CHAPTER 1: THE FALL BEFORE THE RISE
The evening was such a lovely spectacle, at least on the surface. The chandeliers casting their golden light over the well dressed guests who danced, laughed, and toasted to love. Tasha Dwayne stood at the corner of the room, a glass of champagne in her hand, her lips curving into a small and sweet smile. This was her engagement party, a celebration of her love for Adam—or so she had thought.
For a moment, Tasha allowed herself to believe it was real- that her life was about to change for the better. The clinking of glasses and the warm wishes—it all seemed too good to be true. And perhaps it was. After greeting some guests she started searching for Adam.
He was always charming, his laugh ringing out in such a melodious manner that it could disarm even the coldest heart. She spotted him near the patio, deep in conversation with his best friend, Mark. Their heads were close together but something about their body language did not sit well with her.
Curiosity pulled her closer.
“—and the transfer cleared without any issues,” Mark was saying, his voice low but not low enough to escape her ears. “We’re talking about twelve figures, man!!”
Tasha froze when she heard twelve figures What were they talking about? She knew Adam was rich and all but she didn't think he was that rich. She took another step forward silently while trying to listen to their conversation.
“Man, I've told you many times to keep it down and low-key,” Adam said, his voice tinged with slight amusement. “If anyone connects the dots or finds out anything, things could get really messy. Remember what happened to Steve Clover when his entire operation was leaked out to the public?”
Mark chuckled. “Relax, it’s all been taken care of. As long as all the offshore accounts stay under the radar, no one will ever know. Honestly, you’re lucky to have me covering for you.”
Adam lets out a laugh. “I sure am.”
Tasha’s stomach churned in displeasure. Offshore accounts? Messy? Her heart started beating so loudly as she kept on trying to convince herself that she was overthinking everything.
“Adam,” she said, her voice ending their conversation.
Adam’s head immediately rose up. The smug grin on his face faltered when he saw her standing there. “Tasha,” he said, his tone unnaturally bright. “I was just—”
“What did I just hear?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of anger. “What were you just talking about?”
Mark glanced at Adam and quickly muttered, “I’ll give you two a moment,” before slipping away into the crowd.
Tasha stepped closer while looking at Adam with a sharp gaze. “I’m waiting,” she said, with her arms crossed.
Adam sighed, running his hand through his well combed hair. “Tasha, it’s not what you think.”
“Oh, really?” she snapped. “Because it sounded like you were talking about offshore accounts and money transfers. What are you involved in, Adam?”
“Business,” he said quickly, his tone defensive. “This is just...business.”
“Business?” Tasha repeated, her voice rising. “Don’t insult me, Adam. Be honest. What kind of business are you into and why does it sound suspicious?”
Adam glanced around nervously, then grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the balcony away from the guests. It was cold but she was burning inside.
“Fine,” Adam said. “Yes, I’ve been moving money. But it’s not what you think— and it’s certainly not something you should be overreacting about.” “Besides, the money is good.”
“Adam, are you serious? You’re really laundering money. Do you have any idea how many lives have been destroyed because of people like you who have such evil agenda? How could you do this—” She stopped, then asked, “How could you lie to me and stoop so low?”
“I didn’t lie to you, I would never do that,” Adam said. “I just didn’t tell you everything. Look, Tasha, this is how the world works. You think people get rich by playing fair? You think anyone actually gets ahead without bending a few rules?”
Her mind was in a mess as she tried to process his words. “You’ve justified yourself, haven’t you?” “You’ve convinced yourself that it’s okay because every other successful person does it. But it’s not okay, Adam. It’s disgusting and wicked.” “ Have you ever thought of how the people you are stealing from feed or provide the essential things of life? They might have saved up for years and you're taking it away?”
He stepped closer, his tone softening. “Tasha, listen to me. I’m doing this for us. For our future, all the things we’ve been dreaming of—it doesn’t come cheap.”
Tasha shook her head, tears blurring her vision. “No, Adam. This isn’t for us. All of this is for you. I can never be a part of this.”
“Don’t do this please,” Adam said. “Don’t throw everything away because of something you don’t understand.”
“Oh, trust me, I understand enough,” she said with a steady voice. “And I’m done. We’re done.” “Goodbye Adam.”
He tried to call out to her but she ignored him.
---
Tasha didn’t remember much of the next few minutes after their conversation. The only thing she remembered was walking back into the party, slipping the diamond ring off her finger and placing it on a table. She ignored the curious stares, whispered and unanswered questions, and left the party.
By the time she stepped into her tiny apartment, she sat on the couch, and clutched a throw pillow to her chest as tears continuously fell out of her eyes. How had everything gone so wrong in just a little time?
She thought about the time they had spent together, the moments she had thought that he was the one. Were they all lies? Or had he truly believed them, just as she had?
Her phone buzzed on the table in front of her, but she ignored it. She couldn’t bear to see his name on the screen. Instead, she closed her eyes and let the tears flow, her mind replaying his words again and again.
No, that’s how your world may work but it’s not how mine works.
The months that followed were some of the hardest months of Tasha’s life. The decision to walk away from Adam had been the right one, but it left her sad and depressed. To completely forget about everything, she threw herself into work, taking up little gigs wherever she could find them. Slowly, she began to rebuild her life.
Two years later, she got a job as a waitress at a fancy restaurant. It wasn’t the most glamorous salary, but it paid the bills and gave her a sense of purpose. She bought a little silver sedan eventually and felt a little sense of accomplishment. She started to laugh again and for the first time in years, she felt a glimmer of hope and true happiness.
But it seemed that her happiness was not meant to last, at least not for a long period of time.
It happened so suddenly that Tasha didn’t even see it coming. One day, she was being praised by her manager for her excellent customer service and the next, she was being called into his office and handed a termination letter.
“I don’t understand,” Tasha said. “What did I do wrong?”
Her manager avoided her gaze. “It’s...a matter of clash of interests,” he said in an ambiguous manner. “We’ve had some complaints.”
“Complaints?” Tasha repeated, her mind racing. She thought of her coworkers, of the petty jealousy and whispered gossip that had always gone around the restaurant. “Is this because of Jenna? Has she been spreading lies about me?”
Her manager didn’t deny it. “I’m sorry, Tasha but the decision to fire you is final.”
And just like that, she was back to square one with no job.
She packed her things and drove home feeling very bitter and hurt. “What exactly have I done to deserve this??” She thought.
Later that evening, she found herself sitting on her couch, staring blankly at the TV thinking of what to do and where to start from. A news anchor’s voice filled the room: “Another great news is that, Adam Bennett, heir to Bennett Enterprises, tied the knot in a lavish ceremony this weekend…”
Tasha’s heart stopped. On the screen was a picture of Adam, grinning beside his new bride. He looked so happy and satisfied as though he hadn’t done anything bad but she was here unhappy, bitter and worst of all, heartbroken.
Something inside her snapped and then came the tears hard and fast, mingling with the anger that burned in her chest.
She felt really bitter and unloved.
“I’m fine,” she whispered whilst trying to convince herself that nothing she saw affected her. “I’m fine.” But she wasn’t.
—
