FROM ASHES TO EMPIRE

Ferdinand Johansson was holding the steering wheel restlessly with his two sharp eyeballs staring straight ahead that were barely visible due to the stormy night that suddenly poured down along the way to the Johansson family residence.

"Shit! I'll be late," he grumbled as he continued to drive the luxury sedan at high speed. 

The man did not know that another vehicle had been following him while playing with its headlights until its reflection on the rearview mirror disturbed Ferdinand's vision, but he did not care, choosing to drive faster so as not to be late returning home.

"What's going on?" Ferdinand panicked because suddenly the brakes suddenly lost function even though there was a steep winding road ahead so that the car's speed was uncontrollable, within seconds there was a loud bang followed by an explosion.

At Ferdinand's house, a festive party was being held and the sound of music could be heard throughout the entire area of the Johansson family's luxurious residence, about two hundred Very Important Person invited guests were enjoying the sparkling event.

"Where is he when it's been two hours since this event took place," muttered Mr. Levin Johansson feeling annoyed.

"Patience, our son will be here soon my dear," Camila coaxed her husband.

"He shouldn't have left on his own at such an important event," growled Levin, losing his temper.

"But he told me he'd be back before the ceremony," Camila explained. 

"Ferdinand should be able to manage his time when he wants to leave." Levin's tone became so high that even some of the guests present started to pay attention out of curiosity.

"Let's wait a while, maybe our son will come soon," Camila persuaded Ferdinand, hoping that her husband could calm down even though there was a part of her heart that felt anxious shouting bad premonitions.

"Alright I want to calm myself down first." Levin chose to go upstairs to his private room, occasionally flashing a smile as he passed several invited guests in honor of their presence tonight.

Camila felt uneasy, finally forced to stay alone standing in the middle of the crowd feeling her heart beating faster, not understanding what caused her to start looking around at the many guests from Levin's colleagues who came with their daughters.

"They'd be so beautiful if Ferdinand had gone home and met the guests one by one," Camila thought, certain that the conglomerate's line of daughters must have another purpose for attending this party.

"Excuse me ma'am." A panting servsnt approached Camila.

"What's wrong?" asked Camila, surprised that an ordinary servant would barge into the main area of the Johansson residence without asking permission. The servant didn't immediately answer her circulating gaze, realizing the people around were watching her chat with the Madame.

"Is Ferdinand here yet?" asked Camila curiously.

"No ma'am," the servant replied softly. Camila impatiently took the servant's hand and walked quickly away from the noisy main room of the party to the end of the hallway near the kitchen.

"Don't keep me waiting so tell me clearly!" Camila ordered feeling her heart growing more and more mixed between anxiety, annoyance and impatience.

"There are police ma'am," the servant replied nervously.

"Don't joke because my family has never had any dealings with the law," Camila explained unhappily.

"But in front of this house there are obviously two policemen waiting to see Mr. Levin," the servant explained carefully.

"My premonition is getting worse now you better find my nephew and bring him here!" Camila was worried that the police would arrest her husband.

"Okay." The waitress hurried away, but before she could re-enter the party room the person she was looking for appeared.

"Why did Camila bring you here?" asked Andie, looking suspiciously at the corner of her eye as she searched for something in the darkness of the hallway leading to the kitchen.

"Because something happened and Madame Camila wants to see you there now." The servant pointed out Camila's whereabouts at the end of the hallway as Andie hurried to find her.

"What's wrong with you aunt Camila?" asked Andie in surprise.

"Please meet the police in front of the house to explain that Levin is not there, don't let any guests know it will be a big news story on the news, it would be embarrassing if it is proven that this family member is involved in criminal matters," Camila explained.

"Alright I'll take care of it now calm your mind and feelings auntie!" Andie walked as usual so as not to attract the attention of the guests who were enjoying the party.

"Are you Mr. Levin?" asked a policeman when Andie asked to shake hands.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Levin is very busy so if there's anything you can tell me," Andie said firmly.

"Who are you?" The policeman looked confused.

"My name is Andie, Mr. Levin's nephew," he replied quickly.

"It doesn't matter because you're a member of his family so we're here to give you news about an accident in the Interlaken area tonight and found an identity in the name of Ferdinand Johansson," the policeman said.

"Ferdinand was in an accident, so how is he?" Andie sounded shocked and worried.

"I'm sorry, but we have to give you the bad news that the victim is unlikely to survive as his car had caught fire before falling into the river," the policeman explained.

"So my cousin Ferdinand can't be saved?!" Andie shouted slightly.

"Yes." Hearing the police's answer so confidently made Andie squeeze his hair like a very lost person and immediately ran into the house, not caring about some guests who were accidentally hit by him.

"Some say that Ferdinand is every woman's dream man," Camila said, making small talk with one of her husband's business colleagues to ease the anxiety of waiting so long to hear from Andie.

"That's true, even if I was young I would have idolized your son," complimented the woman who still looked beautiful at the age of forty-five.

"Apparently Aunt Camila is here," Andie interrupted.

"One moment." Camila excused herself from her guests and engaged Andie in a one-on-one conversation.

"Listen, I have some bad news from the two policemen that Ferdinand has been in an accident," Andie explained, causing the guests to whisper and turn to Camila.

"Don't joke around at a time like this Andie?!" snapped Camila with a forced smile thinking her nephew was telling a joke.

"The two policemen told us that Ferdinand had an accident and he couldn't be saved." Andie tried to explain carefully.

"Don't talk nonsense, there's no way Ferdinand would leave me!" Camila screamed hysterically, pushing Andie's body so hard that the musicians told each other to stop the beat for a while until things calmed down.

"I don't believe it either, but that's what the police told my aunt Camila," said Andie.

"You must be crazy Andie!" Camila shouted even louder and her eyes began to tear up because she couldn't accept the bad news about her son.

Levinhappened to be about to return to mingle with the guests surprised by the sound of Camila's screams and immediately rushed to meet his wife downstairs in a hurry without caring that his steps could hurt him at any time.