Squeaky.... squeaky..." The sound of little rats filled the dark room. May huffed in her unconsciousness at the noise. Something began to climb her leg, tickling her half-awake. "Uhm— um" She sighed and two rats climbed her both legs in a chase, jerking her awake. "OMG!" She screamed, her eyes snapping open into the darkness. Her bound legs stamped frantically on the hard concrete floor to send the little creatures away. Then she realized her shoes were gone. She glanced around frantically at the emptiness of a dark room. Where was she? She tried to move, but was stuck. Her hands were tightly held behind the iron chair with a twine in the middle of the dark room. Her legs were no better. Fear gripped her neck . The memory of the last incident slowly crawled back into her head and her grief grew. Tears instantly began to roll down her face at self deprecation. She remembered She was driving and angry at someone— her mom? —Declan? Or both. She had driven way too recklessly and landed
Inside the house was nothing one would expect. Series of beds in numbers filled the wide room that appeared to also be a warehouse. Outside had the exterior of a well suited bungalow and the inside was nothing close to a decent house. Just carton boxes, beds and beds springs and a few tables. One of the men excused himself to an inner room, leaving Declan alone with the other two. He glanced around, his eye hitting every end of the room and he smirked. Shadows of men hovered around the entire room. He didn't need anyone to tell him he was being watched and outnumbered. The only thing needed of him was to lift a finger and it would be a bloody fight scene. But Declan knew better. May's condition was still unknown and he wouldn't jeopardize her safety by throwing an early punch. The image of her on that chair, her head thrown to the side and unconscious was the only thing in his mind. If he was going to get her out there save and sound, he would dance to their tune."Look who made it
Benjamin was calm all through and simply watched the list in his hand. The herbs prescription and combination reminded him of a healing method that cured different kinds of disease in a medical book he read while in school. He had gotten just a few pages of the book from his master and the little knowledge from it has guided him all through to be famous and successful. He had been searching for the complete book for years. He peered at Declan in curiosity. Who was this man? Benjamin's interest in Declan grew and without saying a word, he gestured at his men to provide everything Declan needed. When everything was brought to Declan, he went into action. He grinded and mixed different kinds of herbs and was done after an eternity. The murmuring in the crowd resumed, intensifying the atmosphere. Declan took a spoon full and fed the woman. Everyone's breath hitched in anticipation of what would happen. Seconds turned to a minute and more minutes went by but there was no response from
The sun came out early the next day and Declan sat at the bar in the living room that morning. He heard noise coming from outside and checked what it was through the curtains. "No way..." He hissed and took the steps in twos, racing up to May but he met May at the top of the stairs. "What's that noise I hear? Are they here again?" May was really scared and held her night robe tightly in a fist. "Everything is alright, I was coming to check if you're awake. Please go back and dress up while I take care of things down here." Declan gave her an assuring nod, leading her to turn and go back into the room. "Where is he? I demand to speak with him this instant!" "But madam, you can't be here. Young master didn't tell us to expect any visitors!" The security guy tried to push the woman he didn't recognize away through the gate. Declan should not hear her else his job is done with. He had left the gates open to carry in some supplies and didn't know when the woman drove. "Young ma
"My What!?" May gawked at her mother in disbelief. "Now don't give me that look, honey. Do you know who he is? This is Jason Livingston, the Son and heir of Livingston pharmaceuticals" Clara declared with a glint of pride in her eyes. "OMG, are you serious?" May gaped looking at Jason in disbelief. He had heard a lot about the world famous multimillionaire pharmaceutical company and it's heir. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms Williams." "To finally meet me? Has word reached him concerning me before?" May wondered silently, taking Jason's outstretched hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Livingston" "Call me Jason." His smile was soft and warm and he looked calm. "Jason." May nodded with a smile. Her gaze fell on their hands that was joined a moment longer than necessary and Jason released hers. Clara cleared her throat. Is that a chemistry she's seeing between them already? Her smile didn't falter when she spoke. "Let's take this party elsewhere shall we?" Th
The situation was a little bit awkward than Declan expected. He knew Mandy was that way sometimes but never has he seen her this particular way. "What do you think? Will you be my date?" She cooed, her eyes still on him."Your date? What's the occasion this time Ms. Asher?" "I have my company's gala coming up. This particular one is special because it is hosted once every four years! The first ever one I'm hosting since I became the director of Asher groups and company.""Wow, that's massive.""Exactly how I want it to be defined, massive!… explosive!"There was a spark in Mandy's eyes as she gestured the words in the air. "I have so much planned for the event but most especially I want to—uhm... Kind of adopt a company. You know, offer them partnership in the form of a franchise but they will have their own name and watch them grow.""Wow! That's quite a vision you have right there" "I know." Mandy beamed a proud smile as she paced her living room. She continued. "But you know wh
