The Engineer's Wife

Chapter 1 - The Confession

Sarah Collins’ POV

I was playing with my pen while staring at the tall buildings outside my new office window. It’s been a week since I started using the office which was once used by Engr. Steve Johnson, the Senior Process Design Engineer of our company. I was saddened by his sudden decision to leave the company to go back to the US to start his own business. He was not only my mentor; he was the only person who believed in me and gave me my first project when nobody else would. I got my scholarship and was able to study for free because of his recommendations. I’m graduating next week with a master’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from one of the finest universities in the world. I am happy and proud of myself. I really didn’t think I was capable of handling the pressure of being in the same class with the brainiacs of the top engineering university in Australia and it was Engr. Johnson who pushed me when I felt like quitting. I really miss him a lot. He was like a father to me. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard my phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw my boyfriend’s name on it.

“Hey babe, you’re graduating next week. How do you want to celebrate?”  The excitement in his sexy Aussie voice is obvious. I can feel how happy he is that I am graduating. Andrew Kennedy, my boyfriend for one and a half years has always been very supportive and understanding despite the fact that I am losing all my time for him so I can focus on my work and studies. Perfect boyfriend I have, I told myself. Andrew cleared his throat after a moment of silence and said, “So I’m seeing you tonight babe? I’ll pick you up at 7. I made a reservation in our favourite restaurant.”

“Alright, babe. I’ll see you tonight.” I answered dryly. I didn’t know why I was acting this way towards him. My unusual behaviour started when I saw a small red velvet box in his drawer. I assumed he was going to propose to me and unlike any girl with a perfect boyfriend and excited to tie the knot with the man of her dreams; I was not really pleased with the idea.

“Is there something wrong baby?” Andrew asked worriedly. He knows when something is bothering me so I tried to act normal and changed the topic.

“No, honey. Don’t worry about me. I’m just tired. I didn’t get enough sleep last night because George came to my room and talked non-stop about his new boyfriend. He..” I didn’t finish my last sentence when the door swung open and a tall, sexy blonde guy in an Armani suit with deep blue eyes entered my office. He was about to say something but I raised my hand to stop him. He got the signal and whispered, “Sorry, Sarah. I didn’t know you were busy.”

“Honey, I have to go now. I got work to do. See you tonight.”  

“See you tonight, babe. I love you. Bye.”  Andrew uttered sweetly.

“Love you too.”

I put my phone on my desk and saw George Harris sitting lazily on the sofa. I stood up from my chair and walked towards him. I sat on the sofa next to him and smiled. “You have a habit of making yourself at home in other people’s office, do you know that?”

George grinned. He looks so cute when he does that. “I thought this was my office.” He laughed and continued, “I came here to tell you that the company got a billion dollar project in UAE. You and I are flying to Abu Dhabi for the construction of a research facility there. I know you can’t stay away from your hot surgeon boyfriend but it’s only for 6 months and the manager promised a 200% increase in our salary, allowance not included yet. I already saw the pictures of the place where we’ll be staying and it’s really nice. We’ll have our own driver as well. Good for you because you are a lazy and stupid driver.”

I glared at him and wanted to hit his head with a hammer. He really is tactless and will say what he wants without second thought. That’s how brutally honest my gay best friend is. I swear I want to strangle him for his unpleasant remarks and kick him out of the window whenever he starts mocking my driving skills.

“Actually I kinda like that idea. I want to get out of here. I want to be away from Andrew as much as I can.” George’s eyes widened in surprise and his jaw dropped a few inches. He looked at me intently for a few seconds, opened his mouth to talk but it seemed he ran out of words. He moved closer to me, looked at me in the eye and said, “Did you fight with him? The other day you were so sweet. You guys were inseparable. And now you’re saying you want to stay away from him. How can you stay away from that – I mean someone who looks like that?”

“How can I act more surprised that you incorporate my boyfriend’s hotness to the argument? I saw a red velvet box in his drawer. Andrew’s going to propose to me.” I uttered with an obvious dissatisfaction in my tone.

“You’re impossible! You’re supposed to be excited that he’s going to propose to you. Andrew is not only good-looking; he’s also an amazing guy. I know there are many fish in the sea, but you already got one of the biggest fish in Oz. He’s a great doctor, he’s accomplished and he’s from a good family. No doubt he’s financially capable to start a family so I don’t know what quality you want that Dr. Kennedy lacks. What the hell is wrong with you woman?" George uttered in exasperation. He continued talking while rubbing his forehead like he’s having a headache. I can sense disappointment in his deep blue eyes. They are staring coldly at me. “Sarah, if this is about your ex-boy..”

“Alex is not my ex-boyfriend. He is my ex-husband, George.” I interrupted him. “I got married young. I was 21 and in college when I married him. Our marriage didn’t work and we got separated.”

My confession shocked every living cell in his body. George sighed in disbelief and was speechless. He rose from the sofa and went over my desk to pick up something. He was holding a ceramic doll and muttered, “This ceramic doll is not a souvenir from your trip to Greece. I assume Alex has hazel eyes and dark brown hair. Let it go, Sarah. It’s been 6 years. He’s not coming back.”

“I know.” I turned my back on him because I didn’t want him to see the pain in my eyes. I am in agony. My heart is breaking. This is the same feeling I felt when Alex told me our marriage was over. I never heard from him since then. I kept calling and sending him emails but I didn’t get any response from him. Then after 5 months, I heard the news from a friend in the states that Alex was officially engaged to my childhood friend. I felt devastated. I didn’t get out of my room for a month. I refused to go back to school. A part of me died when my husband left me. It took me a year to get back on my feet and start over again. But one thought never went away, I lost my husband forever.