Film of Love

Unveil the Yesterday's Secrets

The story is not even finished, yet. It is just the beginning and they are still listening carefully at whatever Marthe is saying. She is the only one who can bring out the truth. Yesterday's secrecy is yet to be told but not when they are starting to unfold it.

“Your father changed much better when he finally breathed out from the secret feelings he had for your mother and for your uncle. He changed and it got worse,” Marthe said.

Aryn frowned. “What happened? How can you say it was worse?”

She smiled sadly. “Your uncle didn’t do better in academics— he started going to clubs more often than going to his classes. He failed many subjects and gained many enemies.”

Dem and Aryn are shocked but Marthe just smiles sadly.

“Although I don’t serve the Etienne's, they are still part of the Ashtons. Elime is a nice kid that’s why even though your father, Leo is different from Elime they have been great friends and of course, great cousins,” she sighed. “But one thing led to another. We cannot blame him at all.”

Being in a wealthy family is not easy. They grew up believing that whatever happened family is family— but not when your own family members expect greater from you, pressuring you to be the best of the best.

Elime is the son of the Chairman of the Burgundy Corporation means a lot, means everything, and means that you will automatically be the next chairman of the company. With that title you gained, you must be great in mind, skills, and decision making. Frederick Etienne is his father and known to be strict and others say more on the lower ranking…scary.

“Another secret you might know as rumors if there are still but Elime is not really Madame Elyna’s son yet he is Monsieur Frederick’s son,” she said.

“Uhm…how do you know that it is real when you are not working under them?”Aryn asks out of curiosity.

Marthe smiled gently and said. “My lover once served their family.”

—

Elime’s life didn’t get better and it worsened the situation he felt that time when his father stopped him from being a player because he heard what is happening to his son when it comes to the academic field. He keeps blaming his son and his “Stupid” games. He wants his son to be focused on academics more because in the end it will benefit him because he is the heir, he is alright with that but being compared to the one he hated makes his knuckles turn white, thoughts become a mess and feeling turned red.

He is broken, he is accepting it. He is getting late, he is adjusting. Him being not his best add the comparison of him to his great cousin is getting on his nerves. There is no escape to these things that keep happening in his life, and love life because they are going to the same university and with the same program.

Elime did try his best to stay away from his cousin and his lover, he changed the way he looked at his academics and the way he looked at his life. If he did great he may get words of affirmation, greatness, a look full of pride and pride and to make his father see his worth— not until one night.

That one night one secret was revealed.

“Look…Fred,” Elyna said. It is winter cold and raining, you can hear the fireplace making noise and rain drops on the roof. They are in the study while Elime is eavesdropping from the door that is ajar. He didn’t want to but as he stays the conversation keeps interesting.

“Don’t be too hard on Elime. He is still your son,” Elyna sounds like she is requesting his husband.

“I know Elyna. He. is. My. son. And yet he is making such foolish decisions and making big mistakes. What does he want? Ruin the name I built? The reputation I earned for years?”

Elyna sighed. He rubs his husband’s back to keep his rage low. They are afraid Elime hears them although it is too late. “He is still learning.”

“Until when he is learning?” He asks his wife. “You know sooner or later his mother will come to me and beg him, my son, to give her money. Money from the company I worked for years.”

That made Elime frowned, made him ask in his mind. “His mother?” he asks in his mind, confused at what he is hearing all of a sudden.

“I am hoping Elime will not meet his mother better yet not to know his mother.”

That was the last thing he heard before he ran back to his room. With all of the burdens, the responsibility he has right now, he didn’t come down because he is mentally tired and physically tired as of a moment. Few days of thinking of what happened that night he convinced himself that he would know the truth, but from now on he promised to make his father proud.

He did forget his love for Feb but loved her as his best friend. He made amends with his cousin and lifted up some burdens until it gave him a good breathing and a piece of peace of mind that he wanted. He is an intern at Haze Martin’s company which he befriended in the last sem of their 3rd years— Haze has a girlfriend named Diana and they are all interns at Haze Family’s company and the other two at Ashton’s company.

He made his last years fruitful and memorable until they all graduated. Of course, Leonel and Feb being a ‘Mention Tres Bien’ and the others are ‘Mention Bien’. They laughed when Elime found out that he is a ‘Mention Bien’, he didn’t expect it but his friends trusted him and he thanked them for that.