"Just like that? OMG, that was so easy" Clara remarked delightfully."I told you it will take just a phone call. It's reall nothing." Jason lied with a straight face. There was no way he was going to admit to these people that his father had shunned him. They wouldn’t take him seriously if he did. He however had a plan, he would speak to his father in person when he get to the office. He was hoping the old man would listen to him. "Thank you very much, Jason. This means a lot to me."May was truly surprised and impressed. It was taking her forever to sort things out with Nathan and Jason here just had everything settled with just one phone call! He is really influential."Oh don't thank me, it's always my pleasure to be of help to an amazing woman like you." Jason pretended to be humble, whereas he enjoyed the praise they rained on him. He cleared his throat then continued. "There's an upcoming gala this weekend, hosted by the Director Asher groups and company. I would love you to
Declan goes to find the Butler but he is not on duty. "We haven't seen him in two days now. He didn't even give a leave notice." One of the security spoke. For two days? That's exactly how long the men visited. So the butler hasn't been to work since that day. "Do you have his address?" Declan asked. "Young mistress has the profile of everyone." The security man said, growing suspicious of Declan. He has seen Declan around a couple of times but he didn't trust him and whatever he was trying to dig. "I don't want her to know about this, tell me where your colleague lives." Declan demanded, pinning a cold stare at the security man. "But why don't you want her—""Are you the only one on duty?" Declan interrupted glancing around. "No, why?" The security man reached for the baton by the side of his uniform, his face etched in worry. "Good." Declan stated and knocked him off with one blow. The man had tried to use his baton but he is no match for Declan in speed. Declan noticed
Declan walked down the stairs cleaning his eyes as he descended with a clear smile on his face. Two days had passed since he had a blood fest against Mandy and the men that she had brought. He walked into the dining room and grabbed the coffee pot for the machine and poured himself a cup. “Hmm, a cup of coffee first thing in the morning… who are you and what have you done with my Kazuka?” Declan turned to see his mother seated at the table with a plate of toasts and fruits before her. “Good morning mother.” Declan said, walking up to her. He kissed her on the cheek before taking a seat beside her. “Someone woke up on the right side of the bed today.” Elizabeth said with a smile. “What's making my boy all cheery in the morning?” “Nothing… I was just thinking of my plans for the day.” Declan replied, taking a sip from the cup in his hand. “Must be a very interesting day you have planned out for yourself if this is the kind of expression you have first thing in the morning.” “I
May watched as Mandy glared at Declan with eyes full of hate while he smirked at her while looking at the men that had arrived with her. “Please tell me that you have more people coming.” Declan said with a smile. “Even the people you sent to kidnap May were more than this.” As if in response, a van pulled up behind Declan's car and over a dozen men climbed out of it with clubs and steel pipes in their grasp, with some of them holding daggers and short knives. “Now this is looking promising.” Declan said, licking his lips in anticipation. May climbed out of the car walking towards Declan with her hands slightly raised. “Mandy, you don't need to do this.” She said softly. “You can just tell your men to leave and we can all just forget that something like this ever happened.” “Shut up!” Mandy snapped, turning her glare to May who shuddered under the killing intent that Mandy poured out. “This is all his fault. My grandfather is dead and it's all his fault.” She yelled in pain
In the evening of that day, Declan had gone to pick up May for their date. “You know you don't need to do this Declan, I also have a car.” May said walking up to a black car parked a few feet away from her with Declan leaning against it. “That would be absurd. Imagine asking someone out on a date and then deciding to let the person drive there.”Declan said, shaking his head, opening the door for her to get in. “That's no different than asking the person to meet up with you for a business lunch.” “It's the thought behind it that matters Declan… God, are all the men of the King family stubborn?” May said with a sigh while Declan chuckled in response driving away. “so, what about Mandy? Any news about her after your meeting today?” “Well, I got reports that she was approached by a lady and was taken to a station for questioning. The company was given a trial in a few days and from there everything will play out.” Declan shrugged. “Not if you cause the company to fold.” May said
