Meeting the Mr Chapter 3

Sasha’s POV

I had not even entered inside the huge gate, but I knew that everything on the other side was expensive. I knew that in the center of the expensive perfumes, I would smell like two weeks of homelessness and sleeping rough. One of the security guards was already walking towards me, while the rest were already eyeing me like I was planning to steal something. It was crystal clear that I didn’t belong.

"I need to see James Gates," I told the guard when he came to me

He looked me up and down with barely concealed disgust. "Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but…"

"Then I'm sorry, Mr. Gates doesn't see walk-ins. Especially not… beggars," he said, rather rudely. His words pricked at my heart. I knew that there was never a time where I could identify as a rich person, but at least I was not a beggar.

Normally, I would take what is left of my pride and walk away, but where was I walking to? It is either this or this.

"Please, it's important. I'm his…" I stopped myself. How do I tell him that I am the secret child of one of the most powerful men in America? It would not even make sense.

"Security," he called for backup, instead of listening to me

Two guards appeared like magic, both big and huge. I was going to believe that the first security guard talking to me was their boss. “Miss,” he said with a barely concealed snare. “You need to leave”

"Wait, please!" I clutched the envelope in my hands tighter. "Just let me talk to him for five minutes. Please, it is really important…” I cried desperately

"We've heard it all before, sweetheart. Every girl in Houston thinks they have some sort of abracadabra to tell Mr. James Gates. Others have tried their little magic, it didn’t work. Yours wont work too”

They were pushing me away from the gate when I heard the low rumble of an expensive car engine outside. Of course I like cars, I have been spending my whole free time reading about cars. I knew immediately that the owner of the car must be someone important in this place. I dared to look back and I saw a black Sedan driving towards us and the window was down a little

It was him, the man I was looking for. I could see the same eyes from the photos Mom had hidden away. The same dark hair, though touched with greying slightly now, the same face. James Gates in the flesh.

With everything I had in me,I broke away from the security guards and ran towards the car, not caring that people were staring. This was my only chance. For all I cared, I might be in the news next minute. “ the lunatic girl who tries to attack Mr James Gates,” they would say.

"James Gates!" I screamed with everything in me. "Mr James Gates, please!"

Unfortunately, the guards restrained me, but I kept screaming. "I'm Seline's daughter! I'm your daughter!"

The car stopped.

His eyes locked onto mine and everything went dead silent. The only thing I was hearing at that moment was the sound of Houston traffic. Then the door opened and James Gates came out. He was taller than what I imagined, and intimidating in the way of power. His look was so intense that I didn’t even know when I began to shake. I had I had imagined how everything would be up to this point, but I never imagined properly how he would take the news

"Seline?" His voice swam to my ears. I could hear the uncertainty, confusion and surprise in his voice. "Did you say Seline?"

The security guards loosened their grip slightly. James walked toward us, and I could see him studying me. I felt small in my dirty clothes, tangled hair, and how desperate I seemed to appear

"Where is Seline?" he asked when he was close enough to me

"She's dead." The words came out flat, like I locked any emotions. "Cancer. Three weeks ago."

I could see his expression shift. No, it was not grief, just a little softness on his face

"And you are saying that you are her daughter?"

"I am her daughter. And yours." I held out the envelope with shaking hands. "I have proof."

He stared at me and I was already dreading that he would call me a scam and walk away. Finally, he signalled to the security guards. "Let her go."

They released my arms but stayed close like I was a thief, ready to grab me again if I made any wrong move.

My fear from earlier came to pass as James Gates spoke, "You look like a street kid trying to run a scam. A poor one at that," he said bluntly. "Why should I believe anything you say?" he had not even collected the envelope from my hand.

I decided to show him what was inside of it. What could I possibly say to redeem myself of his suspicion? I tried to open up the envelope, but mistakenly ripped it open. The content scattered in the wind, and I scrambled to catch them, but James was already bending down to pick up the one that had landed at his feet.

Immediately he recognised what was happening, I saw his face pale. Gone was the businessman serious look he had earlier "Get in the car," he said quietly, no substantial emotion on his face

"I think she is a scam, sir. She could get those pictures anywhere…” the security guard started to speak

"I said get in the car." he commanded and I shook, scrambling into the backseat with him. "We're going to the hospital."

Your arrival was for twenty minutes and that was the longest twenty minutes of my life. We headed for a private medical facility. I sat quietly close to the almighty Mr. James Gates. He sat as far away from me as possible in the backseat, studying the photos and letters while I tried not to touch anything in his fancy car with my dirty clothes.

A whole lot of thoughts were going through my head. I obviously knew that he wanted to get a DNA test done. What if the DNA was wrong? What if I am mistaken? What if Mom was talking about another Mr. James get in her letter? Suddenly, I started to question my own sanity. I almost started to regret why I even came in the first place.

"Seline kept all of these?" he interrupted me without looking up.

"She never sent the letters. I found them after the funeral,” I swallowed hard as I remembered Mom’s death

His face was blank. He just nodded and I could not even fathom what was going on in his mind

“Let’s go to the hospital,” he said with finality