to see you anymore. Emma, since Brandon's departure, he hasn't called you even once. Isn't this a sign that he has forgotten about you?" Vera insisted. 

Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered how devastated I felt that year Brandon told his security personnel that he did not want to see me. 

.

Suddenly the soft sound of sirens drifted up to the room where we were and my heart skipped a beat. I felt a warm glow flow through me. I relaxed for a while to conquer all involuntary reactions before joining the servants who rushed to the window to see Brandon Henderson. The CEO of Zenith Incorporation. The Technology giant in Sweden, known for its consumer electronics and software. 

The soft siren sounds were coming from police motorcycles at the forefront of the convoy that picked Brandon and his fiancee up from the airport. 

 In the middle of the convoy was a sleek black SUV adorned with a personalized decal featuring Zenith Incorporation's logo. The car's windows were tinted dark, making it impossible to see the people who were inside the car. 

I held my breath as I waited to catch a glimpse of Brandon Henderson's gold body again after two long years.