Helena stared at the receipt then Randy's back as she followed the men out and again at the receipt. A lump came in her throat as her eyes welled up and blurred her sight. She was high and too disoriented to say why she was reacting like that. Her friends didn't notice until a tear dropped on the receipt, staining it.
"Hel, are you crying?" the blonde, Lizzy asked. "No, I'm not, I think I'm too high" Helena responded and furiously wiped her eyes, drying every trace of tear. "Why are you crying, I thought this is a happy news and he is single again" the black haired, Kati said and whispered the last part. "Hands off him, he is mine" Lizzy shunned and glared at her friend "Were you girls blind he got a new girlfriend!" Helena said and lump reappeared in her throat again. "Gosh, something is wrong with me" she choked. She looked at the celling and blinked continously to clear the tears. "Hold on for a minute, I thought you said he was poor that's why sister divorced him" Lizzy said, her black eyebrow that contrast her blonde hair, deepened. "Maybe he faked been poor to know if your sister loved him and now she divorced him, he is showing his true colors" Kati said flatly as she admired her newly done nails. "That might be the case" Helena agreed, nodding her head at the same time. Out of nowhere, the receipt is snatched from her hand, she turned to Kati who held the receipt thoughtfully. "What are you doing with that?" Helena questioned, slightly agitated. "What else, I'm going to make use it, come on, let's drop you off" Kati said and walked towards entrance. "Slow down bitch" Lizzy cussed as she aided Helena in walking. They got to Helena's car and she gave Kati the key. Her black hair friend entered the drivers seats, Lizzy the passenger seat and Helena crawled into the backseat. The ride to the Dally's house was filled with shattering from the two girls at the front seat but all their noise blurred Helena's ears. She stared out the window the entire way, staring at other cars and building until she saw a beautiful house painted in sky blue. This was where she lives but as Randy said she spent more time in police custody than she did at home. Nobody ever noticed her absent except Xander when he still lived here. He noticed when she leaved and came back high, like that nig- "Aren't you getting off?" Kati barked at her, bringing her out of her head. "Would you throw me out if I don't, don't forget this is my car" Helena shot back with a glare. Kati was short of words until she heard Lizzy muffled laughter. She clenched her jaw and glared at the blonde who bit her lower lips not to set her off. "I could throw you out and this is not your car anymore" Kati said and stared intently at the high woman, waiting for a comeback. "Just say you want it and it's yours. It just a useless Lexus" Helena said and muttered the last statement before hopping off the car. It was more like she fell out of the car. She hissed as she stood and looked at her bruise palm. "This is going to be a hell of a day" She muttered and walk through the open door of the house. "I'm home!" she said on top of her lungs, alerting everyone and fell on a sofa. "Be quiet, Helena" Hermia shunned. She sat at the dinning with stacks of documents in front of her with a glass of champagne in her left hand and a pen on her right. "Says the person who haven't been quiet in a week because of she divorced her husband for a rich guy" Helena said and giggled as her sister scowled at her. "Oops, I stroke a nerve" the high woman said and giggled at lot more almost falling out of the sofa. "Stop making your sister angry" her mother said and slapped her arm. "Mom! You are assaulting me" Helena complainer and pouted. "You deserved it" her mother said and sat beside her youngest daughter. The mother of the two girls, Rose was a beauty of her days and it still showed as she aged pretty well. "You won't be saying that after you hear what I have to say, you might even hit Hermia for being stupid" "Why would she turn on me over what you, a freeloader, say?" Hermia said and gracefully took a sip from her champagne inhaling the tasteful aroma. "A freeloader, you call me, just like you called Xander a waste of space when he was ready to do everything for you, do you know how other women die for that?" Helena said fuming, her emotions getting the best of her at her disoriented state. Her mother slapped her barely covered lap this time. "Stop annoying you sister" she warned and looked at Hermia only to find her glaring at her younger sister. "Mom!" Helena wailed and her eyes became glassy "I'm also your daughter, I don't own a big ass company or anything but I'm also your daughter, your youngest" Helena said and sobbed. Rise cupped her face and this prone her to open her eyes and stare into the mother pretty black eyes. "I know you are my daughter, why wouldn't you be my daughter, I gave you so much beauty, your eyes, your lips, your body, so you can make use of them but have you?" Rose said in soft tone Hermia recognized all too well. She clenched the neck of the glass of champagne to stop her from trembling. "Mother, let her be, she is just acting out because she is high" Hermia said with a smile. The muscles on her cheek ached as she tried to keep the smile for a longer time. Rose withdrew her hands from Helena face, causing Helena to whine in disapproval. At that moment, a small girl not more than three years old silently walked down the stairs that led to the living room. "Emily, when did you wake up" Hermia said and walked into the living room with the aim of meeting her daughter. Emily noticed this and walked behind a couch and entered into the kitchen. She took her purple cup to the water dispenser and press the button for water. She let the water fill half of the cup before stopping it and bringing it to her little lips. She emptied the cup and went back to her room the same way she came. "See what I'm worried about? How can my daughter give me a silent treatment?" Hermia complained to no one in particular as she watch her daughter disappear