Chapter 1 : WHY ME?
"Mam, the meeting was great! You did a great job there" Clara exclaimed.
"Thank you Clara " I thanked her smiling.
Right now we are standing in the elevator and the women standing beside me is my assistant, Clara. And we are heading to my cabin.
I was feeling proud of myself for my little victory. I'm handling my fathers business after my brother Michael's death. It was a moment of weakness in my life but then his words remind me to keep on moving.
"Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savouring the journey"
This is for you Mike. The reason for me holding everything together is you, You gave me strength and power for facing the world again.
I miss you...
I said it to myself feeling overwhelmed. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't hear Clara
"Mam..?"
"Mam.. are you listening to me ..?", Clara asked ruining the silence that I was enjoying a second before.
"Yes, Clara tell me what it is that you are asking for ?" I inquired
"Oh nothing, mam ..," she answered
"What is it ?" I asked her again
"Nothing important mam..," she replies hesitantly.
"TELL. ME " I asked once again with more authority.
She replied showing her perfect white teeth "Mam you must be double happy today! "
"What's in the world do I have that I'll be extra happy today?" I questioned.
"Come on mam don't hide it from me, everyone knows," she said making my eyes narrow.
Now I am confused that what she is trying to say and what it is that everyone knows except me and to add to the bonus it is about me.
"State it clearly, please. Can you ?" I asked annoyed
Few minutes before I was celebrating my victory and here she is ruining it perfectly
"OK, OK mam sorry please don't get annoyed, I thought you must be happy because your Husband is coming back from his business tour from Alaska," she said stretching the word husband a little longer, which annoyed me a lot.
I was taken aback remembering that he is coming back.
"How you know?" I asked her curiously
She gives me a duh look and said "the world knows" and handed me the companies tabloid. It was showing an article covering his arrival tonight, Tonight.. wait for what? he is coming tonight damm it! please no ugh!!!
Ping
The elevator opens at the top floor. Handing the tablet to Clara I dash to my cabin. In my way, people keep on smiling my way and I hate the reason behind there smiles. My eyes shift to one of my employees, she is a short height middle-aged women. When our eyes met at the same time, she mouthed me "enjoy tonight"
WHAT?? Really.? If only you know, I smiled shyly back at her and went straight to my cabin; rolling my eyes when they are away from people.
Oh god! Why my employees are over frank with me. I don't know maybe because I have been extra lenient to them in past but I will make sure that it won't happen in the future.
Sighing I went back to my work. It was about to be 6:00 pm.
Knock knock
"Come in," I said
"Mam, I'm leaving do you want anything?" Clara asked.
"No, thank you, Clara," I said
"Mam, don't you think you should go home. it's late and almost all the employees have already left" Clara l asked again.
I glared at her and composing myself I commanded her "You should go, Clara "
I was glad that she finally left. It's not that I don't want to go back home it's just that he is coming back and I don't want to face him or just don't want to see his face. Maybe I can just be that late that I don't have to face him or hope his flight will be delayed or something.
Stupid, then to you have to face him one day or the other- my conscience said ruthlessly.
You must be thinking that who the hell I am? Right then let's just introduce ourselves.
Hello everyone, I'm Avantika willforth, the manager of willforth pharmaceuticals which now own by my stranger of a Husband. You must be thinking that why I'm calling my husband a stranger well, that what he is - a stranger to me. I never wanted to marry him at first place but my parents agreed to his proposal maybe because he's a rich jerk and holds a respectful position in the society mostly because of his father but we were never poor we are doing great. My father is a well-known personality as well but I never understood his reason for marrying me off. After my marriage many articles claim that I'm a gold digger; robber; that my money thrust led me to marry the most wanted billionaire; ET al. And some article also covers that how I lure him to marry me or should I say trap him to marry me. well, that was a long time ago and I don't give a damn about what they say about me.
It has been almost a year that I'm married to the most wanted bachelor billionaire Johnny Vincent Orlando, the owner of the Orlando enterprises, who have never shown up after our marriage which I'm rather grateful for but to ruin my freedom he is coming back tonight and I'm tensed believe me tensed is just an understatement I'm beyond terrified ...
Flashback
1 week before
I was sitting in 'my' bedroom yeah my bedroom as I'm the only person who sleeps here I was busy doing some pending work when my cell phone rings disturbing my thought process.
I turned to look at the caller I'd to see who is disturbing me at such an hour and to my surprise, it's my husband. What the hell he wants now. It's the third time he called me after our marriage.
Pausing my thoughts I answered the call
[picks]
"Hello..?" I said which comes as a question I don't know why
"Hello love," he replied
I was taken aback by his endearment like man do we even know each other. It was like when you go on an awkward date and you are damn nervous about it and out of nervousness you just called your date love. I don't understand. He can't be serious.
"Why are you still awake?" he asked rather rudely making me raise an eyebrow.
I looked at the clock and damn! it was late, very late. It's 1:04 am and I was still awake and talking to him. Like really?
"Answer me," he demanded
I shift uncomfortably hearing his manly voice on the soft space of my comfy bed
"I was just about to sleep " I replied.
After an awkward silence he finally spoke;
"I'm coming back. Be ready to welcome me," he commanded turning off the call.
I shivered by his response. What does he mean that he is coming back and what's that be ready I don't get it.
End of flashback
It's around 7:30 pm and I am heading for some grocery shopping. To be very honest, it was boring as hell but at least it was keeping me away from my so-called husband.
It is 8:24 and I have returned from the shop and I'm standing at my house entrance and in the hope that I don't have to face him. Keeping my thoughts aside I push open the main door which leads to the living room. The living room was empty and there were no servants around. Where are they all I thought to myself and headed upstairs to my bedroom? When I'm about to push open my room door, I heard faint moaning sounds coming from the guest room from the other side from the master bedroom. The voice was so faint that if it was not for the airy silent in our house I wouldn't have heard it. I followed the creepy noise and went straight to the last room on the floor and pushed open the door...
I gasp.
In front of me was Johnny with his P.A Gloria. They were kissing each other shamelessly and enjoying every bit of it.
Hearing my heart squealing gasp, he broke the kiss and turn to look at whoever ruined there fun time together and his angry hazel green eyes met my deceived Prussian blue ones.
"FUCK" he said, his angry cloudy eyes changing it's colour to that of guilt.
Not wanting to be there anymore, I ran as fast as I can to my room. Ignoring his moment behind me and lock the room door.
"Avantika.?" He called
"Avanti"
It was okay until he was not here but now that he is here why I feel his deceit. It's so hard. All I can feel in that moment was that I'm devastated and he was the reason behind it. I don't deserve this. I never asked him to come to me and above all that I can't believe he is cheating on me with his P.A. If his motive was that of a cheater from the beginning then why he married me. I was crying and I don't know why? I don't know why I care but it hurts so much knowing that the person you married was never yours and never will ever be. But why he choose me? I started crying rather loudly and I keep questioning myself
" why me..?"
