The (Bill)ionaire

Chapter 2: Woods INC

Present day
Clarke heard the door open behind her and turned to see her mother walking in. She was wearing her white coat and a stethoscope around her neck, the signs of her profession as a doctor. She looked tired and sad, but she managed to smile at Clarke.

"Hey, honey. How are you doing?" she asked, walking over to Clarke and hugging her.

"I'm okay, Mom. How are you?" Clarke replied, returning the hug.

"I'm fine. Just busy with work. You know how it is." Her mother sighed and looked at her father's motionless face. "How is he today?"

"The same as always. No change." Clarke said, trying to sound hopeful.

Her mother nodded and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry, honey. I wish there was something we could do for him."

"Me too, Mom. Me too." Clarke said, feeling a lump in her throat.

Her mother checked the time on her watch and frowned. "I'm afraid you have to go now, Clarke. Visiting hour is over."

Clarke nodded and kissed her father's forehead. "Bye, Dad. I love you." She whispered.

She got up and grabbed her backpack. She followed her mother out of the room, glancing back at her father one last time. She wondered if he could hear her if he knew she was there, if he still loved her. She hoped he did.

Leaving the hospital Clarke walked towards the bus station, she had taken the bus to school. Ever since the accident, Clarke hadn't dared to drive on her own. When the bus arrived nearly 10 minutes late, like always, Clarke boarded the bus and found an empty seat near the window. She put on her headphones and tried to relax while staring through the window.

Unfortunately for Clarke relaxing was something she hadn't been able to do in a while as her mind was consistently filled with thoughts of her father. Although she always tried to stay optimistic, lately she started to believe her father would never wake up, and she hated herself for having those thoughts. She hates herself for a lot of things, her father being in the hospital in the first place was something she blamed herself for, for example. She was the one who wanted to go to the art exhibition which they were driving home from when the accident happened.

Her thoughts get interrupted by the bus driver announcing they reached the last bus stop. Normally the bus would go to one more station close to her home, but due to construction the bus couldn't drive there so Clarke had to walk another 15 minutes towards her house. Stepping out of the bus the first thing she lays her eyes on is the gigantic building with the letters Woods INC. on top of it. Woods INC Is a company owned by one of the people she hates most in the entire world: Lexa Woods. Although Clarke and Lexa never met, she hates Lexa Woods with every fiber of her being. She hated her for being rich and powerful, for being arrogant, ruthless, smart, and to the opinion of almost everyone very charming and extremely attractive, but most of all she hated her for her father, Titus Woods.

Titus had ruined Jakes's life even before the accident. Jake had worked for the Woods company owned by Titus, that specializes in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, as a senior researcher until he discovered that Lexa's father, Titus, was involved in illegal and unethical experiments on human subjects. He tried to expose him, but Titus with all the power and money he has managed to frame Jake for theft and sabotage, and had him fired and blacklisted from the industry. And although Lexa had her own company, a technology company, she still hated her, because she was sure Lexa was just like her father.

As Clarke walks a little further she notices a big billboard that hadn't been there this morning, with Lexa's face on it. It is an advertisement for Woods INC's latest product a smart bracelet that can monitor the health and well-being of the wearer and alert them of any potential risks or problems. The smart bracelet could also connect to other devices and services, such as smartphones, smart homes, health care providers, and emergency responders, to provide personalized and timely assistance. The smart bracelet could use sensors, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology to collect and analyze data, such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, stress level, sleep quality, activity level, and location. The smart bracelet could also provide feedback and suggestions to the wearer, such as reminding them to drink water, take medication, exercise, or relax. The smart bracelet could also detect signs of distress or danger, such as a heart attack, a fall, or a kidnapping, and automatically contact the appropriate authorities or loved ones. The smart bracelet could be a useful and innovative product that could improve the quality of life and safety of millions of people around the world, with the slogan "Woods INC: Making the world a better place" beneath it.

Clarke felt a surge of anger and disgust. She wanted to smash that billboard, to wipe that smug smile off Lexa's face, to make her pay for what her father did to Jake. How could someone who has never had to do anything in their life have all this money and power, while people like her father who had been honest and worked hard their entire lives get rewarded for their work by getting into a (fatal) accident?

Clarke quickened her pace, trying to ignore the billboard and the anger it stirred in her, but couldn't help but wonder what Lexa would be like in person. She had never seen her face to face, only on TV or on the internet. She had heard stories about her, though. How she was a genius and a prodigy, how she had started her own company at the age of 18, how she had revolutionized the technology industry with her inventions and innovations, how she had won numerous awards and accolades, how she had donated millions of dollars to various charities and causes, how she had a loyal and devoted fan base that adored her and defended her from any criticism or attack. Clarke didn't buy any of it. She was sure Lexa was just a spoiled and selfish brat, who had inherited everything from her father and didn't care about anyone but herself. She was sure Lexa was just a puppet of Titus, who used her company as a front for his illegal and unethical activities. She was sure Lexa was just a liar and a manipulator, who used her charm and charisma to deceive and seduce people into doing what she wanted. She was sure Lexa was just a monster, who deserved nothing but pain and misery.

Once she got home Clarke made herself a quick meal, took a shower, and went straight to bed. All the thoughts of her father and the Woods family made her exhausted and she couldn't wait to fall asleep.