The Lady Of The House

8:35pm and it was pouring. Alice loved to walk in the rain, it soothed her especially on bad days like these, she would walk all the down to the coffee shop and read a book while the sky declared war on the earth. Today was different... "Ms. Verose. Pleasure to meet you" Mr Donovan, her brother's business partner approached her for the third time this week. If she didn't have any self control, she'd be rolling her eyes. Couldn't Charlie Donovon, the wealthy heir to the Donovan enterprise find someone else to bother? "Mr Donovan" She called with a cheerful voice that barely buried her distaste for him. "You look lovely this evening. I'm glad you could join us at the gala" He said taking her right hand and placing a kiss on it. She withdrew her hand and smiled dryly. "would you like to dance?" he asked. "No. I have a headache. I can't move around or I might pass out or throw up" She lied. He grimaced at the thought of his expensive Armani suit being drenched in Alice loved to walk in the rain, it soothed her especially on bad nights like these, she would walk all the down to the window and read a book while the sky declared war on the earth. Today was different... "Ms. Verose. Pleasure to meet you" Mr Donovan, her brother's business partner approached her for the third time this week. If she didn't have any self control, she'd be rolling her eyes. Couldn't Charlie Donovon, the wealthy heir to the Donovan enterprise find someone else to bother? "Mr Donovan" She called with a cheerful voice that barely buried her distaste for him. "You look lovely this evening. I'm glad you could join us at the gala" He said taking her right hand and placing a kiss on it. She withdrew her hand and smiled dryly. "would you like to dance?" he asked. "No. I have a headache. I can't move around or I might pass out or throw up" She lied. He grimaced at the thought of his expensive Armani suit being drenched in vomit and then he steps aside. "Alright. I guess I'll see you around then" he finally said before disappearing into crowd of the city's high and mighty. Alice had lived through 21 of these galas and events to throw money at other people's faces and she had hated every single one of them. Her obligations to her family's name forced her through them all. After all, She was the only daughter of the Verose family and after seeing it one too many times, She had come to terms with the fact that she would end up getting married to one of these slobs swaying in the room. God forbid it's Charlie. Charlie had been around the Verose family all her life and she had hated him all through out. Marrying him was out of the question she could barely stand the narcissist. At 21, Alice was accomplished. The pride of her father. She had graduated from college and taken part in the family's business. Getting married was something she did not look forward to... She wasn't a hopeless romantic and all her expectations of what love looked or felt like had withered away. You can't find love in Heath. A popular saying around those parts. The men are misogynistic and narcissistic and the women are either too loose and wild or cheeky and sassy. The city people would say. Heath was the city of business and profit. Heath was the city of sin. It was Sodom and Gomorrah disguised as heaven. oh but it felt like heaven... looked like it even but there was always more than what's on the surface. A ringing noise came from her lilac colored purse, she opened it and it was a call from her house keeper, Lola. "Lola? is everything ok? how's my dad?" "Everything's not fine. He had a stroke and he's currently in the hospital" The older woman explained with panic and concern laced in her tone. "what? where's Cal?" She asked about her brother. "He's here right now. Please come to the hospital" "I'm on my way" She hung up, lifted her dress and started running out into the pouring rain. Today, the rain didn't provide comfort or peace. It only made her worry even more. Drenched, she arrived at the parking lot and took the keys from the valet. she couldn't find the driver so she got into the car and drove as fast as she could. "if he has another stroke, I'm afraid he might not survive it" Those were the doctor's words the last time. "Stupid Rain!" She yelled. It was getting harder to see in the dark as the rain came down vengefully. And then her vision adjusted right before she heard the loud horns of a truck, she struggled to turn the car. The truck collided with the side of the black camaro sending her twirling in the air before hitting the railings on the road. Blood. red. Darkness. Rain. lights flashing. Distant voice yelling. Dad? Where's my dad?. And then it went dark