I arrived at the hotel an hour early to shower and change my clothes. Just as I finished dabbing on some cologne, there was a knock at the door.
“Good evening, Everly,” I spoke as I opened the door.
“Hello, Mr. Remington.”
“Come in, and please call me Asher.”
She set her purse down on the table in the entryway while I pulled the bottle of champagne from the bucket.
“Dinner will be here in a few minutes. Can I pour you a glass of champagne?”
“Sure. Thank you.” A small smile crossed her lips as she walked over to the window and stared out at the city view.
“This view is amazing.”
“It is amazing.” I walked over to where she stood and handed her a glass. “I don’t believe I’ve told you how beautiful you look.”
She inhaled a sharp breath as her eyes stared into mine.
“Mr.—Asher, I came here tonight because I really need to talk to you about something.”
The tone of her voice was serious, and as much as I wanted to hear what she had to say, we were interrupted by a knock at the door. After dinner was set up, we both took a seat at the table that sat six. The sooner I let her tell me whatever it was she wanted to, the sooner I could take her into the bedroom.
“This dinner looks delicious,” she said as she placed the cloth napkin on her lap.
“So, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but it’s very important that you listen to me.”
“Go ahead, I’m listening.” I smirked as I cut into my filet.
“I’ve been having dreams about you.”
“Really?” I grinned. “I can’t say I’m surprised. “You’re not the only woman who has told me that.” I gave her a playful wink.
She let out a light laugh as she pointed her fork at me.
“I do believe that. But my dreams aren’t in the way you think.”
“Then by all means, tell me about these dreams of yours.”
“You can’t sign the merger agreement with M&H Properties.”
“Excuse me?” I narrowed my eye at her. “How the hell do you know about that?” I asked in shock as I set down my fork. “There are only a few people who know about that pending merger.”
“I just do. If you take over that company, you’re going to lose everything.”
“Is that a threat, Everly? Who the hell sent you here?” I shouted as I stood from my chair.
“Mr. Remington, please calm down.”
“Calm down? You come into my hotel suite, threaten me, and then have the nerve to tell me to calm down!” I shouted as I pointed at her. I walked over to where she sat, gripped the arms of the chair and placed my face mere inches from hers. “Who sent you here?” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“Your father.” She swallowed hard.
“My father is dead.”
“I know.” She bit down on her bottom lip as I narrowed my eye at her. “He passed away three months ago from a massive heart attack.”
“What the hell are you doing? Stalking me and my life? You’re fucking crazy.”
I let go of the chair, grabbed my glass of champagne, and paced around the room.
“So I’ve been told many times,” she spoke.
I stopped, turned my head and stared at her.
“So you admit you’re crazy and a stalker?”
“I’m neither of those. I need you to listen to me. Please.”
“You need to leave right now, and if you don’t, I’m calling security and having you thrown out.” I shouted.
“Listen to me, Asher. I see things. I dream things and they happen. That’s the honest to god’s truth.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as I shook my head at her.
“You’re a whack-job lady, and you need some serious help. Does Diana know how crazy you are? Because I can’t imagine her being friends with someone like you.”
“When you were a little boy, your father used to bring you to the office. You would sit behind his desk with a pen and notepad and pretend you were drawing up contracts. When you were fifteen you got busted for smoking pot by the pool with your friends. Your father was supposed to be on a business trip, but he came back early. He grounded you for a month.”
“Stop!” I shouted as I pointed my finger at her.
There was no way she could have known all that. No possible way. I took a seat on the couch and placed my face in my hands.
“I know this is a lot of information and I know how hard it is to believe. Trust me. But you have to believe me.”
I inhaled a deep breath as I looked at her from across the room without saying a word.
“If you can’t believe me, I understand. But I’m begging you to reconsider signing that merger agreement. Your father wasn’t going to. He found out some things and by time he could tell you or anyone about it, he passed away. I know you trusted your father and always believed he made the right decisions. He wasn’t going to go through with it. Don’t let these people destroy you and the company your family spent their life building.”
“Get out now!” I pointed towards the door.
“Asher, pl—”
“I said get out!” I spoke through gritted teeth.
She grabbed her purse from the table, threw it over her shoulder and placed her hand on the handle of the hotel door.
6
Everly
Fear is the common response to things we possibly can’t believe in or conceive in our minds. We fear the unknown. Things we can’t understand. When fear takes over us psychologically, we have the tendency to become irate, defensive and possibly destructive. Asher wasn’t behaving any differently from anyone else, and I expected this type of reaction from him. I could only hope and pray that once he calmed down, he would think about what I’d told him and make the right decision.
“Wait!” he shouted as I slowly turned the door handle. “What do you mean my father found out things?”
“He found out what your uncle and lawyer were going to do if that merger went through.”
“How do you expect me to believe what you’re saying?” he shouted. “Do you know how crazy all of this sounds? How crazy it is that you’re standing here telling me that my dead father told you and sent you to stop me from going through with that merger?”
“Yes!” I shouted as I turned around and faced him. “I know how crazy it all sounds. You think I want to stand here and tell you all this? You think I like hearing people tell me I’m a psycho and need to be placed in a mental hospital? I can’t help that I was born with this. You think I like it? But I do the best I can with it. And if I can help someone’s life not be destroyed by the evil in this world, then I’m okay with that.”
He looked away from me, got up from the couch and poured himself a drink from the bar.
“There’s a hidden safe behind the wall vent that’s located in your father’s bedroom closet. Inside you will find a journal where he detailed everything he knew about his lawyer, your uncle and the merger.”