Wish you the best

Rehua looked across the dense green forest.

His heart felt like a heavyweight, dragging him into a pit of despair.

The forest though, was a breathtaking and awe-inspiring sight to behold.

Towering trees rose high above, their magnificent leaves rustling ever so gently in the warm and gentle breeze.

The air was thick with the rich and earthy scent of pine, and the sweet sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing filled every corner of the forest.

A babbling brook flowed through the heart of the forest, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the dappled sunlight that filtered through the lush canopy above.

The forest was truly alive with activity, from the scurrying of small animals to the occasional haunting hoot of an owl in the distance.

It was a place of pure peace and tranquility, where one could easily get lost in the overwhelming beauty of nature.

Rehua longed to be back in the forest with her, exploring and discovering the secrets that lay hidden within.

But now, he was stuck in his office, his mind lost in the memory of her captivating green eyes.

It had been over a month since Hahana had left.

He looked down at the paperwork on his desk and pondered their last exchange.

the anger in her eyes as he made his plans known.

the longing in her actions as he packed his bags, threatening to do what in the end only she was strong enough to do.

he sighed looking back to the forest outside of his office window.

"This is what you wanted isn't it Rehua!?" She had cried out angrily the night before she left.

'It's not what I want' He had wanted to say but his pride would never allow him to.

It was all his fault.

He had been ignoring her for months, maybe even years and she had had enough.

It had started during their university years.

His study took priority over his girlfriend.

which turned into his internship taking priority over his fiance.

which led to his work at the company taking priority over his wife.

She asked him for one night.

one night to try and fix their marriage.

one night for her.

and he had forgotten.

he'd been so consumed by the upcoming meeting with their clients that he had forgotten his own wife.

By the time he remembered she had already left the restaurant.

and he continued to ignore her.

not wanting to fight, only pissed her off ore to the point where he finally reacted.

and he reacted badly, threatening to leave her to shut her up as he did so often.

But this fight was different.

she was different.

"You're never going to see me are you Rehua?" She had asked him through sobs.

"I see you Hahana." He had sighed, tired from the arguing.

tired from work.

He had been so exhausted.

"No, you don't. You don't see me." She sniffled stepping up to him.

"I see you Rehua." She had said cupping his cheek, trying to draw his attention to her.

"I see all of your efforts, all of your downfalls. all of you and I love you." She said softly.

" Hahana, I don't have time to deal with your flip-flopping emotions." He had hissed pushing her away.

'Why did I push you away?' he thought bitterly, wishing he could take back those actions.

"That's just it Rehua. Tonight, every night before this. you never have the time. and I've used all of mine waiting."

She packed her bags and he felt numb watching her do so.

"I'll be gone in the morning." and she was.

He sat at his desk looking over the paper.

divorce papers as it were.

He bit the inside of his cheek as he let his finger glide over her signature.

'So, this is it my love.' he thought solemnly as he moved to grab his pen.

he held his hand over the line, which was intended for his signature, the pen flooding ink over to a dark blot on the pristine white of the paper below.

Soon it was not inky droplets alone on the paper but clear as well.

He touched his face and realized it was his tears dripping onto the paper sullying it with his fears and trepidation.

his regret.

He took a deep breath, steadying his shaky hand and clearing his throat, attempting to sign once more.

but he couldn't.

He couldn't for the same reason he couldn't leave.

He still loved her.

His mind was sent back to a time before.

when they were so young and naive.

When He had first met her.

They were children, sitting beside each other as they painted in class.

"Hey, you took my pencil." He pouted, the girl with bright green eyes beside him looked at him doe-eyed and confused.

"I-I did? 'm sorry I didn't mean to!" She said quickly shoving his pencil back to his side.

"It's okay....we can share." He offered, looking away as he blushed profusely.

"Ooooh Rehua has a girlfriend!" Tama shouted, making the class erupt in laughter.

"Shut up idiot she's not my girlfriend." He huffed crossing his arms.

The girl stared at him and he couldn't help but continue to blush as she did so.

she was so pretty.

"I could be your girlfriend." She beamed after a beat, and Rehua felt like his head was going to explode.

He laughed despite his tears at the memory.

The start of everything had been a simple pencil.

He looked at the picture of his wife on his desk and thought fondly of when they had officially started dating in high school.

"You'll love me forever huh?" He asked teasingly one afternoon as they walked back side by side, his best friend Tama a few steps behind them with his girlfriend.

Rehua threw his arm around her shoulders, showing her a side of him only she had ever known.

"I said I would, didn't I?" She blushed, looking at her feet.

"Then I'll believe you." He said lifting her chin to meet his gaze.

her eyes widened and he allowed himself to get lost in those deep green eyes.

