Wounded Hearts

Chapter One (A Heart in Darkness) Marshall McCoy. His name frightened a lot of people; his aura and power were enough to make people shake in their seats, but there he was, the Chief Executive Officer of McCoy Global Corp., one of the most highly ranked companies in the country, sitting in his swivel chair and gazing into space, holding a small capsule of antidepressants in his hand. He appeared exhausted. "You realise that you can't continue abusing yourself, don't you?" Quan, his lone friend, entered. Marshall kept staring, unaffected by his friend's presence. He did not move or utter a sound, nor did he even bother to look at Quan as he walked to his side and quietly took the antidepressant bottle from him. "Everything will work out fine." Quan repeated himself and gave his companion a little tap on the shoulder. He got up from Marshall's side and settled down on the office beanbag bag, staring at a magazine. Quan modelled for a number of well-known national brands. He was attractive to many ladies because of his flawless face and well-built, sophisticated physique. Unlike his stiff pal Marshall, who avoided smiling until it was absolutely necessary, he was a very funny and lighthearted person. Marshall shared his friend's graceful features and physique, but instead of coming across as nice, Marshall had the look of an enraged tiger. His height of six feet and four inches contributed to his ominous aspect. There was one exception to Marshall's generally serious, business-oriented, and unfriendly demeanour. Only his late wife Lily McCoy, whose passing had caused him much grief, had the power to transform him back into that carefree high school lad. Quan remained in the pindrop solitude office with his friend, waiting for him to say something. Marshall's new practice had been to zone out a couple of times a day, sometimes even staying and grieving in silence, ever after his wife died. The death of his wife had transformed him into something else. After over an hour of Quan sitting and reading the magazine, Marshall turned around in his chair and gave his childhood pal a cursory glance. "Don't you have work to do?" He inquired, his tone tinged with humorous disdain. "I came to see my boyfriend." Quan purred at him like a female, and Marshall simply rolled his eyes while facing his imac. "He's not around, now get the hell out of my office." He spoke with a bored tone. "You know you can't do without me, bro." Quan sassed, and Marshall's nose flared with amusement. “To hell with you.” He replied and stood up, arranging himself and his table to attend a scheduled meeting with his father. Quan stood up and followed him as they strolled out of his office. Marshall stopped by the table of his secretary. “Cancel every other appointment for the rest of the day, I might not be returning to work today.” He said, his eyes on his phone. “B—but sir, Mr. Kevin has been asking to see—” “Did I stutter?” Marshall queried, already feeling annoyed. “No sir. Noted sir.” She nodded in fear and without a response Marshall walked away and into the elevator. "I'm gonna see dad." Marshall spoke to Quan as they stood in the lift. Christoff McCoy had grown to adore Quan as if he were his own kid. When Quan's parents died at a young age, Christoff instantly took him in. He looked after him the same way he did Marshall, and the two boys who had previously been friends grew to be brothers. They were completely intertwined. They were quite close after living in the same house and attending high school and university together. "I have a photo shoot right now but I'll be at dinner tomorrow." Quan responded, and Marshall nodded. They exited the lift and walked into their own automobiles, heading off to their separate destinations. *** Ivory Owens had just finished work and was about to go home when she received a call from her best friend, Ruby. "Hey Ruby." She greeted. "Hey baby girl." Ruby enthusiastically replied, "Are you done with your work already?" "Yeah. I was just ready to go home. How about you? Are you almost finished so I can pick you up and take us home together?" Ivory asked her. Ruby and Ivory had known each other since college and had come to like each other. They shared a flat and normally split the cost of utilities and groceries. "That's excellent since I'm almost done here, too. I'm simply waiting for the final shoot and then I'll be finished." "Okay. Text me your location, and I'll be there shortly.” “Okay. See you soon.” Ruby said and ended the call, sending a text to Ivory. Ivory picked up her bag and stepped out of her office. Ivory worked as