The Alexander King

Life is so subtle sometimes that you barely notice yourself walking through the door you once prayed would open - Unknown.

The Lawyers called Maya for a meeting in a hotel to discuss the recent acquisition of her father's property. She couldn't care less and didn't want to go, but they forced her. The investors threatened with consequences, and she didn't want to add one more mess to her already full plate.

When she reached the hotel, the place they held our meeting, she turned to look at her friend.

"I promise. I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Tops." Sasha killed the engine and turned to look at Maya, concerned.

"I still think we need help." Sasha's voice was brittle, but Maya could sense fear behind her words.

Maya pressed her lips together and looked away. "You have no idea what you are talking about, do you, Sasha?"

Sasha finds her logic faulty and waves a hand in the air. "Yeah, you have a little mystery, big deal."

"This is more than a little mystery, Sasha. This is like… 'Does-Bigfoot-exist mystery'. 'Who-really shot-JFK mystery?' 'What's-the-deal-with-the-Bermuda-Triangle mystery'. This is humongous."

Maya could hear the shrug in Sasha's voice when she said, "Or maybe you're just making it big."

Maya gritted her teeth and only half tried not to look like a snarling dog. "I'm not making it anything. It is what it is. You don't know the half of it, Sasha."

Sasha reaches over and squeezes Maya's hand. "Maya, it's so good to talk to you after four years." Her voice has such longing.

The two old friends hugged each other, patting their backs and then holding each other at arm's length, tears welling up in their eyes.

"Maya, I hope you consider the ramifications of your choices and actions. Please… please… let's,"

"Stop! Don't!" Maya's voice went up an octave. Inhaling deeply, Maya reached out to take her friend's hand in hers. "Sasha, you need to consider the repercussions of being in touch with me. Alex and Joshua will never forgive you if they saw you speaking to me. Do you understand me?"

Sasha shook her head, "Damn the consequences. I'm not leaving you. Not now!"

Tears filled Maya's eyes, and she blinked them back. "I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep. This is not your problem, do you understand?"

"There is nothing in this world or anything you say will change my mind." Sasha fought the tears which threatened to spill down from the fury and hurt she was feeling. Sasha was trying to forget the pain and the heartache. She did things that she is not proud of, hell there are things that she wishes she could just forget altogether, but she can't. She wants to pour her heart out to Maya. But today was not the day.

"Sasha…"

"Maya, we could argue about this all day sitting in my car or you could get the meeting over and done with so we could hit the road. Which one do you think is our priority now?"

Maya knew it was useless to argue with her, so she sighed heavily and nodded. "Come soon. In the meantime, I'll try to get some help." Sasha smiles tightly, trying her best to sound reassuring.

Maya rolls her eyes, "Let me get this over with. Thank you everything, Sasha." Maya gave her one last hug as she opened the car and walked into the hotel.

Maya's brain was working on overdrive, but she felt like there's still a thread she is missing.

Who is this buyer?

Why would he insist on meeting her?

She was ready to sign and give everything away. Then why this meeting?

Misery loves not the only company. It demands it. Who is this man?

Maya took a deep breath before she risked opening the door of the conference hall. She tilted her head, unable to take her eyes off the man standing in front of her. Her face crumpled like paper as she squinted to make sure she was not dreaming.

Frozen in place at the sight of the man standing in front of her. There stood the man whom she destroyed in many ways.

The Alexander King.

She flushed hot and cold, and for a moment, she thought she might faint. By some miracle, she remained standing. Unable to move. Shivers ran down her spine, her gut twisted.

He was waiting. Watching her every move. Unsmiling as always, with burning dark eyes and the focus and stillness she has only ever seen in documentaries of enormous cats as they lie in wait in tall grasses for a gazelle to pass.

She tried her best to concentrate on appearing nonchalant throughout the meeting until she dropped the bomb on his lap.

A muscle slides in Alex's jaw. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. Maya can see him debate with himself whether to pursue this line of conversation until curiosity gets the better of him. "I think I misheard you. Did you say a baby? You have a daughter?" The disbelief was clear in Alex's solemn expression.

"Yes, I need you to find my daughter. This is my counteroffer." She confirms his unasked questions with confidence, but she knows her voice lacks conviction.

"How? When?" The following pause feels weighted. "You're lying," Alex grunted low in his throat, a guttural sound of deep pain.

"Slow your roll. Why would I lie? You can't make that judgment unless you know it all. Not unless you know the truth."

"The truth? It depends upon whom I'm asking, isn't it? You are nothing but a wolf in a sheep's clothing." Alex ran his fingers through his floppy black mop of hair. It's a tell-a-sign that something rattled him.

"A wolf is no less a wolf because he's dressed in sheepskin and the devil is no less the devil because he's dressed as an angel. If I'm the wolf, then you are no less than a devil, Mr. King." Maya shook her head. The corner of her mouth curled into a small smile.

"Don't you dare compare me with a woman like yourself? Do not judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant. You made me the way I am today."

"There are two colossal lies in our life… the first is that if someone turns you down, you must hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate."

"Hope can be paralyzing. I loved you with everything I am, but what did you give me in return?"

If the shouts were visible, they'd be reaching over the air, strangling the life of Maya. As the words got more bitter, it would be possible to see why she gasped for breath.

"When you give and expect a return, that's an investment. When you give and expect nothing back, that's love."

"Men make deposits; women make investments. Those who are faithless know the pleasures of love; it is the faithful who know love's tragedies. Love is a glass that makes even a monster appear fascinating. Anything could've better than your lies and deceit."

"Why did you want revenge, Mr. King? As they say, Gratitude is a burden. Hope can be paralyzing. Revenge is a pleasure. You took the easy option - Revenge."

"Do not pin this on me. Don't make me feel guilty about your own selfish choices. You turned a man with a heart into a heartless monster." Alex raised his eyebrows and leaned towards the table like a hungry lion.

"Mr. King, you never look good trying to make someone else look bad. There are two paths in life - the path of good and the evil, and everyone chooses his path. You chose revenge."

"It's all on you, Maya Davis."

"I disagree. Your parents had a successful marriage for over twenty years. Even after your father passed, your mother still lives in the memory of him. Your parents are a perfect example of Love. There were two paths in front of you. The first road is towards Love and moving on. The second road is revenge. You chose revenge. It's on you, Mr. King."

Alex had a look of total disbelief on his face and his eyes looked like cold, hard steel. Maya hit a nerve. He hated to admit it, but she was right. His mother disowned him when he said he was going after Maya for revenge. But she doesn't get to preach to him about love. He will not let her take the moral high ground.

"Divine words like love coming out of your mouth make me feel like eating my vomit."

"I'm sure your father would be twisting and turning in his grave." Maya threw his words right back in his face.

Alex was becoming quite agitated again and his face turned red with rage, but before she could stop the words were out of Maya's mouth.

"Family is heaven in a heartless world, Mr. King. It's a shame you fought tooth and nail to ruin my life but lost your family in the process."

"Just shut up. Shut up." Alex thumped his fist on the table.

Alex's head pounded. He started pacing up and down the room. His mind was in turmoil. Since the moment he laid his eyes on Maya, his life has never been the same. It had been one nightmare after another. Even when your dreams come true, it's never the way you want to.