Greece's eyes darted around the room, a nervous tic betraying her attempt at composure. She took a deep breath, steeling herself to divulge the truth, her voice barely a whisper as if afraid of the words she was about to speak.
"His wife is Raul," she finally confessed, the words hanging heavy in the air.
The shock hit me like a tidal wave, and I couldn't contain my reaction.
"WHAT?!"
I practically screamed, the disbelief and incredulity evident in my voice as it reverberated through the room. My mind raced, trying to process this unexpected revelation. Vincent, the seemingly mild-mannered man we had known for years, was married and it's Raul!
Greece's index finger pressed gently against her lips, a silent gesture that spoke volumes. Her eyes conveyed a sense of urgency, a plea for calm amidst the storm of shocking news that had just rocked our world.
I could feel my heart racing, adrenaline coursing through my veins as the weight of her gesture sank in. The silence between us grew palpable.
"I know what you're thinking!" she whispered, emphasizing every word.
Greece shifted uncomfortably, her eyes avoiding mine as if anticipating my reaction. Silence enveloped us, broken only by the sound of our shallow breaths as we grappled with the bombshell she had just dropped.
"How long have you known?" I asked, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon me.
Greece hesitated, her gaze flickering briefly before meeting mine.
"Well..." she admitted, her voice tinged with regret.
As the gravity of her words sank in, I realized that our world had shifted irrevocably.
Raul was one of the nerds in our class, he was so quiet at that time that he was often bullied by his friends. Despite that, Raul and Vincent were never seen as close or in an adversarial relationship back then. But who would have thought they would end up getting married?
"You should know, I saw them kissing secretly in the park during the graduation party."
"I was about to go smoke a cigarette when I saw them. Even I still can't believe it happened!"
" Really?" I asked
" Yeah!"
"I also found out about this from Xerra's aunt a few years ago, she was ranting about her son getting married behind her back and running away to a remote village in Germany."
"At least he could have told Auntie about the relationship!"
Greece had always had a habit of smoking when stressed. She couldn't believe what she was seeing at the time. She thought that she was under so much pressure about the future that she was hallucinating. Since then she decided to quit smoking and chose to eat lollies instead.
"Alright, then I'll date another guy from our class"
Greece widened her eyes, then she took a breath. Then slowly began to speak.
"Clara, as far as I know. All the boys in our class are married. If there are any who aren't, they died in the pandemic a while ago!"
I know this isn't anything new. But as a woman who has yet to find a partner or even get married, this is part of life's problems! I began to realize that I had been wasting my time. About the youth that I should have enjoyed with romance like other girls.
"Don't you have any other acquaintances? Office mates for example? Or your husband's colleagues?"
"We've been separated for a long time and I work at my family's nursing home, although I only help manage it. You can imagine I've never met a young unmarried man other than my ex."
"Oh... sorry about that."
Greece's question hung in the air, pressing against the awkward silence between us. She was persistent, her curiosity insatiable. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, reluctant to delve into the murky waters of past relationships. Yet, her probing continued.
Her gaze bore into me as if searching for answers hidden beneath the surface.
"What about your office mates? Or those you studied with in University?"
I hesitated, torn between honesty and the desire to avoid revisiting unpleasant memories.
"I know a few," I admitted finally.
"But I'm not keen on reaching out to them. They weren't exactly stellar individuals, you know."
Greece's brow furrowed in disbelief. "Maybe they're different outside of work," she suggested optimistically.
I couldn't help but scoff at the notion. "If they're incompetent in their jobs, what chance do they have of being decent partners or parents?"
Her next question caught me off guard. "Okay, but have you met someone new recently?"
My mind flashed back to fleeting encounters and missed connections. "Yes. But he's..." I trailed off, unable to find the right words.
Greece leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "But he's what?"
I sighed, resigning myself to the inevitable. "He's Susan's future husband," I confessed reluctantly.
Greece's eyes widened in surprise. "Another one?" she exclaimed incredulously, echoing the skepticism that gnawed at my thoughts.
"...."
"Are there any other men you've met?" Greece repeated with emphasis
" ... Yes, there is!" Then, I told her how I met Darius in summary.
"Then try contacting him! Did you ask for his contact details?"
"I don't even know where he lives. I only know his name"
"Oh my Gosh!" Greece tapped her forehead.
"You work in an IT company, you're good at finding people with little information. I'm sure of it!"
I paused, mulling over Greece's words. The statement echoed in my mind, igniting a spark of realization. Despite the unexpected source, her words struck a chord within me, prompting a shift in perspective. Could my skills truly extend beyond the confines of my workplace?
A smile crept across my face, replacing the furrowed brow that had previously dominated my expression. It was as though a light had been switched on in a dimly lit room, illuminating possibilities I had never before considered.
At that moment, with Greece's words echoing in my mind, I reached for the black canvas sling bag slung over my shoulder. My fingers found the familiar texture of my notebook, and I pulled it out with a sense of purpose. With practiced ease, I powered up the device, the screencasting a soft glow in the dimly lit room.
Greece watched with curiosity as I navigated through the programs, a question forming on her lips.
"What are you doing?" she inquired, her interest piqued by my sudden activity.
With a knowing smile, I turned to her, my eyes alight with determination.
"I'm utilizing OSINT," I replied, the acronym rolling off my tongue. At that moment, I realized that my ability to uncover information went beyond the boundaries. Thank God, it was a skill that I'm good at.
"I don't understand it, but it sounds sophisticated."
"Not really, it's a bit old-fashioned. But I'm pretty good at using it!"
Determined, I began my search using Open Source Intelligence. I entered cyberspace, exploring social media platforms, public directories, and other online resources. Each click and type on the keyboard brought me closer to my goal, each finding filling in the information puzzle I was building.
Time passed, but I didn't feel tired. Adrenaline was pumping inside me, fuelled by the desire to find answers. After what felt like an eternity, I finally found the trail I was looking for. An email address, phone number, and other digital traces formed a more complete picture of the person I was looking for.
With a feeling of satisfaction, I leaned myself back into the chair. In an increasingly digitally connected world, information is key, and I had it in my grasp.
"Got it!"
Both of us sat across from each other, our gazes fixed on the glowing screen of the notebook. The air between us felt thick with anticipation and surprise as the realization sank in. Darius, the man I had just met was no ordinary wealthy individual. Sure, he had wealth, but little did I know, he wielded far more influence than I had initially assumed.
" HE'S SILVERWOOD-!" Greece yapping
*Nodded*
As the silence lingered, my mind raced to process this newfound information. Darius Eminovich, as it turned out, wasn't just a name associated with wealth, he was the primary heir of a prominent Silverwood mining conglomerate, a fact that caught me off guard. What's more, he was in the process of establishing his own technology company, a venture that had already begun to make waves in the industry.
The revelation hit me like a thunderbolt. His software company was developing was rumored to be on par with, if not surpassing, the company's products where I had previously been employed.
"So that's why he didn't say his full name then..."
"Oh my! You caught a big fish, Clara!"
In that quiet of glances, a newfound respect bloomed for Darius, mingled with a tinge of envy. As the screen flickered with data and possibilities, the realization dawned that our paths were destined to intersect as potential allies.
" You should meet him ASAP!"
"Yeah... I'll see him tomorrow!"
It might be a good time to negotiate with Darius, given that he is also looking for a potential partner to strengthen his succession.