4: I'm married

He flung his phone on the mahogany desk, leaned into this high backed chair and groaned. When he had asked her for his number amidst drinks, she boldly took his phone, punched numbers into it and saved it with her name and then called the line. When her phone vibrated, she chuckled and said, "I'll save your number later." That was how he got her name and her number after minutes of talking and drinking over the loud music.

Robert wasn't expecting Aria to call that soon and from the look of things, he was right. He knew the call wasn't intentional from the way she said another name and how she was quick to say 'wrong number' when she heard his voice. He was worried about Aria, she sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

After she hung up on him, he had been unable to focus on the stark of documents that crowded his desk. He had stayed late at the office today, he was filling up for the previous day where he had achieved little to nothing because he spent the whole day thinking about her. Now that she had called, he found it difficult to concentrate on the document he was working on. He knew he had to get hold of her soon before he lost his senses.

Since his ex, Becky, cheated on him and broke up with him, Robert had stayed away from having anything serious with any woman. The best he could have was causal relationships with them and discard them when they wanted more from him but he could sense that this Aria girl was different. Robert's eyes scanned through the table, willing his mind to suppress thoughts of Aria. Then, his eyes fell on the marriage certificate. He picked it up, looked at it.

Aria Spencer.

She was the most beautiful woman he had set his eyes upon. Meeting her wasn't something he had planned. He had gone for a business conference as one of the speakers so the organizers booked a hotel for him. Bored, he decided to go to the club upstairs. While he was walking, he bumped into her, spilling her drink on her body. They locked gazes for a second, before she wordlesssly weaved through the crowd, into the bathroom. He followed her, but then she shut the bathroom door in his face. When she emerged, he handed her his handkerchief to clean up. Without a word, he walked away from her. He met her at the bar again, they spoke for a while and drunkenly, they started dancing.

-

Robert heard a knock at his door and his eyes darted towards the wall clock. It was 11:00 PM. It could only be one person who had the audacity to disrupt his solitude when he chose to work longer hours at his office. It was his personal spy. He had helped me discover that Becky was cheating on him.

"Come in," he ordered, loosening the grip of his necktie, and massaged his forehead. He was tired and needed rest but first, he had to have this conversation.

The young man stepped forward and greeted him. "Good evening sir."

He regarded the greeting with a nod. "So have you been able to get any information about her?"

He nodded and Robert's eyes flickered with excitement.

"I followed her home yesterday but careful so she wouldn't see me. I observed an angry man and another hefty man carrying a fridge and television from their apartment. It seemed like they were owing this man a sum of money."

"Is that all?" Robert asked.

"Yes but with time, I'll get more information about her."

"Good. You're free to take your leave."

"Thank you sir." He said, and walked towards the door. Almost at the door, Robert called out to him. "One thing more."

"Okay sir." He paused, waiting for the instruction.

"By tomorrow find out the sum of money they're owing and send them a fridge and television."

-

Robert decided to honour his father's invitation to have dinner with him, his step-mother, and his two step brothers. When his mother was still alive, they had a ritual of having family dinner every first Sunday of the month. But eversince his step-mother came into the picture, he'd rather stay in his house than come over to his father's house to observe the ritual. His step-mother, Lauren, made his skin crawl. She had been sleeping with his father and even gave birth to a son Robert was six years older than when his mother was still alive. He only got to find out after his mother died and when his father was about to marry Lauren.

"Look who we have here," his father, announced from the dining table when he came in. His step mother and his father was seated at the edge of the table while his step brothers -Harry and Bryan- was sitted at the sides. He walked over to the dining table, ruffled Bryan's hair playfully before he took his seat at the side that was currently free.

"I've missed you big bro." Bryan chirped with his tiny voice. He was only ten years old but Robert thought he was wiser than his age. Robert loved him.

"Not to worry, we'll have our time together after this." Robert assured him.

"Robert, I'm glad you came you came over. Let me serve you."

"I'm not interested." Robert said, holding up a finger and Lauren looked like she was going to cry.

Robert thought she had too much make-up on her face and it would be nicer if she used a lighter shade of her red lipstick because right now, she looked like an ugly doll.

"Come on bruv," Harry butted in.

"I'm not your brother."

"You don't have a choice. We're blood." Harry snickered.

Robert proceeded to serve himself.

"Robert, it's been four years since your mother died and most times when you come around for family dinner, you're either being stubborn and trying to make a scene or be alone and refusing to interact with your brothers. What's your problem?" His father ended his speech with the question that has been on his mind. Lauren rubbed the arm of her husband attempting to calm him down, with the way his voice rose higher it was clear that he was on the verge of getting angry.

"Robert, you're like a son to me. I keep telling you this: if there's anything I've done to hurt you please forgive me. I really want us to be a happy family."

Robert thought of her offense as unforgivable so he didn't even regard her apology. He continued eating his meal like he hadn't done anything.

"I noticed he got extra angry after Dad made me the managing director of his company." Harry spoke.

Robert dropped his cutleries and squinted his eyes. "Get extra angry? You must be joking. I've got tons of enterprises under my name and the only reason I'm interested in inheriting dad's firm is so that you this jobless kid will not reap where you didn't sow."

"I've already told you, prove your worth and get married." Dad yelled.

He retrieved a copy of the marriage certificate from his suit pocked and threw it on the table. "I'm married," he said and walked out of them.