•He needed a wife.
She needed to pay back a favor.
•His mother suggested her name.
She didn't see why not.
•He thought he knew her.
She had some secrets she wasn't ready to share.
But surely in every web of lies, secrets must come to light, a few...
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SALIM
I was welcomed by the distinct and overpowering scent of Hungarian Chamomile immediately I stepped into my Father's office. It looked as immaculate as I remembered it to be.
There was a hazel bookcase lining the entire left-hand wall, while the far wall had a faux fireplace and a mantle dominating it's centre, with a large tv atop it. On the mantle of the fireplace sat a passé clock (an antique really) and four 5×7 marbled photo frames containing the pictures of each of his children. Behind me, on the wall that held the door were two large portraits, one of my father and the other, of my mother. Walking along the same wall, you'd see an ebony double door that led up to a patio.
My father was seated in a coffee coloured wingback that was undoubtedly his. I walked over to him, careful not to step on the silky ivory fur rug.
"Good afternoon sir." I greeted, you might find it a little odd that our greetings were as professional as possible at work yet quite the opposite once we returned home. "You requested for me?"
He looked like he was in a whirr of thoughts, but he quickly flickered his gaze to me.
"Yes, i did. Please take a seat."
I did as he said, slowly taking in the view from the floor to ceiling window behind him. The sky was a delft shade of blue, with a few stray white clouds in it's path.
"How has work been? Not too stressful I hope."
"It has been okay. A little stifles here and there but all in all, it has been good."
Surely he didn't call me over here to ask me how work has been.
"That's good." He nodded. "And your little pursuit?" I slowly realized he meant all the girls I have had to have lunches with.
There goes theice breaker.
I sighed. "Not much luck." I half-lied.
"Hmmm..."
He leaned back in his seat, linking his fingers together. He studied me for a moment with his nut brown orbs, like he was intent on finding something. I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Finally, he spoke.
"What I'm about to tell you must stay strictly between us. It mustn't leave this room. You hear me?"
I nodded. Was something wrong?
"Good." He said to me calmly. "As you well know, I started this company from scratch, with little help from some of my family members. You also know, I have maintained the position of CEO from the inception of this company, a job I have executed judiciously for the past 35 years."