upstairs into her room. "Get use to not having what you want?" Helena said, causing her sister to turn to her. "Pardon" Hermia said bitterly Helena's anger deflates as tear prickled her eyes. "Don't give me that look, like you don't understand, you always gotten what I want and I hot noting in return. I wanted mom's attention but you took it-" "You should be grateful I did" Hermia cut her off. "Don't interrupt me. I wanted a family bit everyone in our family is in your side, I wanted Xander but you took him and cast him away when you don't need him anymore" Helena said, her eyebrows twisted with glassy eyes as her chest heaved. By now, she was already standing in front of Hermia, she doesn't recall leaving the sofa and doesn't care to. Rise pulled her daughter to face her, "Why would you want a pauper" the older woman asked in annoyance. "He isn't a pauper, he just faked to be one because he loved Hermia even if he was a pauper I would still want him because I love him!" Helena proclaimed and her cheek burned as her mother's palm left her face as fast as it came. "I gave you much beauty so you can be useful instead you claim that you love a beggar. I only had one wish. Make me -" "Mother stop!" Hermia interrupted as she was visible shaking but it went unnoticed by the two families in front of her. "What! Are you angry that I love Xander or because he is rich and you realize what you lost?" Helena taunted. Hermia closed her eyes and tries to breath through her nose. She breathed in the pine scent of their home and it helped calm her a little. "Helena, listen, whatever you heard were all false and you and making them up because you are high" Hermia said and smiled sweetly at her sister. "I'm not making it up!" Helena said raising her voice a pitch higher. "What are you not making up" a voice asked and the women turned in the direction it came from. At the entrance stood a man with a jet black hair and eyes just like Rose. "Uncle Felix, I'm glad you are here, you believe me right?" Helena asked as she rushed to the man, stumbling on her way there. "Explain what happened" Felix said, walking further into the house with Helena clinging to his arm. He is greeter by the pine scent and few maids who silently gave them some privacy. When they all left she started. "I went shopping with Lizzy and Kati and we stumbled into Xander and this Mexican lady. I tried to make him f-feel bad and he shocked me by paying for the things we bought it was more than a hundred thousand dollars" she explained,looking at them for a reaction. "Where are the things you bought" Hermia asked even though she knew the obvious answer. Helena looked around the empty sofa and couch before she realized. "I left it in the car" she said, pointing towards the door "And your parasitic friends took your car again" Rose stated and rolled her eyes. "Helena, do you know what the company is passing through? We are trying so hard not to get bankrupt and you are just busy wasting our efforts and money" Hermia said in a stern tone and Felix's piercing gaze silenced her and her lips pursued in discontent. "Helena, dear, so you have the receipt?" Felix asked calmly. "The receipt? The receipt! FUCK! Kati took it, she is going after Xander next like Hermia did" Helena said and started making her way towards the door. "Where do you think you are going young lady?" Rise asked with her hands in her hips. Her tears dries as a fiery determination ignite within her as Felix calm demeanor steadied her resolve. "To meet Xander" Her legs trembled beneath her and her eyes blurred as her lids grew heavy in each step, surrendering to exhaustion. The cold rushed up to meet her as she asleep. Her family members watched her even little Emily watched from the shadows, her curious eyes fixed on the scene. Only Felix saw her and when she realized she was caught, she ran to her room. "What if what she is saying is true?" Hermia asked no one in particular. "It can't be, just focus on your wedding" Rose said warmly rubbing her daughter's arms. "Your mother is right, focus on your wedding and I would make sure this isn't true, even if it is" Felix said his last statement under his breath in a tone that send chills down everyone spine.Xander stood in an empty familiar space, his in laws house. Everything looked well arranged and not a speck of dust can be noticed. The couch and sofa were cleared of any spot, including the spot Helena had stained with red wine. The sky blue tiles sparkled under the chandeliers and lights but the familiar pine scent was absent.He stood and looked around at the place he called home for three years. He remembered the burning feeling the first time he entered the house as a son in law. It lacked safety but it was okay as long as he had a roof over his head.A strange sound brought him out of his thoughts, when he listened more it was a muffled cry."Emily?" He called, searching for the direction the sobs came from. He walker into the kitchen and check the cupboards and cabinets in case she was hiding there.With no fruitful effort he left the kitchen back to the living room. The muffled cry got clearer when he reached the staircase that led up stairs to-"Why did I not think of this fi
"How was the meeting" Cameron asked his son. His voice came out more steadier than he thought."They are not the most accepting crowd but it was good" Xander replied and waited for his father to say something to ease the awkwardness."That's good" Cameron said and mentally facepalm himself. He didn't know what he was doing, he only did what Max told him to do."They can't do anything about your position but if they think otherwise you can strip them of their position." Max added and Xander returned with a smile.The new chairman watched the two older men converse with their eyes so he used this period to admire his father's office, now his, and mentally noted things he needed to change. Maybe change the black couch to red, it's more suitable for his aura."Hm-hm" Cameron cleared his throat to get Alexander's attention. He leaned forward and dropped something on the table. Xander stared at the key placed on the table then gave his father and Max a pointed look."Uhm, I suspected that
