A new year of college means a new beginning. This year I was planning to make it different. It was the graduation year; so it has to be special. Special in a way it will turn my life upside down, but it turned to something I never expected.
The first day, when I was returning home, a man with a custom sat beside me. I noticed him from the minute he sat looking at my phone
"Don't reply to his message that will make him angry." He said.
"Excuse me, what are you talking about?!" I replied in an angry way.
"I mean let your boyfriend know he is wrong."
"He is not my boyfriend and it is none of your business."
"Sorry, my name is Chad and I made it an excuse to talk to you. By the way every time I leave home I see you sitting in the same place. So today I sat here so we can talk. This is my phone number, give me a call if you want."
He said that while shaking my hand, and his cheeks blushed. Five minutes later, the bus stopped and we went out; when I wanted to pay, the bus driver told me that Chad paid. I was astonished and angry at the same time, so the moment I entered the house I gave him a call.
"How did you do that? I don't even know you!!" my tone was sharp and loud.
"I know you would call, I did this so you will call me "He replied very calmly; he was a gentleman and clever trickster, he did the exact thing that would let me talk to him
"and what do you want now???"
"Look I told you before that I always see you and I like you, so I want you to talk to your father and tell him that I would like to marry you."
I couldn't believe what I just heard, an unknown man wants to marry me. How he could be sure that I'm the one for him. I waited for my father to talk to him and he said that they could meet on Sunday which means after two days.
When the due date came, I prepared myself and my stepmother was so happy that I will finally leave the house. Chad arrived on time, he talked with my father and agreed that there will be no marriage before I finish college. I agreed too since I didn't know Chad well.
Of course, my stepmother didn't like that, she wanted to get rid of me as soon as she can. She started nagging that Chad is not the one for me and convincing me to marry her cousin. Her cousin was a chef with a good salary but that didn't matter to me. He was shorter than me and didn't have the sense of humor, so every time I find an excuse for her or I say he didn't want to marry. The truth was he did want to marry and he liked me, but he said that he didn't because he knew I don't like him.
Chad was working in the army so he started visiting us almost every weekend, or even took me out for lunch or coffee after college. He was a sweet guy; he was generous and have the sense of humor every girl like.
The thing about Chad the he was different; he knew what was the matter with me without I say a word. He feels when I was sad or have some problem. He always thinks like me and love the things I like. Sometimes I think, how two people from two different places can be similar in that way. Maybe he was my soulmate that was lost when I was born and now I found him, and maybe we had met in other lives and felt in love like fairy tales. Many stories have been told why may two people be so attached together, but the sure thing is that true love never dies or disappears.
I finished college and married that year; we had a big wedding and all my friends and family were invited. The wedding was full of men dressed in customs who of course were friends of Chad. They did a little show and congratulate us. The whole night was so much fun especially being beside someone who changed your feelings toward love and life.
The next day, my father came to visit us in the early morning. I was surprised by his visit; he sure needed something. He drank his coffee before he talked: "I brought this paper for you, it was left by your mother before she died. It says that all her jewelries will be yours when you get married in addition to her house in Athens."
I was so happy by this, in that way Chad will be near his job and I'll finally have something that is left from my mother. The next week, we went to live in our new house. It was small a little bit, but it fine to us as a small family. The house had everything my mother liked and all her special memories from her travels with my father. Staying between her things made me relief, in some way, we are attached now. Also, Chad didn't say anything about changing the décor since most of his time was outside.
For two years, we tried to have a baby, but due to my health problems we couldn't. The abortion made for me serious problems since I aborted in a young age and the first child. Although Chad didn't care for having a baby, I needed something to spend time with while Chad was at work. So I decided to start my own small restaurant and make it bigger through years. The projected started, and month after month the restaurant started to grow to become one of the famous restaurants in the country. Although I was living my best days, this happiness didn't last for too long. At the end of the year, Chad left the house to work and didn't came back.
He was shot by mistake while cleaning the guns with his friend. For a week I couldn't believe that he was dead. I hoped that he will be back, and takes me in his arms like he always does, but he didn't.
The work in the restaurant stopped for a week to prepare for the funeral. Then the restaurant continued its work but without me. I was still tired and couldn't concentrate on work. I stayed for a whole month at home not talking to anyone, till this day I couldn't believe that I'm a widow at this age and after only 5 years of marriage. After that month I decided to expand my work through all the country and have new branches for my restaurant. In that way I'll keep my mind away of what happened for my husband. But I couldn't start with my project, that year my dad had a heart attack. I spent most of the days in the hospital with him since Jina like always was on her travels.
That night, when my father woke up after his surgery, he looked at me with a look I never saw the last few years.
"You should go see your work dear", my dad said one day when I was lying next to him.
"The work is fine dad and you should be also" I replied and my eyes burst into tears.
Whatever had happened before, he will always be my father who did everything to see me happy, or at least he tried.
A week later, my father was fine and could go back to his home. After some days, his wife returned from her travel. She was astonished that my dad had a heart attack, but of course she didn't care that much. All she cared about was money and how much money she can have. Although I know how Jina think, I began to doubt it. How can a woman have such a cool reaction toward her husband?! And as usual I didn't leave her alone; her travels were weird and returning with new clothes every time was weirder. So this time I traveled with her with an excuse I have some work concerning the restaurant. When we arrived we stayed in separate rooms, but of course I stayed watching her from behind the door. And as I guessed, there was someone other than my dad. She had an affair with him every time in exchange for money.
Of course my dad didn't know anything, he thought she travels to see her family. I didn't plan to tell my father, he just got out from hospital and can cause him serious health problems, but that marriage has to end.
