Chapter 1; The old Woman

The office was quiet with only the sound of the paper flipping open, tore through the silence.

“What’s your name?” The interviewer asked without throwing a glance at her.

“Lara” she stuttered; “ Lara Hamilton” she corrected herself, although she knew that he must have seen her name on her CV and Résumé, but still decided to ask.

Lara sat there quietly and fiddled with the hem of her skirt impatiently as she waited for a reply from the interviewer. 

He suddenly stopped and looked up to her as he pushed his glass up his nose and the spoke; “I’m sorry ma’am but, we can’t offer you a job in this company, your skills are great but”

“Sir I promise you that if you offer me a job in this company, I’ll never disappoint you. I am very hard working” she kept on speaking so as to convince the stone hearted man seating before her, across his well-furnished desk.

“Please sir, just give me a chance” she muttered again with hereyes soaked up in plea.

“I’m sorry Miss, but we don’t have a job for you” He replied bluntly, dashing Lara’s last strand of hope. His gaze shifted from her and towards the papers on his desk, that was her cue to leave. she stood up, picked up her bag, slowly rose up from the seat and walked out of the office after taking one last glare at the bald man who didn’t even raise his eyes to look at Lara as she walked out, that’s how this rich people behave, she thought toherself and paused just outside the door; she opened the door again and screamed at him; “Jerk!” before she slammed the door shut and walked away.

Lara made her way to the door that exits the company. Although she had been here a couple of days ago when she came to submit her Resume, she couldn’t still help but admire the artistic designs and the decoration of the Lobby.

The Lobby area alone was breath taking. The white paintings, the golden rails that guarded the stair case, the elevator made of glass that went up slowly, in fact she was in awe at the amazing work of art.

Lara was lost in admiration of the place that the anger was feeling earlier flushed down the drain. Her dreamy eyes stole glances at every beautiful design she could see. But as soon as she turned around to take a step forward, she felt a strong impact, head first and then something hot pierced through herskin.

“I’m so sorry sir” a voice apologized, but she was too angry to look up. The scent of coffee found its way through her nostrils, and that was when she realized that the person that bumped into her had also spilled hot coffee on her.

her face flushed red in anger and then she looked up at the face of the person whom had bumped into her, his cold dark eyes stared back at her, his face was completely void of expression, she thought he was gonna apologize but he didn’t, instead his next words shook her.

“Move” his hoarse voice floated into her ears. Almost immediately she was brushed aside by the thick arms of his guards and then he walked away.

“You Jerk, who do you think you are” she screamed angrily, her voice tearing through the whole reception and everyone paused in their tracks and turned their attention towards her, but he didn’t stop. He kept walking only to stop in front of the glass elevator.

Lara cursed and sighed before she made to turn but bumped into the door; “What is wrong with me” she cried out, her eyes twitching with painful tears. she held her nose tightly as if it would fall off if she didn’t.

“Lara” a familiar voice called out her name. she turned immediately to see her best friend, Kate, running towards her.

“Why are you holding your nose?’ Kate asked as soon as she got close.

“I think I broke my nose”

“Let me see” she added and Lara slowly letting go off her nose;

“OMG, you’re bleeding” she exclaimed and Lara pinched hernose shut again; “Let’s go to my car so I’ll get you some tissues”

“What happened to your clothes, you’re messed up?” Kate askedas She dragged Lara out of the Lobby and to her car. Lara raised her head up and relaxed on the seat as Kate tried to stop the bleeding.

“How was the interview?” Kate asked softly as she wiped the blood off Lara nostrils

“It was a disaster; I didn’t get the job. And there I was sulking about my bad luck before one jerk bumped into me and spilled hot coffee on me” Lara complained.

“It’s alright, you just have to go home and change, get some rest. I’m going back to work”

Lara stepped down from the car and wiped her nose clean with the back of her palm just to be sure it was no longer bleeding.

“don’t wait for me tonight, I’ll be over at Jude’s house” Larastated as soon as Kate stepped down from the car.

“Why?”

“C’mon, don’t tell me you also forgot that today is our anniversary” Lara muttered with her hands folded across her chest disapprovingly.

“I ain’t your boyfriend, so I’m not under obligation to remember your anniversary. Besides Jude totally forgot it last year” Katereplied and shut the car close.

“He didn’t forget, he was just busy that all” Lara tried to convince her again, just like she had always done whenever Kate brings up this topic.

“Whatever, I’m off to work, don’t fuck him like your relationship depends on it” Kate added and started walking away.

Lara scoffed at how grumpy her friend could be and walked away in the other direction.

*********

Liam walked into his office reeking of Coffee.

“Sir would you like a change of shirt?” Williams, his personal guard asked.

“Of course, or should I go to the board meeting with a ruined shirt?” Liam snapped; it was obvious that he was angry.

He pulled off his shirt and threw it into the trash before walking over to his seat and sat down. He had a lot going on in his life right now and the last thing he wants is to be bumping into random people.

Didn’t she see him coming?

Was he too lost in thoughts that he didn’t even pay attention anymore? He wondered.

Liam was rich, in fact, he was filthy rich, but he wasn’t happy. All he wanted was to live a lowkey life.

