Past Mistakes
Chapter Thirteen..
I hate him!
“I can’t stay here. Let me go. I have a work back home.” I clenched my fist so hard, that my nails dug my palms painfully.
“This is your home, Rachel. You don’t have to work. You’re my wife. Whatever is mine is yours.” He leaned back and looked at me intently.
“Ah… so you want a wife who spends all your money shopping clothes, furs and jewelries?”
“You can buy whatever you want except for jewelries. It’s my pleasure to buy if for you.” He cupped his glass of water and lifted it to his lips.
“That sounded so boring already. Money is not everything. It won’t buy happiness.”
“I’ll make sure you won’t get bored. I promise, I’ll make you happy.”
“Stop it! You won’t make me happy. I want a life of my own. Away from you.” I threw my hands up desperately. He couldn’t understand. What is wrong with him?
He leaned towards me. His eyes were cold. “I meant what I said last night. I’m not letting you go.”
His words sent chill up in my spine. It made me nervous.
“So what are we going to do the whole day. Stare at each other?”
His eyes gleamed and said sarcastically. “That’s a nice suggestion. Why haven’t I thought about that?”
Asshole. I murmured by myself.
I jerked up when a phone rang. Ares immediately dug his phone from his pants pocket.
“Tiffany.”
Ares face suddenly looked pale. His brows drew together in an agonised expression. He immediately stood up and faced the glass window.
“Is he okay?”
He stood immobile, listening. “Okay. I’ll be there. As soon as I can.”
Ares put the phone down and faced me.
“We’re going to Greece.”
“As in now?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“The doctor said, pappoús is dying.”
***
After ten hours, we arrived in Athens, Greece.
Ares was so distant ever since he received the phone call. Although we sat across each other in his private plane, he seldom talked to me.
He was very worried. I knew he loved his grandfather a lot. Mr. Niarchos raised him when his parents got a divorce. And it was so sad to know that they were not talking for seven years. That must made the situation harder.
It was sad to know that Mr. Niarchos was dying. Ares said that his heart was generally enlarged and became so weak. He was not breathing well anymore. Considering also his age, which was eighty – he couldn’t take another episode of an attack.
Although I haven’t work with him that long, but he held an important place in my heart. He was so kind to me and treated me so kindly. Reading the newspapers to him every morning… singing his favourite songs… and talking to him everyday made us closer, like a family.
A chauffeur fetched us in the airport. I looked up at the amazing view of Athens. The Acropolis hill, so called the “Sacred Rock” of Athens. It was the most important site of the city. The city with the most glorious history in the world, worshipped by gods and people, a magical city.
About forty five minutes, we arrived at Mr. Niarchos’ mansion. It was a beautiful house on top of a hill, below was a white sand beach.
When the car stopped outside the front door, a very sophisticated stunning woman greeted us. She was so pretty, blond, tall and slim like a supermodel.
“Tiffany.” Ares said and the woman came into Ares’ arms. They hugged each other.
I felt a sudden twinge of something… inside of me.
“How’s is he now?”
“Better than yesterday.” The woman was caressing Ares’ back. Comforting him.
Who is she? Is she a relative? Perhaps Ares’ cousin.
Finally, Ares let go of her, then turned to me. “Tiffany, I want you to meet my wife. Rachel.”
“Hi Rachel. I’m so glad that I finally meet you. I heard so much about you from pappoús.” The woman named Tiffany, smiled so sweetly to me, then embraced me.
“Nice meeting you, Tiffany.” I smiled back at her. She seemed so nice.
“Tiffany is a doctor. She takes care of grandpa.” Ares continued.
“Oh… I see.”
“Come on Rachel. We should go to grandpa.” He put a hand on my back. His touch made me electrified… like tiny sparkling current in my nerve endings.
“You should, he knows that you’re coming.” Tiffany said and walked with us inside the mansion.
***
The moment we were inside the room of Mr. Niarchos was so touching. He was in bed with an oxygen mask and an IV in his arm. He looked at us when we entered the room. His face suddenly lit up. I knew he was very happy seeing Ares and I together. It showed on his face.
“Pappoús.” Ares said then gave his grandfather a kiss on his forehead. He held Mr. Niarchos hand.
Mr. Niarchos looked up at Ares. Tears suddenly fell at the sides of his eyes. He clasped Ares hand so tightly. As if there was a communication between them – Forgiveness and healing.
“You’ll be fine grandpa. Be strong.” Ares said.
Mr. Niarchos shook his head.
“No. Don’t lose hope. You have to fight grandpa. We still have a lot of things to do together.”
I couldn’t hold my tears anymore. It fell down my cheeks. I pitied Mr. Niarchos and I knew, this was so hard for Ares.
Ares was emotionally strong. He didn’t show any sign of weakness to Mr. Niarchos. He didn’t even shed a single tear. Maybe it was just his nature to be toughed and not so sensitive, even in situation like this.
Mr. Niarchos looked at me. He extended his other hand for me to come near him.
I went to him directly and held his hand. I was standing beside Ares, so close…
Chapter Thirteen
Mr. Niarchos put my hand on top of Ares. Hand to hand. Palm to palm. Then Mr. Niarchos pressed our hands together and looked at us – nodding. He looked so happy.
Ares nodded and pulled me in his arms.
I didn’t know what to do at that moment. I knew it was his wish for me and Ares to be get back together… and at that moment, I didn’t want to disappoint him. I wanted him to be happy.
I put my arms around Ares without hesitation and let myself drowned into him. He smelled so good… Irish spring, cologne… a musk earthy scent…. and a sweet smelling perfume… It must be Tiffany’s perfume.
“Grandpa, I have an important phone call to make. I’ll be back in a while. Rachel. Please stay here, okay.” Ares pulled away from me.
“Sure.”
Ares left in a hurry.
I went nearer to Mr. Niarchos and clasped his hand. He smiled and signalled me to go and follow Ares.
“No, it’s okay. He’s just making a phone call.”
He shook his head and wanted me to go and be with Ares.
I didn’t want to argue with him. I bade goodbye and decided to go to my room.
My room. Our room.
I was aware that there was a possibility that we would be sharing the same room. I didn’t ask Ares about that and we never discussed it on our way here. We have to fix this.
A maid showed me our room.
I entered our room. It was a beautiful room in white and gray colour with king-sized bed. Then I realized, it was Ares room.
I stepped inside and immediately stopped when I heard a growling sound of someone crying. It was coming from the bathroom.
It was Ares. He was crying so hard… whimpering like a child.
I should go and leave him alone. But a part of me wanted to comfort him.
I opened the bathroom door slowly and saw him sitting inside the bath tub, crying intensely like a wounded animal. It was so hard to watch a man cry and I couldn’t bear just leaving him alone.
I walked towards where he was and even got inside the tub with him.
“Ares…” I said.
He looked at me and in an instant, I went inside the circle of his arms. Together we lay inside the tub clasped in each others arms… until his sobs subsided.
Click 4 below to continue reading