VIOLET
Chapter 1- Violet
Stilettos.
Red.
Echoing on his epoxy floor?
Taa taa. Taa taa.
The unusual feminine sound halts David Rhineston’s fountain pen, the point inches from underlining Eric’s strengths. Edward Ruvara, ten-year-old mischievous (or misunderstood to David) Eric’s father, is at that moment on his way for a first meeting with David.
The boy needs to be taught tactic. Getting caught trying to sneak a snake into his mother’s purse is poor execution of a brilliant plan. He should’ve had a back-up plan since he doesn’t posses a natural silver tongue like his father.
Of the five unique locations he likes to unlock personalities, David chose this enormous Italian style mansion for Eric for its male dominance. He sensed, from the mother’s selfish complaints, the boy needs male handling as soon as before he was born. Instead of screaming, there’s to be spanking. In place of complaints, action. The mansion also boasts of a library rivalled by no other. This will feed the boy’s curiosity whilst the space provides freedom of exploration and mental growth.
‘A great engineer,’ David tells himself sensing it in his bones. He’s glad Edward’s trusting him with Eric, putting aside their personality clash. God knows how much talent is lost because parents want to mould their children using their own blueprint instead of the blue print the child’s born with.
‘I mean, we all have our own unique DNA even if we inherited it afrom our parents. Why then are we forced to be a specific person when our body knows what it needs. After all, it divided and specialized without anyone’s help. Of course,’ David pushes his reading glasses up his roman nose, ’we need guidance to read our blue print. I suspect not many know how to read other people’s blueprint the way I do.’
David sighs. Edward is going to be hard to persuade to let the boy lead his own way. Being one of the richest men in the city, Edward believes commerce runs the world from household to empires.
‘Excuse me.’
The voice, like rivers of syrup tickles, his ears.
‘Marylin Monroe,’ he curses remembering the invasion of his male world by a feminine sound. He raises his head such that the view shifts from his rich and curly dark tresses, which glimmered in the sun strimming in from the tall rectangular window behind him, to his beryl eyes which first seek the intruders red shoes. His appreciating gaze then shifts to a slim, tall and straight figure wrapped in a fetching short black peplum dress. He ends his study abruptly with her wavy black pixie hair.
‘Violet Ruvara!’ The country loving heiress to the flower breeding empire poises by the door. He’s never met her, although he’s interacted with her cousin Edward Ruvara on numerous occasions. ‘How can I help you?’
He doesn’t stand up nor is his tone welcoming. Its a surprise to him he spoke in a civil manner at all. Not with ripples of pain travelling through his muscles as his five personalities complete the link that started as soon as he recognized her from the magazines he reads occasionally.
Bad news.
His five personalities, which he views as five points of a star, are distinct.
Were.
They were easier to control that way, because of the difficulty of switching. Now that he can switch faster, it will be like witnessing the person you love transform into a stranger at universal speed limit.
For him, its not a problem. He’s in control. Always. On the other hand, each of his different versions attracts and repels different people. None attracted to more than one version. If he transforms haphazardly it is bound to cause confusion. Like building an igloo in the middle of Dubai.
‘Star can handle all of them. Edward, clashes with all of them. Violet, as recently discovered, is in synchrony with all. Another Ruvara to deal with,’ he concludes deciding to bellow for Charlie if he can’t get rid of her in five minutes. He slowly removes his reading glasses. Although they’re a good for reading personalities, they take away chunks of what you’re in reality.
‘Reality versus what should be. We’re always short changed to be less than what we can be.’
‘Mr. Rhineston,’ she replies measure for measure as she saunters into his office after judging his perusal complete. Her own assessment of him begins. Although he’s seated in a throne like chair behind his impressive leather topped desk, she can tell he fills his sky-blue shirt and mahogany V-necked sweater with muscle. His large biceps flexing as he moves.
However, it is the power she feels discharging from him that interests her. It’s not merely physical, as from most men including her father and cousin. It’s an unusual mix of both intellect and physical dominance. He likes to practice the former leaving the latter to others. No wonder he placed a giant Goliath by his door.
It required her wit and determination to answer Star’s single-minded interrogation with confidence as he unmercifully glared down at her.
‘Yes, I have an appointment with Mr. Rhineston.’
‘Yes, with Mr. David Rhineston.’
‘Edward, my cousin, has fallen sick and asked me to attend on his behalf.’
‘Of course, I do have a letter supporting this claim. I am Eric’s aunt. That’s a letter signed by blood.’
She had shouted the last producing a twitch of his mouth so fast she almost missed it. It’s the only sign of emotion he showed her. If not for that small gesture, she would have retreated when he warned, ‘I give my trust freely, but once lost its lost. Like how one dies.’
David watches, transfixed, as she swishes her dress and advances to his side of the desk until she’s standing behind him. Violently, she throws a newspaper onto his Louis VII desk.
Mr Rhinestone is searching for a suitable charity to donate one million dollars to. All charities that are in dire need of financial aid must contact him on the contact details below and must send a representative to the Pentagram by 30 October.
She watches as recognition enters those beautiful beryl eyes such that they enlarge with evident surprise. The eyes, she admits, are his most captivating feature. Not to underestimate his classic handsomeness. Hundred years from now he will still be the epitome of handsomeness.