"Mr. Rinwon, you have a visitor" Mike secretary told him through the office line."Does this visitor have an appointment?" he asked, already irritated."No, sir, he said he is from XL headquarters" Mike's demeanor changed as he ordered her to send him in.He stood from his seat and straightened his clothes before he met someone of high authority. He also wondered the reason for the sudden visit since he was yet to send a prohect proposition to the new chairman. Worries away, he hoped it was a fortunate visit.His train of thought stopped when his office door opened and Hunter stepped in. He would have yelled if someone entered his office without knocking but XL was a different category. They could render his company useless in a twinkle of an eyes so he had to play right."Welcome, have a seat" Mike greeted and led him to the brown leather couch. His office could only take two couch or there won't be any walking area."Are you Mike Rinwon" Hunter asked"Yes, the only one" Mike said an
Xander always thought he was just unfortunate that only bad things happens to him. That's also what he thought about the incident Max rescued from. He had a tugging suspicion that Hermia was involved with the incident but couldn't get himself to admit that someone he loved would almost kill him because he didn't sign a divorce paper.Max also thought the same and brought it up once. He had shunned him for thinking that way because he knew Hermia wasn't brutal. To clear all suspicion he asked Max to find out. "I found what you asked for" Max announced immediately he entered the office. He abandoned the pending documents he was attending to, to meet Max halfway."How did you find this?" Xander asked as he collected the brown envelope from Max."I told you the Cage Family if powerful enough to control the court" Max replied vaguely as Xander unsealed the envelope to see what's inside.Max noticed Xander expression changed and peered into the paper Xander was staring at. He saw it, the r
The hospital ward was dimly lit as the only source of light was the lamp beside the bed. The ward was like any other hospital ward just extravagant.Xander lay on the bed unconscious and he had bandage wrapped around his left arm and right leg. He was in this position since his minor surgery an hour ago. The night breeze from the open window gently brushed past his skin and he slowly felt his arms and legs, including the pain that follows.He groaned and squeezed fingers into a weak fist as he tried to feel his body. The muscles on his arm ached so he released the fist and tried moving his legs. His legs felt more heavier than usual so he gave up and tried opening his eyes. It felt like a task to keeping his eyelids from closing but was glad that room was dimly lit as he slowly adjusted to it.This was strange to him as he had never been in a place like this. The beeping of the heart monitor caught his attention and was confused for a minute as he realized it was connected to him.He
Xander stood by the window, resting his weight on his good leg out of habit. He has been limping for two months and was used to it. The bandage on his other leg have been removed by the door this morning but it still felt weird to be use his two legs.A light wind blew his mop of black hair, ruffling. His hair had long need an hair cut but he never bother of it as all his month went into his savings of buying his wife a present for their anniversary."What a waste" he muttered and looked out the window at other patients enjoying the weather with their visitors or family.He saw an old man on wheelchair laughing and talking with his son. A grandmother surrounded by her grandkids and children who wanted to fill her in on their lives that she missed. He saw the way the man held his wife which was pregnant as she watched her kids talk to their grandmother.He wanted that.That love of a family, he also wanted it. The lovely look that he would cherish for the rest of his life. His not so p
Xander eyes widened in shock as he looked an older copy of himself. He felt like he was looking into a future mirror. The only difference was their eyes, his was green and his father was brown.Now he noticed that the camera never caught a clear photo of his face. It was always a side view or a far sight.A smile creeped into his face as he felt happy feeling of hope burn in him. He felt like there was someone in this world that cared about him because their resemblance was uncanny but why didn't he show up to see him. "You didn't visit me in the hospital" Xander stated, his voice came out more calmer than he expected. Max faceplamed himself as he knew the answer that was coming."The yearly shareholders meeting took place so I didn't have time to pay you a visit, it wasn't need as I was going to meet you later" Cameron answered, surprising Max who thought he was going to give a short reply. Xander nodded as what his father said meant more sense but it made him feel like he was hung
"Cameron, don't you dare!" Max said angrily from the door.He had been behind the door the whole time eavesdropping on their conversation and to make sure things don't go out of control.Max was a precautious person and knew the topic of the chairman's dead wife was a taboo in the mansion. He knew what happened to people that mentioned his dead wife. The last person to do that is in a graveyard but this was his son and wasn't about to allow him to do what he would regret.Xander eyes widened and moved he shifted away from the horror in front of him. His father was about to hit, just like strangers hit him.By the time he realized what was happening, Max had pulled him behind him. Cameron eyes also widened in horror as he saw Xander behind Max. He stared at his hand like it wasn't part of his body but someone else."I'm sorry, Xander. Please try to understand I didn't mean to respond like that" Cameron plead. His cold impression was broken as he pleaded for his son forgiveness. Xander