Chapter 2
2117 Words
Arya's search for the father of her two months old fetus had brought her to fort cannon. She was looking forward to confronting Richard Jr after her family, although it was her father’s decision send her away to live on her own. A graduate with papers but the gods had not smiled upon her. She had no job at least not a white collar job that was worth her papers. Arya was a waitress at a popular eatery that was close to club Leviticus. She had managed to rent a house with the money Richard left her when she woke up that day in a hotel.
Unlike other girls in the celebrity pregnancy scandals, Arya did not run to the media to make it loud. When they had the one night stand no one was there with them. The media already had a glimpse of what Richard Jr was about. The woman in question she was watching that evening in the eatery TV was not her. It was another girl.
"Thank you for eating here, welcome again", Arya said is using a client a receipt.
"Thank you too, your service is exemplary", the client said.
"Am humbled"
She continued picking orders from different clients. Arya had not thought about what she was going to tell Richard Jr when she finally got a chance to meet him. All she wanted was an assurance that their baby was not going to live off on the streets. She wanted him to know that his baby was somewhere and was cared for. And all that she wanted to do it without tainting his image. Walking through the doors of his castle or his office would have done exactly that. That's why she had not gone there. What she wanted was someone to connect her, to give her a private audience with him. At heart she also knew there were two ways it could have gone for her. The first one being Richard jr taking responsibility and the second one chasing her out back on the streets, calling her a liar and blackmailer who was after money or offering the money itself. The latter had more chance of happening especially after she heard his father Ben Richards’s press release on his son sleeping around. She would have taken whatever he was going to throw at her.
"You did well today you can go home", the manager said.
"Thank you sir I was kindly asking if you can give me this month’s advance am short on rent", she said.
"Arya my dear, you have been here for a month you don't get to ask for advance", He said walking away.
She followed him closely.
"Please sir", She begged.
"No, I can't do that go home I expect you to be here tomorrow on time", He said.
"I beg sir I will get thrown out the landlord gave me a couple of days" she said.
"Okay we can reach an agreement", He said.
Her face lit up when the showed signs of helping her. Poor village girl or let's call her an unexposed girl. She had no idea in Fort cannon city nothing came for free there was always a catch. Favors were repaid by even more demanding favors.
"Am. Listening", she said.
"Find me in two hours and let's see what we can do”, He said giving a key card.
That's when it hit her. He was asking for s*x. The last time she had s*x she got pregnant and got thrown out by her own father. Her mother and brother couldn't do much but wish her luck. And there he was, her manager asking her to make the same mistake. It was painful.
"Am sorry sir but am not that kind of a girl", she said returning the key card.
He had not booked a hotel far away, it was the nearby club Leviticus. When she did return key card, ted the Manger was surprised. A man of his caliber was not used to being turned down.
"Then am sorry I can't help you", he said walking away
Ted thought that maybe she was going to come after him begging. But when he turned around she was walking away. Perhaps she was not like other girls. What she had and he knew it was a breaking point. Everyone has a break point and a point of no return and you once you know the difference you have them at your disposal.
She was disappointed. Ted was not the first person to ask her for s*x that week. The landlord did too and she thought maybe ted was going to help. Arya changed from her white apron, red dress and white shirt with black doll shoes. She put on a denim jacket and a trouser. Her mind was far away from her body. She checked her phone. There was one missed call from her mum with a voice mail.
"Arya dear am worried about you. Your dad is too it’s just that he can't show it. Call me when you get this I need to know you are okay"
She dialed her mother's number. The phone went through.
"Mum I told you my working hours", she complained walking out of the eatery.
"I know but I was so worried how are you? Have you found him yet?" She asked.
"No, am. Working on it how is everyone mum?" Arya asked.
"They are fine they miss you. All of them including your father" She said.
"I miss them too but this is my life now we can't change that. Let me get home I will call you later mum"
"Okay if you need anything don't hesitate to call me"
"I will mum bye"
It was hard for her to see her mum sad but what was sadder was the fact that she had no idea when it will stop. She had no idea when her life was going to be normal again. All she wanted was normal.
******
"Sir your dad said you must attend dinner", Carol Richard Jr's secretary said standing at his door.
"BR doesn't usually call us for dinner something has happened I must go soon", he said.
"Should I tell the driver to prepare the car?" She asked.
"Yes, what do I pay you for?" he asked rhetorically swinging on his huge comfortable chair.
His desk was huge, hardwood and well furnished. Behind him was a large window from there he could see the sprawling town, he could also enjoy the warm breeze from the ocean on his balcony. He was the CEO of Richardson Empire, an heir to the empire and his father's favorite son. Only son since his sister Amber died.
