FADED SCAR

CHAPTER 2

Aiden's Point of View

The app will then lead them to a button on a website, where they'll click a link that will

take them t -- "

Matt, right? I say, from my seat, which is at the top.

Yes, Mr. Cavendish, he says, and there's a crack in his voice.

Sit, I utter, and he sits, my voice lingering in the room, and all their gazes on me.

Frustration runs through me, and I resist the urge to yell, or throw something. Instead, I face my

team, and say, You have all had success for a period of time. That won't stop me from firing.

everyone in a blink of an eye.

One month is all you have. I want something iconic, I want Cavendish and Sons on the

world's mouth. Cara, you are in charge."

Sir! Matt gets up, looking furious.

I look away from Cara and stare at him, Sit.

Once again, he sits, with a very red face.

Dismissed. I flick my hand, wanting everyone out of my sight. f**k, I need something new,

differ --

Mr Cavendish.

I turn back and see Cara smiling, which irritates me.

I said Dismissed.

Yeah, thank you, It will be iconic, She says, and she walks out, making me almost roll my eyes.

______

Brother. A solid grip on my shoulders, and I tried not to shove his hand away, but he wouldn't see

me crack, no will.

I glance as the world moves on outside of our tall building and glass windows, then frown when I

I see Cara walking out, the day is not over -- she takes a part-time course at USC, now, I remember.

You okay?

I turned back and stared at my brother, Charles. He is twenty-eight, four years younger than I am.

and the head of the Marketing Department.

Yeah, what's up? I lie, feeling the weight on my shoulders almost crippling.

Ethan has a match tonight, He says, and that is explanation enough because Ethan is my

immediate younger brother, and a very popular footballer, which means the Cavendish

The tradition of piling up in our mother's home, and watching Ethan win.

Meet you there? I ask, and he nods.

I have to see Steph, she's complaining. He grimaces, and I laugh.

You should bring her. Christian grins as he walks into my office, and just like that, there's a bit

of comfort and more air in the room. I guess being best friends for thirty years does that.

Oh, f**k off. Charles groans, and I laugh.

I'm sure Genevieve will be pleased to meet her son's girlfriend.He says, and I burst into

laughter, picturing Mom's expression if she ever meets Stephanie.

____

NF's Time plays through my earphones as I walk into my parent's home.

The Cavendishes. We are a very popular family in America. My Grandfather and his wife, Isaac

and Ruby Cavendish - Isla created Cavendish and Sons a long time ago, to balance it out

Grandma Ruby established Cavendish Funds.

Rowan. Mom smiled as I walked in.

I am from a very large family, with three brothers and a sister, counting Christian. That makes it

four brothers.

Hi, Mom. I said, kissing her cheeks. My mother - Genevieve Cavendish-Winthrope, is a very

successful and renowned accountant with over thirty years of expertise.

You look dashing. She grins at me, as she walks to the kitchen. As rich as we are, Mom never

I didn't get any help. There was no cooking or cleaning. She taught us to clean, to cook, and to wash our clothes. We are not

spoilt.

Yes, you do look dashing. Amelie walks out of the kitchen, and I take her in my arms, perhaps

She was a bit spoilt; she is the only girl in our midst, so we are very protective of her.

Are you okay? I ask, and she nods, but I know Lia, and I know when she is lying, like now.

Where's Dad and the boys?

His office. Mom calls, and I head towards his office, then knock.

Come in. He says, so I enter.

My father, Grayson Cavendish, is a man in his mid-fifties, as much as he hides and carries it well,

I still wonder how old he is getting, which makes me wonder why he retired and gave me full control of

Cavendish and Sons.

Aiden, sit.

Good morning, Father, I say, and he looks at me from his book, Dad has a fascination with

Dante, which is why I am not surprised to see him reading Dante's The Divine Comedy.

River's match is on? He asks, and I nod.

I watch as he gets up, feeling anxiety twisting in my chest, that subtle reminder that he is not

proud of myself, and I do not know what else to d --

Rowan. He pauses at the door, and I get up, looking at him.

You should bring your woman, let the family meet her. God knows your old man is not getting

any younger."

There it is - Woman. How possible was it to get a woman when my heart didn't belong to me,

When there's a void in my chest where it is supposed to be, hit my chest and hear it echo.

______

It is Friday night, and I am at Harlowe, with my annoying best friend. I feel out of sorts here,

Don't get me wrong, I like to party, to get drunk, but the point is I have done everything.

Now, in this bar, amidst drunk and sweaty people, I am haunted by a set of fading blue eyes. I

stand straighter at that realization - fading, she can not fade, that is all I have left of her.

We should leave. I say, and he groans.

Tonight, we are unwinding. We have been working our asses off, we deserve to rest, and enjoy.

Deserve? I do not deserve anything, not after what I did.

You will be my Ted Mosby, and I will be your Barney Stinstin. He bumps my shoulder and I look

at Christian, knowing fully well that something got him in this mood, so tonight, I will indulge him.

Okay. I smile, and he grins.

We move to the bar with our A-game, order our drinks, and wait.

Oh my, you are Aiden Cavendish.

You are Christian Callahan.

Hi ladies, Christian smiles at them.

Hi, I am Nyssa, and this woman who can not contain her excitement is Felicity, my best friend.

Hi Nyssa, Hi Felicity. I smile at them.

What would you ladies like to drink? Christian asks, and they smile.

Or we could go to the VIP section. I am quite sure you do not want to be photographed in a

setting like this. Felicity says, and I nod.

We get up, and Christian signals to someone, who directs us to our VIP section, frequenting

Harlowe has its perks.

So, what do you do Felicity? I ask, staring at her. Felicity is a black-haired woman with green

eyes that --

Fading blue eyes. f**k.

We are Reporters at The New York Times, She says, and I stiffen because we are not dumb,

we know the power of the media.

Easy boys, we are having fun tonight, not working, Nyssa says, and Christian laughs.

Fading blue e --

Are you okay? Felicity asks me, and they all look at me. I grit my teeth, not answering, because

All I can think about is how much I need to hold on to the only thing left of her.

What's her name? Nyssa asks, and I stare at the drink in my hands.

Eve.