ASHES: 1

One year later

Lucas sat behind his huge oak desk in his well furnished office. Everything oozed luxury, the very things a top ranked CEO should have. However, right now, he was exhausted. He had just come out of another board meeting. The Decker Group had been facing numerous problems in the past few months. This had caused major changes as well as confusion across the various sections they controlled.

 He slowly dragged his feet and headed for the small bookshelf on his right. He was looking for the book on board accounts. Even with the latest technology, he still wrote and kept things he considered important in a book, writing them himself. He pulled it out when a letter fell. Curious, he picked it up. The envelope read To Lucas Decker...

 He opened it. A letter addressed to him was inside. A sense of unease engulfed him. He began to read ;

 Dear Lucas,

 How many years have passed since my funeral, one, ten twenty? You've probably forgotten about me and also never laid flowers on my grave. Well it doesn't matter. What matters is the fact that by the time you read this your company is probably in trouble or you've already lost it. Still, the fact that you're alive and reading this means that I was finally able to save you. You who didn't care or bother to know anything about me.

 I don't have time so I'll get to the point. You are trapped in a cage. A beautiful cage. Don't believe me? Of course you don't since to you I was the one in the wrong, always. It hurt but I always tried to free you but unfortunately I'm dead. How about some evidence to prove it right? After all you pride yourself in being a man of facts.

 Any minute from now one of your secretaries or whatever you call your two buddies will open the door and ask you what you're doing standing here for five minutes straight ...

 As if on cue, Dan, one of his personal secretaries opened the door and asked," Hey Luc like what are you doing there for the past five minutes,"? 

 Lucas' blood ran cold. How the hell did Dan know what he was doing behind a closed door? Dan inched closer and asked again," You okay",? He shoved the letter inside his pocket and turned. " I'm good just checking out some pages here," he lied pointing at the opened book in his hands. 

"Alright but you should go and sit down cos it'll be better," Dan continued. Lucas fumbled on his book and said," I've been sitting since morning, let me stand a bit." "Alright but make sure you seat after a while bro," Dan concluded as he turned and left, banging the door behind him. 

 Lucas stood there stunned. Has it always been like this? Quickly he pulled out the letter and continued to read ;

 .... Do I have your attention now?