In a disheveled appearance, Noel trudged through the bustling city streets of new Orleans with an absent mind, his heart heavy with despair. The sun had barely begun its descent, the sky above bathed in hues of orange and pink, but for him, the darkness had already settled in, clouting the light that once shone in his life. The weight of betrayal bore down heavy on his shoulders like an unbearable burden making his every step feel sluggish and eminently threatening to ruin his already broken life and crush him completely.Why did the life of one man alone seem so sad? Well the answer to that question was a long and heartbreaking one.It had all started as every other ordinary day of the week; the promise of a fresh start upon his return home after a failed business deal. But fate, it seemed, had other plans for Noel. His footsteps quickened as he approached the front door of his once-beloved home, an uninformed dread seizing his every thought yet he was eager to see the beloved
Noel had braces himself for the impact, but instead of the feeling of night cold water cursing through his lungs and engulfing him whole, Noel felt a pull on his hand.It was sudden unexpected, but did the job of stopping his fall and suspending him mid air like a play doll.Through tear-stained eyes, he looked up at the girl clutching onto his hand for dear life, nearly half of her body hanging off the bridge as she tried to support his weight. Her determination and unwavering grip filled him with a strange sense of comfort maybe it was the fact that someone had tried stopping him when he had decided to end his totally useless life, or probably something else. Through his maze of thoughts and desperation, Noel couldn’t help but notice how fragile the girl appeared, struggling to bear the weight of his despair yet not wanting to let go.“Let go, please,” Noel uttered his first words towards the stranger, his voice filled with resignation. “I’m not worth saving.”The girl shook h
After a long hours drive Through the dimly lit city of New Orleans, Circe’s impressive sport car finally came to a stop in front of a small house on the outskirt of town, isolated from the all the buzz and noise that takes place during the ungodly hours. Noel stepped out of the car and surveyed his surrounding, now cautious of the fact that even thought the stranger in front of him had stopped him from jumping off a bridge and taking his life, she could still potentially be someone dangerous. With this thought now potent in his mind, Noel fell behind Circe in steps as they walked to her house. As they stepped into her house, Circe gestured towards a couch for him to make himself comfortable. “This is my place. It’s not much but at least it should be comfortable enough for you for the night.” She informed as she tossed her car keys on the table and stripped off her stuffy jacket. As she walked away, leaving Noel alone in the living room like a deer caught in head light, he took a
First thing in the morning, Noel had the black hood of his shirt up and head hung low as he stalked the streets of his familiar neighborhood. Throughout the night he had dealt with several nightmares, tossing and turning as images of his wife and brother played out in his dreams, faces laughing at a failure of a man he had become. It was around dawn when he finally broke from the taunting hands of his nightmares, dripping beads of sweat as he panted heavily. The unfamiliar room he was in quickly became familiar, so as the pain of betrayal that had been less than twenty four hours ago. Thinking back to the scene that played out in his house, Noel once again felt shattered, but deep down, the better piece of him whispered words of encouragement and hope.With forgiveness, he can always fix everything, the voice whispered, clouding his mind from the honest truth and before long, he was up from the bed he had laid, determined to mend back his life and forgive whatever atrocities Ce
Circe stared at Noel for a few seconds before the corner of her lips twitched and a smile appeared on her lips. She had though he was a gonner, that he had run off, but yet, here he was back at her doorsteps and even chosing to follow the path of revenge she had set out for him.What an interesting way to start her morning!"I see, you slept on my offer." She mused after a few seconds of silence had passed between the two and then stepped aside, pointing her hand towards the inside of her house.Noel understood her gesture and did not hesitate as he stepped in. His life had already been ruined, what else could go wrong in trusting a stranger. Stepping into her house, he sank down into the nearest chair and peeled off the hoodie from his head, exposing his face completely. Circe took her seat in the chair opposite Noel and studied him for a few seconds before she spoke."Did you go back to beg?" She asked. Noel did not respond immediately as he felt a wave of shame wash over him. She
Just as Celine had said, a month later, on the fifteenth, she had dressed up in her best and most luxurious attire that Mark had acquired for her and walked into the court room.She had expected to see Noel in the room when she walked in, however the male was nowhere to be seen.She approached the judge, haughty greeting him as she stood before him, waiting for her husband, soon to be ex husband, to arrive. Thirty minutes in and he was yet to arrive. His absence only deepened Celine's anger and frustration towards him.She mentally berated herself for ever believing that she could spend the rest of her life with someone as useless as him while shaking her head. How had she been so blind? She couldn't help but feel foolish for ever having faith that Noel would be the one who would inherit the family business and bring fame and luxury to her.If she had known from the very beginning that Mark was the one who would inherit it, then she would have married him instead of Noel and saved he
~Five Years Later~ On the influential side of New Orleans, precisely on the premises of the city’s most wealthy, affluent and accomplished business property, a meeting mainly for shareholders had been announced and was currently being held. The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense, as the prestigious and powerful shareholders of NX Global gathered to address a matter of utmost importance. A sudden change in ownership had rocked their company, leaving them bewildered and uncertain. Swirling rumors and whispers had filled their ranks, igniting anxiety and curiosity amongst the highly successful aristocrats of New Orleans. The room was adorned with opulence befitting their esteemed positions. The dark mahogany walls exuded a sense of authority, while the plush leather chairs provided comfort to the high-ranking individuals who now found themselves facing an uncertain future. The air stifled with anticipation as each shareholder took their place, eager to discuss and debate the matt
As Circe asked this question, her voice carried a note of familiarity that hinted at a deeper connection between them. Leon’s expression remained unchanged, accepting the use of his true name without any personal attachment. After everything they had been through together for the last five years, only she had that privilege. “Those useless shareholders had quite a lot to say.” Noel- rather Leon, briefly informed her of how the meeting had gone before he fixed his gaze on the tinted windows of his car, watching as the building went by. Circe chuckled at his debriefing as she continued to flip through the pictures on her tablet. “What would you have expected.” She uttered and at last, passed the tablet to Leon. “The venue for the gathering has been booked,” She informed him as he collected the tablet and allowed his eyes roam across the details.From the venue, cuisine to be served and even down to the arrangements, Leon memories everything in a short Span of time before flipping to th