Time is wasted

His two eyes were closed when he heard a knock on the door. With a simple "Come in", the assistant entered.

"You are late. Tell me, is the application complete?" Alex breathed out, with his eyes still closed. He was calm as he was remembering the little scene intrigued in his memory of years ago. To think that she would present herself as blurry as the caption of heavy rain, he frowned.

"Mr. Dargan, the contract was voided" Assisstant Darkwood responded after minutes of trauma in his mind. The poor man was clearing his throat repeatedly while he waited for the reaction of the usually calm man. He wondered what had happened.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked. In that memory, he was about to catch up with the little hands trying to reach him, when he heard the response of his assistant.

"Did you just say they voided the contract!!" He shouted and his eyes opened. Fire brewing and burning in those enchanting eyes. Assistant Darkwood jerked in fright, writhing like a child about to pee on his pant. He drank down his fear, and with a bit of boldness, walked up to his boss, dropping the file to the desk.

"Mr. Peter has decided to collaborate with our rival. Xikers. M. E" The assistant intentionally paused to observe his boss' reaction to the company's name, and as he presumed, the blind man was seething in rage. He continued "Reasons because he loathed arrogantly men"

"Are you trying to say I am full of myself?" Alex grunted.

'Isn't that true? ' The assistant thought, but quickly shook his head to say aloud in an ironic denial "Of course not"

"Tell me now!! Mr. Peter voided the contract?"

"Yes, Sir" Assistant Darkwood replied.

"And he decided to collaborate with that company, correct?"

"Yes, Sir" Assistant Darkwood was becoming fearful of where this was leading to

"And you foolishly sat leisurely as all of this went by, correct?"

"Yes. No, I mean not...I had no idea this would happen. The deal was going smoothly until... Now"

Alex slammed his palm on the desk. He saw red. He wanted to truly murder somebody and a perfect treat was painstakingly present.

"You wish to die before walking your daughter down the aisle, don't you? Mr. Darkwood?" He sounded threatening.

The assistant was surprised "No boss, walking down the aisle with my daughter has been my dream" he commented briskly.

"If you do, act like my assistant" Alex shouted, as he twirled around the office. He clasped his stick tightly, feeling another sense of anger as he remembered the scent of that woman. Why was he still thinking about her? She was the one who was supposed to be in trouble, not him!!

--------------------------------

Some hours later.

Assistant Darkwood hesitantly told "We are here. At the Dargan mansion"

Alex grumbled inwardly as the pain of losing a huge amount of money gnashed at his heart. He had sworn to make that company pay for his misfortune. No matter what, by all means, he'll get a hold of that owner and double the pain, they made him feel.

As a businessman, the most unfortunate suffering they could feel was the pain of losing millions. A great deal.

Thinking his boss hadn't heard him, he spoke again "Sir, we are here"

"Am I deaf to you? Because I lack my sight?" The arrogant frustrated man retorted, feeling vexed that his assistant was repeating his words.

"No, no Sir. I am sorry if my words had..."

"Save that for yourself. I'll be returning to the office by evening. Remember to come and get me" He instructed tiredly, and without the man's help, he got out of the car by himself.

"Take care, Sir," the assistant told.

----------------------------

On his way to the main house, Alex passed a few maids who greeted him. He ignored them and helped himself to the hall, leading to the sitting room. Although people painted him a blind man, he didn't. Rather, he thought that was his strength. Strength to success. He wasn't born blind. It was after an accident that occurred years ago. The accident where he lost all of his most precious items. He was only ten back then.

"Alex, you are back" Butler Solomon stood in front of the man. He went behind Alex to remove the coat around his body, but the former refused.

"I can help myself, Solomon. I seek my leave" Alex remarked and left, leaving the butler speechless. The butler acted like a father figure to Alex since the day he was found blind after two years of being missing. He helped the young boy grow passionate about his weakness. Butler Solomon was a man of short words, but he loved Alex a little too much.

Alex on the other hand, didn't turn around to apologize after being rude to the butler. He was angry. Too angry to apologize. He cursed and gritted.

"TO HELL WITH THOSE BUSINESS PARTNERS. I'll MAKE THEM PAY FOR WASTING MY TIME" He screamed, unaware of the brooding stares on him. He scoffed and clenched his jaws as he continued to cuss when he finally reached the sitting room.

"FUCK THEM ALL!! LET THEM WAIT AND SEE HOW I'LL TURN THEM INTO ASHES" He yelled.

"What is it again? Stupid grandson" Old Man Dargan called into question. He wasn't ambushed by his grandson's explosion because it was not new to him or the members of their family. However, she was new to it. His soon-to-be granddaughter-in-law, the pretty lady.

