THE SECRETARY'S REVENGE

Chapter 4

✨✨JEREMY WHITE✨✨

In the past two years I've lived in New York, driving alone in my car were moments of solitude. I loved to admire the beautiful view and let myself feel the environment to the fullest.

But tonight was different, tonight I let a woman sit with me in my alone time and was about to drop her off at her destination. I wasn't sure why I offered to drive her, it wasn't because she was my employee. I sure didn't care for such affiliations. It might've been out of pity.

A part of me knew why, for the past few days I've been thinking and reading lots of books about self-awareness. Some cliche best-selling authors I found rotting away in my library and decided to have a look. There were lots of things that should have impacted me and one of them might be almsgiving or rather in a much more polite word, generosity.

"What's your destination?" I asked, breaking the silence that filled the air. She seemed to be out of it because she jolted at the sound of my voice.

"Kings drugstore, downtown," she muttered without hesitation.

"I was headed there too, lucky you," I replied. What a coincidence that I was just about driving to the same location to get a refill on my drugs. Charlie my buddy owned the store, he had me covered with whatever I needed.

I typed in our location and revved the engines monstrously on the highway. You'd think a man of my caliber shouldn't make purchases at such local stores especially when I ran a multi-billion dollar pharmaceuticals company and would get a discount at least, but privacy was my uttermost priority. I didn't want the paparazzi or my dad prying into my life. It was enough that they invaded my privacy at home and work.

At the drugstore, I went for a quick call at the bathroom while I let Miss Wembley get whatever it was she needed. Upon my return to the store, she wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Hey Charlie, good to see you," I greeted when it was my turn.

"Good to see you too man, here for your prescriptions?" He smiled, he was a cheerful youth.

"Yes please, how is your mom? Is she back from Hawaii?" I recalled the last time we spoke, he talked about his family and how they can now afford to send their mom on expensive trips because of me. He was pulling my legs.

"She is super excited for her next trip thanks to you." he chipped in, teasing me.

I gave him an appreciative nod. "So long as our deal stands," I replied, reminding him of the only reason why I still patronized him and that was because he respected my privacy.

"Have you seen a young lady in a blue_?" I thought hard about the color of her dress, was it blue or black? I couldn't tell. I got frustrated that I couldn't pay more attention to little details, so I paid for my purchase and bid my friend goodbye.

I saw her standing by a phone boot, lost in thought. But what caught my attention was that her hands were empty, it looked like she didn't buy anything.

"You weren't able to make the purchase?" I asked, startling her. I realized then she was wearing a navy blue dress. Nice.

She held her bosom, her eyes weary with tiredness, I hoped. "I—I just realized it wasn't that important anyway. Thanks for the lift I'll find my way around," she spoke in a hushed tone like she was scared of speaking out loud. I guess she felt uncomfortable around me, it's understandable but before I could respond her phone rang and she quickly answered.

"Mum?" Her voice sounded surprised. "Is that you mum?" She asked and waited for a second before breaking down into fits of tears.

I stood perplexed, I didn't understand the plot twist. Was I supposed to leave at this point or give her a shoulder to cry on? I doubted that I could be of any help at this point so I chose the former, I turned and left.

Women were too dramatic for me, it's hard to handle their emotional rollercoaster. By the time I got to my car, I knew I wasn't heading home soon because I heard her call out to me in her teary voice.

"I'm sorry to be such a nuisance to you but can you please drive me to the federal hospital?"

I stood, watching her with an expressionless attitude enough to scare anyone away but she didn't seem to care.

She began "My mother just woke up after two weeks in comatose and I have to go see her right now." she spoke all at once hoping that that would convince me enough to help her.
The words mother and comatose struck me so I instinctively let the doors open and we drove off to our next destination, she sniffled all the way.

"Are you okay?" I had to ask. She was so focused on her phone that you'd think she was scared of getting another call on it.

"Miss Wembley," I called, again.

"Annie, you can call me Annie. I'm fine—I just_" she held her breath for a minute before continuing with what she was saying "I don't want to lose her, my mother. She's the only thing that keeps me going every single day of my life. I wake up and remember I have to fight for her then I feel motivated to go about my day in search of a better life for her and my sister. I don't think it's such a bad wish for someone to want right?" Her teary eyes met mine but she wasn't bothered by my silence.

"All my life I've had to struggle to keep either of my parents alive, dad didn't make it through but Mum will.'' she ranted on and on while I took my time driving, I thought how lucky she was to still have a mother, unlike mine who left me when life threw daggers at me.

First, I realized I didn't know this lady at all, she put on this superhuman face at the office and then proceeded to be a damsel in distress by night. Who knew she had such huge responsibilities aside from being my secretary?

I've had my fair share of losses so I understand how she felt. I hardly spoke about my brother's death nor did I mention the near-death experiences I had after Mum died. I bottled my feelings like a teenager would and let life throw anything at me.

I watched Miss Wembley rush into the hospital after leaping out of the car before I could properly turn off the ignition. She was trembling and it felt all too familiar. That was me years back when I got that phone call from Dad the night Mum died. I was a mess, I had cried like an orphan until my voice cracked but nobody consoled me, I did.

At home, I heaved a sigh of relief noting how free I am from everything. I avoided hospitals, they were part of my nightmares. They brought back memories I'd rather leave buried.

My home was a typical bachelor condo. A comfy neat living room with the best of interior designs one could pick up from years of living in Europe. The warmth created when the lush furniture blended sufficiently was top notch and with proper lighting, the mood was set. I loved that I decorated it myself and to my taste.

As I walked through the living room, I perceived the fresh smell of lasagna my chef had prepared before retiring. Dinner was one thing I survived on. I could do away with breakfast and lunch since I hardly had time during the day.

Dinner was my only option, but today I was too exhausted to eat, my periods of hunger were over. It would be wrong of me to take my meds on an empty stomach but I also didn't want to have a late-night meal. These thoughts bugged my mind until I decided I might as well retire to bed.

My body said otherwise, I felt a pang of ache in my head like they were drilling holes in them, I tugged at my neck tie for comfort and waited for it to subside. My eyes got blurry and the second I tried helping myself to my room it worsened, I groaned when the ache increased.

Clenching my fists on the nearby counter, I made another attempt to move but fell to the cold floor, my hands shattering what was left on the kitchen counter before I blacked out.