Where Memories Linger

Chapter One

Vester's POV

As I looked at the passing view under the shade of my sunglasses, I smiled in happiness. Because I never thought of seeing my surroundings again after my cornea had been damaged when I was in high school.

Since then, I have lived a life of nothing but darkness. I had numerous times of breakdown because of hopelessness.

The bitterness in my heart lessened for a little bit when I was able to adjust my lifestyle as a blind person. I started practicing how to become independent and how to navigate myself around the house at the age of fifteen. Even if it was hard, the people around me made it easier for me to move on with my life.

My widowed father was very supportive with what I wanted in my life. He even encouraged me to pursue my singing ability. We both discovered my high notes during my tenth birthday and since then he had been asking vocal instructors to visit our house to help me in developing my singing skills.

It was during my twentieth birthday when I finally debuted as a balladeer. I was signed under the PnJ Entertainment company co-owned by a very young business man named Paulo Suhr. His partner, who was his brother, was currently studying in The Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

I learned that Paulo was an orphan and was adopted to a very wealthy family in Massachusetts.

Maybe because of him being an orphan once in his life was the reason why he did not mind signing a contract with me, who was blind and pitiful.

I pitied myself sometimes for many reasons. One of them was my inability to go to places by myself. I have to bring my personal assistant with me just so I can visit the places I want to visit.

She had to accompany me all the time. It was the number one rule set by my father in exchange for his approval with my exposure to the outside world.

I had spent all my youth in the comforts of our home and as a gift, he had allowed me to go out and explore the world. Hence, why I was able to find PnJ Entertainment.

I still remember the day that I first visited the company. I was wearing my sunglasses and in my hand was my support cane with a gold lion head on the horn. My assistant, Ximena, guided me verbally to where I would need to turn or when I had to stop. She had been too patient with me from the start and I have been very grateful to her.

When we arrived at Paulo's office on the second floor, she told me that I could pull the door's handle a few inches from me so I could open the door. I reached out and grabbed the said handle and pulled it towards me but all of a sudden, I was pushed away by the door opening abruptly. I stepped backwards in panic and I knew then that I would lose my balance so I prepared myself for the impact.

I even wished that my head would not bump into something sharp to avoid any bleeding or severe damage.

But the fall that I anticipated did not occur. I was relieved and at the same time confused. That was when I felt someone's hand wrapped around my waist, preventing me from falling completely.

Assuming that it was Ximena, I turned in the direction where I knew she was based on the position of her hands and smiled widely.

"Thank you, Xi." I murmured in appreciation.

However, she did not respond and her hand was still clutched around my waist. Then, she carefully guided me to stand on my own feet.

As soon as I had my feet planted on the floor, she released her hold on me.

"Thanks again." I whispered while fixing my sunglasses that slightly slipped down my nose.

"You're welcome, I guess?" She responded and she sounded unsure or hesitant even.