CHRIS'S WHITE P.O.V****:

I saw her, a beautiful woman, holding a guitar around her arms, playing it while she was singing a beautiful song.

New Year, came and go in a blink of an eye and I was there sitting all alone in the bar, drowning myself in alcohol, frustrated and tired.

The project which I had worked so hard for, because of the project I was not able to celebrate my, New Year, with my family or go with them to New York, to my granny's .

Even after I sacrificed my holidays, my nights, I didn't get the contract.

My twin younger brother, Leo White, won the contract with one of the largest company and I couldn't do anything about it but stand there like  a fool and be happy for him.

We were so close when we were kids but as we got older, things started changing slowly and I didn‘t even realize how and when did my younger brother became my rival.

We are twins but not identical, although we are not an identical twins, most people often mistake me for him. We both have ginger red color hair like my father's and a dark blue pair of eyes similar to my mother's.

Leo, decided to change his hair color to brown to stop people from confusing between us.

We  always liked or wanted the same thing since we were toddlers.

We got older and we both wanted to inherit our family business so we were forced to become competitors.

It was fun to like or want the same thing as brothers, we could share or laugh or bragged about it to our friends to show off the deep connection we had as a twin but as we got older it became more and more difficult.

The contract was so important to me as it was the first task given to us by our parents and I lost it for the very first time.. And as a very competitive person, it was a very big hit for me..

I was ashamed of myself when I thought about what was I gonna tell my parents.

Frustrated, I got into the nearest bar I could find. I sat there while holding a glass of, whiskey on the rocks. Trying to forget about the situation for a while.

"All my damn fucking hard work had gone down the drain." I mumbled brokenly gulping down the glass of whiskey in one shot.

Suddenly, a beautiful and melodious voice pulled me out from my self pity thoughts. 

I don't mean to exaggerate but it was the most beautiful sound for me, it was like a medicine and a comfort, it gave me the exact feeling I was seeking for.

I have never heard a nightingale singing but from the way the poets describes, that was a nightingale singing for me.

I felt like the heavy burden which I had been carrying for the whole day had been lifted off of me. It felt like I had a pair of wings and was flying high up in the sky, in peace.

 At that moment I felt really really happy and its been a very long time I felt that happy.

So, I stood up from the chair I was sitting on and decided to follow the sound voice, I was deeply mesmerised. I was curious to know the owner of that beautiful voice.

I took one step then another, walking towards her slowly while her voice totally hypnotized  me and before I knew it,  I was already standing there right in front of her.

As I looked up at the stage, all I could do was stared at the beautiful woman with my mouth wide open.

"She is so beautiful." I said to myself.

She was very beautiful but I felt deep pain in her voice, she was looking down her guitar, playing it, changing one key to another followed by a beautiful rhythm.

And every key matches her tune and it was beautiful to watch her move her gorgeous long fingers around the guitar and singing her heart out.

But at the mean time, it felt like she was crying for help in pain, heart broken, and I really wished to be the one to comfort her even if I may not know the reason why or even if I had no idea about who she was.

I just wanted to be there for her and the feeling which I was feeling right at that moment was amazingly strange, It was bizarre.

My heart was beating fiercely like I just ran a marathon. I was out of breath like the oxygen had ran out of me but I didn't mind I just wanted to watch her over and over again.

I didn't know who she was, but I wanted to know her more and more.

THE NIGHTINGALE..

CAROL'S GREY P.O.V:

"These are the agreement papers that needed your signature, Ms.Grey!", my assistant walked in my office and placed the documents on the table.

I nodded my head, to let her know that I was listening to her even if my eyes were roaming somewhere else.

I was just looking out the window, lost in my own thought. "Your friend, Ms.Hanson, came again today asking to see you."she continued.

"And, what did you told her?" I turned towards her with an intimidating look, I stared at her eagerly waiting for her response.

"I told her that you went out for a meeting." the assistant replied in a nervous tone.

"Thank you, Rosie.." I gave her a smile as I changed my expression back to normal feeling relief.

"Could you please check my schedule for tonight." I asked.

The assistant started flipping through her notes, after a while she replied," Ms.Grey, you have dinner meeting with the, Richardson Company, at 19.00 followed by a business deal meeting."

