002

Engel

"How many times am I going to keep telling you, Conrad, we can’t let the Andersons get their way on us; it is a stupid idea to even side with them." I spoke over the phone and didn't even hide my disapproval of the way Conrad, my brother, runs things. I was heading to the vineyard today before moving on from that.

The losses were massive, but I wasn’t going to allow that to be the reason we didn’t look towards a way forward.

Didn’t have a night's rest and was still very much wide awake.

"Are you coming over to the house? There are things I would like to discuss with you," Conrad said over the phone. I looked at my wristwatch; I didn’t have time to come around in the morning. "Tell Lazarus I will see him in the evening today," I instructed.

"Good morning, sir," Matthew, my driver, greeted. "Good morning, how is the family?" I asked swiftly.

"Like you would like to know that," Conrad chimed in as he mocked. He was right; I didn’t even want to know how Matthew's family was doing; it was no business of mine.

"They are fine, sir; my wife recently gave birth," Matthew announced suddenly, and I was shocked. I never got to know if he was married or if his wife was pregnant; I thought he wasn’t even married in the first place.

“Congratulations! Was it a boy or a girl?” I inquire, sounding concerned; how much I loved children and the joy they bring regardless of the mess they make.

As Matthew answered, “A girl,” my heart swelled. "Uhm, Matthew, after dropping me off at the vineyard, do go to your wife. I am sure it is best you stay with her and your little girl," I considered.

"Thank you, sir,"

I entered the car, and before Matthew could drive off, I was able to catch a glimpse of my wife. I kissed her forehead while she was soundly asleep; I am sure she didn't even notice my presence as I tried not to wake her up.

Lindsay is excellently beautiful, sometimes I wonder how she had chosen to love and end up with me. It was never for my money; I constantly told myself this; if not, she would not have agreed to sign the prenuptial agreement offered to her by my father before he passed a year later.

I love her immensely; she loves me too.

I understand the weight of not being able to bear a child was taking a toll on our marriage, but I wasn’t going to allow it to ruin us.

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Matthew drove to the vineyard and left as I said that he should. I did a quick tour and spoke to the farmers around, ensuring that they would be duly paid for their work this season. Though how the fire had started in the first place was to be investigated, I didn't plan on holding anybody accountable yet.

After this I drove myself to the Ivory Creek Hotel and Spa; it was one of many hotels that belonged to my family in Bavaria, of which I now run by myself. Funny how the world works because I wasn’t expecting to see her there.

My ex. A few months if we didn’t break up, and I would have proposed.

"Engel," Rhea called with an alluring smile plastered on her lips as she stood at the receptionist while I was about to pass. "Fancy seeing you here," Rhea walked close to me; she looked beside me. "No bodyguards?"

I didn't fancy the need for security even though I knew it was very much needed; unlike me, my brothers pretty much used it, and the main family house was heavily guarded.

"It has been a long time," I said, holding out my hand.

"Such formalities," she chuckled, "You haven’t changed a single bit, Engel, a gentleman till the end." Rhea shook my hand. "It is nice to see you after ten long years. I heard you got married."

It was broadcast all over the news, both locally and internationally; how wasn't she going to know?

"And so did you," I implied, even though I wasn’t sure if she did. It has been ten years since we last saw each other. I am pretty sure she moved on with her life, as did I.

Rhea narrowly looked away; she changed the course of the discussion again. "I heard your wife is the simple, home-loving wife, a very large difference from the party lover that I am, wild as you once described me,"

I didn’t want her to bring up our past; those were those times. We were much younger, gullible, and had no worries to think of; now is different.

"Rhea, it was nice to meet you again. I am very busy; please excuse me." I ended the conversation swiftly as I moved away before she could speak up.

I never came to understand why she wanted to leave me; there was no detailed explanation, just a text stating that she no longer wanted to continue.

If ever such a thing were to happen again, it would break me into a million pieces. It took me years to struggle out of the hole I covered myself in, and had it not been for meeting Lindsay, I never thought I would be able to survive it.

Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay, she is all I think of every time that I wake, sleep, eat, and miss our touch on each other’s skin; no one compares to her.

I am aware of how taking over my father's properties and businesses has set our relationship back; still, I was confident Lindsay hasn't stopped loving me, that bright smile I return home to, and the happiness it brings me.

No matter how stressful it will be to return home, I ensure that I do just to see her, even if she is asleep.

I am in love with my wife.