"Will you love me forever?" she asked softly.

Innocently.

Like his answer held her whole heart.

And at that moment it probably did.

"And even after that." He answered aloud to himself in the solitude of his office, casting away the memory.

He moved the divorce papers to avoid sullying them anymore, placing his stationery in front of him in its place.

'Dear Hahana.' he started.

He was never any good at vocalizing his emotions, but perhaps in this last-ditch effort, he could try.

for her, he would try.

'Dear Hahana,

I truly hope you have been well.

I have never been good at expressing myself, a fact you alone know the greatest.

I miss you.

When you had left, half of me thought it was in your best interests to do so, that you were doing what I could never be strong enough to allow.

That it was the right thing to do.

but the ache in my heart begs to be healed by you.

I long for so much more, and it's selfish of me I know...but I burn for you in a way I thought I never could Hahana.

I wish you had never left.

I wish we had never argued.

I wish I had listened to you when you tried to communicate the way you felt.

Without you everything feels wrong, everything is hard and confusing and I honestly feel like I'm drowning under the expectations of the Company and you were the only one that made me feel like I was enough for the job.

I miss everything you did every day for me, for the family for everyone- you truly are an amazing woman and I can't express just how much I mean when I say that you are everything to me Hahana.

I wish I could tell you that I hope you are happy without me like you had always said you would be.

I know you didn't mean it when you would say it.

I know you were just crying out for me to listen and hear you.

I heard you.

But I never truly listened, and now that these conversations eat at my mind...

I'm listening now.

I wish I could say that I hope you find happiness wherever you have gone to.

I wish I could say that and mean that Hahana but I can't because I wish you were with me.

Whether that was here, in our home, or out there, I wish I was with you

I wish every smile you show was directed at me, again.

I wish I could give you everything you deserve in this world.

I wish you all the happiness I know you deserve.

I wish you would come home.

I miss you,

Please, come back to me.

Please come home.

Yours, always

Rehua.'

He looked over the letter and found his eyes traveling back to the forest outside of his window.

The green mirrored her eyes.

the eyes he couldn't help but get lost in when he truly looked at her.

'when was the last time I truly looked at her?' he thought to himself as he placed his chin on his hand as he continued to get lost in thoughts of her.

suddenly the weather outside turned and it was pouring rain outside. And he was reminded of her tears as the rain dripped from the trees.

The tears he caused.

The tears he had ignored for years.

in his search for power and status, he had forgotten just who had helped him get there.

and now he sat at the top.

but he sat there alone.

Rehua felt a sharp pang in his chest as he imagined the disappointment etched on Hahana's face.

It was a look he had seen before, but this time it cut deeper than ever before.

He knew he had let her down, and the pain he felt was almost unbearable. He couldn't seem to shake off his own emotional turmoil as he sat there, feeling lost and alone.

He reflected on his behavior, he realized how much he had neglected Hahana's emotional and physical needs.

He had been so consumed by his own troubles that he had failed to notice how much she was hurting.

He had taken her for granted, assuming that she would always be there for him no matter what.

But now he realized just how wrong he had been.

He felt a wave of regret wash over him as he thought about how he had treated her.

He had been selfish and thoughtless, and now he was paying the price for his actions.

He wished he could turn back time and make things right, to show her how much she meant to him.

He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to make amends and build a stronger, deeper relationship with her.

He would do whatever it takes to earn back her trust and her love.

In whatever form they may come to him.

He screwed up his letter and threw it across the room.

He could give this to her.

This would be his last act of kindness for the woman whom he loved.

perhaps the only woman he would ever love.

he could do this for her because he loved her.

He would give her the freedom she needed.

the freedom she deserved.

the freedom she was asking him for.

to be rid of him like the plague he truly was.

He jotted down a much shorter letter, his mind clear and cold as he picked up the divorce papers once more and signed them everywhere he needed to before placing them in the envelope.

"Julie."He called his secretary.

"Yes, Mr. Aramoana?"

"Deliver this to my wife."He said handing her the envelope.

"Of course Mr Aramoana."

"Also, Pick up my order from the baker downstairs and the florist from around the corner. deliver those too."

"Yes sir."

Rehua sat in his office for a moment feeling just how cold it was without even the smallest reminder of his wife.

he stood up, loosening his tie before he made his way downstairs himself.

He stepped out of the building and made his way to the forest beside their complex.

He kicked off his shoes, rolled his pants up to the knee, and shrugged off his blazer.

As Rehua made his way through the small dense forest, his mind was plagued by a whirlwind of emotions.

The weight of his past was heavy on his heart, and the memories of his time with Hahana only added to his burden.

