“Mother! Mother!” – Elias was yelling, as he entered the lunch garden.
His mother, profound Madam Frida of the estate Heraklion, sat calmly, with her set of afternoon tea. Showing no change of emotion, even after hearing her son call out to her in frustration.
“Mother!” – Elias threw document folder on her lunch table. – “What’s the meaning of this?! How could you get involved with my affairs? I told you not to do so!”
Frida looked at the folder, placed the tea cup on a saucer, then that was calmly set on the table next to her. Then she slowly turned to her son and looked at him. He was fuming. He cared less of the people that were the ones to look after estate, the servants, the helpers, the butlers and all them eaves dropping residents of estate that were guesting in here.
“Elias, I’ve told you many times that I’m to take care of your mess, when you mess up. Right until the time you learn how to manage that by yourself.” – Frida calmly replied.
“She ran away! She just outright ran away!” – Elias shouted.
“Yes,” – Frida turned back to her table, softly opened the folder and checked the insides – indeed the photos and files on the latest lady that was around her son, – “She was on with you for your title and money, my dear. She cared not about you.”
“She loved me!” – Elias kept on being loud.
“Sit!” – Frida raised her voice. Elias grimaced and sat down next to her.
“Now, my son, I’ve seen and known plenty of women that were not only trying to get to you, but to your late father, may he rest in peace at last. The common mistake those foxes make is the crawling and whining for money, to drain as much out of you as possible. Had she not enough with the house you bought for her? Was she not satisfied with her new car or business you got for her? No, she was not. Greed was taking over her plenty. Not to mention she had a man on the side, whom she loved even more.” – Frida calmly spoke, then she gestured to the servant.

“She was draining you of all you could do. And that’s, even though blinded by love and hormones, is a mistake I don’t take lightly.” – Frida gave a slight nod, as servant returned with a metallic bin and lighter, putting bin near Frida and handing lighter to Fridas hand.
“Darling, you’ve known how I do my business since young age…” – Frida took the folder and lit the lighter, setting folder on fire.
“Mother, you knew I love her.” – Elias looked at what Frida was up to.
“Yes, my dear, yes, but that was not real love. That was love you acquire through the satisfying time shared in bed. Which in itself is not enough to be really called love.” – Frida watched the folder burn to half, then threw it to keep burning in the metallic bin.
“Son, you know I hate you being used and abused. And that woman did exactly that. So I can’t really say much to it. I just did the sensible things. I took back the house and cars, though let her keep the business. Can’t say same good things about sponsors and supporting companies that were there due to you.” – Frida looked her son in the eyes. – “Sweetie, I gave her a chance, after I had seen her sleeping with multiple other men beside you. You love is not going to help this case, as she cursed your name and shall do better at giving you problems, if you pursue her. So do the sensible thing and let this woman go. You know that foxes tend to be hunted, don’t you?”
Elias let out a sigh, as he turned to face away from mother.
“If you won’t stop that silly attitude, you’ll be left with nothing but a hunted fox in a bag, eventually. And I’ve seen your heart broken way too many times by now, yet you can’t seem to learn from your mistakes.” – Frida placed her hand on her sons arm. – “I would not have lifted a finger, had she not tried to steal from me.”
Elias looked at his mother.
“Steal from you?” – Elias was confused.
“Yes. Steal from me.” – Frida laid back in her chair, putting her arms on the handles. – “She approached the investor that works with me. She tried to sway him to help her, but at the same time tried to persuade them to drop me. And that’s a direct offence to me. Then she slept around with board of directors, to try and kick me off my Chairwoman position, which didn’t help, eventually trying her best to make my competitor be woed by her, to help her crush me. But I’m sure you read all that in the folder, that’s no more than ash now.”

Elias looked at the ceiling. He was chewing on his lip, as he watched the beauty of the estate above him.
“I couldn’t accept it.” – Elias let out.
“I knew you couldn’t.” – Frida took up saucer and tea. – “But I’m not a little frail lady to not accept the glove thrown at me. I’m a grown madam, that likes the challenge. That girl did not expect that her going through beds would result in her demise. I rather pick my fights with wit and actions. She clearly missed the mark. But fear not, my dear,” – Frida drank the tea, – “I know a fair way to get back at her, one miserable event at a time.”
“Mother,” – Elias looked at her, then shook his head, – “I still have feelings for her.”
“And she has none for you, darling. Find yourself something more suitable. A person who will appreciate you for You, and not your title, assets or money. You know you can’t buy love.” – Frida put the tea down.
“It’s hard.” – Elias whines.
“Nothing is easy in this world my sweetheart, especially if you keep thinking about it that way. Change your perspective, approach and start new endeavours. You might be pleasantly surprised with how things can turn out.” – Frida scratched her brow, then got up from her seat.
“Elias, go have a day off and stop mulling over self-pitying issues. Grab Nathaniel and go for a bit of fun. Change the scenery and come back once you change what’s in that head of yours. Life is hard, though it is easy. It depends on path chosen.” – Frida kisses Elliot on the forehead. – “Son, you should know better than be sad about those who do not deserve you. Your mother will go get on with her work. Don’t wallow in pity and go unwind.”
Frida left her son sitting.

Elias sat at the table for a bit more, before Nathaniel approached him.
“Come on, the car is ready.” – Nathaniel said.
Elias looked at him quizzically, tiredly.
“Now?” – Elias asked.
“Now.” – Nathaniel gave a nod. – “Madam told me the whole thing. So we are going for a ride now.”
Elias tiredly got up and followed Nathaniel.

The sunset from this mountain was looking like a dream.
“I still don’t know how the heck I end up with such women.” – Elias babbled, as he had few beers in his system.
Both sat in the fold-out chairs, drinking beer. Next to them was a small cabin, where they shall stay for few days.
“You do the dumbest thing whenever you deal with them.” – Nathaniel said.
“And what’s that?” – Elias glared at his friend.
“Flaunt that money like it’s endless silly toy. And that’s how they decide to pull as much of that out of you, as they can. Seeing you as a money bag from that moment on.” – Nathaniel plainly said.
“Can you at least not hit me that hard with remarks?” – Elias let out, tiredly.
“What would be the point of that? You’d not get it otherwise.” – Nathaniel yawned.
“I wanna have real love. Real woman who loves me for me.” – Elias sighed.
“Then go on doing your shit. Don’t waste time seeking. Just do your thing and the right lady will kind of show up. Like, out of the blue – pop out into your life.” – Nathaniel looked at the sky.
“You sure know how to tell tales.” – Elias laughed.
“I’m for real, you bag of bones and audacity.” – Nathaniel finished his beer and got up to get another one from a box in between them. – “You’ll see. You can’t rely on someone else to fill what you lack. It ain’t working like that.”
“You sound like my mother more and more every goddamn day, mate.” – Elias let out.
Nathaniel laughed.
“Well, I am her secretary, after all.” – Nathaniel opened another beer. – “Cheers to love!”
“Cheers to love.” – Elias lazily clinked the beer bottles.