Austin's stare was shot from afar. His eyes brightened with so much bewilderment.
"I'm going to ask you once again, what do you think that you are doing?" There was an obvious frown on his face as he spoke.
But Ariel could not hide her stiff hatred for him as she went ahead to speak.
"I just want to ask you one question." She began.
His eyes were farrowed as he waited for whatever she had to spew, tagging slightly below his thigh with his index fingers.
"What makes you think that you can get a drink here? Right after you stole your way into this place?" She glared at him with so much fury in her voice.
"And I should return that question to you, what makes you think that I stole my way into this place?" He responded.
Luther laughed out, his voice lashed with so much mockery.
"Spear us little fools."
"And we didn't come here to utter words with you. Not again. We just came here to tell you to leave."
"Or what?" Austin's hands were clenched and his stare was fierce.
"Or you, we are going to get you out of this place ourselves." Luther resounded.
But the words sounded so funny to Austin that he could not hold back his laughter anymore.
"Let's see how you are going to do that, maybe through your so-called imaginary friend?" He laughed out loud.
His mockery was like a piercing stab through Austin's direction, and he didn't hold back his anger even for a single moment.
He spotted the expert guard who was standing at the far end of the hall and he stamped his feet quickly toward him.
He soon reached out to him and the guard shot a really confused look at him since his stare was really strong and he could already sense that something was wrong.
"Is there anything wrong?" He couldn't help but inquire almost immediately.
"How can everything not be wrong when thieves are allowed to walk in and out of here so freely?" He responded.
The face of the security officer spun around with shock, unable to make out words for a while.
The party was strictly by invitation, Ms. Jane had certainly made sure of that looking at the current situation of the family.
With the heavy security, there was no way that what he just said was right. But even at that, the guard knew that he had to be at his most professional self.
The place was littered with the most influential persons in the world, he didn't want to get on the wrong foot with any of them so he said politely.
"I think that you must be making a mistake sir." He replied and that flared up Luther's anger as he growled.
"Are you trying to say that I am lying?" He responded swiftly, still growling at the guard that stood before him.
"That's not what I meant sir." The guards tried to speak calmly but then, Luther would not listen.
"So you realize who I am? Do you realize that you are nothing compared to me?" Luther frowned even harder.
"Sir, be assured that everything is safe around here and there is certainly no way that anyone with such a reputation will gain entrance into this place.
The tickets were prepared directly by Ms. Jane, PA to the heir.
The more he spoke, the more Luther's anger flared up.
Finally, Ariel walked gradually toward their direction and opened her mouth to say.
"I can't believe that you are arguing with the youngest millionaire in the city, the one with the potential of becoming one of the top three most influential men in the city." She announced with so much pride in her voice.
Hearing these words made the face of the security officer break up into cold sweat and a large lump went down his spine almost immediately.
"I'm relieved, sorry sir." He shivered right on the spot.
"If you are sorry, then you should be finding your way to following me and getting rid of that piece of trash," Luther responded.
There was little to nothing that the guard could do about this now. He followed them closely from behind until they finally got to Austin who was enjoying himself.
"Just look at him. Getting the opportunity to have a feast when he isn't even worth it." Ariel gritted her teeth with a spice of irritation.
Meanwhile, the guard shot a quick stare at the human standing right before him.
He was confused. He was not looking bad or good either. Plain, unlike the rest of the people that were gathered there.
It was sure that he wasn't anyone that held any great social status.
"Then why would Ms. Jane get him an invitation?" The thoughts clouded his mind.
"Is there a problem?" Austin said nonchalantly, standing up from the point that he was sitting on and shooting a stare at the security officer.
"Sir, do you have an invitation?" He inquired just to be sure.
"If I don't, why do you think that I would be here?" He responded.
There was a sudden pause before he went ahead to say what he wanted to say with a really deep sigh.
"I'm afraid but you will have to leave." The guard said
For Austin, the words came with a really deep shock.
Random thoughts ran through his mind as he paired around towards Luther who had a smirk on his face and back at the security officer.
"I want to repeat what you just said. You want me to leave? Even when I got this invitation from the personal PA of this company?" Austin inquired with a furrowed brow.
The guards were fighting with him. He shot a stare at Luther and back at Austin.
The thoughts that clouded his mind were the fact that Luther could do a lot of things to him that were unimaginable while Austin. He was a practical nobody.
Even though it was against work ethics, this was just his way of choosing the lesser of two evils.
"Yes, you will have to leave." He affirmed his words.
