Chapter Text
The winds were howling and the trees were swaying as Magnus Bane walked across the 48th St. of Manhattan, New York City. It was the 25th of December and Magnus was feeling anything but happiness and joy. There was no Santa Claus to give him presents or miracles, which he was in dire need of, no family to celebrate with, no friends to party with. He had spent a strenuous day in his office and wanted to come home to a loving girlfriend, but he should have known that nothing could go according to his wishes.
Four years ago, Magnus graduated from college with a degree in Marketing and Fashion. He started his own fashion company called Bane Enterprises. Despite hurdles in the first two years, Bane enterprises rose to every challenge and succeeded in winning the hearts of people with its true dedication to its work and motto - You are our family. Bane enterprises became known for its quality of fabric, variety of designs, different types of clothing, and, most importantly, attention to its customers. Magnus Bane, the CEO of the company, became known for interacting with his customers and taking their suggestions and comments in stride and appreciation.
It was simple - the public was in love with Magnus Bane and his clothes.
Two years ago Magnus met the woman of his life, Camille, and wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her. He catered to all her needs and wishes - he had bought her a home, a car, jewellery, and he had given her his heart. He believed that he had met his soulmate. Her eyes, that sparkled every time he gave her a gift, her smile, that lit up the entire room, were only one of the few reasons that he fell in love with her. He showered her with presents and love, but he failed to see that his love was unrequited.
He was a millionaire and she knew that. If he had opened his eyes, he would have seen the signs. His friends, Ragnor and Catarina, had warned him multiple times to stay away from her but he had not heeded their warning. Camille mistreated his best friends, spent his money carelessly, and disregarded his work and customers, but he turned a blind eye to all - he was, after all, in love. He could still remember the time he met her for the first time.
It had been a rough day at work and he had gone to a quiet restaurant to celebrate surviving the day. He had been sitting alone, enjoying a peaceful meal when a woman came and stood beside his table. Expecting to see the waitress, Magnus looked up ready to ask for the bill when he saw the face of the most beautiful person in the world.
“Hi,” Magnus stammered.
“Hi, Magnus,” Camille winked at him.
Surprised, Magnus asked, “You know who I am?” Camille laughed at him and it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his entire life.
“Of course I know who you are. Who doesn’t?” she was trailing her fingers over Magnus’ hand. “Why is a famous entrepreneur sitting alone on a wonderful day like this?” she asked, feigning sympathy.
Magnus decided that he needed to stop stuttering like an idiot and take the charge. “A tiring day and a lot of old people in gray suits,” Magnus winked and grabbed her hands. “Want to join?”
“How about we go somewhere else?” Camille made to stand up and pulled Magnus along with her.
Earlier that day, Magnus had gone to the office expecting a minor error in finances. However, when he reached his office, he was handed a document by a lawyer of an anonymous client.
“Mr. Magnus Bane, from this point forward, this company is no more yours and is owned by my client.”
Surprised, Magnus took a moment to understand the situation. He threw back his head and laughed, “Is this some kind of sick joke?” he took a step forward. “A Christmas joke?”
“No, Mr. Bane. Your company is now in my client’s name,” the lawyer moved aside to sit on the couch placed at the edge of the room. “Please have a look at the document. That is your signature, is it not?” the lawyer.
Indeed, the signature was his but Magnus had no idea how it got there. He could not remember signing a document that gave away his rights to HIS company.
“Who is your client?” Magnus asked feeling his rage takeover.
“Anonymous.”
Magnus took a step forward and growled,“Well, tell him that I will ruin him when I find out who he is.”
The lawyer chuckled, “What makes you think that it’s a ‘him’?” He stood up and took a step towards Magnus, “My client also would like to give you a message.”
“What?” Magnus could not help but be slightly curious.
The lawyer handed him his phone and said, “Hit the play button.” Magnus did.
“Hi sweetie,” Magnus gasped. “I am guessing you already know who I am. Bane enterprises is now mine. You might be wondering how this happened. Remember a week ago when I handed you some documents saying that your assistant gave it to me? Well, you had just signed your company over to me.” Magnus couldn’t help the tear that rolled down his cheek. “I am sorry that it had to happen this way but you are such an innocent person! Anyone else would have guessed that this was going to happen, like your friends did. Also, sweetheart, don’t bother coming back home. That’s not yours either. I put some money in your wallet before you left, so book a hotel room for yourself. Love you, baby.”
Magnus broke down.
He fell on his knees and cried. The lawyer could not help but stare at him with pity.
“I am sorry that this happened to you, but just so you know, this was her plan all along since the day she met you.”
He handed Magnus a file.
“These are all the legal documents and an envelope. Take that envelope as a gift and use it at the right time.”
Now, as Magnus walked the streets alone, drenched from head to toe with no shoulder to cry on, he could not help but regret every action since the day he met Camille. He had lost his best friends, his dignity, his company because of that woman.
So here Magnus was, walking down an empty street all alone with an envelope in his pocket that he had not bothered opening. Another ploy by Camille. He could hear people laughing in their homes and their cheers when they opened their gifts, and he could not help but feel jealous - he had planned to do that with Camille.
As Magnus reached the end of the 48th street, he could not help but stare at the window of one particular house. The curtains were black styled with different coloured polka dots that looked like they had been painted to add some colour. He could see the silhouettes of two people hitting each other, one seemed to be a girl with long hair and the other a rather well-built guy. As Magnus stared at the two people playing around, a third person came between them.
He is tall.
By looking at his posture and hand movements, it was clear to Magnus that the ‘tall-and-handsome,’ which might as well be his nickname, was a man to be taken seriously and not to be messed with. Shaking his head, Magnus watched as the three people moved away from the window and continued his walk in the hope that someone would join him in his walk down the road of misery.
Suddenly, a paper came fluttering in front of him drenched with the downpour of rain. Magnus bent to pick it up and noticed that it was a note.
He opened it and read -
For the stranger walking on the street,
He kept moving forward as the wind pressed against him and his life seemed to fall apart. It was the hope that resided within him that gave him the courage to not look back, rather forward. He had faced the worst but he knew that life was going to be hard and difficult, but he had to keep moving.
He turned around and smiled because all he saw was the past that he had left behind and a future that awaited him. He smiled because he had a future to build, a future to create, a future that was all his and his to make.
- A.L. (Just another stranger).
So, as Magnus read this for the third time, he turned around and looked at ‘stranger,’ who seemed to have turned away from the window,
He smiled. So, I fell in love with a stranger.