Mandy kept her gaze fixed on the door leading to the room where Declan was having his interview with Celeste. The door opened and Declan walked out with a calm look on his face. Mandy stood and walked towards him. “Declan!” She yelled before grabbing his collar to the surprise of everyone present. “Mandy Asher… quite a surprise for me to see you here… don't you think?” Declan said with a soft smile. “You are happy, aren't you? You have finally ruined my family and gotten your revenge.” She said, gripping his shirt tighter. “Your questions are like asking a poor man who just win the lottery if he is happy winning a huge amount of money.” Declan said gripping her hand. “Of course I am happy.” He wrenches her hands off his clothes and straightened his shirt. “Miss Asher I would love it if you don't come onto me like that again.” Declan added and made to walk away but she blocked him. “Why don't you finish what you started? You have already killed my grandfather; adding me to th
May's eyes widened in shock. She looked at the man who looked nothing above his early thirties before shaking her head in disbelief. “So you are old? A hundred?” She asked, still in doubt. “Can we not put a number on it? Surprised that I am around your grandpa’s age?” Declan asked with an amused look. “Shocked? Declan, you don't look a day above thirty five.” She replied before reaching for her glass of wine. “Well, I suppose it was one of the reasons families decided to go against us. Certain families after discovering our secret became afraid. I suppose that was the reason the Deckers family decided to launch Project K-11. They wanted to make soldiers that could match our prowess which as you should know ended in failure while claiming the lives of many people. Four families… all jealous of the power we had decided to band against us and send us out of the city that we had built as a home for ourselves. They had even nailed the blame of Project K-11 on our family and after som
Declan reached for his ringing phone and his cold face softened a little. He raised the phone to his ear and answered the call. “Hello May.” “Hey Declan, em… sorry to disturb you but I just saw the news and decided to call you. I never had the chance to tell you thank you for everything.” Declan smiled at the nervousness in May's voice. “No problem. It was my pleasure.” He replied. Any other thing?” “Are you busy?” She asked. “Right now? No, not at all. Is there any problem?” “Not right now. Will you be free tonight? I was thinking that maybe we should meet up and discuss things over.” May said, her voice beginning to shake slightly. “I can make time. What do you want to talk about?” He asked with a smirk. “Nothing ser-. I will let you know when we meet.” May said. “Alright then… text me the time and I will come pick you up.” Declan said, his face harboring a grin that threatened to tear past his face. “Alright. It's a date then.” Mandy said and ended the call. Declan s
‘Reporting the death of the patriarch of the Asher family, Asher Keaton was reported dead having passed away yesterday in the early hours of the afternoon.’ Declan looked at the news on the television before turning to the phone in his hand. He had over a dozen missed calls from Mandy which he suspected was for him to chew him out. He turned to the maid and pointed at the wine shelf before turning back to the news. ‘News reaching the media now is pointing towards the Asher industries about another of their multiple evil deeds against the city. A construction scandal done towards a project of building a city facility which was supposedly done with fake materials.’ ‘Experts are being brought in to investigate the nature of the materials used to build the facility.’ ‘The Asher industries are also said to be on the very brink of bankruptcy with their stocks fallen before the twenty-five percent mark.’ “This is actually a very good cause for one to celebrate.” Declan said, reaching fo
Mandy looked around the office with a heavy sigh before going back to the work she was handling on her laptop. It has been a week since May had announced her innocence and sued the Asher to court. The trial had gone against them, making them pay over a hundred and fifty million in compensation at the demand of the Williams. After that, bits and bits of the company's confidential data happened to find their way into the social media giving them a black name among the public. The company stocks had fallen by over forty seven percent and it wasn't rising back, leaving the company a few steps away from folding due to bankruptcy. Her attention is drawn away when the door of her office opens letting Asher in. “Another one has been released.” He said with a bitter smile on his face. “This is getting worse than I expected.” Mandy groaned and slumped back against her chair in despair. She blamed everything on Declan… it was all his fault all for a pointless revenge due to an old injury
Mandy sipped from the glass in her hand, her gaze fixed on the television before her. On the table before her, some files laid open with a pad at the edge of the table. ‘An announcement has been scheduled this afternoon for the public residents of the city. The host of the announcement is non either than May Williams -.’ “Pfft!.” Mandy spilled out a mouthful of wine onto the files in front of her. She gazed at the screen in shock… May was alive meaning that Declan must have either saved her or the men weren't able to get to her in time. Either way, her plan had been flunked. She exhaled and gripped the glass in her hand till it shattered spilling over the floor. She stood up from the couch and walked out. At the other side of the city, May looked around and exhaled softly. She was in the Williams industries and was surrounded by different reporters that she had invited for an announcement. She turned towards a corner of the hall where a figure dressed in black with its face