Chapter 1 Inevitable Tragedies

Thomas’s POV:

“For God’s sake, grandpa! I am not ready to take the responsibility just yet.” He yelled after being lectured for an hour about how he was an irresponsible man. He had just returned after an amazing night with the new girl he had met at a party. Now, all his good mood was down the drain thanks to his persistent grandfather: James Walker.

He heard his grandfather sigh as he sat down on his favourite chair. He was silent for a minute before speaking.

“Thomas, I have given you enough liberty to enjoy life the way you want. I cannot afford to do that anymore. I am not healthy like I used to be, so it is hard for me to run the company. I want to make you the CEO as soon as possible, and you have to listen to my order whether you like it or not.” He said in a calm but stern voice while leaning back as if the deal was sealed, and he would not listen to anything Thomas had to say. But Thomas was his grandson. He would be damned if he did not fight for himself.

“I will not be the CEO, now and never. You can do whatever you like.” He scoffed as he stood up and left the room in anger. He was serious about not wanting to become CEO ‘now’, but he could not change the ‘never’ part. It was not up to him to decide. He could not believe his grandfather. He had told him numerous times that he was not ready to take such a big responsibility. He knew that it was inevitable, and that he would have to become the CEO eventually, but it was too soon for him. He was twenty four and had just graduated.

Being the sole heir to a billion-dollar-business sucked just as much as it benefitted him. He had a comfortable life and every luxury he wanted but at the expense of giving up all his desires and wishes. He always wanted to sing and was also part of a band in high school, but his grandfather made him give up his dream just to take over the company.

He obliged as he was aware of the fact that his grandfather would not allow him to be in a band. But he decided that he would not listen to him this time. He wanted to have some extra years to live a normal life just like everyone else, without his grandfather dictating his every step. Was it too much to ask for?

He just knew his mother would not have let it happen if she was alive. He was the only child, and his mother took care of him like he was the most precious thing in the world. That was why he was able to make ‘ordinary friends’ like his grandfather liked to taunt him; joined the band that his grandfather despised so much but remained quiet just because of his mother. She belonged to a middleclass family and worked in their company as his father’s assistant. They fell in love with each other and got married despite his grandfather’s protests. He did not allow them in the house and kept his father away from the company for a year to show how mad he was that he had married a woman from a middleclass family.

He could not remain mad for long as he forgave them as soon as Thomas was born. His wish to see his grandchild was so strong that he called them to live with him, and acted normal as if he was not angry at them for one whole year. He also tried not to indulge himself with his mother. She was a very strong lady, and she also knew how to handle her father-in-law. Nobody could tame the James Walker though except the thought of having a grandson who would take over the company in the future. Thomas knew that his grandfather never had a liking towards his mother till the end.

Too bad, God snatched away his parents so soon.

He left the house feeling empty as the sad feelings hit him again. There was not a day passed when the memories of his parents did not hit him. After all, he was sixteen when they died in an accident. He remembered—he remembered everything.

Olivia’s POV:

“Mother.” She whispered quietly afraid of waking her up. She wanted to make sure her mother was resting comfortably.

She did not hear her response, so she thought she was already asleep.

She was about to leave her room when she heard her name being called. It was so faint that she almost did not hear it. She turned around and saw her smiling at her.

“Olivia, my lovely daughter. Come here.” She spread her weak arms for her. It was always her way of showing her love for Olivia. She smiled going towards her bed and hugged her softly.

“I thought you were sleeping.” Olivia said smiling at her mother. Her heart hurt at the way her once-strong and healthy mother was looking so weak. It was all fate. Nobody could change it. But God knows how much she wanted to change it--only if she could.

“I could never sleep before saying goodbye to my only child.” Her mother tried to chuckle, but she choked. Olivia stood up in hurry to bring her a glass of water. Her mother kept choking until she brought her a glass from the kitchen.

“Mom! Mom! Are you okay?” She asked worriedly as she made her drink the water. Her heart was beating so fast. Ever since her mother fell ill, she would get scared so quickly. She was her only family left. Her father left the world when she was a kid. She did not even have clear memories of him. Her mother was all she had.

“I am okay. Don’t worry, my child. Go to your job. It must be tiring working till late at night.” She cupped Olivia’s face and ran her fragile fingers through her cheeks. Olivia laughed.

“It is not tiring at all. I enjoy my job. Come on, mom. Now rest. I will come back before you know it.” She tried to cheer up her mother and made her lie down and ran her fingers through her hair. Her mother closed her eyes and fell asleep soon while she sat there to watch her. She was glad that she fell asleep. Some nights, it was so hard for her mother to fall asleep, and she could not leave her before making sure she was okay.

That was why she chose the job. There were mainly two reasons why she worked till late at night: She would not have to work in the day and take care of her mother, and the pay was also sufficient to bear the expenses of her mother’s medication.

Otherwise, she hated her job. There was nothing in the world that she hated more than doing what she did. She had tried for other jobs, but they did not pay enough. She had a sick mother to take care of.

She hailed a cab and soon reached her destination as there was only ten minutes of distance between her home and her workplace.

“Hi.” She politely greeted the two big security guards that she saw every day. The guards nodded and allowed her without looking at her ID as she had been working there since a year now.

The strong smell of liquor and the loud noise of music hit her as soon as she entered the club. It was as packed as she had expected. It was a Saturday night, so it was a given that it would be houseful.

She made it to the changing room while bumping with the excited club-goers and saved herself from the glass of wine that was about to be poured down her head by some drunk stranger.

“Huh!” She huffed and sat down grabbing her head and taking a minute for herself. She was an introvert. It was still hard for her to cope with such busy and intense environment, but she had no choice. It was part of her job to not only bear the environment but to also entertain the crowd.

“Hey you! You are next.” The head of the strippers, Laura, came to inform her briefly and went her way. She had been working there for 5 years—since the club was inaugurated. She was strict and not-so-polite with people except the manager who she was seeing besides the fact that he was a married man.

She sighed and stood up to get dressed. Normally, she would be dressed in a baggy shirt and jeans, but her work outfit was so different and revealing from what she always wore. Nobody could think that she was the same person who made the drunken crowd whistle and go wild with her performances.

She got ready within minutes and changed into the skimpy outfit for the night. It was more of a lingerie and less of a dress. The bright pink dress that ended just below her underwear had big holes everywhere. The only things hidden were her private parts. That too, because she had requested for a moderate dress from Laura. Apparently, that was the most moderate dress that could be found among the hundreds of other outfits for the strippers. The club took stripping part of the business very seriously.

She wore black stilettos and started doing her makeup. It was required from the strippers to do their makeup as loud and dark as they could. Laura appeared again, as soon as she was done, to cue for her turn.

She let out a long breath. She could never get used to the work however she tried. Yes, she had lied to her mother. She did not enjoy her job at all.

Putting all the sad thoughts aside, she left the room and feigned a big smile to face her crowd.