His thoughts were consumed by their separation, and he found himself replaying every moment and every word that had been exchanged between them.

Regret flooded his being as he wished he had handled things differently.

He longed to turn back time and make things right, to hold her in his arms once more.

But he knew that was impossible.

He had to live with the consequences of his actions and find a way to move forward.

As he journeyed deeper into the foliage, Rehua couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

His senses were heightened, and he remained on edge, ready for any danger that might come his way.

Yet, amidst the tension and anxiety, he found solace in the beauty of the forest.

The soft rustle of leaves, the gentle chirping of birds, and the warm sunlight filtering through, droplets of the rain that had passed only moments before still falling from the leaves.

The trees all served as a reminder that there was still beauty in the world, even amidst the pain and turmoil.

Rehua's thoughts were a complex mix of emotions as he continued his journey.

He was haunted by the past, yet hopeful for the future.

His regret was palpable, but so too was his determination to make amends.

He remained resolute in his quest to find a new path forward, one that would bring him closer to his true purpose in life.

It was a journey filled with uncertainty, but he was ready to face whatever lay ahead.

He would move on with his life so that she could move on with hers.

He was ready to let go of his wife.

Hahana sat in her office looking over the day's paperwork and sighed.

"Doctor Aramoana, to reception A" She was called over the intercom.

She frowned in confusion quickly making her way down when she paused seeing familiar striking red hair.

"J-Julie?"

"Mrs. Aramoana, these are from your husband." She said politely.

"Ah. thank you, sorry to have troubled you with delivering them yourself." Hahana

said softly.

"No bother at all ma'am." She nodded

politely before she made her way out of the building again.

She looked over the bouquet and sighed.

They were her favorite.

The food was even her favorite from the bakery at the ground level of her husband's company.

'If that fool thinks flowers and pastries will change my mind.' she thought, anger swelling in her chest.

But when she opened the envelope she gasped, dropping the flowers and food to the floor.

He had signed the forms.

He had signed their divorce papers.

She felt her heart sink at the realization that he was not going to fight for her.

She shook with anger and betrayal, leaning on her desk as she felt lightheaded.

When she saw the last page she froze.

there were tear marks on the paper.

There were a lot of dried-out tear marks on the page.

Rehua, The infamously cold, callous, and stoic businessman

had wept for her.

and he still signed the forms.

Regardless of how he had felt.

A piece of paper fell from the forms and she frowned plucking it cautiously from the floor, eyeing it in confusion.

'My Dearest, Hahana

I see you.

And I wish you all the best.

Yours forever, and even after that.

Rehua.'

she followed the line.

'Yours forever, and even after that.'

she let the tears fall freely as she clutched the letter to her chest.

Hahana felt deeply disappointed with the way Rehua had treated her throughout their marriage.

Despite her unwavering dedication to him, he had consistently neglected her emotional and physical needs.

This left her feeling unappreciated and unsupported by her husband.

However, she remained resilient and strong, determined to make the best of the situation.

Hahana had hoped that one day, Rehua would realize the error of his ways and make amends for his past mistakes.

But he hadn't.

He had allowed her to fall into a deep depression, this divorce being her only hope of a reprieve.

She needed this.

She had lost herself in her husband.

She had lost herself in the toxic relationship and he was giving her the freedom that she needed.

they had fond memories of course,

But they had been so overshadowed by his neglect in his journey for more.

She was not without guilt in that as she had allowed him to sideline her time and time again.

it became a habit.

It became a habit to place her and their relationship to the side.

until she couldn't take it anymore.

and now he was giving her the one thing she needed.

for them both to be able to heal.

she smiled sadly before looking out the window.

The hustle and bustle of the city below is a constant reminder of the fast-paced nature of urban life.

Amidst the chaos, however, a serene and tranquil sight catches her eye.

A solitary Pohutukawa tree stands tall, its red flowers moving gently in the breeze.

Hahana can't help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over her, as she reminisces about the Christmas festivals of her childhood.

Festivals she would go to with Rehua.

The beauty of the tree is undeniable, but there's a tinge of sadness in her heart as she realizes just how fleeting the tree's beauty truly is.

The flowers will soon fall, leaving nothing behind but memories of their brief, yet exquisite existence.

It's a reminder that life is fleeting and that we must cherish the beauty of each moment before it's gone.

He did this because he heard her.

He finally heard her and was giving her not exactly what she wanted, but what she needed.

He did this for her, silently telling her that he would no longer stand in her way.

"Thank you, Rehua."She said to herself in the solitude of her office.

She looked at their wedding photo on her desk and smiled down at it fondly.

As she finally let go of her husband.

#

End