Chapter -5 Encounter

Erica

The shadows were now twice as long as themselves, the air was moist and cool, smelling faintly of a car's exhaust fumes.

The yellow ball of fire changed into hues of orange and then almost tangerine. 

"So you were disinterested in this party, what changed your mind this soon?" A soft yet stern voice broke the silence.

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Flashback

"Oliver, don't forget we two were not alone, if we are at fault he is more than us," Dad spoke.

" Right, he has all the money with himself, we just have to make that clear in the party and get out of this," The other man said.

"He is coming?" Dad asked more like a question.

" Yes! See you there then." and they dispersed.

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Maybe, dad hadn't done anything wrong, this way I'll freely help him to get out of this and in fact, Mark would get the real culprit. Then he might train me as a journalist also.

"Are you listening to me?" Daniel asked me again.

" I don't want to disappoint dad." I simply replied while turning my eyes towards the window again.

Every word that I spoke to Daniel was a lie, but the truth was messy. It was raw and indeed uncomfortable. So, I couldn't blame myself for preferring to lie.

"Whatever makes you feel good!" Daniel said and trust me, his eyes were showing another story and his words were screaming disappointment. 

Then I ended up doing, what I'm best at, ignored him. I ignored the guilt that was building inside me.

It was quiet in the car, in a good way for once. No words. The silence seemed right.

After a few minutes

At the time we entered the huge mansion, Daniel and I were escorted by two men who accompanied us to the main hall.

" Don't look at me like that Daniel? Have I done anything?" I asked while walking.

"I've given you a very fair chance. Now I'll talk to you after this." He murmured. 

But what have I done this time? Like I care...! 

The time we entered, the music was so loud that it made my skin tingle and my lungs felt like mush.

In no time my gaze averted towards my parents who were standing with an elderly couple.

Over the roar of music, a distant hazy chatter could be heard. I couldn't make out any words, but their laughter rang in my ears.

We made our way towards them.

"Oliver, she is Erica, my daughter and I guess, you've already met Daniel," Dad said in a very happy tone while introducing me to Mr. & Mrs. Knight.

"Hello, Mr...", I was about to say but his wife interrupted," No Mr. & Mrs., Aunty & Uncle will be fine." 

"I was worried, both of you were out before us and hadn't reached," mom said in a worried voice.

That's when I realized, there was no sound of music anymore. The only interruption was made by the creaking sound of shoes. 

Slowly, revealing a guy who showed no expression on his face in greeting us.

He was wearing a semiformal attire, pressed black trouser hung around his waist and white shirt, sleeves of which were rolled up just above his elbow leaving the topmost of his shirt unbuttoned.

He had a stunning look on his face. That was lacking any hint of acne and his movements that gave him away; they were too unrestrained.

"Finally! We've our guest here.", he spoke with a mischievous grin.

" Aiden! Hope you've taken that decision.", dad said while keeping his hands on his shoulder.

Meanwhile, I was absorbing, his power was radiating from his sharp personality.

"You can finally compliment me now.", he said while clearing his throat.

" Huh!", I was baffled at his words and saw everyone was moving from there leaving me behind here alone.

Where I was lost? , I cursed myself.

"So, how handsome I'm looking today?", he grinned.

I huffed at his words and his grin which was telling me that the night is still just getting to be started. 

" Just a minute back, you were checking me out..", before he completed I cut him in between.

"Nobody was. Come out of the world of I, me, and myself. We have good things to do and even better to look."

Afterward, I moved a little more towards him and said," In fact, our cook looks much better than you." and almost ran away from there without seeing his turning expression.

"Erica", a very familiar voice yelled my name. I instantly turned towards it.

Lauren, but my expression changed when I saw a girl, maybe in her mid-twenties at her right side and Mark on her left.

In a few steps, I was standing across them.

" You are Daniel's sister?", that girl said in a monotonous tone.

This is what I hate, besides Daniel's sister and Michael  Wilson's daughter, I had a name. I wanted people to call & knew me from that.

"I would've appreciated you if you would've asked my name first and then my relations to certain someone.", I said in a very sweet tone.

" Nevermind! I'm Erica, Erica Wilson", I said.

"I'm Sophia Knight .", she forwarded her right hand towards me.

" And my sister.", an uninvited presence came towards us.

"Like a brother, like a sister.", I whispered.

" So how do you know Daniel?", I asked suspiciously, her expression changed.

"Ah! Since college years.", Daniel spoke while standing next to me.

Oh! They went to the same college. Had she also studied business like Daniel? 

But seeing her chauvinist brother, she had surely studied home science or history. So how did they met?

" Yes, in college years! Those were the days, pure freedom...leaving home for the first time, parties, lectures", Sophia said gloomily while eyeing Daniel.

"Is that what those were?", Daniel finally spoke staring at her.

I wasn't here for this, I saw dad, uncle, and one more whose back was facing us. But who was that?

" I don't like the way you spoke to my sister, better don't use that tone again with her." Mr. Knight said more like a warning.

High alert. ..another possessive brother spotted! 

I shrugged away from him and cornered Lauren, we started talking.

Instantly, I glanced at the group of 3 men including that unknown one, moving upstairs.

What should I do now? Following them, my mind screamed.

It would be dangerous, my subconscious replied.

I brushed that thought. "Keep an eye on Daniel & don't let him notice my absence" I instructed Lauren.

" Don't do anything now, pls Erica." She pleaded.

"Do as I say," I assured her.

