soundtrack: 8stop7- Question Everything

SEB

I've been facing the window in my office looking at the exquisite and colossal buildings surrounding me. Business people here right now are busy earning money, buying and selling and watching closely the stock market while I'm here rubbing my aching temples.

The meeting a while ago got on my nerves, I admit, now I'm having the worst headache of all my headaches. I just wasted my hours meeting with the boards and all they did were scrutinizing my personal business. I can't help but groan, when the meeting should only last for an hour but instead, three long fucking hours!

"What's this son?" He asks while tapping that filthy tabloid on the table "Your face is in this piece of trash again!" Dad stern voice echoes in the boardroom.

"Dad, it's not what it looks like." I say, composing myself but I'm already furious. Dad didn't just stop there.

"People won't buy when you said it's not what it looks like, will they?" clenching my jaw. I lean my back in the chair and rub my chin. He has a point, I know

"Seb, you should settle down, son. Try having a girlfriend, a serious girlfriend." Uncle Peter suggests, one of the board members.

"I've no time for that shit! I have already headache in the office, I don't want another one." I stay tranquil though I'm already pissed.

"Your dad wasn't having headache after marrying your mom." another board member says

"Try to stay away from this kind of woman Seb, you are our company, we don't want bad reputations, it starts to smell Seb, be careful." He says emphasizing the our. I narrow my eyes to another board.

"Are you threatening me? did you forget I have the largest share? and I am still the CEO." I stang up leaning the palm of my hands on the cold glass table.

"I am not threatening you, just be careful, we don't want to drag the company down by some trash like a tabloid." He says slowly this time, shrinking back.

I stand up from my chair, buttoning my suit jacket and slip my hands into my pockets "Are we done talking about me? can we discuss what's company's best interest now?"

The meeting was a total bullshit. It tells only one thing, to humiliate me in front of my dad. Dad trusted me with the Company his father built from sweats and blood.

Well, I'm a competitive, confident, ruthless and ambitious businessman, I work to perfection, when it comes to business deals, I deal. I don't care even I step into a hell hole. I may be an egotistical, arrogant asshole according to those who hated my guts but I work my ass off while everyone is already snoring at their own home, so don't judge me for being me.

I'm known of being a playboy/bad boy that caught attention to one of the top-rated women's magazine recently. I agreed to be the cover of their monthly issue as the world's sexiest billionaire, well like I said I'm arrogant, who doesn't want to be on a Magazine cover? It's not my first time but mostly business related.

"Mr. Sebastian Hughes III, I'm Anna Walsh of Women's World Magazine, we'll be happy if you could grant us an interview for our next month issue, since you're voted as Sexiest Billionaire, we'll be honored to put you as our cover for next month issue."

" Call my PA Elle to arrange an interview."

So my ego fluctuated when I heard the news but unfortunately, it made my life miserable, I mean who would have thought your haircut will be big of a deal, the coffee you drink. Everywhere I go people took pictures of me.

My life changed, I even added my security. I received various emails from haters, or women saying they're pregnant with my babies, but mostly curses and calling me names, some were death threats. This weekend was worst. I thought she was just like any other women who want my picture. We even laughed at her behavior.

The next morning my faces were all over tabloids, internet gossip websites, stating that I let the underage woman drunk. I found out she was a starlet and maybe needed a big break in Hollywood. She probably gets a break. I don't like to be in the front-page for misbehavior especially when it's all lies, it pissed me off.

After 16 hours of work everyday on weekdays, I always want a good weekend, it means a few drinks with friends and an hour of fuck-in fuck-out. There were always willing pussies for a mind-blowing orgasms, just an hour, nothing more, nothing less, no names, no numbers, no cuddling, no foreplay, no second round fuck when I'm done, I'm done. I don't do relationship, it complicates life, I don't dine and wine, it means I don't date, never ever. I don't fuck in my place, never invited women in, never fuck drunk. I love sex don't get me wrong but it's just pure sex, no intimacies, no strings attached.

I ask my PA for some Tylenol. The most reliable PA on earth. I love Elle. She never gossips around about me, I never ask her to take or bring my dry clean, or get me coffee. I make coffee on my own or bring coffee by myself. I paid her good salary. She deserves it anyway.

She gets inside with a bottle of Tylenol and grabs a bottle of water from my mini fridge. She hands it to me, I swallow two tablets and follow with a huge gulp of water.

"So ridiculous, the meeting today was a waste of time. I want to be invisible sometimes or just let the floor swallow me whole." I say massaging my aching temples

"Yeah, sure a waste of time but I already free your schedules for the entire afternoon so you're free to go where ever you want to go since you already returned all important calls and you can read the new e-mail from your car if that's what worries you. I'll be here until five so call me whenever you need me." See, that's what I'm talking about.

