Chapter 7

Richard sat on the dining table, sipping from his herbal brew and thinking of the day’s event.

He had always visited the restaurant, but today’s episode seemed to be quite different because he observed something that sent chills down his spine.

“How could I have observed her just today?” He mumbled to himself as images of Emily kept flashing in his memory.

The moment their eyes met, he felt a connection that he never had with any other woman. It seemed as though they communicated with each other through their stares and it amused him more to think that he had really felt that way.

After a while of reminiscing over the day’s event, he finally decided to have some rest.

Earlier, his wife had told him that she might not return and so, he resolved to staying alone all night.

It wasn’t a new thing to him. Even, whenever she stayed in the house, they usually ended up with arguments on things that didn’t actually matter.

He dropped the mug on the kitchen counter and took careful ambles towards the stairs that led to his room.

He switched on the light as the rays bathed his bedroom, giving it a pure illumination and making every object bright.

He sighed tiredly and walked into his room, dropping his phone on the desk and sinking into the mini couch that laid just beside the King sized bed.

He darted his eyes towards the wall opposite where he sat and the more he glared, the more his eyes sank in despair.

It was a portrait of he and Barbara, looking all radiant and beautiful. She was cladded in a bikini while he was on shorts.

They were at the beach and it was clear that it was a picture taken out of love and bliss.

His face was filled with smiles as he stared at Barbara who seemed to be taking something off his face. It was a candid shot, but enough to tell that the couple were so much in love.

Richard sighed and took his eyes off the frame. Many times, he wished that he could take it away since it brought back painful memories and regrets.

Each time his gaze fell on the portrait, he only wished that he had taken a step back rather than falling to the trap of “I do”.

Barbara’s attitude had changed drastically the moment she became famous through modeling.

Before their union, she had been an ambitious woman who aspired to be one of the famous models in the city. Then, she had been so calm and loving that Richard concluded that nothing could change those traits.

However, a year after they got married, she was invited for a fashion show in New York by a popular fashion industry.

He recalled how excited he was with the event and how he dropped all his plans and schedules just to ensure that he is present at his wife’s biggest show.

However, the moment they returned, she turned sour and avoided Richard as much as she could.

Sooner or later, it became clear that she was having secret affairs with men in the industry.

One time, Richard had tried to bring it up but was shocked to his marrow by her response.

“Yes, that’s true. I have affairs with men I wish to. I used to hear that people get tired in marriages. It’s so true because I’m tired of ours! Too bad ours didn’t last long”, she had replied, after which she left, banging the door behind her and causing Richard to drift away in thoughts.