Deadly Charm

CHAPTER FIVE

"Good Morning, Iva," Emily greeted her immediately after Iva stepped into the office. "Mr. Sam has a gala invitation."

"Oh!" Iva replied with shock on her face. She had not seen Sam with a friend or heard him talk about family. She has always fought the thoughts of asking Emily about Sam.

Emily is in her 40s with an aura of love around her. She is the oldest staff member in the Regal Empire, and Iva knows she knows much more than anyone about Sam. In short, she seemed to be the closest person to Sam. Iva has seen her speak softly to Sam in those moments of vulnerability and how Sam has taken it in like a child. One would think she was Sam's Big Sister.

"Thank you, Emily, I will inform Mr. Sam."

Iva informed Sam immediately when he came into the office. He frowned immediately, running his hand through his hair. "Remind me on the morning of the gala."

The charity gala was full of the highest in society doing what they do best: mingling and waving with each other. Iva had to fit into the class. She was dressed in a beautiful red gown. She had made a change in her wardrobe since the first week of working with Sam. She smiled and greeted anyone who cared to look at her.

Sam was busy having what looked like a serious conversation with the host, so she had all the time to herself. She was working her way through the crowd and trying to figure out a good view of the various arts on the wall and decoration. She had gotten used to the luxury and perspectives of life in the working months served owing to Sam. Iva could not shake off the feeling that there was more to Sam's life than one saw at first glance. She had noticed hints of sadness and loneliness in his eyes, a touch of pain that he hid so well.

A painting hung on the wall that caught her attention. She missed painting and decided to let herself enjoy the moment. Just then, two older men came to stand behind her. She could tell they were maybe in their 60s. Their voices are very low and serious.

"It has been 20 years," one of the men said.

"I know," the other man replied. "It feels like just yesterday that we got the news. The Blackwood family, murdered in their own home."

Iva's ears pricked. The name 'Blackwood' rang a bell. Who were the Blackwood family?

She listened while trying to think of the name. She had seen the name in the office before.

"Sam was just a teenager when it happened," one of the men said, signaling to Sam. "He was lucky to have survived."

“And the police have still not found the murderer. It's been how many years?”

“This is why people take laws into their own hands,” the other man concluded.

Immediately, it made sense! Sam's surname was Blackwood. She had not mustered the courage to ask him why he dropped the family surname. Iva's heart went out to Sam, her mind playing the trauma he must have endured. She had no idea of the tragedy that had shaped his life.

As the men continued to talk, Iva learned more about Sam's past. How he had built his business empire from scratch.

As Iva listened, she felt a deep sense of empathy for Sam and understood him better. She understood now why he was the way he was, why he had built walls around himself. She now understands the vulnerability behind his eyes and the pain that he kept hidden. Iva felt deeply connected to him. Her parents had been murdered, too.

And as she looked around the room, Iva realized that she was not the only one who had been affected by Sam's past. There were others, people who had known him for years, who had watched him grow and become this man.

As the evening wore on, her feelings for him deepened. She saw him in a new light, a person in need of healing.

"Thank you for tonight," she said, as they drove back to her apartment.

Sam smiled back, his eyes locking onto hers. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said.

And as they parted ways, Iva felt a sense of hope, a sense that she might be able to help him heal, and they could move forward together.

As Sam drove back to his mansion, he couldn't help but think about what he thought he saw in Iva’s eyes. “Wanting to make everything difficult, aren't you?” He said to an imaginary Iva in the car.

It was difficult enough for him. Never had he felt so much for a person. He wondered when the feeling developed. This evening, it had taken all the control he could muster not to kiss her this evening. Maybe she had fallen for me, too.

He was trying as much as he could to make this easier for them both. He had invested so much in this plan and had waited for years for it; he would not want some emotional attachment to ruin it.

He made a mental note to contact Alex and get an update. So far, the plan has been smooth and there's no situation. Not even Iva suspected anything.

Now he's quite concerned about the plans to bring harm to Iva. She's so innocent and has lost enough in the past already.

“I thought you were intelligent? "How come you couldn't even smell the rat?” He said to the imaginary Iva again.

Sam turned his car towards a bar instead. A lot was running through his mind. He needed to ease himself.

As Iva got home, she went for her painting, and she had missed her paintings. She decided to paint something for Sam. Maybe it could help with his healing. She started working on a drawing of a family: father, child and mother. She knew it was going to eat into her sleep time, but she was ready to sacrifice it for Sam.