02

Six Months Ago

« Ivy, Ivy ! » snapped Rose shaking my hand. I gasped turning around and wiping my eyes quickly. The blood in my was boiling as I rushed to the front door. Rose ran after me telling me not to do anything rash but it was too late. I had already loudly banged on the door.

I heard laughter from inside and closed my eyes taking a deep breathe. I should have known Rose wouldn’t have lied to me. She was the only one I could trust right now.

The door opened and instead of seeing James I saw a tall blonde who was glaring down at me, probably for ruining their intimate moment. Her buttons on her top were undone and held by only her arms crossed over her chest.

« Can I help you ? » she snapped looking down at us with her stupid pointy nose. Who the hell wore heels in the house ?

« Is James there ? » I asked mustering up the most strength I had in my body. She frowned looking me up and down,

« Who’s asking ? »

« I should be asking you that » I snapped. I heard Rose whisper something from the side and I ignored her.

« I am his girlfriend, who are you ? » she snapped. If I thought it couldn’t get any worse it just did. It was like someone else took one of this baking sticks and shoved it through my body. My breathe tightened and I took a step back closing my eyes.

« Ivy ? »

I looked up to stare into the pair of blue eyes I had grown to love. He looked confused as he stared at me.

« Enjoy work, » I muttered before turning around and walking as fast as I could. Rose followed behind me as I kicked the gate open and sauntered out. I could hear footsteps behind me, whether it was Rose or James I didn’t want to know.

I broke into a run into the tram stop and jumped in right before the doors closed. I sat down on the empty seat and leaned down with my head in my hands. The only thing visible was his face, the one I never wanted to see in my life ever again.

Present Time

Oh my god.

To be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect. Rose had always fawned over how lucky I was to have such a good looking husband but I had never glanced at the papers to realise what he actually looked like. I mean did I really need to ? There was a picture of him as a kid on the wall but I guess he was probably only ten back then. Oops

He was over six feet, towering over the driver and crossed his arms. He had a muscular toned body and his stance screamed power and authority. He had black hair that was darker than mine, which was pretty hard to believe.

Wearing a simple but perfectly fitted white button up shirt and black suit pants he looked stunning. He had a strong jaw was what I could tell by the way he talked and sharp cheekbones. I was just waiting for an older more unattractive guy to step out and say ta-da, this is me or something.

He was so young, but then again so was I.

The butler and maid hurried over greeting him and I stood like a statue unable to move. He turned around the other way to talk to our butler and I saw the flash of bright green eyes that were prominent and stunning in his face.

I was definitely waiting for a model to jump out, there was no way this was Darius. He was much more…handsome then I remembered. But then again I did focus more on my running away part at the wedding than the guy that was standing in front of me.

He grabbed a file from the driver and walked in, right past me and Rose, not even glancing up at us.

Well… that was the welcome I was expecting.

What was I thinking to imagine it like in movies where they both were happy to see each other. We barely knew each other. Correction, we don’t know each other.

« Well that was a warm welcome, » I muttered turning around and heading into the house,

« He’s probably jet lagged, » said Rose in his defense and I shot her a look heading straight back to the back parlour room. I might as well spend the rest of the day there like I did every day in my own dream world of what could have been.

The door opened and Margret our maid walked in smiling. She was an old lady that was more like a mother than a maid to me.

« Hello dearie, dinner will be served soon. Don’t worry dear, you and the lad will have plenty to talk about then. He’s just tired, » she said. Rose nodded her head vigorously and I sighed nodding.

« Did you want help Ma ? » I asked. Margret had wanted me to call her Ma the moment I had stepped in. She was my mother, a real mother not like one my mother was like.

« Perhaps not my dearie, Lad might not like you doing the chores and helping out anymore. » she said with a sad face. I knew where she was coming from, it would be disgraceful if anyone found out I helped out with the chores but that was the only thing that killed time these past months.

If I thought I was nervous when he arrived I was even more nervous sitting at the table Margret has set up for us. It was small and quiet, in the private dinning room rather than the large and exquisite dinning hall.

I played with my napkin as I waited for him to arrive and as on cue as soon as the clock stuck six he walked in with files in his hand.

I frowned, who brings files to dinner ?

He placed them on the coffee table near by and walked up taking a seat in front of me not even glancing at me. I looked across at the mirror on the far wall, nope I was still very much visible.

The cook and Margret came in carrying the dishes and he looked up at them giving them a warm smile and talking with them. Well the man wasn’t all robot, he could talk at least.

The moment they left we were plunged into a silence, the only clatter the cutlery as we ate out chicken and corn meal. I sneaked a glace at him and his eyes were on his plate, no where else.

Should I say something ?

No why should I ? He was the man she should start ! Okay that was very feminist but still what was I meant to say ? Hello darling did you have a nice trip, or maybe, darling do you remember me ?

Desert was even more quiet, I was anxiously glancing at the clock to when I could finally leave, dinner had taken more than two hours and he still hasn’t said a word. Instead after the main course he had grabbed a file and submerged himself into it.

I saw Margret walk in with a deep frown and I smiled at her.

« Was everything fine ? »

« Of course Marge, that was wonderful, » his deep voice rumbled as he stood up. He gave her a small smile and picked up his stuff walking out.

« Well that went well, » I said standing up leaving my apple pie untouched.

« Go after him, » said Margret giving me a push.

« Me ? » I asked staring at her open eyed. Margret gave me a slight push.

« The boy needs a push, he’s a quiet one, » she said. I frowned but decided hey what could I possible lose ? I walked out of the private room and towards the stairs nad upstairs to where the bedrooms were. I saw him just disappear and mustered up my courage calling out to him.

« Darius ! »

I thought he hadn’t heard me till he stepped back out and turned to face me and I looked away from his bright eyes. I hadn’t realised how intimidating they were.

« Oh yea, Aluminium was it ? » he asked.

My eyes widened and I looked at him, Aluminium ? I think at that moment he had just lost every ounce of respect left in me.

« Ivory, » I muttered my fist clenching.

« Oh yes some metal it was, » he said his eyebrows knotted, « what did you want ? » he asked crossing his arms across his chest, another intimidating move.

« Um-« I said. What did I want ? Maybe I should start by telling you that my name was nothing to do with a metal.

But what did I want ? Well nothing now he looked at me like I was barely existed.

« Look me coming back doesn’t change anything. Just carry on like you were before and I won’t be in your way. We’ll just act like the couple in social events alright. » he said. Before I could respond he turned and walked into what I found out was his bedroom.

« Incorrigible jerk, » I muttered as I walked to my private room at the end of the corridor. The master room was between ours but hasn’t been touched or entered at all. I didn’t even know what it looked like and I probably wouldn’t either.

I should have known, good looking rich man were always jerks.

Aluminium, I scoffed. Can’t even remember a name, how was he to manage a business ?