a part-time psychotherapist at Riverside Hospital. Her wage was insufficient to cover all of her bills, let alone repay the loans her late father had left for her to pay. She wanted to obtain a second job to help cover her bills, but she hadn't found any yet. She got into her white 2014 Honda Civic and drove to the location where Ruby had texted. Stepping out of her car, she looked around the building before calling Ruby. Ruby came out in no time and they got inside together. The place had a light music playing in the background while a very good-looking man whom she assumed was a model stood in a suit, his hair slightly wet while the photographer took pictures of him. There where different kinds of lightening, different suits and shoes on a clothes rack, stylists and some other people trying to make sure the session was going smoothly. Ruby was the makeup artist and Ivory assumed she had done her work since the model was already taking pictures. Ivory sat in a corner, watching this breathtakingly attractive man snap his photos, when her best friend spoke from behind her, causing her to yelp in surprise. "It's my third time working with him. All the females around here can't stop swooning over him, so I definitely get the look." Ivory scowled. "Who says I'm swooning over him?" She requested in self-denial. "I know you." was Ruby's only response. "You're annoying." Ivory mocked at her and laughed. "I heard he has a brother that is as good-looking as him, but he isn't friendly at all.” “For real? Why are gorgeous men generally unfriendly?..." Ivory muttered sadly. "He isn't unfriendly at all," Ruby said, referring to the model who took the photos, Quan. "His name is Quan, and all the times I've worked with him, he has been nothing but friendly." Just then, Quan finished his shoot and moved away from the backdrop. "Look, he's finished, let's go say hey to him." Ruby rejoiced and literally yanked a whining Ivory from her seat, and they walked to where Quan was standing, staring at his phone. “Hi. I'm Ruby” Ruby said and Quan looked at her with a broad smile. "Hello. You must be the makeup artist from earlier." He remarked, extending his hand for a handshake, and Ruby grasped it while nodding violently, causing Ivory to chuckle and Quan to glance at her. "Hey. "I am Ivory." She replied, taking his outstretched hand for a handshake. "I'm Quanvin but you can call me 'Quan'." "Nice to meet you Quan." Ivory spoke. "Nice to meet you too." He said this, and instantly a call came in. "Can we meet another time? I have an emergency to attend to right now." He extended his complimentary card to Ruby. "I'll be expecting a call from you." He whispered and smirked at her before nodding to Ivory and heading away quickly. "Okayyyyy," Ivory responded in a singsong tone, as she watched her best friend grow as red as a tomato. "This is just the beginning," Ivory stated. "Definitely. Definitely.” Chapter Two (New Opportunities) What's the latest news on your Prince charming?" Ivory questioned Ruby as she poured cereal into a bowl and opened the refrigerator to get some milk. "We talk sometimes, but he's generally quite busy. He asked to hang out after his photo session tomorrow and suggested I bring you along. "Bring me along?" Ivory inquired as she poured the milk into the cereal bowl, set it aside, grabbed a spoon, and happily munched on her cereal. "Yeah. He stated he would love to meet you again." "Hm. That's…weird." Ivory whispered. "I know, right? But perhaps he could introduce you to his brother." Ruby responded with a dreamy smile, "I heard he lost his wife." “Wow, that must have been very tough for him, and what makes you think the “not-so-friendly” brother would even want to talk to me?” Ivory huffed and pushed another spoonful of cereal into her lips. Ivory had tried her best to avoid men ever since she had her fair share of heartbreak; when she found out that her boyfriend of seven years who had already proposed to her was a chronic cheat and had been cheating on her with different rich women for money. "I am aware of this...But we are entitled to be delusional from time to time, correct? Because why do I think I have a chance with Quan?" Ruby shouted out, pouting. "You might have a chance with him because he showed interest in you. Let's see what the future holds for the two of you." Ivory spoke encouragingly to her friend. After finishing her cereal, she dropped the plate and went into her room to pick up her laptop. They shared a flat that was neither highly standard nor particularly terrible. It was a two-bedroom flat in Parkchester, Bronx, which was