In the Arms of an Angel..

14 The paths we feared

After I moved from Zahra's house, my fate changed for better. I got my company, my life and my everything back within years. Within the 1st year, my dad caught Stella was caught up making up with a servant, and everything ended there. He divorced her, and toss James and Tom from the company.

I got everything back. To ensure the majority of stakes remain with me, I bought 20% dads stakes privately. 3 years after dad retired and he is living the life of a teenager. I on the other hand have enslaved myself to work.

Over the past 5 times, there were times I thought of Zahra and what actually might have come of her. May be she got married. She never called me once, nor have I called her any time. She was right, it was a good decision. But yet, part of me wonder how life would have turned out, if I married her as her religion dictates, and where we would have been now.

But my fiancé , Alina Martinez 20% shareholder of my company, daughter of Mr.Martinez, is whom I need. We have been engaged for the last 3 years. No one could have found a better match than the two of us. She is a street smart business woman, with an ivy league degree and her own assets all around the world. She can get any politician to crawl in his feel, including the president himself. And she is most resourceful and a reason for this tremendous success we are currently enjoying.

We want to have a wedding in a ranch passed over to my by my grand parents. It also has a massive mansion with 40 rooms, a ball room and a splendid scenery. For some reason, Alina wants a country wedding. Its just 1 hours drive from New York. And I am more than happy to indulge her wishes.

"Honey, we have an appointment with the event planners in 3 houses. We need to go now."

"Come on Alina, the wedding is in an year time. Why do we have to bother about event planners now?" I asked pretty annoyed. Alina can be really difficult at times too. That piss me off more than anything else.

"The estate needs to be redecorated Joe. And I need it perfectly done so there wont be any last minute surprises"

"Well, I leave the planning up to you. I have work to do. You go ahead" I need a break.

"Really Joe? I am getting late. Please come"

And thoroughly irritated, I let her lead me. At times I wonder why I am getting married to her. Not that we love each other or anything, though we are compatible in all aspects including sex.

***********************************

"Zahra, Mrs. Butler wants you to handle this client. Some Alina Martinez, a rich girl. Wants her wedding in middle of no where" that was Jane. My colleague and partner in crime.

I started to work for Mrs.Butler about 4 years ago. I completed my interior designing degree and then joined work here.  Me and Mrs.Butler don't get along well. But she cant fire me as I am a success in all events and interiors I handle, and I cant leave her, as I am paid exceptionally well.

I love handling weddings. It is a very happy occasion and gives me so much satisfaction. But rich girls weddings are very demanding as they believe money can buy everything including weather, flowers that don't bloom in spring or miracles that hardly happen.

Jane and Sam will assist me in this project. It has to be important I suppose because Mrs. Butler is joining the meeting herself. I did a quick scan of the report. As always it gives a detail description of bride, who is hiring us, and absolutely no description of groom who neither will be present or take any interest.

I was anyway late for the meeting. I grabbed some my stationery and rushed in. I saw the couple seated, back to the widows as I entered the room.

"Excuse me, sorry I am late" And I went around the table to face the couple and Mrs. Butler. And I thought time jus stood, and my jaws just dropped and I heard someone clearing their throat.

Joe looked equally surprised and taken back. But he concealed his surprise fast with a scowl in his face.

"Zahra, please meet Mr.Joe Malroy and Ms. Alina Martinez whose wedding we will be planning. They are two important client for us. So make sure we please them. And Ms.Martinez, she is the best we have. I have already given details of her work. I hope you will be able to work with her splendidly" Mr.Butler finished her ranting while I tried to figure out a way to calm down.

"Ms.Martinez and Mr.Malroy, a pleasure meeting you. Mrs. Butler, I can take it from here"

Alina is an extremely vicious character. I figured it the minute Mrs.Butler left and how she started to talk to me condescendingly while Joe kept quite. She questioned me thoroughly on unnecessary information on horticulture, weather and god knows what more. At one point, it became too much to take.

"Ms.Martinez, sorry to bring this up, but if you aren't happy with me handling your event, we have other talented people here who will be happy to oversee it" and she went white in her face. May be I pissed her off.

"Did you manage Hanson's wedding?"

"Yes, madam. That was me"

"Then you will do mine though I have no personal likes for the likes of you" Ok, now she is getting personal.

"Alina, stop it" that was Joe, surprising me and Alina both at the same time.

"Did you see how she looked at you when she entered the room Joe? I will not tolerate such nonsense from anyone. You are nice enough to ignore her, but such gestures don't go unnoticed by me"

I felt really embarrassed. I should have had a better control of myself.

"Ms.Martinez, I worked once for Mr.Malroy. I was almost shocked to see him here. Nothing more to it" I told her, hoping this torture would end soon.

She really looked at me suspiciously, but I had so many emotions running in my head, and only prayed they wont show in my face.

I think somewhere down the meeting Alina cooled down, all the while Joe keeping his eyes away from me. There is no reason for him to feel like it is the end of time. I mean, I haven't hurt him. All I did was help him. But that's it. I never expected anything in return and I got nothing in return, not even a phone call. That's what hurt the most.

For about 6 months, I was totally disoriented. Too many things just kept disturbing me. But luckily when I am done with my interior designing course, I found an entry level job and from there I came here. I read about Stuart when he was dating Hollywood. Soon after he regain his rightful place, which is about 1 years time, he started appearing on tabloids again. I bought them, just to read about him. And I was genuinely glad he found his way back.

The man who shared my apartment is no longer visible. Instead, the man I worked for is back. But I wonder how I missed on his engagement. May be I was too busy to read the tabloids after that.

I moved from my apartment and now live close to my work in a nicer place as I can afford it. Over the years all my friends got married except for me. There are some men who had interests, but I cant get myself to like any of them. They kind of seem lifeless to me.

My mother and brother eventually stop coming when I moved in to the new apartment. That is not before breaking my home door and making my life a living hell for living in "sin" apparently. But this time they went too far by beating me. I called the police. There is so much my body can take. I have a small cut on my hand which  my mother made as she thought it is a wise idea to honor kill me. Unpleasant as it may sound, I got stronger after that. So the last 4 years have been a blessing. 

Regardless of many challenges from work and clients, I never changed my attire. I have no intentions of changing it either. Friends and work, life goes on.

"I got down the theme Ms.Martinez. I would like to take a look at the venue before I come up with design ideas" that is true.

"Since we are working together, you can call me Alina" 

I smiled. Eventually it all come back to that. 

" This weekend we are going to the estate. You can come with us. You need at least 2 days to see the mansion. It would be like paid holiday. I will arrange with Mrs. Butler"

I didn't have a choice. So I kept quite.