Past Mistakes
Chapter Seven
“The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it…” ? Nicholas Sparks, At First Sight
“You should have settled this years ago.”
“I know mom. But it’s not that easy. You know how I hate that man. The thought of seeing him again made me feel jumpy.”
“You’re still scared of him?”
“Yeah. I guess that’s what I feel for him, aside from hate.” What Ares Niarchos did to me was unforgivable. I still could recall what happened that night – like it was just yesterday. He was a monster. But I have no choice. I have to face that monster very soon.
“You’re going to see your dad too.” Mom sipped her orange juice. We were in the balcony of her apartment, having breakfast. Even though I already have a job, I still stayed with mom. She wanted me to be with her since we only have each other.
“You’re still scared of him?”
“Don’t mind him. You’re not the only one he hates.” Mom smiled. “By the way, when are you leaving for New York?”
“This Friday.”
“So soon?”
“A-ha. The sooner I face the devil, the sooner this will be over.”
“You’re excited to get married, huh?”
“Of course. I can’t wait to start planning for the wedding.”
On Friday morning, I arrived in New York. I checked-in in a five star hotel and pampered myself by taking a long leisurely bath in the Jacuzzi tub with lots of bubbles. I needed to relax and ease my nerves. The anxiety of seeing Ares Niarchos was killing me.
I called his office yesterday and his secretary gave me an appointment at four thirty this afternoon. He knew that I was going to see him about the divorce. I wondered how he would react seeing me again after seven years. Would he be angry at me? Or thankful that I left – he was able to continue living as a single man?
I closed my eyes and imagined how it would be like seeing him again. Hmm… Most probably, I would grab the first thing that I’d see in his office and throw it straight to his face. Asshole!
Relax Rachel… keep calm.
Okay. I would try to control my anger on him and act very professional. I’d just imagine him as my client and consider this as another business meeting.
He wanted to see me, so he got what he wanted – I’m here. He has no reason why he wouldn’t sign the divorce papers now.
At four quarter in the afternoon, I was outside the Niarchos building in Manhattan. The security guards greeted me when I stepped inside the building. One of them directed me to the reception area in the lobby. All three receptionists, all female, smiled and greeted me. They even recognized me rightaway.
“Good afternooon, Miss White.” They said simultaneously.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Niarchos at four thirty.”
“Yes, maam. I’ll accompany you to his office.” The blond receptionist moved out of the counter table and stood beside me. I looked at her nameplate, her name was Lily.
“Thank you.”
I was inside the elevator when I noticed before the door closed, how everyone stared at me. The guards, the receptionists, even the men standing at the lobby.
This is creepy. Maybe they know that I’m married to their boss.
We stopped at the sixteenth floor. The blond receptionist, Lily, directed me to Ares’ secretary, a middle-aged woman with auburn hair.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Niarchos. Your husband is waiting for you.”
I felt like the hair on my nape stood up. She called me Mrs. Niarchos! When in fact, I used my maiden name when I made an appointment with her on the phone yesterday.
My heart hammered foolishly. I instantly got so nervous facing Ares again. I even found it hard to breathe.
The secretary led me to Ares’ office. She knocked on the door before opening it. I fixed my ponytail in a hurry and rubbed my palms at the sides of my pants. I always got sweaty hands when I’m nervous.
I entered the office. Alone. Instantly, I came face to face with Ares – the Devil. Staring at me like a predator ready to hunt his prey.
My eyes widened. Like I was caught off guard.
The sound of the door closing followed by a clicking sound made me feel trapped.
Ares was seated behind his office table. His eyes were assessing me intently from my black stiletto shoes going up to my shapeless black executive pants and white long-sleeves blouse. Yeah, I made sure to cover all my skin – to appear plain, simple and boring. I didn’t want him to see me as being provocative. I still couldn’t forget how he accused me of seducing him before. The nerve!
I stood about six yards away from him. But I could feel my knees started to buckle just the mere sight of him. He was still a very handsome devil. At thirty, he looked strikingly more gorgeous now than before. Jet-black straight hair with silvery gray eyes and lean muscular body. Totally male. He exuded overwhelming confidence and power now.
I couldn’t believe why I still found him very attractive, after all these years – and after what he’d done to me. The anger I felt for him made me forget how magnetic and appealing he was.
But I should always bear in mind that he was still the same Ares Niarchos, the monster.
