Adrian Donald believed so much in quick and eventful mornings. He never misses to wake up early, by the time the city was yawning awake, he had already gone through two cups of americano, a sixty minutes gym session and a warm bath to start his ever busy day. His phone always buzzling, a call with his Italian partners ended up adding extra millions to his company's projections.
From the penthouse of A&D Tower, thirty five stories up, the skyline recline endlessly, glass, steel, and the faint flicker of smog catching the down. It was a sight he had bought, not just for its elegant feature, but for the reminder of height and safety. Being consistently at the top keeps him in control,
He stood by the window, phone in one hand, the other in his pocket, listening to his CMO chatter off number. He had his present there but his mind was else where.
"... and the gala is confirmed on Saturday," his CMO Mr Gray, was saying. "Press coverage is assured. You will want to be there, Gwen group always plays well for the company sir.
Gwen group is a magazine enterprise own by Gwen Patrick. The ever gorgeous, tall and beautiful model. Everyone gushes at her radiance, both male and female. She was every woman's role model. She carrys herself with elegance, running the company discretely after inheriting it from her mother. Most rich men has their eyes on her but Gwen has her eyes on Adrian.
"I will be there" Adrian replied, short and clipped.
Adrian wouldn't want to be there, but for business sake and for the sake of the contracts he would get from the list of most influential guest that might attend. He had to keep personal relationship aside.
To him work comes first.
A&D Cooperation was more than a business, it was a carefully crafted image. A billion dollar empire built on mergers, real estate, and sheer willpower. The company was initially known as Donald's enterprise which was own by his father Donald. However, Adrian found his own company years later and had merge it with his fathers as requested by Mr.Donald during his retirement.
People saw him as the man born with a golden spoon and all that, the fortune, the cars, the quiet authority that filled a room without having to say anything.
No one saw his struggles and relentless nights.
He got to his office after the long talk from Mr. Gray in the meeting room which he barely heard anything. His office was simple and cosy, the way he liked it, clean lines, cold colors, no clutter, everything strategically kept and aligned with the interior. The only personal touch was a small pendant on his desk, worn smooth one one side. No one has ever asked him about it, and he never bothered to explain either.
A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. His secretary, Ms Marian, stepped in holding tablet in her hand. Standing before him in her clean tailored black suite.
" You have the board strategy meeting at ten, then the investor lunch meeting by noon. Would you want me to move the call meeting with the Switzerland office?"
"No", he said. I will take it "tonight."
Ms. Marian nodded, but didn't leave. "Also….there's been a traffic online about the westbridge project. Local residents aren't happy with new development plan. Do you have any…"
"I will see to it."
She gave a quick nod and left.
Adrian sat down, scanning through the morning reports. The numbers lined up, the protrusions were concrete, yet his attention kept drifting. It happened frequently lately, a glint in the back of his mind, like a partly recalled dream.
After the meeting with the board strategy,which he was also barely listening, by noon he was down in the tower's private dinning suite, shaking hands with three men whose appearances cost more than some apartments. Their discussion were easy, profits, expansion, the unavoidable gala invitation. Adrian smiled when needed, but his mind stayed sharp, calculating every word.
After the lunch, his driver was waiting in the for him for his next appointment outside the building. As they pulled away, his phone buzzed.
Mother flashed across the screen.
Adrian hesitated before answering.
'Adrian," Kate's voice was chill, clipped as usual. "Your father and I expects you for dinner on Sunday. Kristy will be coming home."
There was a hazy border to the way she said Kristy's name to how she calls him. Not sharp but almost pointed, as if to remind him that she the actual Donald's.
'I will check my schedule and get back to you," Adrian said.
"You work too much. Family should always come first," she replied, a statement that could make a strenger think she was a loving mother but to Adrian it sounded more like an obligation than affection.
Before he could respond, she added, "Kristy's been doing extremely well in her fashion career and would be merging with Gwen group soon. You might want to take an interest."
You know, you should also consider dating Gwen or even marry her. It will be good for you and the company.
Kate already know the kind of person Gwen is, she knows that Adrian doesn't want to do anything with her considering her ill mannered behaviour and she is not his kind of woman. But she cared less anyways. She earnestly want Gwen to partner with Kristy just to give Adrian the impression that her daughter can also run Donald's Enterprise if he wasn't there.
"I will think about it." He said flatly.
She murmured something which Adrian couldn't hear and doesn't want to hear anyways. It was an evidence of her disappointment that she didn't bother to hide. "Don't be late," she finally said.
The line went dead.
Donald his father was different, warmer in his way, carefree and enjoying his retirement by travelling round the world. He's an honest man that he had always reminded his wife that no matter her inferior thoughts and hate towards Adrian, that he's his son and nothing whatsoever would change his mind or even think of giving what's rightfully his to Kate just because Kate is his biological daughter.
Donald had thought him about business, about resilience, about grabbing every opportunity and creating one when required. Kate on the other hand, had kept him at arm's length. When Kristy was born, the distance between Kate and Adrian had stretched into something permanent. She wished she had waited longer before going for adoption. Just maybe her biological daughter would had been in charge of Donald Enterprise.
Adrian never bothered to ask why they barely agree. He already knew.
The car rolled to stop at A&D Cooperation headquarters. Adrian shook off the call and headed inside, burying himself in project files, contracts and presentations until the day blurred into evening.
By sunset, the city lights began to bloom, busy evening, everyone finding their way back to their homes, his schedule loosened.
He didn't go home immediately, instead, he told the driver to drive slow and take the longest way back.
The city at night had a different tempo, shopfronts closed, neon signs buzzing strangers hurrying past each other without meeting eyes. He took a turn into a quieter district, one that is yet to be developed properly.
At a red light, his gaze caught on a small crafted weathered building on the right corner of the road. The sign above the door was dim, but how it was crafted tugged at something in him.
At a point, he thought he heard a cry, children's cry, high and disturbing, but when he blinked, the sound was gone. The light turned green. They drove on.
Back at his penthouse, he loosened his tie. Poured water in a cup to drink, and stood at the window. The city stretched out below, alive and busy.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pendant, turning it over in hid hand. On days like this, he wondered why he still has it with him. It wasn't worth much and might literally worth nothing. But it was the only thing he would never sell nor ever give away.
His phone phone buzzed on the desk, breaking him out of his thoughts. It was Ms Marian his secretary.
"Sir I got a notification from Mr Gray, according to him there is a change of plan, the event this Saturday isn't just a gala, Gwen group has gotten hold of the mayor, half the city council, and a list of donors that could triple our funding for the westbridge project. You will need to get their attention by appearing on the stage, maybe giving a speech or something"
Adrian exhaled slowly. " Fine. Send me the details."
"Will do. Oh, and I heard they are featuring some human interest stories in their magazine this season. Might be worth paying attention."
Adrian already knows that Gwen is pulling all this together to get his attention, her invites are people he looking forward to work with. He didn't ask fore more. He ended the call and dropped the phone. But a faint curiosity lingered. He didn't know why.
Outside, the city light's shimmered in the dark. Somewhere out there, life was happening far from boardrooms and glass towers,
and for the first time in a long time, Adrian found himself wondering about it.