Just After
"I couldn't just throw it away. I knew it all along, am sorry I saw a few messages but those were enough for me decide." She handed over the Tiffany box he threw in the dustbin back in the resort.
"Is this what you went back for in the resort when we got out?" and she nodded to his question.
"I know you are not sure, but this whole week except the night at the resort, you were not happy. I wish like I said, we could have remained friends."
He looked at the box, "You were right, we should have remained friends," he said avoiding her eyes, but that was not what Destiny wanted to hear. Her last ounce of hope dried away, and not thinking further she slapped him hard across his face. She now had the clear idea of being the bait and how he used her to get a bigger fish. He looked at her for a couple more seconds.
"Am not going to explain it to you," and he walked away. She looked at him as he walked away she stepped into the water wilfully. She fell into the water with the picture of him walking away in the end. She ended it the way it began, in the waters, watching the grim reaper leaving without her. She didn't know why, she wished to, but she did not cry, not a bit. Struggling she came to her senses and she reached for the rocks to climb up the path. 'What the heck did I just do?" she was trying her best to not panic and bring back her anxiety. Two hands helped her up and she didn't look who.
"Thanks," she said and kept panting, kneeling down on the concrete path.
"What the heck do you think you're doing?" a familiar voice asked her and she jumped out in horror and faced him. She was embarrassed to death, "Mohamed, no Malik,"
"Get up," he told her standing up.
"How long have you been here?"
"For a long time, I was waiting for you to two finish it then I saw you jump, this is mad,'
"Please consider this never happened," she begged. "Did you bring the contact?"
"Yes, the whole of it,"
"There is no additional stuff in there, is there?"
"None,"
"Good," she said and walked. She went to the nearby stalls and sat on the bench ordering two coffee. "Help yourself," she said handing one to Mohamed. She dried her hands with the tissue and signed the first thing.
"You are not quitting or anything?" he asked her doubtfully.
"Why would I?"
"You just had a breakup,"
"A breakup," she smirked. "I just dumped a guy who had absolutely no clue about his life, had no guts to speak up, but use them for pleasure," in her defense that was what she told herself and convinced her. This was her way of protecting herself. Running away before she gets abandoned. Shut out people before she is left alone.
"Malik do you know, it was all my mistake, when he was nice to me, I misunderstood and took it further. When he knew it, he danced along with the misunderstanding and blinded me. You know, people always fall for the wrong one at first, then again and again. I created an illusion of bubble for myself, irresistible illusion and I tried to pull him into that. But he was of no match. And it's broken now, it's blown away. Am not sad. Am just a fool who has learned something new.
"You are becoming very philosophical after the breakup, cheer up," Mohamed laughed.
"Can you forget everything about today," she asked him.
"I will try to," he said.
"Okay, am leaving," she got up. He nodded and remained there for some more time carefully holding the contract.
In a week, she began to work at her new company and she hardly met Mohamed during the work hours. She heard he comes and leaves whenever he pleases. She heard he comes only during the meeting days inside and outside the company. She worked herself to the bone. But she had yet to move to her new place.
"Are you okay eonni?" Yuri would ask her often.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Can you take a day off, maybe we can go somewhere?"
"I have two days holidays in the weekend now, why would I take a day off dear?" she asked Yuri back tousling her hair.
"Are you not going shopping? Get something branded and expensive for June's wedding," Yuri told her. And Destiny considered that. March 18th, June's wedding, and eagerly waited for it. She didn't hear of Lay after that day.
After a few days, Mohamed called for Destiny into his cabin. "Come in, sit, I found something for you," he said and handed over his phone for her to read. She thought it was some work related call for her.
"Hundred Days My Heart" she read the title and looked at Mohamed, "What is this?" but he showed her the action to read it and he waited.
Hundred Days My Heart
It must be the moonlight again, so beautiful,
Calling me to remind it's fall.
From the memory thread
That I try hard to forget.
That same old moon that I watched
Those hundred days, blushing.
Now I see the sadness as I look around,
Empty promises floating around like stars
With the wind that once was happy,
To carry our tales around the world.
The deep nights, long and lonely
As I walk under those plum blossoms
That once showered us with blessings.
Why do I still hold on,
Why do I care to walk down
Every time when the first snow touches the ground
Only to be saddened again,
To feel those torture and deeply cut wounds.
Finding pleasure in the pain,
Because it's warm and best
The hundred days that we spent together,
Something worth to live for.
Yearning to be in those arms, weeping
And praying hard to never let go.
Under those plum blossoms,
That once showered us with blessings
To think of all those firsts, That still feels fresh
And there I walk down
Hoping to see you stand there
Like I would, to live another hundred days
So Dreamy and beautiful, happy and innocent.
To love and be loved like never before,
To erase those uncomfortable moments
And to think of those bright days, that had no tears
Like the sunflowers that live only for the sun
Like you and I will be.
The ill-fated love that will never win,
Dying every day in the hope to be reborn
For another hundred days,
To be stolen away, swayed by you
In desire and in love.
How more can my heart be reckless?
To smile and think of all I can't have
Walking down those plum blossoms
That once showered us with blessings
With no regrets and second guesses.
With no hesitation to keep the promise
For all the hundred million days to come.
Destiny read the whole poem, got pissed and shot a deadly look at him. "Is this why you called me in?"
"Yes," he said and laughed aloud.
"I didn't know you read such cheesy romantic stuff," she got back at him and got up.
He stopped laughing altogether and got into the subject. "We have a meeting to attend tomorrow, get ready for it. It will be in the restaurant inside the torch tower."
"Okay," she didn't ask further and agreed to it.
The next day she put on her formal clothes, a maroon blouse and off white pencil skirt and went to work. Around 11, Mohamed reached the company and completed a signing that needed approval.
"Actually I go to all our group's offices and it forces me to not come here daily," He said on his way. Destiny sat at the back. Half an hour later they reached the place and parked the car. "Meeting is not until, 3 in the noon,"
"What? Then why did you bring me here early," she got pissed again. "Malik,"
"Am I your boss or are you my boss?" Destiny then said nothing.
"You see that Porsche over there, there is a person am going to meet and have lunch, we will go after straight to the meeting. Until then enjoy strolling inside Villagio," he advised her.
She guessed he is going to meet with his woman. Then she got out of the car walked towards the mall. Villagio is one of the wonderful places in the country. A mini Venice set with the artificial sky. Every branded store available. She suddenly thought of going shopping for June's day. She needed two. For the wedding and the reception. She walked for a long time and then settled down in front of a burger place for lunch. She checked her phone there were few client messages she needs to reply. She contacted the office and asked the executives to prepare for certain documents and do the inquiry. Though she was new to the field, she picked up quickly and moved along the flow.
Though it was a weekday, the place was crowded with tourists. Destiny slowly enjoyed her lunch and rested for a bit more time. It was only 1.15 in noon. Then she decided to go around for shopping. She walked towards the hallway of branded showrooms. Chanel, Gucci, LV, Prada and Dior and every single branded store were inside there. As she passed through each store, and a moment she got attracted and stood in front of Dior's store. The gowns looked so elegant.
"You buying that?" a familiar voice asked her.
"Oh my god!" she screamed out of horror hearing someone near her ears.