Bell Bottoms and Blood- A Helza Shine Story

I still remember the day when Quick Jack Ltd. presented its first project after I did the fixing. One word... Perfect. The investors were very happy with both the proposal and presentation. 

After the presentation, the investor Dr. Baker sent for me. He was the owner of Baker Industries, easily a billionaire, old and wise and Royal. 

He came straight to the point and said, "I wish to offer you a project which will be probably the biggest one in your career... yet."

At this point, I should have fainted but I did not. It isn't every day that a Billionaire comes to me and offers me a huge project. 

 But what he said next, stumped me. 

"A Fashion Show"

 

With my undistinguished looks and meager fashion sense, this was quite impossible for me. 

 

"What? Sir I am sorry but you are mistaken. I do not lead companies let alone lead a fashion show!"

 

"But you will have to do it anyhow, my child. Your friend and my daughter, Don is relying on you kid. I could have got a hundred advisors for her but she is insisting on your name. You are going to do it... you have no say in this."

 

A fashion show, with no experience and for a rich girl who I wished did not exist in the house of the wealthy Bakers.

 

I managed to negotiate with Dr. Baker to a point where I had to supervise the project on the last two days. Dr. Baker wanted to pay me but in vain. It was for my friend so I, Helza Shine noted professional did not charge a penny. 

 

About Don Baker, I met here at a detox camp where I let her be my friend (reference to Doomsday). She looked royal and modern at the same time. Even after being raised by a single dad she had both grace and style. 

 

Let's get professional; I had no experience of fashion shows or whatever. (I had only seen one in Milan in vacation.) Therefore I took my best friend and top marketing expert, David Evans with me on request. 

 

Our first official meeting with Don cleared some things. She introduced the world with her fashion label 'Realm' lately and this was the most important fashion show because an international fashion magazine was going to cover it. More like criticize it. 

 

We also met Don's team:

Susan was a very busy busy busy assistant. She didn't even have the time to say Hello. I could see the reason; she was overburdened with work. 

 

Don's junior designer, Ayden was a better sort of person. He greeted us with a smile and said, 

"I have heard a lot about you Mr. Evans and you are a lovely lady Ms. Shine."

"Thank you."

Ayden continued, "Miss Shine, my brother says a lot about you."

"Oh really? that's nice to hear. what's your full name Ayden?"

"Wilson..."

 

David distracted me with his cute antics because he really was an attention seeker. He was my childhood friend and we were so close that he could write my biography.

 

Long story short, I liked him. 

 

Then there was top model Harvey. He mainly depicted what we call suspicious. He was hardly there on rehearsals but when he walked on the ramp, shows were hit. He did not talk to anyone else and mostly had a grumpy face and growled when anyone asked him anything. 

Maybe even Don was kind of scared of him but I was sceptical of him. 

 

Something was definitely cooking in his mind...but what was it?

 

We worked long hours and took small breaks in between. In one such coffee break, a girl appeared out of nowhere and intentionally pushed Don who flipped over and fell down. On top of it she started quarreling with Don. I and David joined in to say for Don who was actually hurt. But suddenly Harvey spoke in support of the girl. 

He said to me, "Ms. Shine and Mr. Evans you cannot go abusing the future owner of Baker empire. I mean you shouldn't."

 

We gazed at Don who said, "Welcome to my world's annoying factor called Amy Baker aka my sister."

 

We apologized and in turn came a scowl from Amy and Harvey. They both marched in triumph way. 

 

As it turned out Amy was the elder sister of Don. She was always jealous of Don because the Dr. Baker preferred Don for his heir kind of thing. Who cares anyway? 

 

***

We finally finished in time for the show. 

It was the big night. It was planned that Dr. Baker and Don would walk in the last after the models.

Dr. Baker being the old royal man had a good surprise for Don. He was so excited that he went to get it himself from the mansion (Don's Home). 

But it was getting late and the crowd was getting impatient. With the ability to work on her feet, Don changed the plan a little. 

Instead of Dr. Baker, I walked the ramp with Don Baker. I wore black bell bottoms, white loosely tucked in shirt and a formal black coat. I was looking just fine... not model material. 

 

Even after the show, Dr. Baker did not return so we went to the mansion which was just near the Hall. 

 

His room was empty...and then we heard Don screaming. 

We rushed to the guest room which was allotted to Susan. 