‘Marylin Monroe,’ he shouts in a soft confident baritone, clutching the paper like it’s silk with elegant fingers. He never expected anyone to see the advert. Least of all the heiress to a blooming flower empire. Pan intended. He’d deliberately placed the advert in a magazine for the rich who didn’t bother to look at the good deed column or would be intimidated by the Pentagram.
‘I contacted Charlie a month ago but he said you were busy and would get back to me. Now I see you had no intention of doing so.’
David smiles wickedly, surprising her with the warmth in his smile and the false reassurance that he’d honour his word. A part of her registers, in awe, that he’s switching personalities. She’d read about his multiple personalities and how he controls them so he helps boys love who they are. A successful business considering her cousin is bringing Eric. Yet she never dreamed it would be this awesome or captivating like watching the seasons change, only at a faster rate.
She pouts doubting if he knows he’s switching or if he knows which of his personalities is the dominant one.
Gulping for control David switches back before his Alpha self unleashes. Rationality is not part of his Alpha form and he really needs to be rational. He stands up in one swift movement and naturally places a firm hand on her trim waist to lead her outside.
‘I have been so busy, Violet. It takes so much energy to unlock another’s inner personality.’
The way he says it in his baritone makes it seem like its not a lousy and uncreative excuse. Violet glares at him under thick eyelashes unimpressed as she exits his office.
Behind her, David senses her persistence and itches to transform into his Alpha form who will no doubt rid of her with no guilty conscience. For now, David hopes the lighting fast personality switches are in her presence only.
‘Charlie informed me that you have friendly golf match on Friday. We’ll discuss the best way to send the money. I think it’s best to send it directly to the children’s various schools.’
’Sheer will and action,’ he concludes before dryly replying, ‘You are welcome to attend.’
‘I wasn’t asking for your invitation, Mr. Rhineston. We both know you wouldn’t offer one.’
‘Edward,’ she squeals as a lanky man leisurely leaning on Charlie’s desk comes into view. In the time it takes David to blink she’s slipped from his hold and is nestled in Edwards arms which rest on her waist.
‘To what do I owe this unpleasant surprise,’ Edward glares at David for an answer over Violet’s short hair. Any answer coming from the female, his cousin, in his arms will be poisoned to suit her purpose. David shrugs casually as he views the scene, amused at the change in Violet. Cold and calculating to warm and flexible faster than it takes him to shift.
’Eric is my nephew, I must be present to decide what’s best for him. I don’t trust you with this because of your personality clash,’ she explains whilst poking her cousin’s chest to get his attention.
‘David?’ Edward decides to leave the unpleasant task of getting rid of Violet to the other man, ‘What’s your protocol.’
‘Oh!’ Violet cries cheerfully, drowning any reply from him, ’I already thoughtfully asked Charlie to bring an extra chair and tea.’
On cue Charlie appears with a cushioned chair. With the wave of her hand, Violet orders him to put it in the office. The young man hurries inside, sets the chair and rushes out to fetch the tea. Violet, sets it upon herself to lead the way into David’s spacious office which unfortunately contains his desk and a teal round table. She delicately situates herself on the latter. Charlie dashes inside to serve her tea in china cups that David is sure he doesn’t own.
Both men, although unaware of this fact, are thinking of how Charlie will gladly die for Violet because he treats her like a dearest friend. Edward sighs, silently calling out vile curses as he drops into a chair.
David grins. ‘Edward and I are going for a walk.’
‘In your ugly gardens.’ Instead of stumbling to stand, as he expected, she calmly sips her tea and stares at his unkept gardens outside his window. ‘I wonder which of you I’ll be burying?’
David reluctantly admits she’s right. One of them must step down in regards to this issue. David, whose got nothing to lose, requires total co-operation from Edward. Anything less, is like investing in a company you know is going to fail.
‘She probably saw what I intend to tell Edward. Knowing his reaction, rage, she stayed to act as a buffer. Considerate of her.’ The last statement is sarcastic. Both men had managed to meet twice without her help. They can manage a third time. If a few fists, or bullets, are exchanged, it’s okay.
Leaving no room for snide comments or arguments he announces, ‘We will leave you to wonder. Charlie will gladly assist you with that.’
Edward rises smoothly, grudgingly praising the others strategy. If you can’t get rid of her, move yourself.
Violet, although she felt his intellect, is surprised at its evident display and smoothness. As the men’s steps merge into the silence, her throbbing headache eases to a prickle. She’s never completely connected with someone. This, added to David’s five personalities initiated the headache. Her brain felt like it was hammering at her skull the moment she entered the office.
Even her mother who is close as a sister, who taught her to read people’s energy flow and control it, does not connect with her so completely or fully. The downside is David sensed it and broke the connection as soon as it was weakened by distance. She suspects in a few days, he will be able to block her.
Not on her watch. She didn’t spend all that time dangling on a different man’s arm each week so she could be labelled a gold digger in the tabloids. She was digging. For something more precious than gold. Now that she’s found him, she won’t let him escape. He holds the key to her blooming.
Pan intended.
Tomorrow the picture of violets in a field will arrive, disguised as a thank you present for Charlie.
Her gift allows her to feel people’s energy flow, therefore, merging with them. Like going with the rivers flow, you don’t become the river but you feel the direction of the flow, the speed and strength. Its not a powerful ability, but she’s mastered it enough to be able to manipulate people without them realizing. She can also predict tendencies, habits and possible action. However, there is parts of it she can’t access.
It’s a bonus that the person with the answers is also the person who will help her send seven precious children to their dream destinations
