In his shadows.
He was walking down the halls of the 80 floored office with a satisfied smile on his face.
People were congratulating him as he walked passed them with long confident steps.
Today was his day.
His company was declared one of the top 10 conglomerates in the world and he was declared the entrepreneur of the year.
Today he could actually say that he was successful.
Not from the lineage that got passed from his father but which was self made by him.
And he was very much proud of it.
As he made his way towards the stage to give the speech everyone was eagerly waiting for his eyes fell on the person who stood beside him all along.
His mother.
Her head was held up in pride of him being her son and her eyes had shine of happiness.
He offered her his arm and she entangled her own arm with his.
He ascended the stage with his mother at his side.
He seated her on the reserved seats on the stage and started the press conference.
‘Mr. Romano how did you managed to take such a big leap in just a year…just one year back your company was on the brink of debt crisis!?’
‘A company is like an engine…you fuel in hardworking you get success thriving you forward ,you fuel in ignorance and you see rust eroding all your hard work.
I gave this company my everything and the company in return gave me much more than I expected.’
Clapping could be heard around listening to such a wonderful reply.
Even the reporter had a smile on their face impressed by his words.
‘Do you want to give someone the credit to your success?’
‘Well success is not a thing to achieve…it is the one to earn and only those earn it who make themselves worth it and I tried making myself worthy of it…my mom here reminded me everyday how much worthy and deserving I was and I trusted her.
I trusted her faith in me..I trusted the one who brought me into this world and was the one who made me believe in love at first sight.’
More claps could be heard as he finished.
The reporter replied.
‘We love the way you love and respect your mother Mr Romano. Not much people today value others efforts.’
‘Sir can we ask you some personal questions I bet everyone is dying to know how Mr Romano is personally.’
‘Well you can depending on how personal they are.’
‘So Mr Romano is there a girl which we don’t know of in your life..a secret lover maybe’
He laughed and replied with a smile.
‘I already knew you were going to ask me this question and let me clear it all for once ..no there is no girl in my life as of now …I am completely single.’
Girls screamed in happiness as he completed his sentence.
‘Thank you soon much for your support everyone.’
He acknowledged them and got more shouting’s in return.
Little did anyone knew that in the shadows behind the pillar a girl was standing taking hidden glances at him.
As he spoke her heart erupted with happiness listening to his voice.
As he laughed her lips automatically smiled seeing him.
Far yet it felt so close.
His presence had made such a big hall small for her
It had made her long for him.
The girl unknown to the world and everything for him was in shadows trying to not block his light of success.
Tears were running down her cheeks and for once they were not of sadness but happiness.
Happiness for his success.
‘Yes we have heard that you prefer being single but how is that possible I mean no girl ever intrigued you Mr Romano.’
The question made the girl in shadows eager
Eager to know if he still wants her.
His reply will decide their fate.
He went silent for a while his mother looked worriedly at him.
‘Truly speaking intrigued is a small word ..I get addicted and we all know that all addictions are bad. So I just try not getting one.’
Especially the one that can kill you…he wanted to continue but decided otherwise.
The girl in the shadows felt the blow of his words and she felt it hard.
With her head pressed on the pillar and body leaning on it for support she closed her eyes.
Her hands clutching together near her chest and mind going haywire she decided to leave.
‘You are a deep man Mr Romano and I bet any girl will be lucky to have you’
‘With depth comes pressure and I doubt much people can take it. Thanks for -‘
His words were cut short when his eyes fell on the brown eyes looking at him from behind the pillar.
He froze as he saw her there standing in front of him with her hair trying to block her face but her eyes giving it away.
Panic rushed on her face as she found herself in the line of sight of his cold eagle grey eyes.
As they landed on her and his sentence was left incomplete she knew.
She knew he had seen her.
‘So here we had the best entrepreneur of the year with us Mr Alessandro Romano. A great man at work and equally good at heart Thank you Mr Romano for your time’
Claps were heard in his appreciation.
But he got deaf to them.
His senses were only concentrated on one thing.
Her.
He wasn’t sure if his eyes were betraying him or he was hallucinating.
But he believed that he did saw her there staring back at him.
He excused himself and hurried passed the crowd to follow where she went.
Running out of the main door he looked around frantically trying to spot her black hair and white dress.
His mother felt strange of her son’s sudden excuse.
She followed him afraid of what was so important that he had to leave all of a sudden.
It was late at night and the streets were hustling with traffic.
Honks of horns and cars zooming passed him distracted him.
He felt he lost her again.
Not knowing where his feet were taking him he unknowingly stood in the centre of the road with the light above him showing red.
His eyes still searching for her madly unaware of the speeding car coming his way.
She stood in the alley trying to stop her sobs.
Her eyes looked at him with as much desperation as his searched for her.
It killed her seeing him go crazy for her but she was afraid.
Afraid to face him.
Afraid to ask him if he could accept her now.
Afraid of the reply she heard him give to the reported.
An addiction was what he called her and how right now he didn’t wanted one.
His back was on her when she saw the signal turn red.
He was standing in the death zone unknowingly.
The silver car speeding on the highway was not going to stop.
It was coming directly his way while his eyes were lost searching her.
Her heart stopped that second.
Gone were the sobs instead her mind froze like her whole body.
But there was no time.
No time to think or recover.
Her tiny legs ran at full speed trying to stop a tragedy.
On the other side of the road stood his mother.
Her steps halted when she saw where her son was standing and what was coming his way.
She couldn’t do much with shaking legs and shocked senses.
His name managed to escape her lips which made him turn around to see the flashing lights of the car blinding him.
It was too late to realise what was happening.
Next they know a screeching sound was heard and the car skidded on the wet gravel and came sliding his way.
No thoughts. No emotions.
Nothing.
Everything vanished as he welcomed his end with a numbing soul.
But little did he knew that someone had already exchanged his soul for her.
She had already volunteered to give her life for him.