I moved towards the stairs, they were twisted in a perfect spiral. Each one of them had a different height from the last, making it impossible to properly judge how high to lift my foot.

I reached the last stair and stumbled upon my dress. When the lady who seemed to be a helper there held my hand, " Careful mam." She spoke.

"Thank you." I hastily said and moved towards them but was blocked by her in a midway. "Mam, nobody is allowed to go towards study. Sir will not like it." 

Then I pointed towards the back of my dad, "You know that man in a cream suit, Michael  Wilson, he is my dad. He has called me up." I said and moved towards them.

Just a few more steps, 4, 3, and then the whole corridor was echoed with a loud sound. 

Thud...there were broken pieces of glasses scattered. A few minutes back, the flower vase which was lying on the table was now on the ground.

" Who is there?" A rude voice followed thereafter.

It was neither of my dads nor of an uncle, that meant it's that third man. I intended to see his face but immediately hid behind the pillar.

"Maybe due to the wind. Come." This uncle said. 

I waited for a few seconds and came out. Meanwhile, the glass pierced my foot making me hissed with pain. 

" It will be alright Erica," I chanted but the pain was unbearable. 

The silence witnessed another loud sound but that was of the closing of that wooden door.

And here it was gone, my chance was gone. 

Just a minute back, I was enthusiastic, thrilled, and was laughing. Now I am in tears like a ceramic doll, about to teeter, fell & break.

I was not crying because I was afraid, that something 'would' happen, I was crying because I feared that something could render my 'dreams' 

Then I felt a warm touch on my shoulder, I turned back and stumbled on my own feet.

"Careful" He spoke and rest his hand on my wrist.

Despite my strength, it's frail. Next moment he lifted me in his arms. 

" Mr..." I said in panic but he said, "Aiden,  that's my name. Now better you shut up."

I looked up at the sound of his deep voice and straight into his eyes, which was glaring at me.

By taking large steps, and passing many doors, he opened the one that was straight in the middle.

No, it wasn't any room, but a house garden, or call it a formal garden.

The trees were lined up in the perfect lawn. In the center, there was a pond with flowering lily pads and a wooden bridge that crossed the middle, and another path for the other side.

I was so awestruck by the beauty that I wasn't aware when he made me sat on the wooden bench under the huge tree.

"Nobody was allowed to go there. What the hell were you doing there?" He yelled, making me stand with that sudden outburst.

The pain was back, and this time I felt the red fluid flowing through my skin.

As a reflex action, he made me sit again and went down on his knees and lifted my foot upward for inspection.

As he ran his fingertips over my broken skin, careful not to cause me more pain.

" I've told you, stay out of it. You will hurt yourself." He said. At that moment I felt a sharp pain. He took out the piece of glass suddenly. 

"I will hurt myself in any way." I finally spoke.

His hand trembled a little. Somehow that rattled me more than anything else. 

In merely a second, he just stood up and was searching for something. He came back with  a cloth and wrapped it around my foot and finally murmured, " Is it much difficult for you to behave like a woman?"

I didn't respond to him. I couldn't speak at all. Couldn't look at his self-mutilation, not even the clean bandaged version of it.

"When I ask you something, I need words." He sternly said.

"It's not being a woman I mind so much.", I said slowly, "The way men seem to always order my life is something that bothers me" I leaned earnestly towards him.

That time I looked up at him. I looked up at him as if just noticing him for the first time.

I noticed the way his eyebrows raised a centimeter or two, lined with something between concern and confusion and his eyes twinkled in amusement as if he knew something that I didn't.

"Well! Well! I've nothing to do with your life unless & until you stay out of mine." He spoke while getting up.

" If you are at fault nobody will save you, Mind it," I spoke in a challenging tone. 

"Mind me then. If it concerns me, or my family. I'll break my own rules and you'll not like that, trust me" He replied.

" You've no right to stop me from anything. You are no one to tell." I said while moving a little bit away from him.

He came closer to me. The closer he was the less confident I was. 

His hands glided down my arm, folded over my hand. His fingers laced with mine. 

I can feel the fast thud of my heart through his single touch.

"Right...? If you will not stop behaving like a rebel, I will not hesitate to tell you too.", he said in a devilish tone.

" What do you mean?" I was baffled.

"If your family doesn't control you, somebody has to take that part. And I won't mind that.", he laughed.

"Better stay away from my life, from me." I pushed him back.

"What is going on in your empty skull?" I screamed.

Now come, " Daniel will not like finding us alone here," He said while ignoring me.

"You don't know Daniel, so how will you know what he will do?" I asked while folding my arms.

" He will do exactly that, what I must have done finding Sophia like this." He shrugged his head.

"Oh! So it's about your sister." I asked in a mocking tone.

" Not because it is something to do with my sister, but it's about me having my sister. The two have a difference, Erica." and that time I saw something different in his eyes.

The aura of his modesty & principles was dominating him.

But on me, the aura of my dream was dominating. Nothing was right or wrong for me now. 

We moved towards the door when he said, "So, have I done a better job by keeping you busy here than Lauren. Trust me, you don't know your brother yet." 

It took me a considerable amount of time to register his words. How low of him, he was proving to be right now.

"What the hell, you tricked me?" I said in an angry tone.

" I always tended to help your family like today I told Daniel that I had dropped you safely from Print Trust Academy." He again said ignoring my previous question.

"What...have...you.. exactly..told...him?" I thought I was hallucinating this cruelness. 

To be continued...

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Purva Narang