Harlan stopped walking and stared at his phone, reading the message over and over again.
His mother loved him? why was Madame A sending him that message out of the blue?'What?''She won't allow me to rest until I send you the message.''Do you mean she is there with you?''She was here with me a while ago. She is gone now.''What do you mean "gone"?''She came to visit me and I told her I had a means of reaching you.''You could have allowed her to speak with me herself if she really wanted to.''No way.'Harlan closed his eyes and opened them slowly."Is everything okay?" Elizabeth asked.Harlan spun around to look at her. He gave her an unruffled smile."Yes."He walked her to the car and bid her goodbye before walking to his car."It is exactly one month since you asked mHarlan and Elizabeth met in Harlan's house the next day to work on the research and get it submitted."You care for a drink?""Orange juice will do," Elizabeth said.Harlan pressed the button meant to call Maria. She came in some seconds later."Two cups of orange juice," Harlan said.She bowed slightly and left only to come back again."You are the lady from that day. Perfect eyes, well structured nose, perfect long hair, cute face. You must be young Master's girlfriend," Maria said."Maria!" Harlan shouted."I am sorry if I had made you angry, young Master," Maria bowed before going inside.Elizabeth let out the breath she had been holding while the maid talked about her.But... Maria? Is this the girl... Wait a minute, Harlan cannot be dating his maid, can he? She looked at Harlan sharply."You must be flustered, I am sorry. Tha
"Sir, I got the documents you asked for," Jack said and asked the two people carrying the bags containing the documents to drop them on the table."Wow. Those guys run in more trouble than I imagined.""You want to go through them?" Jack asked."I have no choice. There are things I need to know about the Alberts.""I can help you go through the documents and give you a summary of every case."Harlan looked at Jack in surprise."It will take you forever to do that.""As a matter of fact, I don't need more than four hours to go through them.""Incredible. Send me the summary when you are done."Jack instructed the two guys to take the files back to the car.Harlan's phone rang. It was from an unknown number. He answered the call but waited until the person at the other end had spoken before he said anything."Harlan, this is Andrew,"
"In unity we stand. Divided we fall!" Grandfather bellowed, looking from one face to another of his family gathered in the hall where they always have their meetings."It has come to my knowledge that there are a lot of traitors in our midst. I don't know where they got the courage from, really, but if they back stabbed the Alberts, actions must be taken!"There was silence in the room. Some people shuddered at Grandfather's shout. None tried to look in his eyes."First it was Jason, now it's those boys we have raised well!""Who are you talking about, father?" Richard, Jason's father, asked."Andrew and Wallace.""Have you found Wallace?""I got information that he is dead and he was buried by some anonymous people. Who the hell knows what he told those anonymous people?" Grandfather said."It is a relief that at least he is dead. Since his return from the last jail term
Harlan stared at Kelvin in shock."What are you saying?" He asked quietly."She would call you a thief for stealing her son's identity, it would be worse if anyone knew you to be Harlan Smith.""Kelvin, I don't... I don't think I understand you.""Harlan, let's be honest here. Do you know if Harlan Smith is still alive? He could be studying overseas!""No. No way.""This is real life. Don't be blinded by Mr Smith's gesture. He surely has a reason for adopting you. I have been thinking it over all these while and I found out that there is nothing Mr Smith could have wanted in you that no other person had.""Shall I let you in on a secret?" Harlan asked quietly."What?""Harlan Smith is dead."That stopped Kelvin's breath for a moment. He stared, eyes widened at Harlan."What did you just say?""I asked Mr Smith and he
Soon after Harlan got home, Mr Smith arrived. He appeared tired as he sat down and loosened his tie."You know what I hate most about my job?""No.""This tie. Each time I have to knot or unknot it, I wonder who the hell suggested that it should be part of men's corporate dress. It sucks."Harlan chuckled, "anyone would think you are used to wearing it by now.""Anyone could think that, but it's the first thing I always want to pull off whenever things are not going the way I want at work."They both laughed."How have you been, son?""I have been good.""Did you hang out with your friends?""I don't have a lot of friends but I am just coming back from a visit to my best friend.""Now that I think about it, we have a couple of things in common. I don't keep friends too."Harlan smiled, "you should rest now that you ar
"I don't understand that.""Families and friends don't matter to them when it comes to business. If not for that discipline, the Alberts wealth would be gone before now. They are a beast in the business field and all they want is to win. They can go any length to see that they are one step ahead of their competitors. That is the game of business I am talking about."Harlan nodded. It makes sense. Just a little more information from Mr Smith and he would be able to convince anyone of the tricky things the Alberts are up to."I see.""But, I would rather not be rich than practice some things they do.""Like?"Mr Smith turned around to face Harlan."I want to keep my head away from business today."Harlan smiled, "it's okay." Mr Smith would be of great help here.Mr Smith nodded.***"One of the Alberts is going to participate in
The next morning, Harlan went to the place where the contest was to take place. He had been told that it would start very early in the morning and he could already hear that sound of songs as he walked in the hall."Mr man, come back here," someone said rudely, calling Harlan's attention."Me?" Harlan touched his chest."Yes, you. If you are here for the contest, I should tell you that you will never win," the man who had been asked to man the entrance to the hall said."Unfortunately, I am not here for that.""Wait a minute. Don't tell me you are here to watch the performance.""I am.""Who invited a stupid idiot like you and didn't tell you that you will need to purchase the ticket before you come in.""I invited myself.""Where is your ticket?""I don't need one.""Security!" The man snapped his fingers and two security men came
"Bomb? What do you mean, Sir?" Jack called from the front."Something dropped through the window."Jack looked back and saw the piece of paper."Don't touch it," he said. He activated the car's self drive and got to the back seat with Harlan."This doesn't seem like a bomb, Sir," Jack said and took the paper.Harlan sighed in relief. Why would it have been a bomb anyway?Inside the paper, was another paper with few words neatly written on it.WE NEED TO TALK. SIMON.Harlan glanced at Jack."What does he want to talk about?""I don't have an idea. His friend didn't show up where we planned to meet two days ago," Harlan said."They must think you are jobless. You caused it, paying them because you wanted to hear their damn story," Jack said."Nonsense."***"I am happy for you." Elizabet