5 The Regal Apartments (1/2)

Miya's place was on the outskirts of the city, nearly three kilometres from the restaurant. Jim wasn't sure the woman had run back to her house, but he assumed she had. Anyone would like to take a bath after cleaning up a bathroom, right?

Jim almost bowled over at the thought.

He doubted he would be able to cohabit with a person like that for a year. But there was nothing he could do, as such. Also, the worse the girl was, the better it was for him. Only then would he be able to appropriately enrage his father.

The thought calmed him down somewhat, and he drove his car in silence.

When he reached the street he had to turn to, he stopped the car and got out. The road was too narrow here, and he didn't want his beloved Ferrari to get hurt. He would have to walk the remaining distance.

Turning on the map in his phone, Jim followed the direction shown.

And the scenery around baffled him.

It was one of the most chaotic and crowded places he had ever seen.

Buildings stood on both sides of a rather narrow street, old and dilapidating. People ran in and out of them hurriedly, all ragged and smelling of cheap smoke. Curls of smoke rose from some chimneys, making Jim feel almost suffocated. There were even a few dogs that he could see run astray.

He immediately was on guard.

Marrying a poor woman was not going to be as easy as he thought.

Another thing about this place surprised him. He had, out of his own love for himself, imagined that people would be amazed when he walked onto this street. They'd point a finger at him and yell, as they always did – ”Look, that's Jimmy Hunter, the heir of the Hunter Corporation himself! Isn't he the real deal?!”

This place was weird, though. Here nobody seemed to recognize him, or give two flying f***s that he was there.

Jim didn't know whether to be happy about it or cry.

When he finally reached the building to which the arrow in his phone pointed, Jim heaved a sigh of relief, but was once again horrified.

Relief came from knowing that he wouldn't have to walk anymore. Horror, when he saw the state of the building. It was painted yellow and brown and was so ragged, it looked like it would shatter any minute. And even though it was only ten in the morning, the place seemed strangely haunted.

Jim swallowed.

It was this place, for sure. The broken sign read, ”Regal Apartments”. There was nothing regal about it though.