12 Dark Green Eyes

I walk and walk, not stopping, not looking. I look down watchinf my legs pace forward in a hurry and the tears in my eyes falling continuously, making my vision blurry. How did I end up here? Things are so complicated. I hate it. I have had a very simple and invisible life till I was married to this stranger. I had the perfect life then and now my life is anything but perfect. I sit down at the side of the road, hugging my knees.

When the sun falls down and it becomes dark I realise I should go home now, Nathan's family would be worried as I left so abruptly. I doubt he would feel anything by my absence. I shake that thought away, its no use thinking about it, things are going to turn out the way they are supposed to so I am going to leave it at that.

I observe the neighbourhood I ended up in. It is new, even Nathan's neighbourhood is unfamliar to me yet so it's going to be difficult to find my way back home. I take a few turns hoping to find the road that leads back to his house but I am unsuccessful. After a few miles of more walking my legs give up completely. I am utterly exhausted and decide to sit in a lone park bench. I am hoping Nathan would come and find me because I am completely lost and there is no-one here to ask the directions to. Behind me I hear engine rumbling and tyres screeching against the asphalt but I don't have the energy to turn around. My limbs are hurting and my eyelids are heavy. I have not eaten anything for a long time, that's why body is giving up.

I hear footsteps approaching me and when they are just lingering over me, I decide to turn around. I sigh a relief when I see Nathan standing there with a stone face. I can't tell whether he is angry or frustrated.

"Hey," I say in a weak voice.

"What are you doing here?"

"I needed some air." I turn my head away from him, looking at the lone and silent park.

"Let's go." He says and walks back to the car. I pull myself with whatever energy was left in me and follow him to the car. I practically throw myself in the passenger seat of the two seater. Without saying another word, he starts driving. Neither him nor I talk during the short ride. When we reach his home, Anna and Venessa meet us outside with concerned expressions.

"April, where did you go darling?" Anna asks me with a hug. She looks behind at Nathan then turns her gaze back to me.

"It's okay, come on let's eat." Venessa steps in.

"She's not hungry," Nathan says sternly and grabs my wrist. He manhandles me to his room and pushes me inside. He pins my hands to the wall and comes dangerously close to me.

"Care to explain what the fuck happened?!" he yells at me. I look up to see his eyes, they were same as I saw in my dream. I flinch as they try to make eye contact with me.

"I'm sorry," I say in a low voice.

"You're sorry?!" he says and tightens his grip on my wrists, his nails digging in my flesh. I close my eyes to bear the pain. "Look at me!" he ordered.

"You are hurting me, Nathan!" I say, "Let go of me!" He let go of my hands but doesn't move away. I feel his hands trailing up my palm and intertwining our fingers so that I'm not able to move.

"P-please Nathan, let go of me. I won't do it again." I repeat trying to get out of his grip. He was reminding me of my nightmare again and I hate it.

"Do you know what could have happened if I didn't find you?!" he continue to yell at me, "Do you know how much worried my family was?!!"

"Were you worried?" the words left my mouth before I know it. But I wanted to know.

"Oh yes, course! After all you are the apple of my eyes!" he says sarcastically, "Hell no! I was worried if the media found you crying somewhere then my father had to bear the loss!! Venessa explained everything to you this morning yet nothing goes in your damn brain! How are you so fucking naive, April?!"

Tears dwell up in my eyes but I continue to stare at him with my glossy eyes. His green eyes met mine and their colour changed to beautiful green. Did he just feel bad for what he said?

"I'm sorry," I say to him again. He lets out a deep sigh and lowers his head, his soft hair tickles my neck. I move my face so as to maintain a little distance from him but he's too close to me.

"I'm giving you last chance, Grey!" he looks at me. I blink two-three times and give him a small nod.

"Don't nod at me! Say it!"

"I will remember," I say.

"What?"

"Not to walk around like this without informing you," I say.

He releases me and looks at me again, "The problem is not you walking around the neighbourhood. It is you crying in the middle of the road."

"How did you even know I was crying."

"Look at your face, anyone would know you were. The media is going to drive us both crazy tillthey know the real reason you were crying, if they saw you. Just pray to God that they didn't. Now go and eat something."

"What about you?"

"Why do you seem so concerned, April?" he furrows his brows at me, "Don't you want me to starve to death so that you get all my money?"