He got up from his seat, picked his coat from the stand and completed his three suit. He admired himself in the mirror and smiled. The blue business suit and Italian brown leather shoes made him look like money. He took one look at his Rolex and walked out of his office. On his way out he met his secretary coming back.
"Am going home ensure everything is in place", he ordered.
"Okay sir have a good evening", She said.
"You too"
As he walked out employees kept saying their greetings others bowed in respect as their boss, the prince and son of their senior boss walked through. His only friend at the office Kyle, others were merely employees who joined him. Some employees thought he was just being a lap dog for favors and promotions but Richard Jr had a real soft spot for him one that even himself could not explain. Kyle was lovable, one couldn't help it but love him, outgoing, smart and above all good at cracking jokes. No one could stay sad for long around him.
"Dude you look like you are in a hurry", he said both of them getting in the lift. He had a black suit white shirt, red tie.
"Within this walls am your boss you should address me with respect mate", Richard Jr said.
"You are kidding am your friend men, probably your only friend in this huge office", Kyle said pressing the lift button.
"Am not Kyle, BR called for a dinner you remember the last time he called such meeting?" Jr asked.
"Yeah you got married the following week and you lived happily ever after"
"Enough with the sarcasm you want to come? You can tell Leila you are with me am sure age will understand", He said the two of them walking to the parking lot.
His Rolls Royce was already opened with the driver standing by the door waiting for him to hop in and lock the door.
"Probably I should come up with another excuse that one will land me in trouble before I even get into actual trouble"
"You are coming or not?"
"Coming but you will have to pay for my cab"
"Don't worry James will drop you now hop in before I change my mind"
Kyle jumped in right away. They poured themselves glasses of champagne and talked about girls, business and sports. Mostly they talked about business. Despite being filthy rich Scott Richard Jr was smart, he had gone to school got a BA in business management. The drive from the office to their castle was short, depending on which car one was traveling in. For a brand new Rolls Royce with a maximum speed of three hundred and sixty kilometers per hour it took them half an hour.
There was a black gate behind it well trimmed lawns with white head lumps, tarmacked road leading to the castle that was almost a hundred meters away. At the gate were guards with dogs, constant twenty four hour surveillance with closed circuit television cameras and an electric fence. In the right was the lake and the forest with a golf strip, in the left was a small tennis and basketball pitch. Ben Richards himself was a golf fan, Scott Richards loved tennis and both of them including Melisa and Richards mum Angela Richards were fans of basketball. The castle was painted white, it was three storeyed with close to fifteen bed rooms excluding the kitchen and other rooms, a music room, a gym room, master kitchen, and winery, dining room and two living rooms. Behind it was a swimming pool, and a large garden with a park where the family rested.
It was run by a staff of thirty employees under the stewardship of Paul whiskers as the chief butler. Close to five cooks, a grounds an, a driver and security, maids and gardener. When Scott and Kyle got out Paul met them.
"Good evening Richards Jr your dad has been waiting", he said. Before he answered he acknowledged Kyle, "good evening Kyle nice to see you again"
"It’s always pleasure to see you Paul", Kyle said.
Scott Richards was still on his phone.
"Any idea why dad wants dinner with everyone?" He asked keeping his iPhone in his breast pocket.
"You know your father, he doesn't give details welcome in”, He said pointing towards the house.
Kyle and Scott walked in, the large doors at the entrance were opened by the guards. The interior of the house was also painted white with expensive art hanging on the walls, marble floors. Comfortable coaches on the right with a wall unit TV and console in front of it, on the left was a dining room with an almost five meter long Grey table with chairs surrounding it. Above it was a chandelier, and in the middle was a base of flowers and a fruit basket with all kinds of fruits. Ben's chair could be identified easily at the far end. It was red unlike the other chairs that were Grey too.
"Welcome sir anything to drink for you and your guest?" The maid asked staring down.
"Champagne for the both of us" Kyle said.
She looked at Scott. He just smiled and nodded.
"Right away sir", she said walking away.
There were two flights of stairs leading upstairs, they were furnished in gold color, the staircase was tiled brown.
"Let me check on Melissa, Paul will take care of you", Scott said rushing upstairs.
"Okay dude", Kyle said.
Paul didn't have to take care of him. Kyle knew his way in the house. He even had a room where he could sleep so he excused Paul, the guy had a lot of preparations to make anyone who had ever attended a Richards family dinner would have known the extend of stress and pressure he was under.
- Writer