"Why don't you go home early and leave this office and enjoy watching reruns of pretty little liars?" I know she loves that show. She looks at me with exasperated sighs

"I just told you to go and now you're telling me to go home instead? Go home early once in a while Seb. You've already had money that can feed this whole country for years. The company won't lose anything if you'll go home early once in a while." Elle explains.

Before I can reply my phone vibrates from my suit pocket. It's probably from my mother who's already aware of what happened in the meeting, I'm sure dad filled her in already. I fish it out and surprisingly it's not mom, from Mike, dad's old friend. The owner of hotel chains and restaurants. 

He's one of the few people I respected most. One of the richest people who is currently funding a research for cancer treatment that has lesser side effects, who unfortunately his wife suffered from cancer once. Now Catie is a cancer-free.

I answer, pressing the phone to my ear 

"Mike, what a surprise?"  I hear a long sigh from the other line.

"Son, I know it's unusual for me to call you if not business related" then he pauses.

Unrelated business? Again? Could this day the worst day for me, ever? What worst will I get by the end of the day?

"I'm with my wife at the hospital, she's asking for you, I would really appreciate if you can come, I will be in debt" I didn't let him finish what he's about to say.

"I'm on my way." I know which hospital she is treated. I once visited her during her chemo when my parents were out of the country. I rush out of my office door and found my PA on her desk.

I say quickly "If anything important let me know, I'm leaving."

"Good to know you follow my advice once." She winks

I sprint to my private elevator and I know Elle informed already my driver/ bodyguard. As expected a six foot five inches ex-navy standing in front of the elevator; Lincoln White contradicted to his color, he opens my door, I get in my car and tell him where to go.

After twenty-five minutes without traffic, I'm at the hospital door when a man in a black suit that I recognize as one of Mike's men approaches. I follow him with Linc. The smell of antiseptic, the usual smell of hospital reaches my nose, white walls, staffs on scrub suits and stethoscopes, a rushing ambulance stroller, an overhead pager.

I once admitted to the hospital when I was in high school for allergies when my classmate pranked me.

Some staff recognizes me which makes me sick, they probably remember me on the tabloid page or internet gossip sites. Shit! this is ruining me. Good thing my lawyers are good at their jobs, I'm paying them hefty of money.

I slightly tap the door when I arrive in front of her room. Mike opens the door who looks stressed. I give him a hug, and tapping his back.

"Thank you for coming, Seb, it really means a lot to me especially to my wife," He runs his hand over his hair that he probably run them a couple times already.

He looks so miserable, a dark circles under his eyes, a five o'clock shadow on his face, he looks a decade older than the last time I saw him.

"This is what friends do when times like this Mike. Helping each other," I say sympathically.

I face his wife who is lying in a slightly elevated bed, with a nasal tube on her nose, her hair neatly tucks in with a blue scarf, so the latest chemo will not cause baldness anymore. A monitor mounted to the wall showing her vital signs.

The Catie I knew is far different from the woman lying in front of me. I almost didn't recognize her. The jolly, intelligent and beautiful woman I knew is far long gone.

Nobody says a word, I only hear is the beeping sounds from the monitor and her ragged breathing. I examine her from head to toe. Her eyes are half closed but I know she is awake and she's aware that I'm already here. She looks so frail that I'm afraid I'll break her bone when I touch her, even her lips are dry. There is an IV hooked on her left hand.

I sit in an empty chair. I hold her hand, it's warm. I squeeze it slightly and she squeezes it back.

"I'll give you both some privacy," Mike says, he comes close to his wife and kisses her on the lips and in the forehead. He holds her left hand a couple of seconds then walk away leaving us alone. I hear the door closes behind me.

"Hey playboy, you always look handsome." She moves her face to my side, I remain silent because I don't know what to say to her. I lick my now dry lips and swallow hard.

I clear my throat "You're not bad yourself either even lying there in bed." I don't know if it's right to say that but she chuckles and it feels good to cheer her up.

"You're always charming. I'm glad you survived otherwise you wouldn't be here right now talking to me." Yeah, it reminds me that if not because of her I'm not sitting here beside her. I raise the head of her bed until she feels comfortable and now she's facing me well.

"I won't last long anymore, Seb, it spread so fast that we didn't expect. We thought I still have at least months left but five days ago I fainted on our way back home from our honeymoon." I gasp and stare at her with my wide eyes.

I didn't notice I'm holding my breath longer already. I see now why Mike looks so wretched like he's carrying the whole world on his shoulders. How do you even accept when the people you love is leaving you so soon? and what worss is you know when but you're not yet ready to let them go.

I think that is what Mike feels at this moment.

I remember them having a daughter still in college. Why isn't she even here for her parents, for her mom?