Chapter 31
Eight years later
Erica's POV
Wake up
Erica
wake up
I sprang up from my bed panting heavily.
It was a dream, thank God, It was a dream.
Damn!
These dreams seem to be reoccurring these days, its been eights years and yet it feels like yesterday.
Some people dream about their worst night mares, I have lived mine in reality. And no matter how hard I try to get it off my mind, it's buried deep within me, it haunts me every now and then.
The eight years that drastically turned threw me into the world I wasn't prepared for. I learnt my lessons the hardest way anyone could possibly imagine, and the greatest lesson of all was, love is overrated.
People fall in love for selfish reasons, and fall out of it as soon as their expectation are meant.
"Mum are you alright?" Alex, my seven years old son asked while he stares at me, his little blue blues laced with worries and concerns. I love my son with everything I have, but he is also my constant reminder of how stupid and naive I was when I had him.
It was a perfect love story till he decided to leave me at the mercy of his step sister. He wasn't even man enough to break up with me, instead he used his monstrous evil step sister to accomplish his ill intentions.
He stole my innocence and make me regret ever knowing him, I hate him so much after all he did to me.
Mum" Alex called out again bringing my thoughts back to him. I looked at the handsome Young lad before me,and wondered how long he must have been standing by my bedside.
"Hey darling, mummy is fine" I answered trying to force a smile to calm him and probably also to reassure him that I am perfectly alright, so he can stop staring at me like one weirdo.
"Why are you not ready for school?" I asked checking time to see its 7:00am.
"It's Saturday mum" he said looking at me as his detective eyes lands on me me again.
"Yeah its Saturday", I mumbled under my breath.
"why do you talk in your sleep?" He asked, looking all puzzled as he stares at me.
"do I?" I asked, trying to act surprise by what he just said.
"yes you do, a lot" He said, and would have continued if not for Mary, my PA that interrupted our little conversation by knocking on the door before coming in.
"Good morning Miss Williams" Mary said, as soon as she entered the room. she is looking fresh and all dressed up, ready for the day's work. Don't know how she does it. She was with me all through yesterday till 22:30pm. And this morning here she is looking all crisp and ready.
"Good morning Mary" I replied her, getting up from the bed. I know something must be up for her to be here this early on a Saturday.
"what are you doing here? I am not suppose to see you till Monday" I said, as I looked at her to see that she has her eyes fixed on the tablet she was holding.
"Yes ma'am, but I had to fix an urgent meeting for this morning between you and other members of the creative unit, after I got a last minutes call from Oasis company. They will be meeting with our team first thing on Monday morning. They need beautiful and comfortable designs for their new staff quarters and a preschool building for their staff kids.
I tried to reach you to give you a headstart, but your phone was switched off. When I couldn't reach you, I used my discretion which you always ask me to do" she said, feeling pleased with herself.
I normally switch off my phones at night so as not to be disturbed by anyone, since I most times find it difficult to sleep, and even sleeping tablets do not have much effect on me.
I just stood by my mirror looking at how messed up my entire schedule can be. I actually planned on staying back at home today to just lazy around.
I would have probably gone out in the evening to a nice restaurant and pamper myself with some delicious mouth watering meals. this is one of the reason I never plan for leisure, because it just gets messed up.
We have been trying to get this contract from Oasis company for a long time now, and now that the opportunity finally presented itself, its a big deal to me in particular and the entire team in general.
The time frame for us to be able to build and create multiple designs to present on Monday is relatively short.
"Mum you can't go to work today, you promised to take me to the park" Yelled my son, who has been shooting dagger stares at Mary.
"Sorry Alex, your mum needs go to work, you can go to park some other time" Mary said to Alex in a playful teasing manner.
"No she doesn't, if you did your job properly she wouldn't have to work on Saturdays, how many mums do you see working on Saturdays?" The young man said, anger and disappointment evidence in his tune.