reasonably priced. She had looked for employment online but had yet to discover one. She rested on her bed to rest before returning to work for the day. *** Ivory and Ruby were preparing to meet up with Quan. Ivory came out of the shower and into her room, one towel wrapped firmly about her and the other around her head. She combed and dried her hair while sitting on her dresser. After applying her cosmetics, she stood up and went to the wardrobe closet, where she chose a pair of ripped jeans, a red cosy sweater and combat boots. She combed her chestnut brown hair into a ponytail before picking up her luggage. She applied mascara to her long eyelashes and looked in the mirror, her wide hazel eyes gazing back at her. She picked up her lip gloss, applied it to her round luscious lips, smacked them, and took one more look at herself. "Pretty." She smiled to herself as she came out of her room and into the living area to meet Ruby. "You look like a snack baby girl." She complimented her best friend, but Ruby only smiled and rolled her eyes. "I look normal Ives, stop being extra." She said with a sly grin. “I'm not being extra, really.” Ivory said as they got out of the house and into her car to zoom off to meet Quan at his location. Once they got there, Ruby checked with the security and they got in. Quan had security men with him wherever he went because he was quite famous as a result of being the face and an ambassador of so many brands. When they got into the studio, he was already done with his session and had sighted them from far. With a towel around his neck from shooting an advert that involved going into the pool, he walked to meet them. "Hi, Ruby, hello Ivory." He greeted cheerfully and hugged Ruby. "Hi Quan." Ivory greeted and shook his hand. "How have you been?" He asked Ivory. "I've been good, a little busy with work." "Oh, really?" "Where do you work?" He asked. "I work at Riverside Hospital as a Psychotherapist." "Hm. What do psychotherapists do?" "Basically, we work with patients trying to restore their mental health, probably after going through a traumatic experience or anything at all which has dealt with their mental health.” "Really?" Quan inquired, his attention piqued. "Yes." "That is a very nice field." Quan spoke, and Ivory nodded. "Thank you." After their brief talk, Quan went to change into his clothes. After a while, he returned dressed, and they went to a Chinese restaurant. They ate some Chinese food and spoke for a while before agreeing to part ways. Quan offered to drop them off, but Ivory declined because they had come in their own car. They returned home, and Quan's driver accompanied him to the family house to see Christoff. When he arrived at the property, he entered the mansion and went immediately to Christoff's study, where he spent most of his evenings. "Good evening sir." He greeted Christoff, who grunted and focused on the book he was reading. His study was designed as a combination library and workplace space. There were so many shelves full of books, and beside it was a sturdy mahogany table and two office chairs for Christoff and anyone else who wanted to see him while he was studying. He sat down in the chair, grabbed up the bottle of water on the table, and casually gulped it down. "You did not come earlier for dinner." Christoff replied, finally glancing up at him. "I actually ate a full dinner before coming here. I met two new females and we ate late lunch together." He spoke, and Christoff gave him a knowing glance. "You and women." "These women are not like that. I see them considerably differently than I do the others. One of them has been my makeup artist for a few shoots, and her companion is a psychotherapist. "Psychotherapist. Hm. What is that?" "A therapist that deals with patients going through traumatic experiences that may have messed up their mental health." Christoff responded, "Hmm. Have you seen your brother today?" He asked. "No. why?" Quan questioned. "Does this therapist happen to work with patients privately?" Christoff asked again. Quan's expression was blank at first, but everything became clear to him, and he nodded slowly, indicating that he understood. "Do you want Marshall to go for therapy?" He inquired, and Christoff nodded. "I don't think he will agree to go for therapy but we could try right?" "Exactly. I need you to find out how experienced your friend is and whether she is willing to work privately with Marshall. I'm willing to pay whatever amount." Christoff spoke, and Quan nodded. "I hear you got a new endorsement deal." "Yes, Sir. I did." "Congrats, son. I am proud of