"Grandfather, I am in no mood to chat with you ok," Alex said, about to leave and climb the stairs. He jolted and stopped, his brows furrowed. Then he pivoted around and wrinkled his nose.

Something was wrong here. He thought.

The wind sent him flying in shock as the waft of a familiar fragrance infiltrated his nose.

That scent...

That smell...

The rose with caramel honey...

That girl from the airport. Was she in his house? Is that...

"Did you get bitten by the wind, stupid grandson?" Old Dargan interjected his thoughts and teased, his smile widening. He loved the look on his grandson, but not the one on her. His granddaughter-in-law was disgusted. She wasn't awed by his face or eyes? That's new.

"Do we have a visitor?" Alex exhaled

The Old Man laughed "Why do you care? First, bring me your wife"

Alex sighed "Not that discussion again, Grandfather. Haven't we decided on closing that chapter?"

"Oh, I bought a new book, Grandson, and the first chapter is very unique. Give me a granddaughter-in-law, or I get you a wife?" The Old Man added.

"I am not ready for marriage, and I remember you still have twenty other single grandsons" Alex concluded before taking his leave. May slapped her friend's hand after she was dragged by her into her room. She effortlessly threw her a cold glare.

"You should thank me, not glare at me" Rachel explained and added, "Do you know whose blood would have been spilled today?" She furrowed her brows "Yours! May. My brother would have killed you"

May flickered her fingers against Rachel's head and cried "He is that man. The one at the airport"

Rachel gasped.

"Whose blood will be spilled? Mine or his? And how come you have two brothers?" May interrogated, still seething in rage. At that moment, when she saw the man who ruined her mood back at the airport, she had made up her mind to scour around for the nearest killable object to stab him. But before she even moved an inch, Rachel snatched her arms and hauled her to this room.

"I do have two elder brothers. One is out of the country, and the other is the guy you just met. He is also the man you hate, his face which is never revealed on TV, but it will be too boring to tell you" Rachel giggled, her hips swaying as she danced excitedly. She would die for the day her best friend found out that her brother was Alexander Dargan, the man she had hated for twelve years.

May eye the crazy woman "Who? Who is he?"

"Are you here to talk about Xavier or my brother?" Rachel quickly switched the topic, her eyes filled with mischief.

--------------------------

"As your teacher, one thing you must follow is...lower your cold demeanor and listen attentively to my directions" Rachel laughed "First step to wooing a man, is a very simple formula" She looked at the seriousness of her best friend, and laughed harder, her stomach hurting so badly and tears dropping from her eyes.

She said brittly "You don't have to be this serious, May. Last I checked you also despised Xavier, didn't you? What changed?"

May was taken aback by Rachel's question. She too was surprised by herself, because after her rebirth, it felt like something that had been locked inside her was finally set free and her heart, suddenly began beating for him. She began loving him.

Rachel knitted her eyebrows as she waited for an answer "Tell me. What changed?"

May blinked her eyes adorably and said simply "My heart"

"Your WHAT?!! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ah. Your heart? May, you are seriously saying that? Your heart changed. Did you have one before? All you did before was follow that good-for-nothing man like an aimless fowl. Did you forget how you rejected Xavier? The only guy that appeared to have feelings for you. I remembered how you heartlessly refused him. I was there, and now, here we are...trying to get back what you once lost"

May sighed.

She felt disappointed in herself because what Rachel referred to was true. She wished she had seen true their lies then. Maybe. Just maybe she and Xavier could have been happier.

"Tell me the first step, please" She pleaded.

"As your very good friend, I'll help you" Rachel boasted proudly. She took out a small note and began jotting down writings. May, sitting beside her on the bed, waited and waited...

Rachel pouted as she tore off the first sheet, rumbled it between her palm, and threw it to the ground. May believed she had simply made a mistake, until more rolled sheets were laid on the ground, creating a big mess in the room.

"Are you helping me or not?" May rasped, losing her patience.

"I got it. The first step to wooing a man is to find his weakness" Rachel said, scratching her hair with the pen. She wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her palm.

"Find his weakness? How does that help in wooing a man?" May was suspicious and interested.

Rachel patted her chest and smiled "Easy. You have to attack through his weakness. Do you perhaps know a weakness Xavier has when it comes to you? Something he rashly does? Whenever you both are close"

A blush began creeping on May's face when she heard Rachel. She was thrown back to that day. The day he kissed her on the porch. She saw the look in his eyes. They were filled with love... For her? Did he still love her?

"

She didn't. She loved it.

"I do not find it disgusting" She muttered, her gaze distant. But whatever she said, she knew it was true.

Rachel clapped her hands together and embraced her best friend "I am happy you have seen the lighter truth to your feelings. Winning Xavier's heart will be very easy"

---library.

Thank you.