"I see, call them up and schedule my meeting for tomorrow, I got something to do tonight". I told her and I started clearing my desk.

"But, Miss...." She stammered.

"You are dismissed!" I stopped her sternly from completing her sentence.

As soon as I reached my home, I started getting ready. I shuffled through my wardrobe and put on a red  dress.

As I didn't have much time, I tied half of my hair up roughly, I picked up my brown favorite guitar and drove off to the local bar where people wouldn't recognize me.

I reached the bar, lots of people were already there, so without wasting any time, I got on the stage, sat on the chair and started singing without giving any formal introduction.

While I was singing, I felt like I was expressing all my emotions and pain, without needing to express my feelings with words.

I expressed myself through my songs and I didn't care if the people who were listening to my songs were able to feel it or not.

The only thing that matter to me was that I felt every bit of it and a moment like that was  what made me relief, light and happy but in the meantime it gave me a feeling of nostalgia.

"I wouldn't trade this feeling for the world cause it is the only thing that makes me feel at peace." I thought with a hint of smile as my song ended.

I stood up, and left without saying anything, I didn't wanted the audience to noticed my tears or even know me.

 I was not a fan of crowded places so I left the bar right away without getting the payment from the manager who was waiting for me back stage.

 I just loved to sing and play my hands around my guitar every once in a while, I loved to express myself through songs and sing it out loud. It had been my hobby ever since I was a small kid but I never wanted to be a celebrity, so I had been keeping it low key.

Even after that, agents still managed to approached me, and I had turned them down one after another.

I graduated in abroad and it had been just two months that I got back home, I major in business and also as the eldest of the family,  I was expected to inherit my family business.

I never had problem with that for I knew it since I was a child, I took it as my responsibility in the family and I was happy to fulfill my duties.

One tragic incident, one horrible mistake, one wrong choice, changed my whole life and the way I viewed the world.

Everything changed me..

I was just a naive, innocent girl, who saw the world as heaven and the people as angels but everything changed after I met him, my ex boyfriend in, England.

2 years since I had no boyfriend, I was scared to let people in. I told myself every day that, "Love is just an illusion given to us by the world and the movies we watched since we were a kid."

"My ex boyfriend haunts me up to these days and I bet he would be happy knowing that I am not able to get his damn disgusting face out of my head."

The feeling of humiliation, the feeling of being hurt emotionally, mentally and physically, the feeling of being abused. It was hard to forget those feelings.

Most of the nights I cried myself to sleep, he haunted me even in my dreams. He was like a shadow that I can't get rid off, no matter how hard I tried.

Everyday I prayed for someone to hear me, to come over and embrace me telling me that everything was gonna be okay.

I had good friends and a loving family around but deep down I felt lonely, very lonely...No matter what I do, I always felt depressed and alone.

It was like no one was able to hear me no matter how loud I scream or shout.

I felt like I was stuck in a very horrible dream where no one was able to save me from the darkness hovering above my head.

CHRIS'S WHITE  P.O.V:

"While I watch her intently I see tears rolling down her beautiful fair cheeks. Her raven black hair covered a part of her face but I could see the tears rolling down her cheeks so clearly, as she sings with her eyes close like she is somewhere in another world."

"She rub the tears away with the back of her hand as quickly as she could, hoping that no one could see her under the dim light."

The song ended, she stood up and left the stage abruptly. I was still in awe of her beauty, I was just standing there like my feet were glued to the ground, looking at the chair she sat on and the stage she stood on with her beautiful red dress which was just above the knee and a black flat which really compliments her long smooth legs.

I was hoping to meet her backstage, but when I got in there, she was already gone. "I will see her again the next day and I will be more prepared then."  I muttered.

I gulped down another glass of whiskey, checked my phone and found lots of missed calls from my family, so I decided to head home.

"Welcome, home,my lovely son!" My mother rushed towards me when she saw me walking in the house, and gave me a welcoming kiss me on the cheek.

"I am a grown man, Ma!!" I grunted feeling annoyed.

"But that does not mean I cannot kiss my own son. I am your proud mother after all." she uttered with a proud grin and wrapped her beautifully manicured hand around my arm leading me towards the main living area, I just tilted my head in defeat not having the strength to talk back.