Another month passes and Elime is on his training to be the next CEO, he gets busy and busy. One morning when his father was away for a business trip a call came and sad news came with it. Elyna and Gaston, their driver, died in an ambush. Traces of another car was found and more evidence that they really were ambushed by people they still don’t know yet.

His father was a wrecked mess that time, same with Elime. Frederick became a mess because they are not the only two who are dead but also the child in Elyna’s womb, the rightful heir to the company’s throne. Elime heard his father’s loss and him too. His life drastically changed, the dream of him hearing his father's words of affirmation faded.

His friends sent him condolences in letters and emails but he needed more than that. His father needed him the most but Frederick just dumped all of his anger into his son who did nothing but to be the best in his eyes.

And when Frederick hurtful words, anger passed through his limit he got back on his feet and started fighting for himself. The two get in a fight and Elime confronts his father about his real mother but the latter dismisses that and blames him and tells his son that he is disrespecting his deceased mother by finding and knowing his real mother.

Elime doesn't understand at all.

A little bit maybe.

But his father’s eyes, it gives all the answers why he is dumping all of it into him when he did nothing wrong.

But one thing is wrong, though. He thought. He is the one wrong. Him being alive is wrong.

—

“WOW!” Dem said after hearing more of the story. A lot of words came to her head but that is the only thing that came out from her mouth. Aryn is quite the opposite, she is processing the story and the secrets that are unveiled little by little.

“I am sorry for your loss too,” Dem said after recovering from her enthusiasm. Marthe nodded, she smiled as she felt the feeling of missing the one she loved.

Dem smiled at her, sympathized with her but that didn’t stop her to ask questions. “Wait— so… it turns out he is not the son of the daughter of the Levitate Company or Aryn’s auntie. But did Elime or Mr. Elime see or meet his mother?”

“I think yes, he did.” Of course, he did. He did meet his mother but ended tragically.

—-

Elime was off at his work because they are half a day away. Before he entered their house, his dad’s house, he bumped into the mail boy and asked if he was the recipient of the letter. He nodded his head and grabbed the letter that was neatly packed in an envelope. He thanked the man and went inside his house.

The letter was from his friend, Leonel. It was clearly stated in the letter where and for who it is. He opened the letter and it was an invitation. He smiled at it because it is an honor to be invited.

The man dressed himself up and on the exact date that was indicated in the letter and address he went there.

He drove and only to find out that there is no party, no friends, and anybody but there is one. The invitation is not from Leonel but it is from his real mother who is just faking her identity to meet him without her being rejected.

Elime breathed out, closing his eyes, thinking if he was doing the correct move or not. Part of him wants to go and part of him wants to stay so that he can meet his mother, finally.

“You are now a big boy, my son,” she said, smiling at the boy.

“What is it?” he asked. He doesn't even know her name and he just wants to hear what she will be saying.

“How are you?”

“I’m fine.” he keeps his face from giving reactions as they sit by the window of the restaurant.

“Why now?” this time Elime asks her.

“W-what do you mean?”

Elime smirked. “You know what I mean.”

“What do you want for money? A house and lot? Or my father?”

“Elime!” she shouted, making the other customers look at them. She was embarrassed and just apologized to them.

“Son, you know I am not like that,”

“How can I know when you didn’t even raise me?” he replied. “And I don’t even know what I am doing here being with you in this one room.”

“I just want to know how you are doing. After all these years, I don’t have news from your family nor from your father. Are they doing alright?”

“We are doing alright. I know it is not just that, I know it is more than that. If you don’t want to say it, let me just do it.” Elime just sighs and takes out his check and signs the check with a million euro on it.

“I don’t need money!” she said. “I need you to come back to me. Let us live our lives.” she said. “I am sure no one is taking care of you there after all she is now dead.”

Elime looked at her and grinned. “Why did she die?”

“Well, it is all Jor—” His mom gulped and suddenly looked at him as if she let out a huge secret.

“N-o, I-I m-mean I-I d-don’t k-know.” she stuttered and laughed nervously. It took seconds to make herself be herself again.

“We are out of the topic, aren’t we? So, you need to come with me. I want to spend those years I am not with you, yeah?” she gulped.

Elime just kept looking at her. She is nervous, restless, tense, fidgety in her seat.

Elime stood up and got his coat and walked out but before that he was stopped by her hand.

“Please contact me if you change your mind. I miss you so much, son.”

With that he eventually left his mother without a thought of coming back to her. He has his final decision before she even asks him that question.