you." Christoff said, reaching out his hand to Quan for a handshake. "Thank you sir." He gave a small bow. "Keep making me proud." He explained, "My only difficulty right now is your brother. His condition isn't getting better. He refuses to move on from Lily, and it is harming the business. I worked extremely hard for that business. I get that he is in grieving, but allowing his emotions to drag him down that much is something entirely else. He has to be strong, which is why he requires therapy.” "I understand you. Marshall loved Lily even after she died. He visits her gravesite at least twice a week, and I feel awful for him. Sometimes he zones out." Quan remarked, feeling terribly sorry for Marshall. Lily's death shocked everyone, but it reduced Marshall to a shell of himself. He seemed hopeless. Always looked sick. He desperately needed aid. He needed to find a method to help him. After speaking with Christoff, he returned to his home and called Ruby. "Hi." He let out. "Hello." Ruby's voice was heard on the other end. "How are you?" He asked. "I'm fine. How are you?" She asked him. "I'm okay. Is Ivory close to you?” "She's in her room." "Okay, when you get to her, please inform her that I have a job offer for her. If she is open to working as a private therapist.” Chapter Three (Ultimatum) "A private therapist?!" Ivory exclaimed with disbelief. Ruby had just told her that Quan had offered her a job as a private therapist. She was ecstatic since she was finally going to have another job to help with her bills. "He said his father would like to meet with you personally." Ruby expressed her joy for her best friend. "Woah." Ivory said, "So, his father needs therapy?" She questioned. "I dunno, probably, I guess." Ruby replied nonchalantly. "So you're taking the job?" "Hell yes. Absolutely!" "I am happy for you. Congratulations for finally getting a job, baby girl. Ruby rejoiced and hugged Ivory. Ivory was quite excited. She only hoped for the best from whatever came next. *** Marshall sat in front of an enlarged portrait of his late wife in their bedroom. When they went to Paris, he had an artist paint her a gorgeous portrait, which he framed. Paris was her favourite holiday destination, but because he was constantly busy at business, they rarely had time for vacations, so he always made sure they had the finest time together during the few brief vacations they did have. He looked at her stunning features and short jet-black hair. She didn't like her hair long and chose to cut it. He recalled telling her how beautiful she looked when she had her first haircut. Thinking about all of those things brought tears to his eyes, and he smiled to himself, attempting to blink them away but failing. She was the only lady he ever loved. Unlike Quan, who had numerous women and rarely fell in love, he was a one-woman man. It took him a long time to realise he loved Lily, and then she was gone after only two years of marriage. "If you wanted away from me that much, why didn't you say something?" He implored her portrait, tears streaming over his cheeks, "Why did you do this to me, Lily? I can't sleep on our bed, and I can't think well anymore. I see you everywhere, and I hear your voice, baby." He spoke through sobs. Just then, he received a call and quickly wiped his eyes dry before picking it up. It was his dad. "Hello dad." He spoke in a monotonous voice. "Marshall. I need to see you now. In the penthouse." Christoff added. "Aight." He replied, and his father terminated the call. He paced around his bedroom, attempting to gather his thoughts before leaving. His house was not as large as his father's mansion because Lily had requested a smaller house, but he did not forget to add his taste and style to his bedroom, leaving Lily to handle the interior décor of the rest of the house. His Fendi Casa Montgomery bed stood along a wall in the huge bedroom, surrounded by a Fendi carpet. His ceiling mirror tiles held a Jilian Sculptural LED crystal chandelier. The room was adorned with a floor-to-ceiling light-control window that provided a glimpse of the tiny lake next to their newly acquired building. Lily's ambition was for their children to be able to play by the lake while they watched. The little wine cellar in their room reflected the type of pair they were; they enjoyed partying and getting drunk together, but that was the only person that brought out Marshall's wild side. In general, the property had advanced smart home technologies and high-quality entertainment, such as a cutting-edge home theatre in the sitting room. Marshall had taken his time to ensure that