“Hello, Rachel. It’s a pleasure to see you again. After four or five years?”
Stupid man. He couldn’t remember the year we got married, how much more the month and day!
“Seven. Seven years.” I corrected him.
“Seven? That long?” He smirked.
Oh my goodness, I hate this man.
“So… how are you?”
“I’m fine.” I said curtly.
“Really? You don’t look so fine. You’re so thin and pale. You don’t have that glow anymore.”
He was insulting me. He wanted me to feel that I was not attractive. No way. I wouldn’t allow myself to be intimidated.
He’s nothing to me. I should be glad that I’m not appealing to him – and that makes him sign the divorce paper immediately. The sooner he’ll sign it, the sooner I’ll marry Drew. The man who thinks I’m beautiful and amazing. Ares opinion on me doesn’t matter at all.
“My appearance has nothing to do with you, Mr. Niarchos. You want to see me? So here I am! You don’t have any excuse not to sign the divorce paper anymore.” I snapped and walked towards him, then put the brown envelope on his table.
Ares just looked at the envelope then fixed his eyes on mine. His expression became so serious and his eyes were like bullets aiming at me.
“Rudeness is not the best way of treating your husband after seven years, four months, two weeks and four days of absence.”
I was tongue-tied. I thought he forgot.
I cleared my thought. “Excuse me. I have the right to be rude to you and I don’t want to pretend that I like you. All I feel for you is hatred.”
“That’s good. I’m relieved that you still feel something for me.”
“You’re a m0nster!”
“Yes. I am.” His eyes narrowed. “Sit down, Rachel.”
“NO. I want you to sign the papers so I can leave now and we won’t see each other anymore.” I hissed at him.
“You’re excited to marry your boss.” He smirked again. I really hated that smirk. I felt like I was just a piece of joke to him.
“Yes! Very excited and I can’t wait.” I provoked him. “I love Drew so much and all I wanted is to spend the rest of my life with him, forever, till death and eternity. ”
“Isn’t that what you wanted also seven years ago?”
That stopped me. He was right. I dreamed the same thing with Ares before. But everything turned out so bad. We were forced to get married.
“That was different. You… you… shattered all my hopes and expectations.”
“You have very high expectations, Rachel. You thought marriage is always a bed roses. I made love to you on our wedding night, and you got scared like a rabbit. You immediately left me.”
“You didn’t make love with me.” I gritted my teeth and clenched my fingers. I could still remember how his hands roughly grabbed my bre@sts, k!ssing me like a hungry animal and shoved himself into me when I was not ready.
He exhaled heavily and shook his head. He stood up and came closer to where I was standing. He was so tall and I was looking up at him.
“I’m sorry, Rachel.”
“NO. I hate you. I don’t think I could ever forgive you. You’re a m0nster.”
Then I noticed his face. There was a big ugly scar on his right cheek. From his temple to his cheek and jaw… down to his neck. No wonder he was always facing the right side. He was hiding his scars.
I gasped and stepped back.
“You’re right. I’m a monster. You have every right to be afraid of me.”
NO. That’s not what I meant when I called him a monster awhile ago. I wanted to tell him that.
“What happened to your…”
Ares touched his right cheek. “Nah. You don’t have to pretend that you’re concern about me. You don’t really care. Save that to your boss.”
I heaved a sigh. Of course I care. I hated him but I didn’t want something bad to happen to him.
“Okay fine. You’re right. I don’t really care. So, will you sign the papers now? I know you’re very busy and I don’t want to take too much of your time.”
“You don’t take too much of my time. I could take a whole week off for you. It’s not everyday that I’m seeing my wife.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. That even sounds creepy.” I frowned.
“Creepy?”
“Yeah, very creepy. Because I’ve never feel like your wife, ever.”
“You’re right. It’s creepy.” He smiled. “Okay, you win. I’ll sign the divorce papers. But let me take you out for dinner first.” He tooked the envelope on his table and tapped it on his palm.
I observed him, trying to figure out what was on his mind. I was suspicious of him. Maybe I was just so paranoid.
“Okay, fine. Dinner then you’ll sign it. Promise?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. That even sounds creepy.” I frowned.
I felt elated. I could smell freedom now.
Sorry for the late post. My days are getting more busy. But you guys are not trying, we are up to eight thousand members in this group but I can’t even get up to one thousand likes in a post. It’s really disheartening
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