To sleep and wake up like a normal person, with no phone from the companies he owns, no emails and just a day to be free from the battle with Ryan, his step brother who had sworn to rob him of all his inheritance, joy and peace. If only Ryan knew that he never wanted any of this, dad made him swear. He had made him swear never to give up on the inheritance.

The door creaked open and Williams walked in with a wrapped up white shirt. His arrival distracted Liam from his burdensome thoughts.

Liam rose up from his seat and Williams came over and wore the shirt over him. Just as Williams was buttoning up the shirt, the door opened again and Liams PA walked in.

“Excuse me sir, but news reaching us now is that your father was involved in a ghastly car accident” Lilly announced.

‘What?” Liam screamed out in shock. Even Williams could not contain his shock when the Lilly’s words floated into his ears.

Liam dashed out of the office immediately, with his troops of guards running behind him.

The news of the Owner of BM CORP was involved in an accident spread like wild fire throughout the office.

*******

Lara had gotten home, freshen up and changed up from the clothes which the Jerk back at Kate’s work place had spilled coffee on into a new one before she left for Jude’s apartment.

The Taxi she boarded drove her to a stop just in front of the alley leading to Jude’s apartment. She paid off her fare and the driver drove off.

Lara opened up her purse to double check if the gift she had bought for Jude was still intact. Thoughts about what surprise Jude would have in store for her made her giggle like a child.

She walked forward, down the lonely alley which was decorated with trash cans and litters. She kept trailing forward until she stopped in front of Jude’s door step.

She took a deep breath, a stretched on her lips and then the squeezed the cold knob open and walked inside.

She had expected to see Jude seated on his favorite leather couch, watching N*****x like he always does on his free days, but he wasn’t.

Her eyes caught sight of his green Shirt on the floor and she walked over to it; Dirty boy, she muttered to herself and picked up the shirt and then made her way upstairs.

Maybe he’s taking a shower in his room, she thought.

She brought his shirt up to her nose and gently inhaled his scent on the shirt. The familiar rosey cologne traveled down her nose. She felt like thousand of butterflies had just been let loose in her stomach.

she turned and looked inside his room, the door was wide open, giving her a full view of everything in the room.

At first, her mind tried to doubt what she saw.

Right before her very eyes was Jude, her boyfriend humping down on another Bitch. He was too lost in ecstasy that he didn’t even notice her presence.

She lost grip of his shirt and let it to drop to the floor. Her palm rose up to seal her lips in disbelieve.

The sound of his thick moans filled the room.

“Jude!!” she finally screamed out when she could not endure it any longer.

Jude jumped off the bed immediately and the girl pulled the duvet over herself.

“Babe, I can explain” Jude stuttered and walked over to Lara.

As soon as he got close, she graced his cheek with a resounding slap before she ran out of the room and out through the door. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, blurring her vision, but that didn’t stop her. She kept on running.

She couldn’t help but wonder how long this has been going on, how long has Jude been cheating on her?

Was that why he forgot about their 3 years anniversary?

Was she too in love with him not to see the signs that he didn’t love her as much as she loved him?

These thoughts flooded into her head as she ran.

She ran until she slowed down. She was out of breath.

She flagged down a taxi that took her home.

When she got home, Kate wasn’t back yet, but she knew that she would be, soon.

She left the door unlocked and walked straight to the fridge, instead of taking her favorite strawberry ice-cream, she pulled out four bottles of beer.

Lara was light headed and she knew it, but right now, all she wanted to do was to drink away her sorrows.

She carried the drinks to her room and started gulping them down, when she was done with the four bottles, she went out to get some more but alas they were out of beer.

Now that she needed it most, it is finished. If it was when she didn’t need the beer that is when the fridge would be filled to the brim with all types of beer.

She slammed the fridge angrily and staggered to her purse that laid on the floor.

She took the few dollars that she had left and walked out of the house without locking it.

Images of Jude banging and moaning in ecstasy flashed before her eyes. At this moment, the only feeling she felt towards him was anger. But she also wished that he would come for her and tell her that it was all a mistake, that what she saw was just her mind playing pranks on her.

She was still lost in her thoughts when she felt a cold hand brush against hers.

She shuddered and turned around to see an old woman, hunched over. The old woman was standing with the help of her walking stick.

"Please, can you spare some loose change?” the old woman misty voice pleaded.

Lara looked around; she was alone on the road. She sighed and handed over the money which she wanted to use to buy herself more beers over to the old lady.

“Thank you, for this money you gave me; would you love to make a wish?” the old lady asked.

Lara scoffed, she didn’t believe that wishes do come through, because if they did, she had been wishing for Jude to be her true love but it didn’t work out.

It would be cold hearted for her to say this to the old woman, so she had no choice than to at least say something.

She took one more glance at the old woman before raising her eyes up; “Well, if you insist. I would love to be rich, like to have so much money so I can own a company like the one I went ot earlier today.

I would also wish to own cars, to have more adventures and thrills. My life is just too boring” Lara kept mumbling in her drunken state, and when she was done, she returned her gaze back at the old woman, but she was no longer there.

She looked down the road but she still didn’t catch sight of the old woman.

“There is no way an old woman using a walking stick would have gotten away so fast” she thought and started returning home. She looked around to search for the old woman but she still couldn’t find her. It was strange but she didn’t pay much attention to it.