Chapter 4 : Unforgettable Fragrance

“Sir! Ms. Cooper is waiting for you in the lobby.”

Victor, Nicholas’s assistant informed the poker faced man who is working behind the desk while placing the last document of the day that required his boss's signature on the table.

Nicholas’s fingers stopped midway from writing the mail to one of his clients and glares at Victor.

The air became thick with the smell of gun powder scaring the young man and he understood the meaning behind his boss's glare.

He gave Nicholas a slight bow and rushed out of the office as if he’s running for his life.

It’s been two months since his boss became the CEO of Romano group, a multinational hospitality company that owns and manages hotels across the world.

ROMANO, the name itself screams luxury and heaven like hotel experiences.

The service, management and suites, everything about them is remarkable that almost everyone in the world wants to experience the stay in Romano hotel even if it’s only for a day. That’s how much power they have over people.

Many companies offered a partnership with them to establish subsidiary hotels but Nicholas rejected each one of them because he didn’t want to lose the authenticity of his name.

Romano will always be Romano as long as it exists. It’s a legacy and he will continue to cherish its origin till his last breath.

“Ms. Cooper, I’m sorry to inform you that boss is in a very important conference call and can’t meet you today.”

Victor met Natalie in the lobby lounge and told her the same lie he’s been telling her for a month now.

It’s not hard to connect the dots and tell the relationship status of his boss and Natalie, especially with the absence of Mrs. Romano but he knew better to stay out of their affairs and do as his boss says.

Till a month ago, his boss was all over Natalie, taking her out for shopping, lunches and dinners and even movies but now he’s avoiding her like a plague.

He just couldn’t understand his boss because why did he leave the kind beautiful wife like Clarissa and went after a pestering woman like Natalie?

“I don’t believe you. I want to see him right now or forget about your job.”

Natalie hissed in fury, threatening Victor with his job. She’s already in a bad mood for not being able to meet Nicholas and his constant excuses to push her away wouldn’t do him good.

She successfully made her step sister divorce Nicholas and turned him into her lapdog, the perks of his unconditional love for her since childhood.

She wants to use his love to become his wife and to take over Romano group just like her mother took over her dad’s.

She’s always proud of being a mama’s girl and can’t wait be like her by becoming the powerful business woman and to achieve her goal, she needs to marry Nicholas.

She failed in her mission once because of Clarissa and didn’t want to lose her second chance.

She will marry him by hook or crook. It’s a promise to herself.

“I’m really sorry Ms. Cooper. I don’t have a say in Mr. Romano’s affairs. Why don’t you call him by yourself? Or you can come again tomorrow.”

Said Victor, not offended by her threat and even challenged her to use her influence to meet his boss.

Natalie clenched her fists, humiliated by his mocking words but she swallowed the anger, masking it with a gentle sweet smile which Victor found disgusting.

If she wants to become Mrs. Romano, she should be patient. It’s not wise of her to be on the employee’s bad side.

Victor knew she’s here only because she couldn’t get in touch with Nichols through texts or calls, yet he dared to mock her.

Soon.

Soon she’ll show him his place.

“Tell Nick I miss him.”

She said, standing up from the resting sofa and hung her handbag over her shoulder and put on her goggles.

“And…I’ll come again tomorrow as you said.”

She ran her fingers threw her bob cut hair and left the Romano group, clicking her five inch stilettos on the marble floor, leaving Victor in mess because he should think of a new lie by tomorrow.

…………………

After sending the last mail of the day, Nicholas turned off the system and leaned back on the chair, closing his eyes.

His body and mind, screamed for rest but he still got a pile of documents to review and it’s already half past eleven.

After taking charge as the CEO, Nicholas is working his ass off to inspect all his hotels across the world and made few modifications to the contracts to provide magnificent service.

It’s taking him forever to review every contract and to approve the new scheme. But at the end of the day, he would look at the results of his hard work and feels encouraged enough to push him forward.

He’s doing this for his company, to continue their legacy.

With a heavy sigh, he opened his eyes and eyed at the files in front of him.

His head is pounding as if it was hit by a hammer just thinking about the pending work.

Being the CEO is a great honour but the responsibilities that comes with the position are absurdly terrifying.

His eyes travelled from the files to the empty glass jar on the table and gently rubbed his temples as his thoughts drifted back to his ex wife.

She made him diffusible essence candles with subtle fragrance that helps him with the headaches.

Whenever he feels stressed or tired, he would lit one and boom, it’s a heaven for him. His body slowly regains its strength and then he can work for hours continuously.

He lit the last candle a week ago and since then he became restless again, annoyed by his assistant’s constant reminders of documents verifications, irritated by his headache and most importantly, frustrated by Natalie’s never-ending visits.

He stood up in a huff, taking his suit that hung on the back of his chair and headed home. His wedding home.

The home he shared with Clarissa after marriage and the same one he never stepped into after divorce.

And now he wants to go there as he can’t find this refreshing fragrance anywhere except her bedroom.

With that in mind, he left the office and in thirty minutes, he parked his car in front of his home and looked at it through the rolled down window with mixed emotions.

He vowed to never step into this prison after proposing Clarissa with divorce and now here he is, craving for her smell. Especially her scented candles that calms his nerves.

Without wasting a second, he entered the house and was greeted by silence which he isn’t used to because in the past, his ex wife would’ve welcomed him with a warm smile and offered to take his suit.

Though he never appreciated her efforts, she always cooked dinner for him and would’ve waited in the dining room for him to get off from work.

Feeling berated by the empty house and unnecessary memories, he headed straight to her room, to find the cure for his restlessness.

The air waffled with mild, sweet, floral and pleasant smell as soon as he pushed open the door of her bedroom and he found instant relief to his stress.

Heavens!

He missed this smell.

Intoxicating.

Unforgettable Fragrance.

He walked deeper into the room and stared around at the familiar yet empty room which looked like not a soul lived here four months ago.

She made sure to erase her every trace.

Good! He didn’t want to think of her either but deep down he knew how much he missed her because for the past two months, he has been busy attending banquets, business dinners and many parties as the CEO.

And he missed his date.

He hates Clarissa for trapping him in a marriage but she had been a generous wife all along.

She accompanied him to many events as his wife and played her role well as the mistress of Romano group.

He missed that woman.

Her grace.

Her smiles.

And her hand around his forearm.

He sighed, as his eyes moved to her bed which is covered with clean sheets and felt a pang in his chest.

He spent many days and nights with her on this bed, demanded her to perform marital duties and she obeyed without resistance.

He missed that docile side of her.

As his mind wandered around Clarissa, his eyes spotted a paper at the edge of the bed and frowned moving towards it.

He picked up the paper, a medical report of Clarissa Anderson and his face turned ashen reading the contents of it.

“S..she’s p..pregnant.”

He collapsed on the bed, staring at the bold letters at the end of the paper.

‘Six weeks three days.”

Gestational age of the baby.

“She’s pregnant….with my child.”

He whispered, holding the report to his chest and guilt slowly made it’s way to his heart.