Endings: Book One

Chapter Eight : Boring Surprises

I've met multiple souls in multiple forms: I've met serenity, I've met chaos, I've met inconsistency and I've met faith. Within all that, I've witnessed darkness and I've witnessed the light. And when either is excessive, reality fades out of sight.

-Abdulsamad S. M, being human.

The present.

"When you said behold the future, I'm pretty sure you looked like a prophet up there" a man implied, the small group of executives with him all laughed, the joke clearly amusing to them. Adrian wasn't amused, he wasn't really listening at all.

"I must say that The Universe is an ingenious creation Adrian. What's it worth? A couple billion perhaps?"

More laughter.

"Probably worth more than half your shares, Whitmore" and the executive banter went on. As soon as Adrian had walked off the stage he'd been surrounded by a flock of eager industrialists and business vultures all of whom preying on his new creation. He'd grown to be accustomed to it. The never ending bloodthirst of wealth and success was a force that drove his world and the people in it. And right now his world was mercilessly at his feet. And it would pay billions for a chance to be included in his circle and still remain a footstool.

But he wasn't interested in small talk from middle-aged men and the jealousy that flashed in their eyes as they praised him. He was in the mood for a less tiring encounter, one that didn't require his tolerance for hypocrisy. So when he saw her halfway across the room conversing with a group of people, a glass of champagne in hand, he confirmed his intuition.

He watched how elegant she looked, how her dress hung to her like it was her bare skin itself. How it revealed the fine artistic nature of a woman's essence. How her dark-auburn hair was in a explicit form and how strands of it glided over the sides of her crescent cheeks. He watched how she talked to her prospects, engaging them with delight, her smile enough to weaken even the strongest of men and she knew it. And when she was tired and done with them she would move rather slowly away from them, picking out her other targets with finesse, making her way into a world she could navigate without worry. It was almost as if she belonged in it.

If she only knew.

***

"So Miss Ambers, to what do we owe the pleasure?" the calm voice of Luke Heaton spoke to her. She had concluded that to know more about Adrian Cadillan one had to know more about his work. So she'd spent most of her time in the company of the most influential people who worked for Cadillan Enterprises. At that particular moment, she was getting acquainted to a prominent face of the company's success. And she was rather pleased with herself.

"Well, I'm here just as a guest" her reply was well-toned to be easily deciphered. She had a feeling that this particular man was not to easily swayed into giving out information. Men like him were too much of an intellectual burden but she knew there were benefits in knowing him.

"Well then, we are glad that The Times sent it's finest to cover a very significant day for us" his smile was earnest, his intentions pure. A true gentleman, not to be surprised since he was practically English royalty.

"I am too, otherwise I wouldn't have seen firsthand the achievements your company has made"

Mr. Heaton chuckled slightly "I am pleased with your flutter but the praise you have given me is ill-placed"

She raised an eyebrow, he only handed back his glass to the stewards passing by and smiled at her politely.

"I believe those words belong to him"