Leashed

Chapter 18

The clock struck twelve and marked the start of a new day—the third day of the Marriage Game.

               Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok. The constant ticking of the device above his head woke him. He didn’t fall deep into sleep; it was more of a nap after a passionate night with his girlfriend who was more than a score younger than him.

               Wile and Donna were lying in the king-sized bed, both naked under the blanket. He gently peeled her arm that wrapped around his chest; he didn’t want to disturb her after being immensely rough with her.

               He got off the bed, collected his pants and shirt on the floor and wore them back on. He walked towards the door before he glanced back at his young lover.

               He liked it that she was offering him beyond his expectations since he didn’t need to be concerned about taking advantage of her munificence. It wasn’t refreshing, but he could get used to her. She was girlfriend material alright—clingy, bold and romantic. On the contrary, he still didn’t consider her as someone special. She’s always consistent and so present around him, yet it started to bore him. She had nothing exciting left to give him.

               Kachak! He opened the door and left her in the master’s bedroom.

               Tap. Tap. Tap. His footsteps were loud in the huge corridor, and he felt someone trailing behind him.

               “Gello,” he called without taking a look at his right-hand, “I’d like to relax in the garden.”

               “Yes, boss.”

               He understood what he actually meant and proceeded to prepare what his employer wanted. This wasn’t the first time that the eccentric tycoon fancied so. In all of the years which Gello served him, wherever they were staying, he’d often go out at midnight and sit under the dark sky; sometimes to gaze up at the stars and sometimes, he just leaned on a chair while he closed his eyes. He wouldn’t really sleep, but he just stayed there until the brink of dawn.

               Whatever the real reason behind this activity of his, he didn’t know, and he didn’t pry. He would never be allowed to, yet as he observed, the venerable businessman might be only feeling lonely. This started years ago—exactly a while after their Madam Gumamela left.

               However, there were instances he considered special for his boss, and it was during a time like this.

               The bald right-hand man, with a pack of menthol cigarettes and a bottle of whiskey atop a ceramic tray, found his boss with a chess board laid on the table in front of him. He was playing by himself as usual.

               He remembered that other than his daughter, he didn’t play against anyone but himself. He wasn’t certain if it was because he didn’t find anyone worth his time to play with, or that he preferred not to engage with anyone while he indulged in his favorite sport.

               Gello carefully placed the tray on the table. He confirmed that it was definitely chilly as the wind brushed his back, but his boss didn’t seem to mind that as he made a white bishop eat a knight from the black side. He looked at what was unfolding in the board while he poured him a glass of his usual liquor; the black side was in a compromised position. It was then when he caught the tycoon’s grin.

               Wile took the glass and drank his whiskey.

               “See, Gello,” quite amused, he uttered, “Whatever the black side does, it will never win against me. It’s just too weak. It couldn’t possibly win when its pieces compared to mine are outnumbered and overwhelmed.”

               The right-hand, nonetheless, grasped the hint that he was pertaining to someone—to his only child who was his opponent in the game he set.

               “Indeed, boss.”

               The tycoon crossed his legs and raised the glass in his hand. “We’ll see how far you’ll go, my unica hija.”

               True to those words, various elements commenced to move.