the house was built to perfection because it was where he hoped to start his family: himself, Lily, and their unborn children. He got into his big walk-in closet, which was entirely Lily's idea, and pulled out a pair of black sweatpants and a matching hoodie. Lily had persuaded him and given him a million reasons why a large wardrobe was insufficient for them and that she required room for all of her clothes and accessories. He wasn't emotionally ready to let go of any of her stuff, therefore her clothing remained in the closet. He drove himself to the office building and parked in his designated place before entering the private lift and ascending to the penthouse. Marshall entered the penthouse and was ready to look for his father when he noticed him pacing around the terrace with a bottle of Remy Martin on a tiny table and a full glass in his hand. "A man your age should cut down on alcohol intake." Was his first sentence as he walked closer to him, and his father took a swallow of whatever was in his hand without looking at him. "The board of directors have been talking." Christoff began, slowly turning to look at Marshall, who stared into his eyes. "And what did they say?" Marshall asked. "The company is experiencing a big drop in revenue. It has never happened before, and your incompetence is responsible for 80% of the blame." "What?" Marshall inquired, perplexed. "They want you to step down as CEO." Marshall couldn't believe it. "So why is that? Dad, what are your thoughts on this? He asked with a grimace on his face. "Son, you can't continue as CEO in your condition." His father stated. "Pfft. Condition. What am I? Pregnant? What freaking condition? I'm OK." He waved dismissively. "You're still in grief. You refuse to let go of the past, and you're dragging the firm down with you. It'll be seven months soon since Lily died, and you're still acting as if she died yesterday. It is messing with you mentally, but you are not perceiving it. You are essentially a shadow of yourself right now, son. You look sick. We cannot have such a person as CEO, thus I, together with the board of directors, request that you stand aside from your role as CEO and take all the time you need to heal." Marshall looked at his father as if he had been drenched with ice. "Oh, come on, dad! I'm trying." Marshall interjected, "Has it been discussed officially?" He asked, and his father shook his head. "Not yet, but the board of directors plans to schedule a meeting before next week. "I cannot step down as CEO. I will work on myself. "I am unable to step down." He spoke to himself. "I have a suggestion to make." Christoff spoke, and Marshall looked at him expectantly, waiting for his suggestion. “Go for therapy. I have a therapist already who is willing to take you through the healing process. All you need to do is start therapy. Once the therapist sees a positive change in you, a sign of healing and progress, you get your post back.” "No, Dad. I'm not gonna do anything to jeopardise my position as CEO. I don't need a therapist. I can work on myself while maintaining my role as CEO. I'm certain of that, sir." He explained, but his father was not having it. Quan was correct in his prediction; Marshall would protest and fight against it, but Christoff would not back down. He wanted the best for his son and wanted him to keep his position as CEO, but first he needed him to heal. "Marshall. The board of directors will have a meeting to discuss this topic, and you will be notified of the board's decision following the vote of no confidence. “Dad—" "I have nothing else to say to you, Mr. McCoy. When you are ready to begin therapy, please contact me so that I may talk with the board on your behalf so that when you begin to heal and regain your mental health, you can resume your employment. Until then, I might have to fill in as CEO." Christoff spoke and walked away. Marshall could not believe his ears. He instantly called Quan. "Can you believe what dad just said to me?" He exclaimed in rage. "I'm aware, bro.” “You too?!” Chapter Four (The Board's Decision) Ivory strolled round the local supermarket, trying to get groceries. She had a meeting with Mr. Christoff McCoy in his house later that day so she wanted to get done with her grocery shopping and get it over with. A reusable bag slung over her shoulder, she scanned the shelves and picked the necessary items, her eyes keen on discount and sales. She assessed the products and ensured to pick fresh products. Immediately she was done picking up what she wanted, she walked to the checkout line, her payment method ready. She