I had completely forgotten that I actually promised to take him to the park this weekend, so he sort of have the right to be angry. I work most days into night, I hardly make time for him. I know he needs someone that would always be there, someone he could trust, I had both parents growing up and so I know there is always going to be that vacuum I will not be able to fill.
As I watched them argue, I knew this will only lead me no where. My son hates Mary because he feels she is the one making me work too much. Only if he knows what it takes to maintain the lifestyle I have provided him with.
He attends one of the best schools around here, the high cost of maintaining this condo we live in. The life of a single mom is not a rosy path.
"Alex" I said calmly, bringing him closer to me as and smiling so he looking at me.
"pay no attention to Mary darling, mummy is not going to work today, okay?" I said, as I watch his face brightens up. from my point of view, I can see Mary happy face turn sour and that made me chuckle a bit
"we will go to the park together, okay? I said with a reassuring smile.
"Thanks mum" he said smiling and sticking out his tongue at Mary.
"Anything for you honey, All I have to do is to go and take back the hundred and fifty dollars I gave to your nanny to take you to the toyshop, so you get new set of new toys today" I said, as I watched the little man gasped with surprise and excitement.
"thank you mum and have a great day at work!" He said as he quickly runs out to go meet his nanny.
"Nicely played" Mary said smiling as she makes move to leave the room.
"Argue with my son next time and you are you fired" I fired at her.
"would not be the first time Ms. Williams!" She answered from outside the room.
She is lucky she so damn good at what she does. I have fired her a couple of times, but I just find myself comparing her with others. She seem to loose her professional manners and let her teenage tantrums take over whenever she is with Alex.
I took a quick bath, and threw on a jean and a top while I packed my hair into a bun, with a little lip gloss.
off I go.
Its time to be a genius Erica
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Damian's POV
People often say that weekends are for relaxation, especially when you are rich and influential, that does not work for me. I work most weekends, I know I don't have to, but I do it anyway.
My office is the only safe place where I can utilize my mind. Events that happened on that unfortunate fresheners night eight years ago still has its bad effects on me.
My mind keeps drifting to what would have been, and the possible implications of my actions as I walked into my office building followed by my assistant and my personal guard.
There were a few staff around at the first floor as we walked in, they all seem to be busy with their various jobs. My staffs think I am strict and bossy, well they can think anything in as much as they get the job done that they are been paid to do.
We took the elevator to the top floor. The guard positioned himself at my office entrance while my PA went into his office which was directly opposite my office. I opened my office to seat down looking at all the files I needed to go through.
Work has been crazy lately, and keeping up with the demands can be very exhausting. My phone rings as I check to see who is calling, its Frederick the company lawyer.
"Good morning sir" he said, as soon as I picked the call.
.
"yes Frederick, good morning" I replied.
"I am calling to inform you that I have completed all negotiations between you and Mr Richard. The property documents are on your desk" he said calmly in a professional tune.
"OK thank you, if you are good with the proposal, you can go ahead and buy it unless of course you have any concerns" I questioned.
"not at all sir" he said.
" Good, So send the secretary up to pick the documents, I will just breeze through and sign them now" I said, flipping through the files before me.
"Yes boss' With that I ended the call. As I scanned through the table for the file. I went through the documents and signed. Just then the phone rings, its still Frederick.
"yes?" I questioned
" Sir, I almost forgot, as part of the agreement, you will have to meet with the head of various departments for a personal introduction" he said, his voice a bit uncertain now.
"OK, that can't be too hard. I will fix a time when I'm ready" I said calmly
"yes boss" He replied and With that I ended the call.
It's a Saturday, and as much as I would love to be doing other things, I prefer burying myself with work.
Not that I will have it any other way.
I picked up my tablet to go through some pages on Facebook, as a thought came up in my head. I checked to see if she had posted anything on her account.
But to my disappointment, she hasn't. All my messages are still unread, and all my effort of trying to reach her has proved abortive over the last eight years.
As I stare into her beautiful eyes, I wonder what she is been up to, is she married? does she have kids now? does she even remember me?
Where are you Erica?
