Chapter 2 Still On His Mind

‘If that's her choice, let her be happily married to a cheater.’

‘If she fought with everyone for this loser, then leave her be.’

‘That was her happy ending, right? Then let her enjoy it.’

These were the consolations I created in order to discard her perceptions from my mind.

Why worry for a stranger, right?

I didn’t want to, it was NOT my concern, not after she slapped me, she disgraced me, and all for what?

For an unfaithful lover.

I wanted to abandon her in her suffering. I wanted her to curse her fate. To regret the moment she discarded my sincere warning and said ‘I do’.

Still at the end of the day, I failed to erase her thoughts from my mind, feeling horrible for leaving her be.

‘Is she alright?’

Questioning, I was staring at the moon, holding a drink with a stoic expression plastered on my handsome face.

“Huff… why am I distressed?”

Just like every other night, labeling this matter as irrelevant to my life, I forced myself to continue my life but the muteness of my past began to haunt me.

My coldness did not permit me to express but the disturbance was visible.

Anxious deep down, I was thinking about her constantly.

“Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me?”

The following day, I was in my opulent cabin, engrossed in work as Uncle decided to pay a visit.

“Vince,”

“Hmm?”

“Have you heard about Ken joining the team of directors in our firm?”

“He has? How lame,” I scoffed, not bothering to show the smallest attention to this matter.

“He had taken over all her assets and neglected her.”

“I see.”

“They say her marriage is going miserably,”

“That’s what she gets for believing and desiring a worthless cheater,”

Uncle narrowed his eyes, questioning how the man who was panicking at her heartache was now acting coldly and continued.

“Don’t say this… What was her fault? That she was in love? He took advantage of her.”

Uncle was trying hard to receive a proper reply but to no avail.

“Whatever it is, he is her husband now and there is nothing she can do about it.” I sighed deeply.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, muttering under my breaths as her words became a source of my headache.

“She chose him over everything and everyone after all,”

“What?”

“Nothing,”

“I heard he wants to form a partnership with you too for expansion…”

“Like hell I would work with a man like him,”

“Even if it’s to help her?”

I smirked coldly, recalling the moment I was humiliated before a crowd for desiring betterment for that poor soul and shrugged my shoulders.

“He is the man she loves blindly. Why should I help her? Who am I, right?”

Uncle's expression curled into discontent, not expecting such a harsh reaction.

“So you won't do anything?” He asked straight-forwardly.

So I gave a clear-cut response, “Yes,”

“Fine then. My fault I came to you,”

“If you are that worried, you should have done something about it before,”

Rolling his eyes, Uncle knew I was right and left in disappointment when he received no hopes of helping from me.

When he left, my features hardened, curling hand in a fist, displaying frustration as if embers of my hollow heart were stinging.

“I am right… you people should have… helped… but,”

To cease the unwanted sensation, I opened the drawer and took out a file which offered a void contract for partnership.

“But, maybe this way… I can find peace too,”

Whispering to myself, for the sake of my ripped equanimity, I took a deep breath and called my secretary.

“Amy,”

“Yes, Sir?”

“Arrange a meeting with Alyssa’s husband, tell him we are up for a partnership,”

“Okay, Sir,”

I was among the top five businessmen, owning a variety of businesses ranging from Hotels to alcohol factories, ruling the market.

And to involve their shipment company and aid them- I hated it.

I would never work with an unethical man like him.

This was so damn unfavorable for me but I knew I must do this, I was cornered with no other option.

Because deep down, after endless denial, I knew-

‘If I won’t help her then who will?’

Was I going to ignore her suffering and let her die like my sister too?

Absolutely not!

“Okay, for the sake of ending my hauntings…”

Following the urge to eradicate the flame in my heart, the day of the meeting arrived and I was NOT pleased at all.

Everyone could sense strictness and fumes emitting. None preferred Ken's involvement but trusted their head's decision.

“Are we seriously going to work with them?”

“Although I don't want to, I have no choice either,” I sighed.

“Why? It's their loss not ours. Why do you want to work with them?”

“To redeem a mistake,”

Replying in my unbothered tone, crushing the cigarette on the ashtray, I buttoned my coat, asserting my dominance and left for the meeting.

I could feel rage building, I was glaring at Ken throughout the process.

Ignoring the talks mostly, I only created scenarios on what to do to teach him a lesson and help Alyssa.

“Congratulations on this partnership, Mr. Ken, I am sure this is going to be beneficial for both of us,”

“Likewise, I hope to see you on the celebration party,”

“Sure,”

Shaking his hands unwillingly, sealing the deal, I was prepared to execute my plan.

I knew I must help Alyssa for my betterment's sake, else I would sink further into darkness.

To erase my nightmares, I must erase hers first.

Alyssa was the key to my redemption.

Subsequently, to get closer to the couple, we arranged a party where I was searching for them.

I could feel the pulse rising, mind entangling in distress when they were nowhere.

‘Where are they? Is she okay? Is she even here-’

And I saw them, alone, in a corridor where Ken was holding her roughly by her elbow, glaring into her soul to ensure she obeyed quietly.

That asshole….

“You better do whatever you can and make us friends, I need Vince’s help if I want to reach the top,”

“But, I barely know him, Ken, and I slapped him-”

“I don’t care. What is your use if you can’t do this much for me?” He hissed in a low tone.

“Please, Vince doesn’t make friends easily, he is a strict man-”

“Do it, dammit, stop whining,”

Seeing it from afar made my grip on the glass tightened, rage brimming in my chest at the rough treatment given to her.

“What a pig,”

Growling to myself, I walked away angrily, impotent to witness this toxicity further.

I wanted zero involvement with Ken but if I wouldn’t go with the flow, Alyssa had to pay for the consequences and this thought stopped me.

“No, I can’t let this happen,”

No matter how unfavorable it sounded, I took a deep breath, forcing a fake charming smile and called out to them.

“Hey, Ken, what are you doing there, man?”

“Oh, Hey Vince, how are you?”

“I am great. What are you doing here with your wife? Come out, join everyone,”

My eyes locked with Alyssa’s, intensely, compassionately.

Chest constricted due to compassion but knew none of my words could provide her consolation.

I was a stranger in the end after all.

My lips parted to greet her but not a single voice escaped either as if I was utterly lifeless before her.

Swallowing hard, unsure what happened to me as she sparked the conversation awkwardly.

“H-Hi, Vince, how are you?”

“Good. You?”

“Great.”

“Right… why wouldn’t you be?” And indirectly glared at Ken, “You married the love of your life after all,”

“Yeah…”

Ah, the pain in her eyes when she nodded dryly.

It evoked tingles, I remembered Lucia, how she used to do the same.

It felt absolutely horrible.

Please, not you too.

Unable to carry the conversation, I cleared my throat.

“I will see you guys around. Excuse me,”

I couldn’t do it.

I failed to play the role of a ‘friend’.

Her one glimpse hurt too much to the point that reacting accordingly was impossible.

I hated them together- that was a fact for sure.

During the party, I watched Ken and Alyssa disappear from my sight. As she vanished, a crack appeared on the glass in my hands. I couldn’t stop her, I couldn’t confront her.

Inducing a strange feeling I failed to comprehend but amid the turmoil, my aim became clearer.

Separate them. For myself.