THE GILDED HOUR

Chap3.A Chance Encounter

Knock knock… I think you should reduce the noise. We have children here, thank you!

The sudden silence after the sound of breaking objects outside echoed through the room. Before that, Alex was furious, raging uncontrollably. He had smashed all the unfinished paintings he had created, and books from the shelf were scattered across the floor. I had never seen a man as composed as him lose control like this. The big black dog, usually so friendly with him, now cowered, retreating to the kitchen and hiding in a corner. It seemed to understand that its owner was facing something serious and needed to be left alone.

The floor was littered with everything from broken books to fragments of paint jars. Alex gradually grew tired of his own anger and began to calm down. He slumped down onto the dark brown sofa, his hand lifting to his face, rubbing it roughly to try and regain his composure. Alex exhaled deeply and stared out into the open sky. Even though the sunlight was harsh, he didn’t pull the curtains. Perhaps he wanted the light to touch every corner of the disordered room.

Alex slowly walked towards the window, hands in his pockets, his gaze lost in thought as he watched the waves crashing against the shore. The waves lashed at the coastline with the force of the wind, the golden sunlight making them look even more majestic than ever.

He began to reflect on his heart condition. While others might hide such things, Alex, with his meticulous nature, had to know the state of his own health. He raised his phone and spoke a few words to his assistant:

“For now, all of the company’s work will be under your control. Contact me if there’s an urgent issue.”

“Yes, but your health…?”

“There’s nothing bad happening!”

As always, he remained the same—stoic, cold, and distant. For a moment, Alex fell silent, lost in his thoughts. He seemed unsteady, even though he had faced countless challenges in his life. The dog came running over, wagging its tail as if trying to comfort its owner. Alex tried to steady himself and gently stroked the dog. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. He decided to pick himself up and began to clean up the mess he had made. As the evening grew darker, he became increasingly exhausted.

The early morning sky, peaceful and full of hope, heralded the new day. Alex jogged around the compound, as was his habit. Perhaps that was why he maintained such a fit and toned body. His muscles weren’t overly bulky like a bodybuilder’s, but his clear, intellectual face and high forehead stood out. His straight nose and soulful eyes seemed like they were made for art. Sometimes his eyes had a hint of sadness, with the double eyelids giving him a melancholic look. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and it was hard for anyone to remain unaffected when looking into Alex’s eyes. He wore a tank top and white sneakers, making him look even more captivating. However, on the left side of his arm, there was a deep scar from his childhood, one he had never tried to hide.

Alex ran at a slow pace, exhausted from the previous day’s exertions. Sweat poured down his body, soaking his clothes as if he had just taken a shower, making him look even more attractive. Suddenly, he noticed a little girl, around five years old, crying with messy hair, looking pitiful. Just as he approached, a woman, also out for her morning jog, came toward the girl. She had a water bottle in hand and earphones in her ears. The woman gently patted the girl’s head and asked:

“Why are you here, crying like this?”

She spoke softly and sweetly, but the girl didn’t respond. The woman patiently continued:

“Don’t cry, I’m here, I’ll help you find your mom.”

Alex, sensing the kindness in the woman, smiled to himself. Before he could process the emotions stirred in him, the girl pointed towards him and exclaimed:

“My mom is over there!”

The atmosphere suddenly froze. Both Alex and the woman were stunned. The girl’s innocent mistake caused Alex to freeze. His usual composure evaporated, replaced by awkwardness. Alex walked toward the woman and the girl:

“Please don’t misunderstand, I’m just jogging by.” - Alex said, smiling nervously.

“I understand, we should help find her mom…”

Before she could finish her sentence, the girl’s mother rushed over, enveloping the child in a tight hug, planting kisses all over her.

“Thank you so much! My daughter is really lucky. I’m very grateful. If you have time, please come over for dinner sometime. I live in building C, apartment 23. Remember that!”

Alex smiled in acknowledgment of the woman’s gratitude, and both he and the woman exchanged a shy, awkward glance. It was the first time they had met, after all. The woman, flustered, awkwardly said goodbye to Alex, not knowing the way back to her apartment. She accidentally bumped into him, and Alex, trying to suppress his own discomfort, simply said a cold goodbye and returned home.

The soft melody of a jazz blue record played in the background, a tune that Alex often listened to. He stepped out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel draped around his waist, and grabbed another towel to dry his hair as he walked into the hallway.