1 CHAPTER ONE

She had had only two shots and her vision already blurred. She held on to her driver who turned out to have brought her to the bar. The driver followed her up the front steps and into the VVIPs bar section. A long marble corridor seemed to go on forever. At the end of the marble corridor, they came to a door and went out of the bar.

The ride back home was a solemn one, at this strange hour of the night. The woman was already sleeping quietly on the opposite side holding the driver's hand.

***Six years ago***

Stellar could hardly believe that she was living in a new environment. Yet here she was, for two months living in a new house with her father and grandmother. Though part of her would always consider her previous environment, the better part of stellar was delighted to have a fresh start at the age of eighteen after the death of her mother, she had been raised by her father and grandmother, ma'am Olivia.

Stellar's   mother had just passed away after suffering from diabetes, inspire of the treatment, her mother could not make it. Ma'am Olivia came over and put her arms behind her granddaughter from behind admiring the new home.

"This is a very beautiful home." Said Ma'am Olivia.

"Oh, this isn't home. This is just a way of getting rid of memories of mummy."

Ma'am Olivia kisses her on the top of her head. "Maybe you could decorate the house the way you want when you get back." Stellar immediately looked at her watch and said, "I better be off to school."

"Drop you?"

"No. I'll just walk."

"Just come home early to get the house decorated."

No sooner has stellar started up to go to school when she heard her name being called. She looked over her shoulder and saw James, her close friend in University. He was loyal to her. When she had arrived at the house, she had video-chatted with him. All he did was cheer her up.

James walked up and then ran into her arms. " I just had to come visit you. The other side is lonely without you."

"I know. Dad wanted me to have a new start and you know how grandma is."

"Because she loves stellar a lot."

"Because she loves stellar a lot." They both said at the same time and burst into laughter.

Stellar was a law student, intelligent, presentable and articulate.  Her friend didn't attend the burial of her mother owing to an excuse which got her angry at first.

"James, you should have called." She said. He had no leverage then to tell her about his mother's strange illness.

She was rich for sure, but she wasn't floating in affluence. She cared for James and wasn't happy anytime he came to her with bruises, then lie that he had fallen into one of the holes. Meanwhile he'd been beaten by hoodlums on the road. Last time he had visited, in tears he told her that: his mother was owing a lot of people and he gets beaten just because they weren't able to pay back. She had no tears, rather she got her pan and signed a cheque and put down the pen to stare out of the window. Looking back into the house, she handed the cheque to him.

Things were good between them. They both were stubborn, and seemed to be interested in each other's lives.

"Mum wants to see you," He said with his deep and resonate voice.

"I'm busy," She told him. "I have exams tomorrow and I have to finish this book."

He peered at her. James was never in lack of what to say especially when with Stellar. He told her about the condition of his mother. One thing she wanted for him, was to be there for his mother and him as well. She had lost hers but she didn't want him to lose his.

"I don't like what you're wearing," She pointed out. He wore a singlet showing his masculine features. "And you're sweating."

He felt shy and ashamed. "stellar," He called her name. She knew that whenever he called her name like that, he wanted to make the same request again. She offered him a strain smile and turned to the next road. She knew what her father was capable of doing, and he wouldn't offer James a job in his company. She couldn't tell why. James goes to the same University with her, studying marine engineering. "Of your father can help me. I can buy new clothes, and shoes for myself and mum." He smiled. James was light-complexioned, slim and had thick black hair.

"Dad won't give you the job," she blotted out giving him that stern look. "He doesn't like you. And I don't think he'll ever do. He shouts at me each time I give you money to pay for your mum's treatment. It's better if you go look for a job somewhere else."

James was quiet till she was done speaking. It really hit him hard. Where would he find work to do that would pay him huge sum to cover up the medication. He frowned. "Okay. Thank you, I know you did your best." He turned back and left her in front of the gate.

Ordinarily, at night, Stellar was always busy either with her book reading or trying hard to keep up with her mother's online marketing business. But not today, she just sat thinking about what she said to James, but she had been candid. He wasn't a child anymore. He will be 22 by November. She thought to herself.

One morning James had come visiting, she remembered. He gave her a quick appraisal. She was cool, he liked her chocolate complexion, soft brown eyes and short hair. She was beautiful.

"How's mum?" She asked offering him a seat. He wasn't smiling she could see it.

"Mum's okay. It's just that I'll be done with University by December."

She cocked a brow, "That's good news and what's the problem with that?" was it just him or was she giving him a cold shoulder.

"Work?"

She looked at him with confusion in her eyes. Immediately she veered off in the opposite direction where her dad say down reading a newspaper and a cup of coffee beside him. She stood in front of him.

"Dad I need to talk to you about James?".

"And what is really important about him we would talk about?".

"I know you don't like my friendship with him and you don't approve it," she went closer to him . "Or is it because he's poor and can't dress like every other rich person?" She held his hands.

He released his grip from hers. Stood up and left her there. Going back to meet James again, she didn't find him in the living room.

She snapped out of that memory, stood up from her chair, emptied her waste basket, put away her clothes she wore during the week and arranged her shoes rack. Her wandering brought her to James's house. Now she was drawn in. Facing her, there was a closet door, ajar displayed shelves and empty hangers. James wasn't home, a good explanation why the room looked neat. She laid down on the bed. Breathing in and out continually.

Suddenly her phone chimed. It was Ma'am Olivia. "Stellar, where are you?"

"At someplace."

"I hope so. Come meet me at gold's Café."

Ma'am Olivia was sitting in the café having a drink with a friend and equally waiting for her granddaughter. She turned and there was stellar walking in. Her friend got up to go.

"See you later Olivia."

Stellar kept a worried face. She hadn't heard from James to tell her about the present situation of his mother.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine.". Ma'am Olivia assured. Lifting up her left hand, she hovered a waiter over.

She waited. She glared at her phone several times. And when the phone finally rang she was indisposed. She answered the call and could hear James saying, "Stellar, it's James." Of course he knew it was him.