When I Met You

Chapter 2 (Damien's POV)

The bar was flooded with flashy lights. I sat alone in the VIP room, holding my half-finished Bacardi. I was drunk, I knew it, but I couldn't seem to drop the glass. I didn't like alcohol, but today, that burning sensation brought me comfort. It made my head feel lighter, the noise dimmed, and the lights got brighter. For a moment, it was just me in my own world, away from all my thoughts.

I took another swig from my glass. I watched as it left my hands and collided with the ground, breaking into a million pieces, but I didn't feel anything.

I closed my eyes, and I saw him. The man I despised, face set in a hard line, cold eyes that had never shown care once, and a frown permanently etched on his face. His mouth twitched in disgust, and he shook his head. “Even now, you're still a disgrace.”

I hadn't heard his voice in five years, but it sounded the same. Cold and demeaning.

For years, I had imagined this. Seeing him again and telling him everything I felt. Shouting at him, blaming him, saying words that shouldn't be said to one's father. But now, I couldn't even open my mouth. I just stared at him till he disappeared. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was a failure.

My eyes opened, and I was met with the face of a stranger. The person in the mirror was entirely different. His hair was scattered, his buttons slightly mismatched, and there was a stain on his shirt. The Damien Vance I knew would never be caught dead like this, even with a gun pointed at him. This stranger looked at me in disgust. I couldn't blame him. Damien would never have cracked; he would never have made such a mistake, one that would cost the future of the company.

My phone rang, but the first thing I caught sight of was a notification. At the very top were the headlines, bold and bright - “THE LEGACY WAR; Is The Future of NexSteel Really in Better Hands?” I switched it off, a twisted laugh escaping my lips. I really commended the press. They had a knack for pissing people off.

My phone lit up, a name I had been expecting appearing on the screen. I watched it ring, not feeling any guilt nor relief. Finally, I picked up.

“Damien, what the hell was that?” came a sharp voice, nothing like the steady voice she always had. I didn't reply.

“Answer me! Do you know how much damage you've caused? How many articles I've had to take down!” She paused, “Your father gave you everything, yet you dare insult his name?! He was right, you're pathetic. I don't know why I ever thought you would change.” Her words cut through the layers of protection I had carefully crafted during the years; there was a pang in my chest. Words threatened to spill out of my mouth, but I forced them back.

“Gerard is threatening to pull out.” She scoffed. “Do you know how much begging I had to do? Me. Beg!” “I know you hated your father, but I didn't think you were stupid enough to tell the whole world about it. At a f*****g memorial!” I froze. The woman who was the definition of prim and proper had just sworn. For the first time in years, I felt something I had buried deep - fear.

She took a breath. “Maybe I should let him. Maybe I should let the board appoint another CEO.”

“Motherrrrr-” My voice came out with a slur, and I knew I had made a big mistake.

There was a pause. “Damien, are you drunk?” I didn't answer.

“Everyone is looking for a way to clean this mess you created, yet here you are getting wasted. You're pathetic.” The call ended.

I looked around at my surroundings. The floor was covered in glass and a clear liquid. It was time to leave; I had done enough damage. I got up, dropping a 100 dollar tip on the table. That would shut them up.

The parking lot was almost empty. A few people were huddled up together at a corner, smoking.

My Ford Mustang waited peacefully at the edge. I envied it. Reluctantly, I got into the car and drove out.

The clouds were a dull shade of blue. They were beautiful, but not as beautiful as the night sky. I loved the night. When I was a child, I'd stay on the roof just watching the stars dance and try to identify the constellations. That was before I became overwhelmed with work and forgot that part of myself.

As I drove, the clouds became darker, a grey-blue hue. I had this urge to stop and watch them move, but I knew I had to return. To my mother and the facade that I was.

I put on some music. It was an instrumental, slow, calm and peaceful. But I wasn't. I felt hot, losing breath. I ripped the buttons off my shirt, but it did nothing. The air conditioner was on, but I wound the windows down regardless. A gush of fresh air entered the car, and finally, I could breathe.

The car kept on going. I veered off into another road flooded with streetlights. Nighttime had come. At first, the lights were normal, but as time went by, they morphed. They started getting bigger and bigger till they became blinding. I covered my eyes, letting go of the steering wheel, and that's when I saw it. A dark figure amidst the lights. I blinked twice, and the lights were gone, but it wasn't. I slammed my foot on the brakes, but it was too late. Move! I screamed. Why wasn't it moving? We locked eyes. It was a young woman. Her face was contorted into a mix of fear and surprise. She was petrified.