Emily couldn't shake off the lingering coldness that had enveloped her after an intimate encounter with her husband, Frank. A hollow ache settled in her heart, as confusion clouded her mind. Their love, once so passionate and alive, now felt distant, devoid of any true connection. Emily moved to stand by the office window, watching the autumn leaves dance in the cold wind. The beauty of the season used to evoke warmth and joy within her heart, but now it only served as a cruel reminder of the frozen love she shared with her husband. She would ask herself so many questions, What has she done? What has she not done? Tears welled up in her eyes as memories of all her dreams of enjoying marriage with Frank were taken by the wind. In an attempt to find solace and regain the connection which had been lost, Emily took a trip down memory lane. She scrolled on her phone with the beautiful and lively pictures she had with Frank. What has turned sour? That was most of the questions that kept running through her head. Entwining herself at the moment they had once shared, from their first dates to their wedding day. The laughter, the whispers and the stolen glances reminded her of their once passionate and connected love.
During their early days of courtship, Frank had always been the one to surprise Emily with little gestures that made her heart skip a beat. Emily was in her trance, wishing and hoping everything came back to normal, Unbeknownst to Emily, her best friend Mia stood silently outside her office door, an insidious smile twisting her lips. The pieces of her plan to steal Frank away from Emily were falling perfectly into place. Watching Emily's shattered state, Mia couldn't help but relish in her devious triumph. However, a flicker of guilt danced within her, hidden beneath layers of selfish desire. " Frank was what I wanted, can't you do this for me, Emily... Just this one " Mia thought.
Sensing Emily's despair, Mia cautiously entered the office and embraced her from behind "My dear friend, why are you so lost in your thoughts, that I have been standing for the past few minutes without you moving a bit "
Hearing Mia's words made her heart jump "Oh Mia, I was just lost in my unending thoughts " Emily managed to talk.
"Come out of it Emily, you're in the office remember? What if our boss barged into your office and saw you in this state, what would you have done, Emily? You don't jeopardize your job, just because of a mere something from home. It-----"
"Mia, I don't just get you... You called what I have passed through in the hands of my husband a mere something? Not you Mia?" Emily sat on a chair angrily.
Mia moved quietly towards Emily and sat on her desk, pretending she was not aware, of what might have been bothering her at the moment. "Emily, sorry for misinterpreting your thoughts, but what could have been bothering you that you left your desk unattended "She roams her eyes on unattended files that were on Emily's desk.
" My marriage is falling apart, Mia. Mia, we had lost the connection..... There is nothing like intimacy in our lovemaking. Mia, what could have gone wrong? We have dated for some years and to be honest with you, Mia, the problem we had the few years we dated has never gotten to this point." Emily could her tears dropping, she couldn't hold back. She reached for a handkerchief to help clean up the tears falling off uncontrollably.
"Emily you are so stubborn. Read the handwriting on the wall and move bitch!" Mia was lost in her thoughts but was distracted by a tap from Emily.
"Say something, Mia. Mia I don't mind losing this job, so long as the love me and my husband had for ourselves before came back to life" Emily said with confusion reading all over her face.
"Is he worth it?" Mia asked as she rolled her eyes away.
"I don't mind, I need to do something, Mia"
"Oh babe relax, it hasn't gotten to this... I was thinking, won't it be nice to try something else? Start afresh again with him dear .... Make him fall in love again with you" Mia told her as she caressed her soft and red cheek.
"Oh, would that be necessary?" She asked as her eyes widened, she remembered how their love was back in those days.
"Yes dear, it's necessary... If you want your love back you can go the extra mile babe" Mia explained as she gritted her teeth and went back in her thoughts." Emily, Frank is mine. I won't leave him for you... Just look what you made me do, supporting you whereby I'm dying in pain..... Frank is mine and I will do whatever it takes to make him mine." Mia thought as she stood up to leave for her office. "I got something to attend to..... Concentrate on what brought you here, you will see he will run back to you." Mia said and left with a broken heart. She wanted to see everything ended for Frank and Emily but the thought of giving advice and a solution to Emily her love life pained her the most.
*******************
Phillip overheard a conversation he was never meant to hear. Escaping the sweltering office heat, he walked past Emily's office and heard her voice drifting through the door, mingled with whispers of sorrow in her tone. The words that pierced his heart like a dagger were, "I don't mind losing this job, so long the love me and my husband had for ourselves before came back to life."
The revelation stunned Phillip, leaving him breathless. He had no idea that Emily he left to Frank was being mistreated in the name she was married, nor that her love was in such disarray. He fell onto his chair, mulling over Emily's words, and couldn't help but wonder if there was a chance for him to be the one who brought back the spark in her life.....