Chapter 3

" I've told you over and over again Justin, You can't play football."

" Why not?" He whines.

" I told you already, We can't afford it."

" Mum said I could." He argues.

" Mum doesn't manage the money in this house, I do." I tell him

" But I played baseball last year."

"The school gave you the equipment, the football team says you have to buy your own equipment and we can't afford that, right now.

I don't know how  many times I have to explain this to you, before it gets into your thick skull."

He stands there scowling at me for a full minute, before turning and flouncing out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I sigh as I flop down on my bed.

I hold my head in my hands and struggle not to push back the tears flooding my eyes.

At times like this, I wish there was a way I could go back in time and tell my father not to go into partnership with the evil Jason Stanford.

The evilest of men to walk the surface of the earth.

A man whom the devil himself would like to take some lessons from.

If you must dine with the devil, then you must use a long spoon they say, but even with a long spoon, it is impossible to dine with Jason Stanford and escape unscathed.

He is a true definition of a monster, covered with flesh, truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.

I sigh as I get up the bed and pick up my backpack.

I might as well get going, there's no use thinking about the man, who upended my family and ruined life as I knew it.

Not that I was ever going to let go of the anger and rage, I needed it to drive me, to give me the push I needed to get to the top, so I can get my revenge and and avenge my father's death.

As I step into the living room, I can hear mum moving around in the kitchen.

" Hi mum." I call, as I sit down to put on my shoes.

" Hi Layla." She calls back.

" Come in here and have some breakfast, I made avocado toast."

" Sure smells good mum, but I can't. I have to get going if I want to beat traffic." I say.

" At least have some coffee, I made it just the way you like it."

" Thank you mum, but I don't have the time."

 I say as I go into the  kitchen to kiss her in the cheek.

" I may go over to Atherton after work today, so don't worry if I'm late." I call over my shoulder as I walk out the door.

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I can't find parking anywhere in Atherton. I cruise around looking for a parking spot, any parking spot, but there are cars everywhere.

Finally I give up, and leave the old clunker with it's butt nudging a sidewalk. 

" Take a chance." I tell myself. When next am I going to be able to come here, I can't waste the whole day cruising for a place to park, can I?

The gallery is over on prince street. She walks slowly looking at all the shop windows.

She peers into the bric-a-brac boutiques and the chichi pet shops.

She checks out the latest sidewalk stencil graffiti. She slows down when she passes a bakery and inhales deeply when she passes a shop for exotic coffee. I  sighsl  as I think of the simple pleasures I  used to take for granted, back when my family  lived in Beverly hills, the good old days, before the devil called Jason Stanford came into our lives.

My gaze  is drawn to a pair of lovers at a sidewalk cafe. 

They are sitting side by side reading, their novels tipped towards the raking sunlight.

The man absently stroking his partner's forearm with the tips of his finger.

I  look at them with what I choose to call a mild dose of envy.

I stumble as I  turns to look at them with nostalgic pining.

I  would have fallen flat on my face, if a  strong hand hadn't grabbed my  arm.

I  turn to see who my  savior is and feel a small subterranean shift or shudder as I gaze into the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen.

His eyes are so mesmerizing, I have to force myself to tear my gaze from his.

His gothic cheekbones have got to be the most beautiful in the country.

" You really should watch where you're going miss." He says as he lets go off my hand.

God, even his voice is enough to make me swoon.

I stand there staring at him, it seems my brain has gone on a break, and I can't bring myself to say anything reasonable.

" Th…ank  you." I stutter.

Damnit, he must think I'm a dolt.

He nods and sidesteps me to continue his walk.

I drag my feet and even consider taking a quick look behind me, just to see if he's looking back.

But I force myself to keep my eyes in front of me and pick up my stride.

By the time I get to prince street, I've forgotten the shops and the lovers, but I can't get a pair of beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous gothic cheekbones out of my mind.

I cross the street and turn into a big iron loft building. I breeze up the third floor to Mrs Carmen kolosoki's gallery. Where I have three paintings on the wall of the front room, part of a show called kinetic visions.

A flutter of red troubles my vision as I nod to Marion, the receptionist.

Over by my paintings on the wall, there is a smattering of red dots.

My heart takes a flying leap.

I shut my eyes and squeeze them tightly shut.

 No.

It can't be.

I didn't just see what I thought I saw.

 That's Impossible.

It just can't be.