Eight

Ash placed his hands on hers to reassure her. 

"It's going to be fine."

Coincidentally, a news was broadcast on the television. 

'The CEO of Vintage group visits Troy orphanage and makes a generous donation of  ten million dollars.'

"See, he went there with another woman. See how he goes around with a lot of them, making me a laughing stock. I only fell in love with him, nothing more. I regret it, I really do."

Ash took the remote control and turned off the television. 

"You need to rest, don't think about it. I'll see you tomorrow."

Ash inserted his keys into the keyhole and turned the knob.

"You are coming from her house, right?"

It was his girlfriend. She hated the fact that he put his best friend, Nelly, before her. 

"We had an appointment this evening…" he tried to explain.

"As expected, that's the next thing you will say. You always remember your outings and so called appointments with her and end up forgetting mine."

"Baby…"

"Don't you dare baby me."

"I'm sorry. I will make it up to you, don't be offended. But you know we didn't agree to meet today…"

"Ohhh! That's why you went flirting with her, right? She's married to a big fish. Get that into your head or do you intend to be the one to save her from her miserable marriage?"

"What? Where did you get that information from?"

Vivian, his girlfriend, grabbed her phone from the table, opened a page and thrust it into his palm. 

"It's all over the news. See for yourself. What sort of affair have you been having with a married woman in a lonely marriage?"

Ash read the news and was surprised by what he saw. 

'The CEO of Vintage group visits Troy orphanage with his fiancée. …. He has a wife at home, a wife only on the papers but it's clearly obvious he doesn't want her. She has never made a public appearance with him.'

Ash stared closely at the page trying to pick out every single detail. This was the same blog that first carried the rumour that Nelly's contract was terminated because she slept with several top managers to excel. He tried so much in the past to locate the page and the blogger but they disappeared after Nelly's scandal. Now, they were out again with another story.

"Tell me, since you knew her husband didn't want her, were you planning to ditch me and go for her?"

Ash dropped the phone on the table and smiled at her. She looked very beautiful even when she was angry. He knew her weakness and was always quick to act on it each time he wanted her to keep calm. She loved his touch so much and never resisted him. 

He pushed her gently on the sofa and put his hands under her T-shirt. He unstrapped her bra and held her large but firm breasts in his hands. He tickled her nipples and she let out a soft moan that was music to his ears. Before he knew it, her own hands were already on his clothes, in bid to rid them off his body. He had her right there and then he carried her into the bedroom to continue from where he stopped. 

Nelly folded her clothes neatly into her traveling bag. After everything that happened and all that was on the news about her, she was determined to leave the marriage as well as the country. She wanted a new and fresh beginning, far away from old and sad memories.  

Ash, who was always helpful, took care of her travel documents upon request. He was to be at her place the following morning to see her off and drop her at the airport. 

She visited her father that evening to inform him of her departure. She wanted to see him one last time before she left. She slowly climbed the stairs that led to her father's room. She was about knocking when she overheard his conversation on the phone. She couldn't hear what the other person was saying but she heard her father clearly. 

"There is nothing I can do….. My hands are tied and you know we can't make decisions without his permission…. He is the boss and Stratford must submit to him….. Yes… I know it's difficult and evil as you put it, but we have started the journey already and we can't quit."

"Mr Kennedy...if you are developing a cold feet, you give way for real men to take over the business. Stratford was built on that foundation and must thrive by that…. We can't make the same mistake twice...it's by hook or crook."

She knocked on the door and opened it. Her father ended the call abruptly and put his phone aside. 

"Good evening, dad."

"My dear child. How are you?"

"I'm okay dad. Is there anything I need to know about our company?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Know? Come here my dear. Are you really leaving your old father all alone?"

It was obvious that he was changing the topic. However, Nelly didn't let it bother her, she pushed it behind her. She was travelling the following day and didn't need to be troubled by such things. She spent quality time with her father and returned home afterwards. 

Two weeks had passed since Nelly travelled out of the country. Her husband, Ivan, was yet to find out. 

That evening, he decided to visit home again after two months. He opened the door and looked around. 

The house was empty and lacked colour. Nelly was the one who bought and placed all sorts of decorative items in the house to make it beautiful. 

"What's going on? Did she decide to return this place to its bare and original state?"

He went upstairs and into the rooms but there was no trace of her. He called her name but there was no response either. 

He retraced his steps to the sitting room with a thousand and one questions on his mind. He looked around the sitting room again, carefully this time. 

His eyes spotted a paper on the table. He went closer and saw what it was. A paper, a ring and a pen. 

Divorce papers?

He read the contents and frowned. She had requested nothing from him. She only left with what she came with and what was hers. He dropped the paper and looked at the ring. It was not just any ring but a ring with great significance in his life. His jaw dropped open and pain and regret filled his heart.