Checkmate

Chapter 6

Keira-Lee

The dinner with our parents weren’t as fun as it normally would have been, my mom and dad were acting strange and the thing is they have never been the type to pretend something they are not, normally it was written all over them. They hardly touched each other, if they even did. It bothered me, as we left the restaurant and got into the car after Mr. Clark took care of the bill. My dad and Kade’s dad having a power struggle about who’s paying. And after saying our good-bye’s I couldn’t help but feel like they were hiding something from me. Kade opened up the car door and helped me get in, “what’s on your mind baby, you have been quiet tonight?” I needed to get this out, to talk to someone. “My parents are acting strange, like really weird.” He pulled into traffic and glanced at me “what do you mean?” I turned towards him “my parents never pretend around other people, we are the crazy family, we speak our minds, and normally they cannot keep their hands off of each other. They constantly kiss, and part of the reason I used to move out into the dorm rooms back in college is because I caught them on the dining room table. I’ll never get that picture out of my head.” He snickered “every single relationship has its ups and downs. My parents aren’t happily married constantly, they do have their struggles.” Although the way he said it looked like he cringed, “well mine doesn’t my mom and dad are all up into each other, they have something special, something I have wanted my entire life. Real, in a world full of fake smiles and fake friends, their love is true and real. And whatever they are going through I am sure they would work through it and come out stronger.” We stopped at the red light and he turned slightly to me “you feel the fakeness to?” I gave him my sad smile “that’s why I only have Jenna, she’s the only friend I have, mostly because she knows how it feels like to be surrounded by a sea of people, but they all just want something from you. Don’t get me wrong, I love giving That’s why I volunteer, but being used and everybody pretending to be your friends because they want to talk to your dad. Yeah, I know how it feels to feel completely and utterly alone, even surrounded by people. Never truly knowing what their intentions are” Someone honk the hooter behind us and we both saw the light turned green, “I feel it to, like you never know who will stay and who will go.” I looked over at him and even though he was driving I could see it “I guess it comes with the price we pay for having parents with money huh, everybody else look up at us thinking we have it all yet some of them have more than we do. Sometimes I feel like people judge us because we don’t talk about our struggles. We all fight demons just some bigger than others.” He gave me a small smile and at first I thought he might be cocky but surprised me “You know, I see it like this, money can buy you everything. But true friendships.” I started chuckling at this because oh boy was he wrong about the first part.” No, money can buy you everything you want, nothing you need Kade. It can’t buy you friendships, but it can’t buy you happiness either, that’s something that comes from inside. It cannot buy you respect that’s something that must be earned, it cannot buy you humility that’s part of your character. It cannot buy you love that’s something that grows, it cannot buy you health or life that is something you have to take care of. And it cannot buy you admiration or adoration that’s something that comes from who you are. We live in a world where we can buy everything but earn nothing unless we realize what money can and cannot buy.” He stopped the car right there and then and turned and looked me straight in the eyes, “you are far to wise for your age.” He looked stunned his eye pupils dilating “And just because you have a degree does not make you wise, life lessons do. I am privileged to still have both my grandparents and if volunteering does not keep me humble, they do. Every time I go to visit, I get onto my horse and ride. I feel the wind blowing in my hair and the feeling of freedom, I bake and cook with grandma and assist grandpa with the fence, we unload the hay and clean out the stables. Working with them, it makes me feel normal and sometimes we need people to remind us that no matter how much we have most people are not that privileged and to never stop giving and never stop earning, life is too short to waste time thinking you are better than everybody else.” He couldn’t shake the surprised look in his eyes even if he tried. We pulled away and the rest of the drive were in silence, we both had a lot to think about and I couldn’t shake the feeling of my parents. We got home and tonight there was no games, no pranks. We both kept by the rules, and took separate showers, got into bed and fell asleep. Tomorrow is a new day and with everything the last couple of days, I needed a day off.

