Dirty Dark Secrets

THREE YEARS AGO  Have you ever believed in a personal apocalypse? not those absurd edits clashing in tv shows? Or for a moment experienced a physical suspension, like your heart-stopping and your breathing ceasing? It might include watching your entire perfect life tossed and crushed and let the devil falsified you. That's right!  My name is Magnolia, and I am possessed by the devil at night and the angel in the day. How did it start? Simple. I grow up in an ideal neighborhood in San Francisco, Bay Area.  Since birth, I only knew love and wealth! My parents were exceedingly rich, and I was practically the only child. I have trendy clothes, flawless hair, a perfect body, costly nails.  Every box was checked.  All those privileges meant: more games and power!  You see, our money wasn't some cult or something illegal.  My father was in business as most of the neighbors. That's what I meant earlier by perfect avenue, everyone on this street was f*****g rich, and that one was on Ralph Phillips: the third richest man in the world. Yes, he truly made the historical record.  As I was saying, the entire neighborhood works for him, including my family. And yet we were green grass, money rich.  Mentionable contents my family possesses are; 21,000 square feet three-story mansion with fascinating ocean view, built with a twelve car garage, all occupied with German cars. My family owns a real estate, golf course, a famous old winery, and an advertising company of over thirty floors.  Yes, that's it.  But with all those, we stood at ankle level to Ralph Phillips, one of the world's richest men. Besides his personal vehicle brand, the man is involved in the diamonds and gold business, making sure human felt their beauty through jewelry. He also owns the number one social network platform in the world. He's involved in real estate.  And let this sink in; last year, after his favorite soccer team lost in the championship, the man bought the soccer club, promising to make it better this year. Not to mention, he owns stakes in over forty profitable companies around the world.  So you would find him betting in sports. Playing golf, sometimes at my family's place, or on the billboards and tv screens announcing new businesses or celebrating his success with international clients.  Ralph Phillips had only one son, who doesn't live in his mansion that quadrupled mine. Reporters had claimed the child was busy with creating arts in some great academy in France. People believed he was the next Catherine Phillips, and the world could finally have the invention that only Ralph had.  See, Ralph Phillips was hell flaming rich. Whatever he touches turns to gold. So the world certainly bows at his feet. People said his late wife was an artist and had only created one sculpture.  Rumors have it; Ralph's always knelt before her creation every night and spend three hours staring at it just as he does three times a week by her grave. No one blamed him. People understood grief and what it felt to lose someone.  Through Ralph's polo game that my parents had dressed me up and made my present, I met Eugene, Ralph's nephew, and I swear it was love at first sight.  Ever since then, we have been inseparable. We went to the same school, Aristocrat Academy, with all the rich kids, ever lived in the country.  Did I mention I was of fifteen years?  Eugene and I had been strong, which made my father think it was advantageous to his relationship with the big dog.  Love, as I believed, made Eugene and I intimate. We became acquainted with our homes, and I got to roam around Ralph Phillip's mansion freely, any time of the day. Until one particular day. *** After washing my hair and letting Mia, my personal assistant, style it, for it was almost Eugene's birthday, and I intend to spend the night at his place.  I wanted to be the first person he sees as the clock chimes, midnight.  Before you ask, yes, my parents gave me the pass.  My father's an opportunist. So me, dating Eugene made him loved me even more.  I remember the day he found out; he let me throw a yacht party, that even the seniors made their presence.  Because what fifteen-year-old throws a yacht party? Me! The over-loved daughter. The party, and Eugene as my boyfriend, had been the talk of the town and resulted in my popularity around school and social media platforms. The cool kids wanted to hang out. My best friends, Rosie and Gregory, were more than proud. That's a total success. Right?  Until Eugene's first birthday, as my boyfriend, at exactly midnight, did my entire life changed.  "Do you think he will like the dress?" I whine at my reflection in the mirror. Mia was behind me. The woman had worked for me for over three years now. Dad had hired and made available anything for my protection and satisfaction as his only daughter.  Well, I have a big brother, who had broken out of the family name, and vowed never to return. My parents had tried to push back the disappointment and pain and gave me all their concentration and love. That made me promised never to let them down.  I was willing to be their knight in shining armor and save the day. To be that perfect child who made her parents proud. "There's no human who wouldn't see the beauty of the dress and the darling wearing it." "Really?" "You look flawless. Magnolia." She smiled into the mirror. Mia's and my parents, comments after I descended the grand staircase had left me blushing. It was 11:45 when Lance, my family driver, parked the car between the magnificent fountain and majestic building of Ralph Phillips.  The house was replenished with lights, and everything was shining and visible. Each step I took made me felt like a princess wandering through the gigantic palace. My white lace, floor length-gown tailed behind me, and my brown hair bounced around my exposed shoulders.  "You look beautiful, Magnolia," Winnie whispered, the senior housekeeper of Ralph's mansion. Blushing once more, I thanked her and followed the quiet staircase to the second floor, then the third floor, where Eugene's room was.  I turn the doorknob and find it locked. So much for a surprise. Maybe I need Winnie's help. My eyes meet the hallway wall clock, it says, four minutes until midnight. I should be able to open his door in the next four minutes, or the surprise will be ruined.  Anxiously pulling my dress up, I hurried for the staircase. Then there it was; the start of all my crisis.  There is a crashing noise from the fourth floor. Ralph's penthouse.  Curiosity got the best of me, and instead of following the stairs below, I headed upstairs with slow and steady footsteps, careful not to get caught.  The place became extremely quiet.  I felt the sudden outbreak of goosebumps all over my arms from the chills of the situation.  I should leave. Maybe what I heard was Ralph. Maybe he bumped into something his way to the restroom, and now he was back to bed.  I shouldn't be here...  Shouldn't be caught here. "Please!" That was the sound of my life coming to an end.  It was Ralph's croaking. Pleading? Why will he plead at this time of the night? Maybe he was on the phone! I told myself. I was slightly shivering from fear of the dim and quiet floor.  When the comprehension dawned on me, I spun and began racing to escape his penthouse before someone could catch me.  Then there was another noise. It happened similar to those soul-yanking horror movies on Halloween, freezing me in my track. Now my heartbeat was audible. Was he in trouble? Sick perhaps? And there was no one to help him?  That was me trying to think of a reasonable possibility.   I should go back and check on him. Should anything happen to him by morning and I had made the mistake of walking away, I don't think I will be able to forgive myself. I was only ten steps from saving a life if that's the case.  The urge to save a life brought mine to an abrupt end when I opened the door and found a boy around my age, holding a knife stained with blood above Ralph. Blood: that thick red substance was everywhere over the floor.  The bold and powerful, world-successful Ralph Phillips was stabbed, trembling, and crawling in his pool of blood. What I first noticed was the plead, as he was begging the boy not to kill him. Boy!  What the f**k? All of a sudden, Ralph's eyes noticed my presence.  "Magnolia... run!" He wailed, choking on his own breath. Just a nanosecond before the boy stabbed the dagger from the backside of Ralph's head until the tip of the knife penetrates through his eye.  Shit! I screamed! I vomited a loud painful scream through my gut.