Where life takes you...

Human is a social animal

Arayna Oberoi

Unlike always, this time I decide to enter from the front entrance. Its essential to check up on the display around the store, from time to time. As I enter the front entrance I could see an expression of shock on the faces of the security stood near the gate, along with shock there was also a hint of fear. The mannequins lay thrashed on the ground and one of the dresses on the mannequin was stuck in the handle, it being torn at the ends. I clenched my hands tightly in a fist, thinking 'What the hell is going on here?'. I looked around the store to see everyone talking amongst each other, the customers as well as the staff and Evelyn stood still with bundles of cash in her hand, in the middle of the store, looking stunned and spaced out.

I hate it when things are not how they are supposed to be, it irritates me so much I can't think straight. The mannequins are not supposed to be lying down, the dress isn't supposed to be torn and the staff aren't supposed to be lingering around talking among themselves. I have mild OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), especially towards what is related to me. One of the staff sees me and quickly walks towards the mannequins fallen to pick them up. I walk towards Evelyn and clear my throat and she comes out from her reverie.

"My office, now" I tell her in an even tone and I look around once more, some of them now realizing I am in the same room.

She nods her head and speaks loudly "Everyone, back to work, the show is over." she says with authority, composing herself.

I and Evelyn together take the elevator to my office. We both stay quiet the entire ride up the elevator.Entering my office I sit on the chair taking a pencil in my hand. I have a habit of fidgeting with a pencil, it helps me calm down and focus. I start rolling the pencil in my hand around my fingers from first to second to the next till it reaches my thumb, I continue the movement around my fingers and wait for Evelyn to speak.

"Arayna I'm sorry things went out of hand. I was caught off guard, it all happened so fast. Oh my god, Arayna what if the media gets a whiff of all this. Steven Richards is a powerful man, we could be in a bad place. I should take care of the media. I'll get in touch with some contacts and..." she keeps blabbering absent mindedly.

The only thing that keeps ringing in my head is the name 'Steven Richards'.
"Evelyn calm down, just breathe."

I know it is something huge, the last time I saw Evelyn lose her calm like that, was when she lost her job at Nadia's. I log into my computer to check the CCTV footage of about half hour ago, it must not have been long since the people still looked dispersed and Evelyn stood still. Fortunately the CCTV installed comes with audio, so I can hear everything clearly.

The footage shows the clipping with Evelyn and Steven having a discussion more like an argument. I see the entire clip very carefully, I hear him calling me names, talking shit about Evelyn and with every word he speaks my grip on the pencil tightens. The last straw is when he hands the money and throws a cheque at Evelyn and that is when the pencil in my hand breaks not being able to handle the grip I had on it.

More than anger, more than rage I feel disappointed, I feel a stab of reality; the reality that we all know but do not accept. Steven Richards, I couldn't believe he is the same person I met a few months ago in Paris. His sweet, loving and caring demeanor whom I saw as a genuine, kind-hearted man is the same person standing in the middle of my store humiliating my employee, throwing his power and dominance in her face. I had so much respect for him that night, for his wise words, he had made me survive the most difficult day, that every year for 8 years now I've spent alone locked up in my room, was all of that a facade, what for?

I should really not feel surprised or even disappointed, I've had a fair share of experience with people being two-faced in my life, eventually they show their true colours. I don't know what I was hoping for from him, why did I even think he was any different.