CHAPTER THIRTY- FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY- FIVE
I’m not going to tell him what’s going on, how can I? He is just a stranger

A stranger that might be dangerous after all.

I don’t even know why I’m here, why I accepted to come out tonight.

I looked up at him again.

Meeting those concerned eyes, my tears hurried down my cheek, the blasting music and joyful chatters of the club slowly blurring and muting.

It was just us, me and him dotted on the bar stool.

His eyes locked into mine.

“Talk to me”, he continues, his voice laced with concern and fear, like a father to his hurt daughter.

“It’s nothing”, I opposed, turning my head sideways again to hide my tears.

“But you can’t remain this way, I can’t sit here watching you like this, I don’t want to see you this way, should we go outside?”, he questioned again with a low voice, taking my hands and sharing my pain.

It was like I could see his pain too, or my pain that he shared in his eyes.

“the last time I felt this way… you have her eyes, and the last time I saw familiar eyes shed tears… was when I lost my wife”, he paused.

I froze.
Now he was the one to hide his face.

I looked up, searching for his eyes, I was guilty of bringing up old hurting memories.

“She was poisoned, my beautiful Sheryl,”, he whispered.

Oh!, I held her hands that night”, he added, holding my hands tighter like he could visualize mine as hers.

“She apologized, she made sure I forget all my pain for that second, she was my personal magician, holding the key to my mood”, his voice cracked.

She made very funny jokes and I laughed hard even when she was very much aware that she didn’t have much time”, he paused, his head faced down but I could see a tear drop down his thigh.

I swallowed hard, what have I done now? I asked myself inaudibly with ultimate guilt.

“She was never lazy, never idle even with all my wealth, she had all she needed, all she wanted, I made sure of that, but I guess the world is so cruel that fate makes sure no one has everything— took away the source— took away the beautiful life”, he chocked, wiping his cheek with the back of his palm and returning it to cupping my hands beneath.

“She always… oh! Oh my Sheryl”, he sobbed.

I didn’t interrupt, sometimes it’s good to let the pain consume you, it might get lesser after then.

But… right now, I don’t know what the right answer is.

Would he ever get over this pain?

“No, it hurts”, he said, as if answering the question I asked myself.

“Our love was perfect, she loved me for who I was, she was everything I needed and more, she would scold me when I’m wrong, and hug me with her beautiful figure, the scent of her skin was soothing, she was with me for a short time not for my money but because she loved me, I could see it everyday in her eyes when she looked at me, like a fairytale, a princess Romance and happily ever after.

BUT…

She left me before the ever after could be completed.

“When I held her hands, I laughed so much, and then I asked her “are you alright?” because it seemed odd.
I was just returning.

She would normally prepare my bath and food even when we had maids, but then, she didn’t want me to leave her side.

And I couldn’t understand, she said: “Don’t go papii”.
“she said it with such an Angelic smile.
I can still see her face, he choked with a heart-melting smile.

But…

I didn’t listen, I left, I left her alone, I was too selfish and wanted to quench my thirst and hunger.

And when I returned, she took my hand again, “she called me Gold— my papii”, I was scared for the first time.

She was cold as ice and she had never called me Gold— only when she was vexed.

And then… she kissed me— our last kiss.

Dying on my lips, she had tears in her eyes, she held me tightly, she didn’t want to go, before I could even understand what was happening”, he ended, bursting into a deep sob.

My tears flowed down uncontrollably and unconditionally, I couldn’t say anything.

I shut my eyes and let it flow smoothly as I shared his pain.

I comforted him in a warm embrace.

“It’s ok to cry, don’t hold it back, let it all out”, I whispered, patting his back gently as he began to cry, “my Sheryl, my Sheryl would never come back to me now”, he sobbed into my shoulders like a newborn baby in need of its mother, disregarding that he was in public.

I understood this grief, and for a second, he wasn’t a stranger, he no longer felt dangerous, he wasn’t I guess…

He was just a man who had lost something or should I say someone really precious to him.

“Oh!, my Sheryl”, he muttered in pain.

We were beginning to draw attention, so I led him outside gently.

The men by the corner followed.

I guess they were his bodyguard.

“Take Mi card, call me tomorrow morning, we need to meet again”, he said, handing me his card as he sniffed.

His men accompanied him as he moved sluggishly, I stood watching him until they got to his sleek car by the car park and zoomed off.

I let out a loud breath.

“What a night indeed”, I sighed.

Who would have taught that such a fierce-looking man, who called himself dangerous could be affected so badly by just my expression?

He loved his wife, I feel his pain a bit— losing someone who loved you that much.

I never had that luck to be in his shoes, no parents love— no boyfriend or fiancé’s love.

Just me and Sarah, and maybe Wesley.
I bowed my head as I walked back into the building sluggishly and sadly.

Which I regret instantly.

A red van, sped towards me, the door swinging open immediately and a masculine hand pulled me in.

“Help… Help…” I managed to scream twice before they shut the door and blocked my mouth with a cloth.