As we walked in I saw that my father and brother were discussing about something.

"Why are you home so late, Chris?? We were waiting for you to discuss about our business project." my father questioned me when he saw me and mom walked in.

"Yeah, Chris! I was starting to get worried considering today at the meeting...Comparing to me you worked so hard, you even sacrificed your, food, sleep and holidays for it, while me I only worked on the project for half a month and went for a vacation at granny's, I never expected that they would select me." he tried to clear the situation.

"Its okay, Leo. You don't have to feel sorry for it, maybe luck do exist..Congratulations!" I patted his arm lightly and sat down the sofa next to him.

"Lets all toast for, Leo, for getting the contract."  my mother sat down next to my father and gestured the maids to bring a bottle of champagne.

The next day I woke up feeling happy, thinking about the, nightingale girl, I saw the night before. I was so excited to see her again.

I headed down for breakfast where my parents and brother were all waiting for me at the dining hall.

"Good Morning, Guys!!" I wished them beaming cheerfully as I sat down the chair.

"Whats with you and your pearly white teeth shining so brightly this early morning? You are annoying my eyes." my brother commented in a sarcastic tone.

"Is it a crime to be happy and have a pearl white shining teeth in the morning? Unlike you, I am a morning person, bro. Leave my teeth alone or I can buy you a sunglass." I fired lifting my chin up proudly like I just won a gold medal.

"Pff, Mr. Morning person, nice name you got there!" he chuckled, winking at me giving me a thumbs up.

"Shut up, don't ruin my moment." I rolled my eyes while I continued having my breakfast.

“You were always late for breakfast, today you are quite early. Is it a special day today?" my mother questioned me thoughtfully while checking at the calendar making sure, she wasn't missing any thing.

“Meetings, Ma." I responded trying not to look suspicious. She got back to her seat feeling relief..

"Chris, today I want you to meet one of our old and loyal investor, he has been with us since the day we start, The White Golden Enterprise." announced my father while having his breakfast.

"Sure, what is it about, Pa!?" I looked up from my plate.

"As we have upgrade some of the business contracts, I want you to discuss it with him and see if he is okay with it, and get him to signed it or we can make a room for negotiation." he ordered looking at me across tha table like a commander, commanding his soldier.

"Sure, pa! What time? I also have some meetings today so I will try to adjust my schedule accordingly. " I said while keeping my hands busy stuffing toast in my mouth.

"I will let my secretary send you all the details once you reached the company." he replied.

"Then if nothing else I will be heading to work now, bye guys!" I stood up and left.

Busy day at work, meetings after meetings.. Hours later, I got an email from my father secretary about the meeting with the investor. 'Meeting at 3:00 pm, at the Cafe'. I opened the mail, and the details of the investor pop up on the screen along with his photo at the side of the page.

His name, Martin Grey, husband of Jessica Grey, 53 years old, birthday - 15 of April. It was also mentioned that he has two daughters where one was currently studying in England and the elder one just got back months ago, who was by the way the future CEO of the, Grey's Corporation, and she was at the moment holding the President position.

"I better head off now.." I thought while checking the time on my laptop.

I reached the cafe and looked around the place to see if the investor had arrived and to my surprised he was already sitting there waiting for me.

I looked the watch on my wrist to see that I was ten minutes early but he was already there.

"I am really sorry for being late." I apologized sounding professionally even though I was not late.

"No no, I was early as I was just nearby." he replied back as he stood up.

"You must be, Chris White, the CEO of the, White Enterprise." he extended his hand towards me.

"Yes, I am! Mr Grey, it's glad to meet you. Please sit down." I shook his hand.

"You looked so much like your father." he commented staring at me closely.

"Thanks, I get that alot." I replied with a smile as I sat down the chair.

"SO lets talk business." he suddenly changed his expression, like the weather.

"That was quick.." I thought.

We talked and discussed about the contracts, he was a very professional old man and I did not take much time to explain the contracts to him and the offers we were coming up with. He was being very cooperative...

AFTER AN HOUR OF TALKING...

"It was nice meeting you. Mr, White, I shall leave first as my wife is waiting for me." he stood up getting his files ready.

"No problem, Mr.Grey, have a great time." I stood up and shook his hand.