"You are frightening the guest so that's the only decision that I can make." The guard responded.Thoughts were running through his head and his hands were clutched almost immediately. "And what if I decide not to?" He frowned.Luther burst out into laughter almost immediately and after what seemed to be like forever, he paused, staring right into the eyes of the pauper that was right before him."As though you have a choice." He said but Austin firmly ignored the words."You should leave peacefully at least. I don't want to force you to." The guard said calmly."You should listen to him already and go," Ariel growled afterward.There was a tense air in the place as everyone waited for what was going to be the reaction of Austin but he wasn't ready to leave, even for a single moment."I am not leaving for anywhere. You can make me too." He replied.The guard walked towards the previous post and got the phone that was meant for his work. Luther's heart raced after.The guard said wa
Before he could say any further words, he received a slap on the face, his face hot red with anger.Everyone in the room was stunned and their jaws were far apart with so much shock."First, you wanted Austin out of this place, and now the both of us? How dare you." Austin thundered at him.Luther's fury increased greatly, wanting to return the slap as his hands were already raised.But before his hands could make a landing effect on Austin, the guard held his hands high up in the air.He already knew that this was the only way that he could redeem himself."What are you trying to do?" The guard sprouted out while Luther continued to stare at him in disbelief."Do you realize that this is the closest person to the Young's family?" He inquired.Immediately he said the words, the crowd that had gathered was awe-struck. They brought out their cell phones from their pockets to search."It's true. It's him." Chatters floated through the hall.Hearing this he was extremely shocked as he co
It sounded perfect to him and a dark smile hovered on his face."How come he had never thought of it before?" The thoughts swiftly clouded his mind.Luther turned around towards Ariel with a smile still on his face."You are such a genius." He finally said.Meanwhile, back at the party, Austin could already notice the change in Miss. Jane's tone as he nodded his head and said."Okay." He finally said.The duo of Ramsey walked behind her until they finally got into a room where high words could hardly slip out because of the soundproof mechanisms that were already in place."So what was this that you wanted to tell me about?" He inquired, keeping a straight face.Miss. Jane paused again and after what seemed to be like forever, she opened up her mouth to speak but her words were lost in the air.His eyes farrowed, unable to take the suspense anymore. But before he could get to say anything, Ramsey already spoke on his behalf."Are you going to give a response to just keep moping?" She
The sun shined through the windows of the cab as it exited the State Parkway headed toward the inner city. Austin had just left the hospital after doing the necessary paperwork and making sure that everything about his father's funeral was set in place.Ramsey chose to bear the burden of relating the bad news to the family and make sure the business continued functioning as Rufus would have wanted with or without his presence.Austin was sure things would never be the same. He knew deep down that times would be tougher as the future seemed bleak at this point. His eyes were droopy, dark circles lined his eyes, it was obvious he hadn't had an hour of sleep the past two days.He was staring out the window like some lost tourist visiting for the first time. The neighborhood he had grown up in didn’t look anything like it had when he left home years ago. It had undergone a real transformation, he thought, as the cab passed a strip where a small row of stores had been torn down to make way
Austin entered the white-painted apartment building—a new, modern building of brick and glass. He approached the front door and swung it open. It has been almost a year since Austin packed into the apartment building. The rent was quite high for him but with working extra shifts with his taxi, he was able to pay the rent. He couldn't afford to live in a rundown apartment just because he was trying to save money on rent.Austin reached his apartment and unlocked the door. He entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. He traced his finger across the wall, finding the switch which he turned on. The room was illuminated with bright light from the ceiling. The living room was littered. Empty take-out boxes and soft drinks plastic bottles rest scattered on the center table. Austin sighed. He was supposed to clean this up whenever he returned but procrastination and tiredness from driving all day would never let him. He even felt worse now that his father was dead and being sacked f
Ramsey sat there on the sofa, speechless, because he didn’t know what to say. He sized up the situation. Austin was angrier than Ramsey had ever seen him. That made sense. This was the first time that Austin was losing someone very close to him, his father. He knew a large part of the anger was because of fear. Was he losing control of Austin? Could this be what would spiral Austin into depression? He couldn't afford to lose Austin, not when the company was in crisis. He stared at Austin and saw a mix of frustration and rage lingering behind those depressed eyes."Austin, I know you just lost your father and I know how hurt you must be but you just can't go around making such statements. It could land you in trouble." Ramsey cautioned."I know what I'm saying, Ramsey. I'm not depressed or anything. It's the facts." Austin stood his ground.A sudden knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Austin got up to open the door. There stood Ariel and Luther. But as soon as his eyes
Austin flops on the sofa as soon as the door shuts."Austin, it's time to move on. You saw what your father left for you before his death. He wants you to find someone who makes you happy." Ramsey consoles."I just wanted to hear it from her lips that I meant nothing to her." Austin says.Ramsey walks over to Austin, rests his hand on Austin's shoulder and gives him a comforting rub."Everything will be fine. You have me." Ramsey reassures. He returns to his seat and takes a sip of his wine."When are you returning to the company? We really need you." Ramsey asks."Once I lay my father to rest, I'll return to the company but I won't be there always. I still have to be careful who sees me because I haven't been announced as the heir." Austin says.It was not yet time for him to return to the company fully because he hasn't yet completed his family's tradition. If not for the crisis, he would not even be called to return. He has to complete the family's tradition before returning to hav
The security guard hurries over and crosses the thief's arms at his back before kneeling on him. The thief groans in pain. The security guard looks up at Austin."Thank you so much, young man. If not for your help, I would have lost my job today." The security guard appreciates it."Don't mention it." Austin smiles. He felt the urgency in the guard's tone. He gets to keep his job since the thief has been apprehended.Within moments, the company's security team arrives, their eyes conveying a mix of relief and surprise."Good catch." One of the guards, a veteran, compliments the guard kneeling on the thief."Thanks but I didn't catch him. He did." The guard points to Austin.Vincent, the president of EED company approaches with his own team of security. His eyes scan the scene, taking in the huddled security team and the apprehended thief."Have you got him?" Vincent inquires, his sharp gaze narrowing in on the unfolding situation.The veteran steps forward, "Sir, we have apprehended t