Chapter 4

Aunt Amira left shortly afterwards with promises of making me my favourite dish. I slowly got up from my bed and walked into the bathroom still feeling weak and drained.

It was my most terrible day ever!

The biggest nightmare l have ever encountered.

I went into the shower and stood under the cold spray for a long time still thinking of how my life had turned into a horrible nightmare overnight.

My mind kept drifting to last night again. How happy we were. My parents were very happy and smiling like never before. It's like they knew that it was going to be their last day .

My heart began to race madly again. I clutched my heart feeling suffocated and loss of breath. I felt like l was going insane with the pain l was feeling. My hand laid on the glass walls as l breathed heavily.

I was having a panic attack again.

"Miss Jane , your parents had an accident and they passed away on the scene."

"We are sorry to break this news to you in this manner."

"Their car ran over the bridge."

I dropped to my knees breathing harshly.

Stop thinking!

A tiny voice screamed in my head but all l could see were the images of my parents trapped in a broken car , bleeding and choking with the exhaust fumes. l felt a sharp scream like my mother's voice in my head. l couldn't take it anyone. Just imagining their pain was making me go insane .

I stifled a loud scream and broke down into a sobbing mess. I had promised myself that l was never going to break down again. Guess it was easier said than done.

Painful sobs wrenched from my throat. I thought that l was stronger than this. That l could get up and move on but l can't.

It was painful!

It hurt so much that l wanted to die!

"She said always stay strong."

The stranger's soft voice drifted into my tumbled thoughts.

"We will be watching you from above. "

My heart beat began to calm down. I closed my eyes as l felt peace slowly descend upon me. I turned off the shower without bothering to wash.

I grabbed a towel and covered myself as l left the bathroom. Lola was in my room pacing. She looked up when she heard my approaching footsteps. Her lips trembled upon seeing me. Her eyes were swollen and puffy. I knew she was hurting , just like me.

My mother had been like a second mother to her.

We both ran towards each other and embraced tightly , dissolving into tears. After we had cried ourselves , we remained hugging each other in silence , drawing strength from each other. Lola was like a big sister to me. She has always been my pillar of strength for as long as l could remember.

"We will be fine," she whispered against my hair.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Miss Jane. Dinner is ready," one of the maids called out from outside.

Lola let go of me and flashed me a sad smile. She laced her fingers with mine and we made our way to the dining room. Everyone was already seated at the table. Amira , Claudius and the stranger.

I felt relieved seeing that he was still there. I didn't know why, maybe it was the feeling of gratitude l had towards him for going out of his way to console me.

Claudius got up from his seat and walked towards me. He drew me in a tight hug and l closed my eyes drawing strength and comfort from his warm embrace.

Claudius was my family lawyer and also one of my friends. He released me and led me to the table. I seated down besides him after he pulled out a chair for me.

Aunt Amira smiled at me from across the table before squeezing my hand silently assuring me that things were going to turn out okay. I smiled at her grateful for her concern.

My family meals were always accompanied with so much laughter and talking but today a deadly silence hung in the air like a thick blanket. The air was filled with so much sadness.

I turned my attention to the pasta in front of me. My stomach grumbled at the sweet scent of steak that filled the air.

I did not realise how hungry l was until l began to devour the pasta in front of me. I swallowed the pasta blinking back tears . l felt very guilty.

How could l be eating when my parents laid somewhere in a cold mortuary.

I felt a strong muscular hand reach for mine under the table. I stared at Claudius thinking that it was him but he was busy devouring his food. My eyes went to the stranger besides me and he flashed me a sad smile.

He leaned forward and whispered.

"Your parents wouldn't want you to starve yourself to death," he said and then went back to eat.

I went back to eating now determined to stay alive. I had to be strong for the company. Almost a million people across the globe depended on Castio Construction company to feed them. I couldn't afford to be weak at this moment.

I finished all my food . Lola and Amira stared at me with proud expressions as if l had achieved a lifetime opportunity.

I grabbed my wine glass and washed down the pasta in my throat with some red wine. The burning sensation calmed down my nerves for a moment.

After dinner , we went to the sitting parlour to rest. We always did that because it was a bad habit to go to sleep soon after having dinner. It caused digestive problems.

I did not realise that Claudius and that guy were not with us until l saw them coming out of my father's study. He walked up to us with Claudius behind.

"Thank you Mrs Amira for the wonderful dinner," he said in a deep rich voice whilst smiling at her.

He took Amira's hand and kissed it. My jaw dropped open in shock. They were still people who did that these days.

Such a fine gentleman indeed!

A smile crept on my face seeing a blush going across Amira's face. I didn't know the older woman still blushed at this age.

"It's nothing. I should be the one thanking you for staying with Jane. God knows she needed someone there with her."

He then turned to me with a wide smile.

"Miss Jane thank you for the hospitality. I am now heading back home."

I took his outstretched hand. He squeezed my hand a bit but no one seemed to notice. We stared at each other for a moment that it seemed like we were sharing some sort of secret through our gazes.

Claudius cleared his throat and l quickly removed my hand as l realised that l had hold on the stranger's hand for far too long.

"Thank you for the comfort . It meant a lot to me. Safe journey," l responded earnestly.

Claudius stepped out from behind him .

"Jane , Mr Ferracco Volcano took your father's important documents including your father's property papers and contracts from the accident scene. He was keeping them safe. He returned them to me just now in the study room. That was very thoughtful of him. If it was someone else who had gotten hold of these papers. Our bank accounts would be empty by now. So thank you again Mr Ferracco."

Claudius shook ferracco's hand in a business like manner. The guy was used to all this because of his profession.

Ferracco!

So that was his name. It suited him really well. He smiled as he shook Claudius hand and l felt my stomach clench.

Even his smile was beautiful!

God!

I was having perverted thoughts on the day of my parent's death.

What is wrong with me!

My parents would surely look down at me from above with disapproval. I shoved aside the disturbing thoughts and looked at Claudius instead who was busy talking with Ferracco.

Claudius was in his late twenties. He has brown hair and grey eyes. He was so kind and caring. Many people in our neighbourhood didn't know he was only a lawyer and not part of the family.

Claudius Kassius was our family lawyer for three years now . To my dad, he was like a son he never had . He adored him a lot. Sometimes l wondered if father ever regretted having a daughter instead of a son. Someone who was going to manage his business empire properly.

I often wondered why he was still single. Lola and l had tried setting him up on many blind dates but they all proved fruitless and we finally gave up. He always joked about it later saying that his queen didn't need to be found but she was going to come to him first.

"Jane!"

Claudius voice broke through my thoughts. I saw everyone looking at me as if waiting for me to say something.

"oh l am sorry."

I turned to Ferracco and thanked him for keeping safe the documents . I watched him walk away with a heavy heart . I don't know what it was, but the feeling was uncomfortable.

"Wait! , " l suddenly blurted out.

Everyone turned to look at me with questioning looks on their faces. I was even shocked at my own voice.

"It's late. Why don't you stay for the night," l said nervously.

The words tumbled out of my mouth before l could stop them.