Don was there crying and screaming beside the blood dripping dead body of Dr Baker. After being able to see away from the dreadful sight of daughters crying over their murdered father, I saw a hanging body of Susan in the same room. 

 

There was a murder and a murderer on loose.... 

 

Susan and Dr. Baker were there dead in the guest room. Susan was hanged and my criminal mind, all sorts of reasons and scenarios clumped up, could also have been a suicide. But Dr. Baker was clearly shot right in middle of his forehead. That was a murder. I looked around for once and saw a mini pistol right in the hands of Amy Baker! 

Of course I raised an alarm. Amy was denying every allegation Don was throwing at her. That was the only time where I encountered A Don Baker who had so much anger that can make a decent person, a murderer. 

I noticed one paper on the desk and one in the pocket of Dr. Baker. 

Don read the one in her father's pocket and it was the will of Dr. Baker.

 

Cops were called immediately and Amy Baker was detained in the charges of murdering her father for the sake of a will which was the gift for Don on her special day. 

Susan left a signed suicide note on the table. It mentioned her working stress, family stress and some pressure. whatsoever. It was assumed like a suicide by the cops. Since the Baker family were the most influential people in the town, the entire thing was hushed up quickly. 

 

But the look in Amy's eyes when she was being taken was very confusing because it seemed in real grief of losing her father. 

***

 

Weeks had passed... 

David was constantly trying to keep me happy and I was doing everything to keep Don company. She lost her family in a day, became a responsible adult in a day and fatherless in a day. 

 

One evening, David insisted to go on dinner and I could not say no.

 

He had it all planned. We saw a movie and then dinner. In the end, David went for some time to "get me a gift".

 

After ten minutes or so, I got his call. 

" Hey, Helza what kind of flowers you like more?"

"Any would do, I don't have any particular choice. " replied the little unromantic being inside me. 

"I am at this bush garden near Baker Mansion."

"So?"

"Come on, Roses or Dandelions?"

"Maybe Roses?"

"Okay...b... uh... oh oh my god... ouch... Farewell 32 my love. (beeps beep beep) "

 

I only remember running like a maniac to the bush garden where I saw a sight which would haunt me for years to come. There was my David, in a pool of his own blood. Eyes open with a blank stare. He was stabbed on the back and the knife was still in his body... my David didn't deserve the painful death he received. All I know is that I cried and cried and cried and called Don. The thing just got damn personal.

 

***

It took me days to get over crying and channeling my rage into revenge. One midnight, I called Don and called her to the same garden. 

My men (sources) were there and they surrounded a young man. 

All I did was to point my own handgun at him and shout, "Confess"

 

He said, "Yeah I killed Baker, Evans and Susan. They deserved it. "

 

"How? Confess" that was all my rage could get out of me

 

"Fashion Show night, Baker was there to get the will for you(Don) and he heard Susan crying in her room. When he went there he saw her trying to suicide and tried to stop her. I entered the room through the window pulled the chair over which Susan was standing and shot Baker. I left the gun there and ran away. "

 

Don was sobbing... and just said, "Why?"

 

"I was paid for Baker. 1 million dollars by a person called Jk who I do not know... "

 

I shouted, "Tell me why David. "

 

He said, "That was personal Helza Shine... you know that. David Evans is Dead because of you and you and you and you only. Yeah I killed him..."

He laughed mockingly at me and I being not able to bear it any longer shot Ayden DEAD.

 

***

Few hours back-

 

I was searching the books of Baker industries. I found that on a catalog called FAREWELL there was an entry named Ayden Thompson. 

It clicked onto me that Ayden told his surname as Wilson. He was lying. 

I researched on him. He lived on house 32 on Farewell Street; clearly David had seen his face when he stabbed him. 

 

He did it to take revenge on me. I killed his Brother Bradley Thompson because he knew my truth. He chose to die. (in the Doomsday) 

 

So when he came to know I had that special place for David, he killed him when he found him alone. I was so hot in the head after the discovery that I called all my sources and got Ayden kidnapped and beaten up until he confessed. 

***

 

That night, I and Don had a brief conversation in the mansion and my men took care of the body. 

 

I hated how it turned out to be. But I still blame myself for losing David. Sometimes I remember him doing his fancy antics to get my attention.

 

Yeah, crimes come with a price.