Chapter Four

After passing the night out on a bench in the park, Matthew walked into his office trembling like one who was experiencing a shock. Last night he tried reaching his secretary in order to obtain spare keys to the office but Paul did not come to the phone no matter how many times he called. Arriving at work this morning, he found the doors unlocked with not a single person in sight. 

Several envelopes laid on his desk, Matthew was quick to pick one and tear it open. The first line told him it was a resignation letter, he read another and it was the same thing. He knew not to bother with the others, all his workers had resigned overnight.

There was no time to grieve as his phone rang, the ID caller was unknown. Bringing the phone to his ears, "Hello."

"Am I speaking with Matthew Amell?" Asked a man from the other side.

"This is he."

"I'm calling from the prosecution, a lawsuit accusing you of embezzlement and mis-treating your workers has been filed against you. It is required that you show up at our office for interrogation, if you do not we will be forced to take action, do you understand."

"I do."

The line went dead, Matthew collapsed on his knees. His phone went off again and he turned to the screen ready to yell at the officer when he saw that it was Erica.

"Let's get a divorce." She said immediately the line connected, "I want to be with Zane, you're not the man for me."

This was who he suffered years of humiliation for. Enraged, he sent the phone flying into the wall and it shattered on the floor. It's over, how will I ever get back on my feet now? He knew there was no way he could ever recover from this.

Matthew was an ambitious man, there was so much he wanted to achieve. But that would be impossible now, he suddenly had no will to live. I would rather throw myself in the river than live this way, he thought. He was sure that if he died, his soul would come back to haunt Erica and her mother, revenge will be served one way or the other.

Matthew decided to use the last few dollars he had, hidden away inside the drawer for a final drink at the bar before throwing himself into the river. Night time soon came around the corner and he got dressed in the spare clothes he kept incase of emergencies, heading for his favourite bar.

Irene was drinking by herself when a gorgeous looking man walked into the bar, her brows raised in interest, he looked familiar but she could not say where she had seen him before. Seeing as he was solo just like her, she approached him.

"Care for a partner?" 

Matthew's head snapped up, she was a blonde with a heart shaped face. Just like Erica except Erica was prettier. "You're not her." He looked away, already drunk after two shots. 

"You look like you just got cheated on." Irene observed.

"How do you know that?" He asked surprised. 

"It's written all over your face," she said, occupying the seat next to him. "Talk to me, I'll listen to your story." Matthew did not know why but he felt at ease with this woman whose name he did not even know, he narrated his story to her and she listened carefully without interrupting him.

A few hours later, Matthew had forgotten all about his suicide mission laughing his sorrows away to Irene's jokes. It was no surprise that the two moved their conversation to the bed that night. 

Matthew arose to a banging headache the next morning, last night's memory hit him all at once intensifying the ongoing chaos. "Argh." He groaned, running his eyes around the large room.  

"Are you okay?" Irene asked worriedly. He turned to the woman who was sitting half naked in front of him like it was nothing. Giving her a nod, he got out of bed and searched around for his clothes. 

"Stay for breakfast would you?" She asked in a soft tone and he froze, unable to say no.

"Do you live here alone?" Matthew curiously asked as Irene led him down the huge hallways.

"No, I live with my dad and his best friend."

He was instantly alarmed, "are they home right now?" 

"Relax." She laughed, "Dad's a clown and uncle Jose is mourning his daughter so he doesn't talk much."

"Is this another fling of yours?" A voice interrupted, causing them both to look up.

Two men who could be said to be in their fifties emerged from the other side. 

"Stop it dad." Irene punched her father's chest playfully and he laughed, "I'm just joking," he said to Matthew, "my daughter does not keep flings, actually you're the first man she has ever brought home." 

Irene blushed red like a tomato, "I didn't ask you to tell him that." 

"By the way young man, have we met before?" Vincent found the man to look very familiar. 

Matthew shook his head sure that he had never met the man before in his life. 

"Don't you think he looks a lot like uncle Jose?" Irene said, causing Jose's head to snap up and look the man's way for the first time. He was blown away the second their eyes met, the man was an exact replica of how he used to look back in the day.

"What is your mother's name?" He wasted no time in asking. 

"It's okay, you can tell him," Irene nudged Matthew who was reluctant to divulge such personal information.

"Beatrice Amell."

Jose immediately cupped his face as tears welled up in his eyes, "I finally found you at last."