“Mom, you went to the wrong person.” and we that He drove away with important secrets and information in his hands.

—

He drove back to his home to find out his dad was out and went to a few bars in the city. He was devastated a big f*****g mess out there and he can’t do anything for now.

Elime spent his time being the temporary CEO and at the same time collecting clues. He has the biggest clue on his hand but he wants to get to the bottom of it.

Jordan Dreggor a businessman, he owns many businesses out and inside France. He is confused why he is targeting their company— well even dumb can say that Burgundy is on the top of the markets, the top company and the ideal one. Many rival, competitors want the company down so badly, but Elime will not let it.

The day of succession, where Frederick is now ready to pass the position of being the chief executive officer to his son, Elime Etienne died.

—

“That’s not the end of what I know but that is the last thing I knew before I lost connections due to danger from their family.” Marthe ends her storytelling with a lot of information they have in their provision.

“There is much more within the depths of what happened. I felt that it is not even half yet. I am hoping that the bits of information I gave to you, Aryn, will be helpful. I am honored to meet the daughter of the kid I’ve been raising and taking care of.” The two smiled greatly to each other.

“Thank you, Ms. Marthe!”Aryn said.

“You’re always welcome, Aryn and of course, Dem.”

—

We are now back in the car with the information we have been wanting to have. So far, so good— I guess we are progressing even just a bit.

“That was not what I expected,” Dem said beside me.

“I know. She feels warm and comfortable,” I said.

“Shall we go?” Dem asked and I nodded. We left Annemasse to go to my Aunt Melinda’s house, she is the older sister of my father. Actually, my father has 2 sisters, one is his older sister, Aunt Melinda Ashton and Aunt Leonela Ashton, her twin sister.

We will be staying for good on the shed of my amazing aunt Melinda and she is known to be a great cook. My Aunt luckily didn’t get to go to the business field but went to her dream program which is culinary. My dad supposedly went with her too but rules being rules within the succession, the boy in the family will be the successor or the next CEO in the company, but that didn’t happen for the reason I don’t know.

Travel from Annnemasse to Paris will be 5 hours and I am taking in-charge of driving our way there safely. It will be sunset when we get there for sure.

“Shall we grab our lunch now?” I asked her, she stopped looking at her phone and looked at me and said.

“Sure. I am pretty hungry now.”

The map on my phone gives us numerous stopovers with decent places to eat with our hungry tummy. I know I am broke but not anymore when I finally opened my savings from the league I won when I was still a skater. It is now being wasted in much more needed things.

I actually swore not to use that money for my future but now I can see that I cannot get to the future I am envisioning when I am not taking care of my present. All the decisions, risks, moves, and plans I have today will affect what I will be tomorrow, but before I am going to move forward and be ready for my future I must let go of my past so those mistakes from yesterday will not be the cause of my hurdles in my present.

—-

We stop for about half an hour to get our tummies full of healthy leafy foods and to save energy. Aunt Melinda also called us in the middle of our late lunch to tell us about the status of our temporary sweet home.

I really need to find work so that we will not be a burden to my Aunt as she helps us with all of these. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll really be facing the real world and decide on my own and write my own story. I hope this will be the time where something will open the door to me and prove that I can handle things myself.

If they will not take a move, I will be the one to do it, since yesterday’s secrets are now unveiled one by one. This is freedom but freedom will always be with responsibility.

“Hey, Aryn!” Dem smiled as I looked at her.

“What is it?” I asked her but that was answered when she showed me her phone and inside it said that she passed the checking of the application and they sent her the date and time for her interview. This will be the pre-interview and then they will have their final interview. I wish her luck, but the thing is if she will be getting the job, then I think that we will have little time to see each other.

She looked at me and felt like she wanted to ask me something. “Mine?” I knew what she would be asking so I preceded and it was correct.

“Don’t worry about mine because I will tell you if a company will get in touch with me. I didn’t even think of it until now. Nevertheless, I am very happy for you!” I assured her with all my heart that she would not worry. I believe that this is a phase and there will be more opportunities to come, but my opportunity to let them see what I have in store is their loss anyway.

“I know I should not worry. I am just sad that our time will be shortened.”

“It will be alright. We still don’t know that yet, but we should think positively!” I said to cheer both of us up in the meantime.

After that conversation, Dem took the last hours to take a rest as I drove all the way to the City of Love, to my dream city, Paris, France.