The Fall Bride (TSBS-3) ON HOLD

Chapter One

Be a victor, not a victim.
― Joel Osteen

Ivan Dwayne

The archways of trees cast shadows, providing shade from the sunlight peeking between the leaves. As far as the sight went, the vivid copper and orange foliage had a calming effect before the incoming harsh weather of the next season stormed into the city. 

All above the ground, the leafs crunched under the weight of the running shoes. Without a break, I jogged hard and fast over the concrete pathway, through the arching fall trees. My breathing fastened, but I could not stop. Dozen of park goers were left in dust as I went past them at a pace that no one could catch up. When I felt the sharp pain in my stomach as I over exerted, my legs burning as I finally slowed down, dropping my hands on my knees, trying to catch the breath and rest I deprived myself for two hours.

"How long are you planning to run?"

Mark came to a stop in a mess of huffs and puffs as he tried his level best to keep up with me. Although, he was a broader mass of bulging muscles, his stamina came short compared to mine. Since the day I promoted him from my personal bodyguard to the head of security, he started losing his muscles as well as his stamina due to the workload I forced upon him. Somehow, he blamed me for his lack of exercise time. To make up for it, I made sure to drag him in my morning runs as I hiked all over the park in upstate. 

"I think I reached my limit for today." I took a seat beside him on the bench, taking the water bottle and draping it all over my head. The water cooled the heat in my body as it slid past my hair to the sleeveless t-shirt, staining it as the ridges of my muscles became bare through the thin fabric. When I started to endure the heat in the Middle East, I thought I would die from a heatstroke, but the heat in New York seemed like a child's play now. 

It was the end of September, the season of autumn was passing through the city in a mix of warm and cool days, few rainy days and the beautiful foliage landscape in city parks. No matter how worse the nights were, I made sure to catch the early mornings in outdoor parks, especially this one. 

Putting the empty bottle in the trash, I stood behind the iron railing and gazed across the water, the swirling of colors were mesmerizing in the first light of the day. On the other side of the lake, I could see the backside of the residential group home, the back gate leading to the lake, posing as a dangerous route.

The shrilling sound of a ringtone dragged me away from the dark memories that threatened to consume me. I glanced down at the smartwatch and noted the incoming call from my assistant. Tapping the screen, I spoke into the air as the bluetooth earbud carried my voice.

"What is it?"

"Sir, Miles is here. You told me to inform you as soon as he came to the office today." Lloyd rushed to explain as he knew I hated being disturbed in my morning runs. It was the only time I got to enjoy the peace and quiet before everything shifted to a fast-track race where everyone was trying to outrun each other, aiming for the higher price awaiting at the end. At a young age, I realized doing business was like being in a race. Over the years, I had pushed myself to a point where no one could touch me. I was a league of my own, and I deserved to bathe in the glory of my success.

At thirty-two, I was already in the sky, soaring high with my ambitions. Left with bits and pieces of a company, I managed to combine what was left with new vision to make something that awed everyone. I dominated the Middle East with my work ethics, profits and results. For the past year, I had been doing the same in the states, but the hiccup in my road pulled the rug from under me at a time when I was relishing in the high of my success.

My old man and I had the worst fucked up relation on any side of the world, but I still could not foresee the deadly token he left me when he made his grand exit from this world. I hoped he was burning in the pits of hell for making me go through the tunnel that had no light at the end.