The Heart's Desires

The Meeting

Walking around the pond, he breathed in the fresh and pure air. The people seeing him would think he was just the random person walking, but he was actually Lucifer Scottsdale, owner and CEO of Empire Industries, a conglomerate of various hotels, malls, airlines, trading groups and companies. Just at the age of 35, he was one of the richest bachelor's of the States. Just another few years, and he would have almost half the country in his hand.

He was the devil his name said. It was a well known fact how he had managed to lure many a successful businessmen into investing in his projects. Starting from the age of 23, he had spent 12 years in building his dream. Aside from his alluring words and his ability to turn people's minds, he had his looks to his advantage.

And this was just what was his most important aspect. He slept with almost all the wives of these businessmen, took them to dinners, gifted them with small gifts, so that they could push their husbands into investing with him. Once he received the contract, he didn't bother looking back at them. His work there was done, and he couldn't afford to lay his heart and concentration somewhere else when he had an empire to build.

He had moved to New York when he was just a small boy of 5, along with his parents from Minnesota, in hopes to make their fortune at the Empire City of the world. His father, Robert Scottsdale, started with selling sovereign's to tourists at attractions of New York.

Young Lucifer grew up watching his father struggle to sell enough for their meals and his school fees. Luckily, he was a bright and sharp student. There was something about him that excluded confidence and an aura of demand. All his teachers were in awe of him and his fellow peers seethed in jealousy. He soon passed his high school with flying colors, and applied to each and every college he could, in hopes that he could get a scholarship, since his father couldn't afford paying the high rates of college.

A month later, he received his letter, inviting him to Take University of Management, with a scholarship taking care of all his fees and tuition. Lucifer was then on his way to New Haven, Connecticut.

After 4 years of business studies, he returned to New York to his parents, with a plan. But for that first, he needed money, which he had none. So Lucifer approached the biggest businessmen of the time. But it was easier said than done.

He kept on going from Bank to businessmen, but no one trusted his high fetched ideas from a nobody. But he didn't give up hope. It was then that his father succumbed to a heart attack. At his father's funeral, as Lucifer comforted a distraught mother, Eileen McCartney, the wife of a businessman he had just visited a week by, came to offer her condolence.

After the service was over, she asked him to meet her outside the church. He followed her to a clump of trees and faced her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her curiously. "I heard something regarding you", she purred, moving closer to him.

" What did you hear?"

"You came to my husband sometime back, in need of finances. I can help you get all the money you want, in return for something, of course", she whispered, running a finger down his arm. His throat turned dry and he managed to croak out a " How?"

"Come to this address tonight. I'll tell you", she pressed a note in his hand and after kissing his cheek, sauntered away. That night, Lucifer took a taxi to Imperial Heights, the largest and most expensive hotel in New York. After reaching the room number he was given, he knocked on the door once.

" Who is it?" Eileen's voice called out from inside. "It's me, Lucifer".

" Open the door and come in, Lucifer", and he walked inside. "Lock it, dear".