paid with her credit card, packed her bags and walked out of the supermarket and into her car. Getting to her apartment, she headed straight to the kitchen to put away the groceries and headed to her room where she responded to an urgent email from work on her laptop and dashed into the bathroom. She washed up quickly and got out, applied her body lotion to keep her skin moisturised, quickly blow-dried her hair and wrapped it in a sleek ponytail. After applying her facial moisturiser, she applied a swipe of deodorant and went to her closet, picking out a pair of washed jeans, a crisp white tee shirt and a black cardigan over it and a pair of black loafers. She picked her bag and her car key and left the house. She reached out to her best friend as she was getting ready to go in her car. "Hey Ives!" Ruby chanted from the other end. "Are you done with work already?" Ivory asked, starting her car's engine. "Naaah. Work is dead-ass hectic today. I'm not even gonna lie." "I've got groceries from the local grocery, so you don't have to go there again.” “Thanks babes. I owe you one.” Ruby said and Ivory laughed. “Naaah. You don't.” She replied dismissively, “I'm heading to ‘McCoy's mansion’. Catch ya!” "Goodluck babes!" Ivory disconnected the call and began driving, her gaze shifting between the GPS and the road as she attempted to navigate out of the Bronx's congested streets. As she approached the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge and saw the Manhattan skyline, she felt a rush of excitement and her pulse rate increased. Finally, she reached Christoff McCoy's mansion. Yes, that was a mansion. Her automobile stood at the mansion's massive guarded entrance. She pondered what he did for a living to afford such a place. She knew he was definitely a billionaire. The smart gate assessed her vehicle and opened for her to pass through. Driving into the courtyard, she parked near the fountain, opened the door, and stepped out to take in her surroundings. With a wide lawn and a nicely kept garden, the compound exuded wealth and luxury. Ivory noticed a tennis court and a basketball court at a corner that were empty, most likely for aesthetic reasons. She approached the main house, and the huge entrance doors made of the finest oak swung open, showing a man in a black suit, whom she immediately assumed was the butler. "Welcome," He smiled warmly and said, "He's upstairs waiting. Come with me." Ivory agreed and followed him. She was astounded by how nice the interior of the mansion was. She followed the butler into the elevator and arrived on the rooftop, where the billionaire sat down. The view was amazing. She smiled slightly as she walked towards him. "Hello sir." She greeted, her smile broadening slightly. "Dr. Ivory, it's nice to put a face to a name." "Please sit," he murmured, offering her a seat across from him. She sat down and enjoyed the view of the city. "This view is magnificent, I must say." She remarked, and Christoff responded with a delighted nod and smile, "It sure is." "Would you like anything? What can I offer you?" He asked Ivory. "Oh, nothing. Thank you very much. I'm very fine." She replied, smiling. "If you say so. I understand you enrolled at Harvard on a scholarship and have some expertise in psychotherapy." "Yes, I do." She responded curtly. "My son, the CEO of my firm, lost his wife around seven months ago, and he hasn't been himself since. He still grieves as if he lost her a few days ago, and it's taking a toll on him.” Ivory nodded and waited for him to finish speaking before responding. "I'm really sad to hear about your loss. Losing a loved one may be heartbreaking, and each person heals from loss and sorrow at their own pace, so there is no set time for moving on." Ivory pointed to Christoff. "The issue here is that he is the CEO of a firm, and the board of directors wants him to stand down because he is not mentally fit to carry on with the obligations of being the CEO of the company. I want him to start therapy so that I can speak on his behalf and ask him to step aside in the meantime while he receives therapy, and if his therapist approves that he is healthy enough, he may resume his position as CEO.” "I understand you want the best for your son and don't want the board to remove him from his position, and I'm here to help. If he is willing to work with me, I can tell you that we will conquer his pain and allow him to face his anxieties." Christoff nodded, pleased that she had stated exactly what he wanted to hear. "I am willing to pay you any amount, just make my son well enough to get back his CEO position."