Chapter 44 LET'S START OVER
1682words
I close my eyes thinking about Andrew's bare body pressing me under him, and just then a knock startles me, feeling flush, I sit up and put the book on the table with force.
"Come in," I say hoarsely and instead of Miss Celine Andrew enters my room, he is still wearing the same formal clothes, I look at the clock, the clock shows past 1 why hasn't he left for the office yet?
"Are you busy?" He asks looking at me and then the book on the table, "No," I shake my head and he comes over to sit beside me, I move keeping a fair distance between us.
"Why have you not left for your office yet?" I question him and he looks unhappy about it.
"Do you want me to leave?" He asks.
"Uhmm… No, not at all." I say quickly and feel surprised at how desperate I sound to not let him go.
A small smile appears on his lips, "I need your help with work. Can you help?" He asks politely and I nod my head obediently, "Sure." After all, I have nothing to kill my boredom helping him would divert my mind from my erotic thoughts.
I stand up and he looking astonished stands too, he walks ahead and I follow him towards his study. We enter and Andrew hands me a file, and a laptop, "This, you need to fill the exact numbers and calculate the total. This is the expenses bill from the last month. I need to give it to Ann."
I frown taking the file from his hands, why does he need to give the account of each penny he spends on his business to Ann? Aren't they both the owners? Does Ann also give an account of each penny she spends? I thought.
I sit on the sofa with my laptop, I start copying the number with the valid reason for spending.
As I am entering the digits, something catches my attention, it's the bill from the famous Jewelry shop, it's a ring, a ring for women. Without thinking, I look at Andrew and ask, "Andrew, there is one bill for a ring... Don't you think it's strange?"
Yeah, when we made jewelry why would we buy such an expensive ring from another store instead of making it ourselves? I thought maybe the people working under him has added this extra bill to make him fool.
"Oh, that.." Andrew's head clicks after a while, "Kindly send an email to that store for the return, I won't be needing that ring anymore." He says plainly his eyes again focused on his laptop screen.
I stupidly started to write an email and after sending it, something hard hit my mind, F**k, I gasp looking up at Andrew in shock and hurt, "You bought this for Mona?" I ask him in a low voice knowing that it was the truth but still waiting for him to deny it.
He moves his gaze from the laptop towards me and then nods his head, accepting my statement, "Yes."
I feel disheartened and angry by his acceptance and then look away. I don't know why but suddenly the pool of tears fills my eyes and I start to feel heavy. I look down, my eyes getting blurry as I try my best to not let any tears fall but as I blink few tears drop on my hand that is clutching the side of papers tightly.
Just then, a warm hand covers my hand and wipes away the tears on the back of my hand with his thumb. I look up surprised. Andrew is sitting beside me now, I look away embarrassed more tears start to fall down my eyes uncontrollably.
"I have told you many times, don't cry." He says as he holds my one cheek and turns my face towards him. "Mona is my past now," He says but still it doesn't calm my heart.
I shake my head violently, "I don't care whoever stays in your life… I don't care…" I say, broken and he takes a deep sigh before opening his mouth again.
"Tessy, I never wanted this marriage and even when I was being forced I never try to use you for my pleasure. I always keep a fair distance because I respect you, I didn't want to hurt you. I thought that I would divorce you later without keeping any close relationship with you, and then live happily with Mona but things suddenly changed and everything goes out of my hand. I realized that in trying to not hurt you, I have actually hurt you the most. I should have told you the truth from the beginning but I didn't. And what I did later…" He stops flinching with guilt all over his face.
"It's still not late, you are beautiful and a gorgeous woman, you can continue your study and then find someone who loves you and cherish you for his whole life. When Ann will return I will talk to her about the divorce. I am sure you will get the best." He says with a warm smile but I don't feel happy by his words nor relieved.
Is he indirectly asking me for divorce but my feelings have changed I don't want a divorce… Why should I find someone when I have you, Andrew. Why can't you love me and cherish me? Am I that bad in your eyes? Or are you still in love with Mona and you are not able to forget her?
A pang of sadness fills my heart and I start to grieve in his arms, he didn't say anything, just calmly trying to comfort me with his actions.
I don't know how long I behave like that, but I feel completely drained when finally my tears stop. Andrew picks me up and takes me back to his room, I don't know what he would be thinking about me. Would he think I am an emotional fool? Or a weird woman? I don't know and I don't want to dwell on it making myself more embarrassed.
He gently puts me down on my bed and left, I sigh disappointedly, humiliation awash me, and feeling exhausted I close my eyes to live in my dreams.
****
I am walking the aisle alone, I don't see any guests in the church, neither I see my parent, or a priest, except my husband I see no one. He looks at me with cold eyes, I shudder from his sight but still keep walking towards him, he helps me to climb the small three stairs.
I stand beside him with all smiles as we start to say our vows loudly together.
"FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE,
FOR RICHER, FOR POORER,
IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH,
TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH,
UNTIL WE ARE PARTED BY DEATH.
THIS IS MY SOLEMN VOW."
We look into each other's eyes, the coldness in Andrew's eyes fades as I lean and kiss his thin lips, it was supposed to be a quick kiss as I pull myself away from him, but hastily he holds my hair and slams his lips on mine.
His tongue starts to explore my mouth expertly, I moan into his mouth, my tongue tentatively strokes his and joins his in a slow erotic dance that's all about touch and sensation. He brings his hands up to grasp my chin and holds me in place.
He then pulls his mouth away warily, and again his gaze turns cold.
"YOU WANT SOMEONE WHO WOULD LOVE YOU AND CHERISH YOU FOR ALL YOUR LIFE."
He says in his deep voice, his words echoed in the empty church my romantic and blissful moment suddenly turned into a nightmare when he start to walk away from me, steadily with no turning back.
I keep yelling his name but it seems like he has turned deaf air, the door closes loudly, separating me from Andrew, Forever…
BOOM
****
By the time, I wake up, it's all dark outside, which means I have slept a lot. I stand still feeling dizzy from my sleep, I freshen up and look at my pale face in the mirror, I groan as I remember the events of my dream the way it turned into a nightmare.
I should talk to Andrew and clear out everything… If he wants, we can still start over, For God's sake, I have loved him for eight years without even knowing him so why can't I love him when I know too much about him.
F**k, Tess, you have again ruined the things.
He keeps asking for a chance, to put the things in the right place but no your anger, your stubbornness literally pushes him away from you.
I sigh, distressed, and then combing my hair properly, I finally walk out with the determination of talking with Andrew about our marriage. As now, he has let go of Mona, we can start over and let bygones be bygones.
Whatever he did, whatever I did, let's not go anywhere and start our life from a new start.
I walk down and see Miss Celine cooking as I start to help her, Tonight I bake a tiramisu cake as he had asked for yesterday.
"I am home," I was decorating my cake when my husband's voice fills the kitchen, I smirk and turn to him, "I thought you take off for today?" I ask him and he shrugs, "I thought you wanted me to leave."
My smile froze and I look at him guiltily, "I didn't mean to."
"I know I was joking," He grins wickedly, and it's disarming. I gaze at his gorgeous smile completely entranced.
How could I think of divorcing such a handsome husband?
