Chapter 5

Devon.

The world is a blur. I can't see anything.

Mom? I call out to the increasing crowd on the sidewalk, hurried footsteps surrounding me, getting louder by the second. I swallow, my eyes darting around. Still, I can't make out a single thing.

Mom! I call out, even more, frantic this time. She's always like this, leaving me behind every time we go out together. It's like she wants to abandon me here.

I'm right here! I hear her scream, her voice laced with anger.

My lips start to tremble. I can't see you, I yell, my voice shaking.

What do you mean you can't, I'm right in front of you! Walk faster!

You're blurry, come closer. I take a step forward, the crowd pushing me in all directions. I try to follow her voice but I trip over myself and land facedown on the sidewalk. The tears I fight so hard to keep are on the surface now, blinding me further.

Mom... I mumble, my voice racking with sobs.

You insolent child! A voice grits in my ear and I'm picked up by the collar. She starts dragging me along as tears stream down my face. I feel people staring at me and it only makes me want to hide away.

I wish I hadn't been born.

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"Sir? Sir?!" A voice calls out, dragging me out of the past I seem to have been stuck myself in. I fix my glasses and stare at the owner of the voice. It's my assistant, Janet.

I let out a wry smile. "I'm sorry, I must have zoned off. What were you saying?"

"Um, this is the report from the meeting we had." She says, stretching a file toward me. I collect it from her, going through it. Seems good enough. I drop it on the table, my body tense.

"And here is the information you asked for." She added, passing me another. I accept it from her, flipping through the pages. Jessica Franklin is titled in the center with big, bold letters.

Personal Record.

Name: Jessica Franklin

Age: Twenty-seven

Nationality: American.

Employment: Waitress, Factory worker among others.

Parents: Deceased.

Siblings: Sophie Franklin

Emma Franklin

Allergies: Unknown.

Address: 10, Southampton Street, San Francisco.

Religion: Unknown.

"There isn't a lot of information about her," I say, noticing how scanty the paper is as I glance at my assistant.

"Yes. Other than the information she revealed in her E-mail and the fact that she has two sisters, there isn't anything else." My assistant explained. So she was clean? That felt suspicious. Even regular people have more information on the internet compared to this. I should hire a private investigator.

"What's the rest of my schedule?"

"You have a meeting due this afternoon with the CEO of Klaus Engineering and some work emails to answer. I have cleared the rest of the afternoon so you can prepare for your date."

"Did you reserve the restaurant as I told you to?"

"Yes sir. For the entire evening."

I checked my watch. It was just 11 o'clock. I have to be quick. Dropping the file on the table, I glance at my assistant. "Thanks. You may leave now."

"You're welcome." She nodded slightly before exiting my office. I was about to go through her file again when my phone rang. Without bothering to look at the caller, I picked it up, placing it on my ears.

"Hello. Who is this?" I say to the phone. The voice I hear makes me freeze. "Wrong number," I announce before ending the call. I drop the phone and continue with my work. My phone continues to ring and it just aggravates me further. Letting out a breath, I pick it up once more.

"What!?"

"How dare you hang up on me! I'm your mother!" A shrill voice speaks and my hands tighten on the phone, my blood boiling.

"Would you like me to do it again?" I grit out, my entire body tensing.

She lets out a sigh. "Gosh, you're so difficult. I just wanted to say hello to you. Am I not allowed to do that?" She taunts me. I clench my jaw, too angry to respond.

"What do you want?" I mutter after a while

"I want to see you."

"Why?"

"It's my birthday soon. I called because I want you to attend. It's been so long since we've seen each other. It seems as if you've forgotten your mother is still alive!"

"Get. To the point." I grate out, my voice harsher than intended.

"Next week Friday, I'll be fifty-five. My husband is throwing a birthday party for me. I want you in attendance." It's not a request. It's a statement.

"I'll see what I can do." I make to cut the call when she drops another bomb.

"Also, come with that girlfriend of yours. She seems like a nice person."

"Who?" I ask, confused.

"Evelyn. Aren't you two dating? She seems like a nice person, not to mention he family is wealthy and all... I think you look great together. Why didn't you introduce her to me? You could have saved me the embarrassment!?"

Wait, what? Does my mother think I'm dating Evelyn?! How are they even concluding these things!? I realize she's not speaking anymore and I suppress a groan. Deep breaths Devon. Deep breaths. Once my heart rate calms, I speak slowly, enunciating every word.

"The reason why I didn't introduce her to you is that; one, we 're not in a relationship of any kind. And two, you and I are not on talking terms. Which begs the question, why are you suddenly concerned about me?" I'd been doing fine without your interference.

"Because you're my child." She states confidently.

I scoff, everything sounding incredulous even to my ears. "Now, I'm your child? When was this statement five years ago, or better still ten years ago?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Devon, I've never done anything to hurt you..."

I hang up, I don't want to hear any more words that will come out of her mouth. After everything she's done, the fact that she can just wave it over like it's nothing is beyond astounding to me. Rubbing my forehead, I pull the glasses out of my eyes and watch as the world blurs. This is getting out of hand.

My phone continues to ring and I switch it off, trying to continue to work. It doesn't work long and I'm clasping my hand together, trying to fight off the raging emotions that had broken free.

I pick up the office phone, calling my assistant. She answers at the first ring. "Yes, Sir?"

"Cancel the meeting I have with the CEO of Klaus Engineering and get Evelyn Parker into this office now," I instruct her.

"Okay, sir." I hear her answer before the line goes dead.

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"I had been expecting this for a while now, just didn't know it would be this quick. Beautiful office." Evelyn says as she walks into the voice two hours later, her charismatic voice filling the air. She had a smile on her face and her electric-blue eyes twinkled with happiness. In the past, she would have had me floored but not anymore. "How are you, Dev?" She asks as she sits down, relaxing like she owns the place. It irks me.

"I'm not fine," I mutter, my voice still angry.

"Why? What happened?" She asks, looking concerned.

"You happened," I state, watching as she stiffens in shock. "Evelyn, what the hell are you doing? Going about and parading like we're in a relationship? When did that start?"

She chuckles nervously, twirling her hair. "But, we were in a relationship before..?"

"And you broke up with me. You broke up with me and married someone else. That was five years ago. Whatever we had ended five years ago."

"I'm divorced now. And I realized that I still love you. So I want you back Devon."

"Well, I don't. I'm in no desire to be in a relationship with you any further. So stop whatever it is you're doing. It won't work."

"It's not like you're seeing someone else." She retorts, an edge to her voice. Then it softens. "Please, let's just get back together, I'm sure you still love me..."

"I have someone else. " I cut her off, my anger bubbling up once more.

"That's not possible, you haven't dated anyone since we broke up." She reveals slowly, peering at me.

"Well, that's about to change. I have a date this afternoon with my beloved and she would not like this. So stop right now. That's all I have to say. I hope we never see each other again." I stand to my feet, ignoring a surprised Evelyn. "See yourself out," I tell as I adjust my glasses once more, picking up my suit.

"Devon, wait! Let's talk this out!" She calls after me but I'm already out the door, instructing my assistant to kick her out of my office once I'm no longer there. I glance at my watch once more, gritting my teeth.

5:30 pm has never felt so far away.