I stand there looking at him for a while. Wow, his hatred for me is beyond infinity. I sit down on the couch and pull up legs so that they hug my chest. I lean my head back and stare at the ceiling. I'm startled by that knock on the door and get up to open it. It's Anna.

"Hi," I say to her.

"Darling, are you okay?" she cups my cheek.

"Yes,"

"Where is he?" Anna asks me. I look around and realise Nathan had left the room.

"I don't know," I almost whisper.

"Darling, what happened?" she pulls me to sit beside her on the bed, "Why do you look so lost? Did Nate say something to you?"

"No," I lie.

"Then what is it?"

"It's just that I..." I trail of.

"Yes," she urges me to continue.

"I miss mom," I say which is the truth, "I miss dad."

"Come here," she takes my hand and makes me lie my head on her lap. I hesitate but she keeps her hand on my head, "I know how hard it is to adjust to so much so suddenly, darling." she strokes my hair and I relax under her touch.

"I don't know what goes on with him," I confess.

"Hmm, he is a bit complicated. But he is a good person. I want you to trust him, darling. He will die but he will never break that trust. I can promise that."

"I will try,"

"That's all I'm asking, love." she tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, "Come on now, I know you are hungry."

I nod and get up from her lap. "You know he hasn't eaten anything either. He was so worried that if something happens to you." she says. But I knew that he was worried if something happens to his father's reputation.

We walk downstairs and find Nathan and Venessa on the dinning table. They were talking as he ate his food.

"April!" Nathan smiles at me, "Come eat with Nathan,"

I sit down beside her and one of the servants serves me a plateful of food. Saliva fills my mouth as soon as I see food. My meal gets finished in seconds as I was so hungry. I keep my plate in the kitchen and walk towards the living room where Robin, Anna, Nathan and Venessa are sitting. I feel awkward to walk in on them like that.

"Come on, April, join us!" Venessa pulls me to her side. I give her a smile and sit beside her.

"April, Nathan," Robin starts, "I would like you both to come to my office tomorrow so that we can finalise registrations of this marriage."

"Whatever!" Nathan says and gets up. He walks upstairs and I follow him. We enter the room and suddenly I have a flashback of what happened. I look at my wrists which were still red. Man, it's going to be difficult adjusting with him.

In the morning when I get up, Nathan had already left for office. Apparently he had an early morning. I go downstairs for breakfast which is already ready and served on the table.

"Good morning, ma'am," a lady smiles at me, "I'm Mary the house keeper here."

"Oh, good morning," I say, "I'm April Grey. I'm..." I trail off thinking what I am exactly.

"I know you are the newest member of our family, ma'am." she says, "Come sit, breakfast is ready."

"Uh, thank you!" I give her a small smile.

"Call me if you need anything,"

"Sure." I eat my breakfast in complete silence. After eating I go up to my room to get dressed. I open the closet and search for something formal. I settle down for a white dress. I hear a knock on the door, it's Mary.

"Yes?"

"Ma'am, I have to clean your room," she says in a sweet voice.

"Oh yes, please come in." She gives me a smile and I get in the washroom to get dressed. I reach Nathan's office around 10 and my dad was waiting for me outside.

"Daddy!!" I squeal and run into his arms just like a little girl.

"Hello my baby girl!" he smiles at me and engulfs me into a big bear hug. I feel coming back to life! I missed him so so so much.

"How are you, love?" he brushes my hair.

"I'm okay," I give him a cheeky smile.

"Ah, it feels so good to see you again! Your mother is the most boring person in this world and now I'm stuck with her." he rolls his eyes making me laugh.

"Do you mind if I come home with you after office?"

"Sure, darling. I would love it. And your mom would be happy too."

"Alright then it's decided I'll go home after this registration work is done." I chirp as we enter the building. My father presses the button to the 50th floor where his new office might be.

"So, did the merger go alright?" I ask him.

"Yes, absolutely." I don;t ask any further because honestly I don't care. As long as my parents are happy with the profits who cares about the merger.

"Dad can I ask you something?" I say after a moment of silence..

"Yes love, anything."

"Can't I just divorce him? Not right now, after sometime, like an year or so?" I say in a low voice. Silence falls and I stare at my dad, expecting him to say yes. My dad stays silent till we reach our floor.

"Nathan's room is to the left," my dad says avoiding my gaze. I sigh and pace towards my husband's room.