I spent days and days thinking how to get my father out of this trouble with least possible damage. Then it came to me; what Jina likes the most in her life, money. So if my dad had no money, she will not stay with him another minute.
The idea was to plan with the bank manager that when Jina ask for money to say that the account of my father is empty. That weekend, Jina went to the bank to take some money so she can travel, but as we planned the account was empty.
She had gone nuts, took from her money and traveled. She never returned back, and when my dad called her she didn't answer. When my dad asked me if I knew anything, I told him that she had been sick and had to go to spent her last days with her family. At first, my father was sad but then he understood that she loves her family more than him.
After all the crises wen went through it was time to get back to work. The first thing I should do was to see if the work in the restaurant is going well. Then I traveled to Turkey to start my new shop there. A month later, the business was growing more than the previous shop. People from around the world came to the restaurant and was curious to visit the first branch. So it was time to go worldwide. I opened in most of Europe and Middle East and they all was doing great.
Then one day something happened turned everything upside down. When I was at my restaurant in Greece, Louis showed up.
. He asked the manager about me and he told him I was in my office. He knocked on the door and asked me if we can talk. I said sure since I was curious what he is going to say.
"First I want to apologize for everything I did. I went on a mission and couldn't return back on time. If anything I can do to make it up for you I am ready." He started.
"You ruined my life Louis. You have no idea what I gone through. I had to abort my baby because I have no husband and you weren't there. And because of the abortion, I couldn't get pregnant again. My husband died and left me alone." I said and my eyes was full of tears.
He remained silent for some moment astonished by what I just said. He thought that I kept the child as I have told him.
"I had no idea you aborted the child, I thought you were strong enough to raise it alone and have this enormous business"
"I was a child, how could you think a young girl would give birth to a child alone, but yes I was strong to make a business."
We had a cup of tea then he continued.
"I'm really sorry I wasn't thinking at that time. But I'm here now and I will try my best to let you trust me again."
"Sorry Louis but you have no more opportunities" I said this as I stood to leave the office.
The next morning, I found Louis waiting for me in the restaurant.
"I said I'm not leaving you this time." He said following me to my office.
We had our morning coffee together and talked. We spend the next week like this talking and having coffees. Till when day he called me and invited me to dinner.
"Be ready at 8, I'll pick you up." He said before he left.
At 8 o'clock, he was waiting for me in a luxury car, dressed in a nice suit.
"Wow!" That was my first reaction. He opened the door for me and we went to a deluxe restaurant.
"From where did you get all this money?" I asked when we sat down.
"I told you, the last mission was so important." He replied as he chose our dinner.
The dinner was fine and after this night, I started thinking maybe I had oppressed Louis.
His absence was not by his choice and he came out from it with something. Moreover, he has finished his missions now, so no more traveling. The next morning, he called to ask how was the night and if we can go out for breakfast or a cup of coffee. I didn't reject his offer, and planned to meet after half an hour in a coffee shop near my house.
"So how was the dinner?" he asked
"It was fine, actually it was great." I replied. "I also think we should talk; maybe you were right, everything changed now and I will try to give this relation a chance again."
He smiled feeling comfortable with what I just said. Maybe I really have to give him a chance, I can't live my whole life alone without a man beside me. Even I spent these whole years alone and had come up with something great, I need someone to support me and take a little load off my shoulders. The following week Louis met my dad and agreed on the wedding that will be at the end of summer. We spent days and nights preparing for the wedding since Louis wanted it to be the best Louis wedding I ever had. He was a great man and have changed a lot since the days we were together. He has grown up to be a real man who can take responsibilities. After the wedding, Louis asked me if he can be in charge of the restaurant in the middle east. At first, I was surprised why he wanted to take the restaurant that was far away from home, but then I agreed.
Every week he went to the restaurant check the work and what stuff is missing; he took some money from me to but the missing things. Few months passed and he still asked me for money for the restaurant and when I asked him were the profits are, he said the work is not going well because of the economic crises there. I felt something is wrong.
"I have to go there and see the restaurant, maybe I can solve some things."
"No, everything will be fine, don't bother yourself I can solve this." He said this in a weird tone which made me more suspicious. The next week after Louis left, I followed him. I visited the restaurant and it was full of people. I was astonished how could he lie to me like that. So I asked if the manager was there who was supposed to be Louis, they told me that he isn't there but his wife can help me.
I was in a great shock, "his wife" but how I'm his wife. I knocked on the door and entered and there she was dressed in a short dress and sitting in my place.
"Who are you!? And what are you doing in my Office???" I asked her and angriness was coming from my eyes.
"I'm the wife of the manager of this restaurant. Who are you to talk to me in this way?" she replied surprised with my words.
"I'm the owner of this restaurant and for your info I'm his wife also."
She wasn't surprised, she ordered coffee and told me the whole story.
"Actually Louis planned everything. He married you so he can take your money; he was falling in debts and it was the only way to live with a child coming on the way. I'm pregnant, and in few months we will have a child with no money. He wasn't going to take everything just a part of what you have. He told me that you knew each other from long time ago and you will help him, but he didn't know how to tell you, so the only way was to marry you in that way you will trust him and give him one of your restaurants."
I left without saying anything when I arrived I called Louis and told him I'm going to stay with my dad a few days. But instead I rented a room in a hotel, I didn't want to see anybody or talk to anyone. The only thing I'm thinking of is how to get my money back and how to get revenge on him.
I entered the hotel bathroom, washed my face and looked in the mirror. My eyes were full of hatred and anger, then the servant came and asked me if I wanted anything. The only words came out:
"REVENGE IS GOING TO BE SERVED" ….