The rain was quite heavy, but despite its pattering on the huge window panes of the store, it couldn't shield the sight from Natalie. As always, part of her daily routine was to buy fresh groceries for the Clay family, all in the bid to be the perfect wife because her mother-in-law preferred freshly cooked meals. She was meant to be the prestigious daughter-in-law of the Clays, but here she was, not different from the help, chef, caregiver, heck! A loser was no different.
She had been a dutiful wife for the past five years of being married to Daniel; however, here she was looking pathetic in her flowery long dress with two baskets that had fallen by her sides, the contents spilling in different directions in the greenery section. Just ahead of her, she could see Daniel holding hands with a strange woman in the coffee shop just across the street. The view was pretty glaring, and there was no hiding what it was. The way he looked at her, the coyness of the lady's smile, the way he brushed his lips over her fingers, and caressed them. The café was empty, typical of the exceptional and dominant Daniel Clay. It was no news that he owned one of the prestigious multimillion-dollar corporations in Q city and had ladies shamelessly seeking his attention as much as other prestigious families sought his partnership.
Daniel had met Natalie when he was in an accident abroad; she was a paramedic. A profession she had left behind after getting wooed and courted by the recovering injured man. Was it love at first sight? She thought… whatever it was, the moment his eyes opened while checking up on him in the ward after one of her late shifts, her heart had stopped. He was breathtaking, and it didn't take long for her to cross the supposed doctor-patient rule. Her visits became more personal than professional; he was fun to talk to despite his calm reserve. She had learned his likes and dislikes, and then one day, he got discharged and disappeared without a word.
Five months later, she received flowers at her apartment and a dinner request with a simple line. "I owe you an explanation," Daniel.
It felt so unreal.
She couldn't think of anyone but the brown eyed man who had hunted her nights and dreams. She had hopelessly fallen for him, and he had shamelessly crept into her thoughts even when she wasn't expecting him. She had envisaged them in a space due to the level of closeness they had had while he was in the hospital, but then reality had set in.
He had one-upped and disappeared on her.
She stared at the message again. Oh my God! He had asked her for a date.
Natalie was elated, so she had dressed up nicely, had her hair perfectly styled, and had her makeup beautifully done. She arrived at the hotel La Grande. On arriving, she had been met with the utmost respect; the doorman had greeted her with courtesy, followed by the impeccable demeanor of the butler as if right on cue. It was like a rehearsed song of perfection while she was escorted to the lounge, solely booked for her date night.
She had not known who he was in terms of caliber or family name, nor did she know she was standing in front of one of the top five eligible bachelors and business moguls in all of Asia.
He had smiled and she had melted. He had crossed the barrier between them in a few strides, spoke her name, led her to their table, and apologized for leaving without a word or a goodbye.
While he was recovering at the hospital, it had been three months away from home and business in his home country, and there was almost a hostile takeover in his company. He had gone to clean up the mess, but he never stopped watching her from afar and getting updates on her well-being, and here he was five months later because he believed he owed her an apology.
She had listened, smiled back, and reminisced with him on the times they shared while he was in recovery. How could she not? He had haunted her nights, thoughts of the subtle signals, the flirtatious way he had spoken with her, the times she had to make homemade meals for him daily because he didn't like the food at the hospital.
They had gone on several other dates after their first dinner, and things had progressed between them. He had sometimes gone back to Q City, then came back to visit her due to his business and the fact that she was based in New York. Then one evening, he had flown her in his private jet to a surprise in the Bahamas. It was their first-ever couple trip, and she had adequately prepared for it. That night, she had worn a limited edition backless short-length black dress with a six-inch heel and let loose her glorious mane of luscious dark hair framing her rose-shaped face.
He had asked her to marry him. It was on Christmas Eve.
"Hello Ma'am, hello Ma'am, uhm heelloooo", a young lady had waved a hand over her face, causing Natalie to snap from her shock and sudden trip down memory lane.
"I---I—I'm sorry," Natalie stuttered as she came face to face with a beautiful lady.
The lady sighed. "It's okay. I was worried, you've been standing for a minute, and your stuff is all over the place. Thought you needed help." She spoke as she signaled to one of the store employees to help with the mess on the floor.
Natalie blinked, then moved her attention to the floor and saw the items she had selected all around her, and raised her hand to her mouth in shock. She quickly apologized to the employee, and the lady then asked for the store manager.
The shock of seeing her husband of five years just across the street with another woman, still played on her mind.