Chapter 3: Worlds collide

Alice walked into her mother’s room before leaving for the fundraiser just to check on her condition. Hail, Alice’s mother, had not been doing too well for the past couple of months and had been in and out of hospital. The medical bills were starting to pile up and Alice being the only one in the house being able to work, had a world of pressure on her shoulders, way too much for someone her age. The two of them had lived alone ever since Alice’s father walked out on them when Alice was still just a child. She didn’t know his name and she didn’t care. Her mother was her mother and father and she did an excellent job at both, but now it was Alice’s turn to take care of her mother.

Alice leaned over her mother who was asleep and put her hand on her forehead to check if she had started heating up again. She then kissed her mother and made for the door when she heard her mother’s voice.

"Alice, where are you going?" Asked Hail in a low tone as if she struggled to let the words out.

"I’m going to a fundraiser mom, I’ll be home late, so don’t forget to take your medication okay."

"Okay my dear. But Alice, just one more thing."

"Yes, mom?"

"You look beautiful."

Alice smiled and walked back over to kiss her mother on the forehead again

"Thanks, mom. Now get some rest."

***

Alice arrived early to the fundraiser. She wore a blue sapphire dress that fit her slender body perfectly and wore her hair down. Both her hair and dressed flowed like a beautiful river that reflected the night sky.

Alice walked into the hall where she was met by hundreds of influential people from across the world, people she would not usually have the pleasure of mingling with so early on in her career. She felt the tension in her shoulders and did not hesitate to grab a glass of champagne from every waiter that passed her within the first hour.

As the alcohol set in, so did her ease and Alice found that the tension had left her body. However, she still found it difficult to move around the room. She felt an aura of intimidation from all the guests around her.

Alice felt as if she were in another world but soon found herself entranced their ways. Elderly men accompanied by women young enough to be their daughters, caviar being served on silver trays and champagne that would probably cost her two months of her salary. Alice wanted to engage but what could she possibly be able to add to the conversation, what insight did a twenty two year old have that these wealthy men and women didn’t already possess.

"Don't be fooled by all of them," said a voice from beside her.

Alice looked and noticed a handsome young man, with golden hair and blue eyes standing right next to her. He smiled while looking in the same direction as she was.

"What do you mean?" Asked Alice.

"Well, a lot of these people only gained wealth to receive the recognition that came with it. Those young women don’t actually like those men, they like their money. And the crazy thing is, men are completely aware of this."

"How so?"

"Well, men are extremely fragile creatures, especially their egos. Men hate feeling inferior and most of all, they hate rejection. That is why men work so hard to get the higher paying jobs, and spend longer hours in the gym, not just to feel more empowered, but because of their fear of rejection."

"Are you sure you’re a man? You sure like calling them out on their bullshit," joked Alice.

"Well I would like to think I’m an okay guy I guess," replied the man.

The two laughed.

"So why are you here tonight?" Asked the man. "This doesn’t look like your sort of crowd."

"Well I'm actually a journalist," said Alice. "I’m not sure if you heard about the mystery man who made this big donation towards this charity, but I’m trying to land an interview with him for an article I’m writing. I hope he shows soon though, he probably thinks the world revolves around him with the type of money he has."

"He actually doesn’t sound like that bad of a guy if he's making such a big donation," the man laughed. "I think he might just be late. Who knows?"

The two spoke for quite a long time until the MC of the event, the same man who came out of Christina’s office a few days ago, came up on stage and the two turned to face him.

"Welcome everyone. I hope you all have had enough to drink and that your night is going great. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your contributions towards the charity, I'm sure tonight will change many people’s lives. I would however, like to welcome a specific benefactor to stage. The man who contributed a quarter billion towards our project. So everyone, please give a round of applause to the man of the evening, Oliver Page."

"Excuse me," said the man.

"Where are you going?" Asked Alice.

"Well they just called my name," said Oliver as he turned to her with a smile and then turned back towards the stage and made his way up.

Alice watched as Oliver climbed the steps of the stage, still confused about what had just happened, was that really him? She thought to herself. She watched in awe as he started his speech:

"Good evening, everyone. My name is Oliver Page and believe it or not, I am no one special. I am just someone who understands struggle and found it very difficult to see what had happened to me, happen to millions across the world. Not just me but all of us in this room, we all have a duty to humanity and we have the power to do it, so let us do it together, thank you."

The crowd clapped and cheered as Oliver made his way down the stage with people surrounding him. How entitled he looked, thought Alice to herself, unaware that he was making his way back to her.

"Hello again," said Oliver now standing in front of Alice. "Would you perhaps like to go for dinner sometime? I’ll even give you that interview," Oliver laughed.

Alice now feeling a bit silly having not asked the man his name while they spoke for so long, looked away and then looked back at him.

"Only if you promise to come on time," said Alice with a smile.