When my plane landed in Amsterdam, it marked a new beginning for me or so I wished. Amsterdam was a beautiful place, filled with life and wonders, and people of different origins. It wasn't also my first visit, I lived in Amsterdam for years during the period that I was exiled by my father. I actually had a whole life there which I honestly couldn't leave behind which prompted me to resign from Berkscorp.
I arrived late at night. I ordered a ride from the airport to my mansion downtown. Amsterdam wasn't like LA, but it offered luxury in the best way that it could and i was quite fortunate to be able to afford such.
The car pulled over outside my house. From the outside, it was just another narrow Amsterdam house—tall, quiet, and reserved, almost unimpressive in a city that had mastered the art of hiding wealth behind brick and glass. If anything, it looked smaller than the others on the street. It wasn't screaming fancy, but it was the unrealistic wish of many. I hadn't been home in a while, so I didn't expect the place to appear any appealing and the cleaning company I had booked would not be arriving until the next morning.
I lifted up the flower vase by the door, under it was my key, lying there, waiting, collecting dust for months like I had only stepped out for a bit. I picked it up, unlocked the door, and I stepped into absolute darkness. I put on my phone's flashlight to find the light switch in the dark, and when I eventually found it, I flipped it over and the entire room lit up immediately. Light poured in from somewhere above, controlled and deliberate. The kind of lighting that didn't just brighten up a room but warm and welcoming. Marble stretched beneath my feet, pale and cold, reflecting everything in quiet perfection. The air smelled faintly of lemon and something deeper… expensive, but not loud about it.
The furnitures were still covered in leather bags to prevent dust from sipping into the gaps in it. They were far too expensive to get damaged. The sofas were in a round setting, around a marble center table, facing the glass. On the table was a flower vase with dead flowers and dust like powder. The stairs curved around the side of the wall, leading to the second floor. I walked further around, slowly, trying to feel the warmth of the place. My house wasn't narrow. It only appeared like so outside. Glass walls revealed themselves one after the other, and then I saw it—my pool.
It sat at the center of the lawn behind the house like it belonged there, like everything else had been built around it. The yard was still pretty messy from the last party I had there. The lawn had overgrown and the two trees there had started to stretch it's branches into the yard of my neighbors.
I lay down my bag on one of the sofas before walking to one of the bedroom. I pushed the door open. The lights went on the minute the sensors tracked my movement, and I looked around, everything covered in dust. I calmly lay one of my blankets on the floor and lay down to sleep as I was already tired from the journey.
The next morning, the sound of my doorbell actually woke me up. I stretched before getting up. I looked at my phone only to realize it was only past seven in the morning. My original thought was that it must have been the cleaning company, so I got up immediately to attend to them. Surprisingly, when I got to the door, it was André, my next door neighbor and a close friend of mine when I was still in Amsterdam. I didn't inform him before leaving Amsterdam, and I didn't tell him I was returning, so for a moment, I wasn't even sure about how to face him. I just stood there, hoping the moment would sort itself.
And fortunately, before I could open my mouth to speak, he spoke;
"Hey man, it's been a while. I saw your lights on last night, so I figured you were back. Mind if I come in? We have a lot to talk about."
I smiled and embraced him tightly. "Andre," I said, patting his back. "Missed you a lot man."
I let him in, shutting the door behind us. He walked straight to the center of my living room, looking around.
"This place is dirty. You should have it cleaned up."
"I already reached out," I followed behind him. "They should be here any minute."
He stopped, then turned to face me, his hands by his waist. "That's great. Really good. So, yeah, why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"
"I wasn't actually planning to. My dad and I got into a fight, and here I am," I shrugged.
He laughed. "Good to have you back though. I can't talk much right now though, this place is pretty messy. How about you drop by at my place later? There is so much to catch up on," he said as he walked towards my door.
"That sounds good. I'll come over when the home cleaners arrive."
"Catch you later then," he replied, stepping out of the house.
"Yeah," I answered, shutting the door slowly in his face.
I was tired, and completely famished. I walked back to the room to pick my phone so that I could order something to eat only to find the phone had already ring twice. Before I could call the caller back, it started ringing again. It was Robin, he was the only one I gave my new number to so even though I didn't have his contact saved, I knew immediately it was him.
"Hello, what's up?" I greeted.
:. Don't know how you're going to take this but I told Isla you're in Amsterdam, mate. She was worried sick 'bout you.
His voice echoed over the phone.
"Yeah, it's fine. I was going to tell her eventually."
:. So, how's the place treating ya?
"Pleasant so far, you should come over sometime," I replied, my hand tucked in my pocket.
:. You know I can't leave my missus. She's heavily pregnant now.
The doorbell suddenly rang again.
"I'll give you a call sometimes in the evening, someone is at my door. Extend my greetings to Samantha."
:. Sure. I'll be waiting for you to ring me.
The call ended.
I felt the cleaning company must have arrived since I wasn't expecting anyone else that morning. I rushed straight to the door to let them in. I hesitated for a bit after getting a bad feeling about it, but I still went on with it and when the door opened, before me stood Stella Van Heemstra, daughter of the founder of Van Heemstra Holdings, who also happened to be my ex wife who had divorced me just two years earlier.
"So the rumour didn't lie. Asher Barney is back to Amsterdam."
I just stared in shock. If she found me already, then my plan to return to a peaceful life might just be a fantasy... A wish that would never come true.