Her Greatest Asset

It must have been past midnight already. The earliest crack of dawn was waiting idly at the edge of the purplish horizon. This night that preceded it was chill and muted, and the sky was naked. The sole moon, although hanging mighty and far-reaching, still failed to go beyond the farthest corner of a dim and narrow alleyway-a gap between two old abandoned buildings, where the mysterious man was crouching silently and motionless halfway, alone before three frail stray cats. There were snow-grey, deep black, and a vibrant orange one, feeding them through his open palm.

At the scantily lit entrance over thirty meters away from him, there was a shadow suddenly emerged forming into a shape of a slim woman. She rested her almost-bare back against the cold bricks of the nearest wall, her panting figure finally away from anyone's ferocious eyesight. She heard the hurrying black luxury cars passing at the edge of her warping vision. She exhaled in one-eternity long all the efforts she exerted to escape from the chase she had herself instigated. Her sudden drawing of breath felt was almost suffocating her.

I should've just told my dad about my whereabouts, she said to herself. She thought everything was going to be okay. But sadly and unfortunately, it didn't turn out in the way she had hoped it would. Maybe losing wealth did also mean losing the privilege of hoping.

She composed herself, and for a moment struggled to put on her heels back on her throbbing feet for running toward this hiding place barefooted.

She intentionally didn't tell her dad about the upcoming party of a friend, or much better called as merely an acquaintance of her. His name was Edward Smith. It was like a farewell party for all the graduating senior high school students. She realized by then that her escape from her home required a deliberate planning.

At dinner time she was already tensed, her smartphone vibrating each minute mostly asking where was she already, or that the party would not be fun and exciting at all without her presence. This was one of her friends, Katherine. She replied: otw, see you later, and have fun while I am still away, before turning the phone off discreetly for good.

As any loving dads do, Henry Morrison inquired if she'd already had a boyfriend, because he was hearing a rumor. Of course she denied that claim wholeheartedly.

"Really? But why?" asked Henry, smiling widely, "you should be looking for one now."

"For what?" Madeline almost rolled her eyes. "Men suck."

"For you to be happier, for one," his dad continued, started slicing the steak. "Although I agree that they are shit, yes, including me." His subsequent laughter echoed even to the farthest corridors untouched by lights. Then, as if hit by own realization, he immediately became serious, eyes threatening. "But please never ever come close to that Smith boy."

She had no reply right there but she just swallowed.

Her dad continued. "What do you want to pursue in college? Or do you want pursue college at all? You can take a gap year or travel abroad before you do."

"I'm not thinking about anything yet."

A nod and cheap smile from his dad, a bit defeated.

Partially nervous this time by how he held the utensils, Henry said, "You should eat more," pointing at the dessert still untouched by neither of them, "I don't like how you look very thin lately."

"I can take care of myself, thank you..." said Madeline dismissively.

"M-maddie, w-will you go with me? At the gathering?" Asked Henry, eyes still hopeful, although looking uncertain at her possible response. He knew it already, his daughter's response, but asked her anyway, perhaps expecting for a change of heart.

Madeline shook her head with conviction. "No, sorry."

Henry only nodded by then, already satisfied with their conversation, then a long continuous silence ensued and prevailed.

This gathering, she'd been told over and over by her dad, was arranged and funded by no other than the Lancastriels, the richest of them all. He had told her how wealthy they were owning numerous multinational corporations, how influential, even wealthier than some of the world's richest monarchs in total net-worth.

He had also told he really wanted to meet them for years already, to network with them and be at least one of their business partners. Although implied really as just a joke, it was even his greatest dream for his daughter to be married to one of them. Henry never talked with her about what he owed them, how much.

One thing they were both agreeing upon was that the family's successor was still the greatest mystery yet to know. Maybe the gathering's main purpose was to unravel that. Maybe. Maybe not. But she wasn't interested in the slightest anyway. As if hoping would become anything. They would never give a fuck about them for sure, for her even more.

Somehow though, on her solitude and loneliest moment, she couldn't help but imagine what it would look like. To be one of them. To be one with the stars. With that amount of wealth and power and influence however, probably whoever the heir would be (of course this should be a boy), she guessed he would be difficult to deal with. Arrogant, Alpha Male, therefore a shit. With a laugh, she wished his would-be beloved good luck.

Without any more topics to talk about, later on her dad just exhaled violently, therefore he was already full. Thereafter her dad bade his goodnight kiss and proceeded upstairs. Hearing the soft slam of her dad's wooden door, she immediately-but stealthily followed suit towards her own room and quickly dressed, finally initiating the plan. She rushed everything from choosing just a simple red dress highlighting her waist and showcasing her back and a glimpse of her bosoms, down to a simple blush on and a red matte lipsticks for the finishing touch, presentable enough to be worthy of anyone's precious attention. She snatched her bag, dumped her phone inside, and then waited for a while longer to ensure that her dad had already been deeply asleep.

Hearing nothing but silence, all was well and off she finally go, while the maids were busy back at the kitchen, doing their noble jobs, with occasional unrecognizable murmurs.

Finally she was free, shifting her attention between her phone for the current time and around the place for any suspicious glance. Meanwhile the guards were still doing some rounds with flashlights on, checking different areas of the mansion for any unwanted stuff, temporarily (a mere minute in estimation) away from the entryway as the transition simultaneously began.

At last, the mission was accomplished in a minute-held breath, like it was a game of hide and seek which she was undoubtedly good at as a child. Right after she was already waving at the slowly approaching black slender car she'd hired which had been waiting discreetly far outside with headlights off as a preventive measure against anyone's scrutiny.

She exhaled upon settling inside the car, dark and cold and silent like her own inside, until it roared to life and swiftly began to gather its momentum against the long dying night.

On that moment onward nothing she was feeling but excitement for the party that would be held tonight, indifferent on whatever the cost of her joy would be, and oblivious of where and who the circumstances of her life's choices would bring her towards.