I'm going to annoy Natalie so much that she won't even want to see me.
Many students began to whisper among themselves while the rest stood with their mouths gaped.
"I'm going in" Natalie said, trying to avoid my eyes.
"I'll pick you up at 1. Hayley's classes end at that time too" I inform Natalie who's looking as uncomfortable as a fish out of water.
"I have evening classes to attend. Please pick her up today" Natalie answered.
Natalie was trying all means to avoid me.
"Collins, I need my wife after 1 to pick up my niece. Make sure she's free" I ordered Dr. Collins before getting in my car and driving away.
"Enzo, how's married life treating you?" Mrs. Smith, my secretary smirked.
"Unlike you and your husband, no" I smirked back.
"She's a nice girl. There's not even one bad article about her on the internet" She said as she walked behind me.
"I don't care" I scoffed.
"We'll see the difference in you soon" Mrs. Smith chuckled before leaving my office room.
Seriously, what is wrong with everyone?
-A few weeks later-
It's a Sunday but I had to attend to an important client who had flown in all the way from Dubai.
But of course, someone had to mess up my presentation and I had to cancel my deal.
I scolded my employees on the phone while walking into my bedroom.
In my anger, I had thrown my coat jacket on the floor.
While I'm still on the phone, Natalie picks up my jacket and dust it off.
"What's the matter?" Natalie asked me since I looked distressed and angry even after hanging up on the call.
"You! You are the problem! If you hadn't married me, I would've been a free bird!" I spat those words with so much venom and hatred.
"I'm sorry, I was just asking out of concern" Natalie said in a small voice.
She gets afraid but never admits.
"You sure as hell are. Did I ask you to show any concern towards me?" I said with spite laced in my voice.
Natalie was beginning to feel pissed. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath and poured out all the anger and frustration that she had bottled in.
"You know what, screw this! I don't actually blame you! I blame myself for showing any sign of concern towards you. You're still the obnoxious self-centered selfish jerk you are and you'll continue to be. You think I don't know why you married me? I'm sure the company belongs to you now so why don't we file a divorce already? I just realised that you're not worth it and you're not worth my time and concern as well!" She said and stormed off angrily out of the bedroom before I could say anything.
Is this what I've been doing to Natalie all these time?
Have I been a jerk to her?
I slowly walked behind Natalie who was not a bit aware of me.
She walked down to the main hall, in the living space where Mom was still working on her laptop.
Mom and Natalie had small conversations from here and there, until Mom began her emotional speech.
"Natalie, I want to thank you" Mom said, all of a sudden.
"Why?" Natalie asked looking dumbfounded.
"For marrying Lorenzo" Mom said in a low but soft voice.
Shouldn't Natalie's mother be grateful because I married her?
"Mom, it's nothing. I also married him with a will and a purpose to treat him as my life partner" Natalie muttered.
I actually expected Natalie to say all sorts of bad things about me but she didn't.
"I'm so thankful that you married him. I know he's rude and arrogant outside but deep down he has a child's heart. Lorenzo has become ruthless ever since he entered the business world. It was all for good but my son has long forgotten about values in life. Please help him out" Mom requested me, her voice almost on the verge of breaking down.
"Mom, don't worry. I'll try my best to bring out the good in him. Even if he didn't mean any of the vows that he took at the altar, I promised and swore that I'd be the best version of myself to him" Natalie remarked and I felt this unfamiliar warmth spread over my chest.
What is Natalie doing to me?
After their conversation, Natalie decided to retreat back to the bedroom, ours actually and I was hiding behind a pillar in one of the upper floors.
I quickly get up to our bedroom and sat on the couch, looking blankly at the TV screen in front of me.
Honestly, I felt bad for acting the way I did with Natalie but she's a hard nut and I can't tolerate her sometimes.
Natalie came in, not sparing me a glance.
She freshened up and came back.
She quietly grabs a pillow and a blanket before walking over to where I was seated.
I was actually watching her from the TV screen in front.
"Can you please go to bed? It's late" Natalie requested.
I didn't budge. Not a bit.
I honestly didn't know how to answer her.
"Lorenzo, can you please move to the bed. I'm tired and I want to sleep" Natalie requested again.
"Then sleep with me" Came my reply and she gave me a dumbfounded look.
Don't blame me for what I said. Because trust me, I had no idea what I meant.
"Excuse me?" She said, not wanting to know if she had heard me right.
"Sleep with me. I'm your husband and you're my wife. And a married couple is supposed to share a bed" I said in a deep voice.
I guess I just wanted to clear all the guilt inside of me.
"I'm in no mood for games" Natalie said in a cold tone and it didn't surprise me because I had lashed out my anger on her.
"It's not like we haven't shared a bed before" I smirked and she blushed.
I knew that Natalie wouldn't agree with me even if I asked her the whole night.
So I pick her up, bridal style and starting walking over to the bed.
"Put me down, Lorenzo" She said in a calm voice.
Slowly placing her on one side of the bed, I walk over to the couch to grab the pillow and blanket.
Natalie quickly stuffs all the extra pillows at the centre of the bed, inorder to mark her territory.
"What're these for?" I asked in a confused tone.
We weren't young enough to play with pillows, aren't we?
"I need my space" She mumbled before turning to her side and falling into a deep slumber.
And for the first time, I whispered "I'm sorry" to the one woman who I felt had ruined my life.