That next morning, I was up early, I had a hairdresser appointment to fix the mess my husband created. But it did give me the confidence do what I have wanted to do since forever, I was going all full-blown color I have never been the type to do anything half way. I was up for something new and I am planning rainbow hair baby, all fun and sexy, I know it doesn’t really fit the idea of being the wife of one of the famous billionaires, but who gave a s**t. I also planned to stop by his office and make it known that I am his wife and take him lunch and coffee only, with a little surprise in the coffee. I knew he had a long day full of meetings so I wanted to make this a terrible day, hey don’t judge me I can be his greatest blessing or his worst nightmare. I am f*****g crazy, and like I said wall of shame wall of fame. I started off with breakfast with Jenna, we talked and I told her all about my ideas and how it was going. We got caught up and she told me about working for her dad and how awful he is, I wondered if Kade would appoint her as his personal assistant that way I would be able to have a inside man surrounding every single thing he does. Might be one of the best plans yet, she hated working for her dad. She was lively and crazy just like me. She was far from having her s**t together and this is the worst thing about being in your twenties, you have no idea what you’re doing we envied those who pretended they do. We were just out here winging it, they constantly fought since she had no freedom of being spontaneous and creative figuring things out all on her own. She had to do it his way or no way, and the restrictions did not work for her. She was the only heir and with that came huge responsibilities, and it weighed on her. I mean so was I but my dad never forced me to follow in his footsteps, I was allowed to do with my life however I saw fit. Well, until the arrange marriage. But I still had the right to divorce the son of a b***h, last night’s heart to heart did not change my perspective regarding his arrogance. I had it all planned out, and followed by a plan B if all else fails. After breakfast I had my hair done the best hairdresser in the whole city the hairdresser asked what I wanted to do, she cringed when she saw the lavender color. “Me and my husband are finding ourselves in the mist of a prank war” she started laughing and grabbed a piece of my hair “no kidding, I wonder whose wining” I gave her a side smile “honey I can fix my hair, he has blue dye covering him from head to toe. There is no fixing that one” Her eyes widened “I would not mess with you ever.” We discussed not having my hair cut, since I loved the length and didn’t want to lose an inch. She worked miracles and was the best artist I have ever met, when I left that place I felt renewed confidence I have never felt before, everybody stared and loved my outfit with the hair color. Since I knew what I was planning to do I decided on a bright floral dress, with bright colors. The dress showed just enough boob action and tight fitted around my tiny waist until it reached my hips, where it then flowed elegantly to just above my knees. I paired the dress with white open toe heels and a white bag. My makeup was done by the makeup artist inside in all different colors and I loved every single part of my look, I grabbed my husband coffee and lunch on my way to his office building. I threw in the little surprise before I walked inside. The security guard looked me up and down, he made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Until I asked if I could see my husband Kade Collins. His eyes widened and I could see him starting to back paddle a little bit, I was directed to the elevator to the right and took a minute to appreciate the architecture of the building. It was a 50-floor building, all glass, elegant. The first floor was completely dashed out in gold, red and black the colors as their logo. Collins Security and Co. The place looked masculine and most of the people were men, big build and I knew one of their specialties is only having security- and bodyguards that had marine or navy experience. They must be highly qualified. Stating trust, yourself with experience, I actually liked that. It had the feeling of safety and security, power and strength. The only art against the walls were those of war scenes dating back from the early 1800’s it gave the atmosphere of protection. The waiting area was complemented with black couches and a small coffee stand stood in the corner, a huge big screen tv mounted against the far wall, the place screamed luxury. I made my way to the elevator and pressed the button for the 50th floor. “I received a text, you coming up to see me baby?” I texted back “Yes, I brought you lunch and coffee.” Just then the elevator dinged and the doors slide open. In front was a big sign stating the logo and the now familiar artistic design. I turned to the left passing through two big glass double doors. The place was deathly quite unlike my dad’s place which is always buzzing and busy, the place was so silent that the moment the receptionist welcomed me everybody looked up at us. “I am here to see my husband, Kade Collins?” That had the whole place started whispering. But she smiled politely at me, she was much older than me and her hair was pinned into a sleek bun at the back. Stretching out her hand she introduced herself as Natalie, I introduced myself in return and she walked me to Kade’s office we walked through a really big hall and the door to his office was open and I could see someone in there with him. But the moment he saw me he froze, and he couldn’t hide the look on his face when our eyes connected. His gaze travelling from up to down and then back again, he started walking towards me. Natalie stepped forward “Mr. Collins your wife is here to see you.” He just nodded “I can see that thank you Natalie” She turned around to leave, but smiled at me first. I stepped into his big office, also dashed out in gold black and red. One of his friends turned around and his jaw dropped to the floor. “f**k woman you look incredible.” I couldn’t help the blush as I could feel my cheeks and ears reddening. “Thank you” I stretched out my hand “Keira-Lee Collins” He shook my hand in return “Caleb Colton, it’s really nice to finally meet you.” He excused himself and turned to leave, his lips saying “Holy s**t” did not go unnoticed as I turned my full attention towards my husband. He looked proud? Like can that be? “You look breathtaking, I love your hair.” I blushed once again and handed him hid coffee and lunch “thank you, this is yours. You said you will be in meetings all day long, so you know. I thought you might get hungry.” His eyes sparked to life and lit up “thank you baby, you know I am starving but I would like to eat you instead. But hey, I can’t complain right?” I just rolled my eyes, he sat down and started eating even though there was take away trash in the dustbin, and I knew he already had lunch, even if it looked like he hasn’t eaten in a decade. He tossed back the coffee as if it was a damn shooter, I just took a look around the office. It was so beautiful, yet so cold. I got the reception area, but hell he spent 8-10 hours a day at work, it had to be and feel more homey right, less stiff and cold. No pictures against the walls, unlike my dad’s whose office is always filled with pictures of his family. The windows were from floor to ceiling and the view from up here was breathtaking. “The place is cold” he slightly turned towards me “I don’t know I am burning alive here, but I guess I could switch up the heat.” I looked at him like what?” No, I mean the office feels cold, there is no life in here, no pictures nothing.” He took a look around, “hard to hang pictures against the glass don’t you think?” I pointed to the wall on the other side, there’s a lot of space.” Oh, yeah, I guess I could hang something there, but I got this office after my dad retired. I don’t live in here so I don’t really care.” Right, I forgot this guy has no feelings, “Okay, then I should go. See you later? I mean it’s Saturday, you work on Saturdays?” He nodded “just today, I was a little backed up with meetings so we had to schedule it for today, but I am off tomorrow.” Well okay then workaholic you do your thing and I’ll do mine. “I am going out tonight with Jenna, don’t wait up.” His eyes focused slowly on me, “okay, I won’t wait up.” After we said our good-byes, I decided I needed a break so I called up Jenna. “Hey you want to go out tonight?” She laughed over the speaker “Do I ever, Hell yes.”