Chapter 2: Waiting for her

A whole month passed since that incident.

The employees were coming to the office like usual , work was going on its own pace ... Even there was a significant increase in the sales . There was nothing out of ordinary

Except the absence of Marie. There was not even a single letter from her . The absence of her didn't create any significant gap in anybody's life, it was as if she never existed.

"Don't you think Sir is being absurd? It was fourth time he asked me to redo the same thing without even seeing..."

"Yeah! Exactly, he is really being absent minded.."

"I think his health not okay. Yesterday he stumbled on the stairs,.. also he is walking a bit clumsily.."

"He is also not going home for several days".

" But also a few days ago he was going home hurriedly as if something important buisness to carry out.. but now it is like he had lost all hopes... For some reasons ...uh."

"He even sometimes speaks to himself. Day before yesterday, I came to his chamber, but he was murmuring in his sleep

'please forgive me..' " ..

"I think the root cause of all these things is his wife . Don't you know there's a woman behind every man's attitude".

"Yeah I guess it's true. I heard that the woman was born with a silver spoon. She only married Sir because she wants to gain attention by marrying the most eligible bachelor. "

"I also heard that she is a very vulgar woman who only tries to seduce rich man , even she had an affair in her school life . "

"Yes I heard that she diyched him because he was not worthy of her . "

" Maybe Sir's attitude changed because of her ... Oh our poor sir " ...

....

There was a bunch of office workers gathered near the cafe during the lunch time. These days the hot topic was about Marie .

There was nothing to get shocked by these words, since everyone knew what happened in the wedding. It was also released in the front page of the newspaper that the groom left the bride alone with a disgusting face .

Moreover, William never tried to subduethe rumours. He always felt it unnecessary. And everyone assumes that Sara is the one whom William loves . Sara always receives the utmost respect from the workers.

They always called her ' Madam' or 'Miss' but in case of Marie , it was ' Sir's wife ' . They never addressed her respectfully and always wished for their divorce .

"Oh my Sir and Miss Sara always looked so beautiful as if they are meant to be together."

" Yes you are right. Don't you see Sir's lovely gaze towards her . "

...

Rumours like this flowed non stop throughout the office. Assumptions that they made was not entirely incorrect

Neither of them had ever seen Marie in the office nor any family events . Moreover no one has the courage to ask William about her . So they kind of made assumptions by themselves.

****

Tom was standing there the entire time. His entire body was filled with raged but he choosed not to interfere because he alone can't subdue the rumours, only William can .

He went to the rooftop to get some fresh air and found William was sitting there alone on the floor busy looking at something.

Tom went near to him quietly as possible, and stood behind him. He found that William was just staring blankly at a ring .

Tom noticed that it was his wedding ring , the same on Marie's finger . He had never seen William to wear it , so what now ?

' What this bastard is trying to pull now ? Is he planning to throw it away? I better watch' ...

William was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't noticed the presence of Tom behind him.

Cold wind was blowing, touching his tip of hair making it flutter. His nose and finger tips were almost numb but he didn't bother to wear a coat.

He was just wearing a plain blue shirt with a white pants . He also put his shoes and socks aside.

The skin tone was changing to red. Tom thought that if he leave him like that he might freeze to death. He put his coat on him and told in a low voice..

"Sir it's freezing cold here . Make sure to wear something warm before coming here . And please wear your shoes , it looks like you will need some time to return to your body temperature."

William was dumbfounded to see Tom behind . He quickly put the ring into his pocket but show no willingness to leave .

"Tom you can leave now. I will come down after lunch and please cancel all my meetings after the office hours. Take your coat too ."..

"Sir I fear I can't. If I leave you for a half an hour also , you will freeze to death. You have already turned red.."

"Well that's not bad ...."

"Sir.." ..

"Tom answer me honestly, not as a subordinate but a human,as a friend. How will you feel when a person whose existence was nothing but a nuisance in your life , disappear s suddenly?...."

"It will feel nothing Sir . The person was a nobody, he /she will be like a season which has passed."

"So , I am feeling in this manner ? ..."

Tom couldn't control his expression. He was stunned to see the person whom he had always known to be hard as rock without even a single emotions, workalcholic , scaryboss to shred tears .

Yes , William was crying. He don't know the reason himself but he feels like the world is pulling him down . He feels an immense presence much more than gravity pulling him. His whole body was shaking - trembling with fear .

Yes he was afraid. He was afraid that Marie had left him , she had abandoned him.

Tom saw that the whole situation was going out of his hands . Some footsteps were approaching this side. It will be dangerous if someone sees him in this state .

He drag William inside . It was not at all easy for him but due to his good physique he was able to. He quickly turned on the heater and started to rub his hands which has lost its sense.

"Marie is not at home. She left .."

"Oh you are worried about that. Maybe she had went somewhere. Don't worry she will return."

"But a whole month has passed"

" Sorry you mean your wife has not returned home since a month.."

" Yes"

William thought that Tom might lashed out at him , but didn't. Tom who was always a calm boy could never do such things.

William then told everything happened since the past 3 months. Tom listened to everything and told..

"About that divorce papers which she left and her ring , what you did with those stuffs? "

"I had burned the documents already. And for the ring , "

he put his hand in his pocket and took out two rings both of same size .

"I can't wear the ring because it was small . The wedding was arranged hurriedly, the jeweller made it wrong size . Si I just kept it in my pocket."

"Did Marie knew about it? "

" No she asked me several times why I don't wear the ring .."

" May I know what answers you used to give ?"

" That's none of your buisness..."

William was answering as a robot. Tom found that his complexion had returned to normal.

"Sir it's time for meeting.."

"Oh yes . Sorry I wasted your lunch time. You can leave early today. And about what I told ..."

"Am I the first one to know this ??"

" No Ken knows too.."

Without any further delay, William left the room .

*****

Another whole month passed. Marie didn't returned. Same thing repeated itself everday . William sat on the rooftop and Tom used to drag him to the room .

"Sir , I think you should stop now. Yours health is not good at all."

"No I am fine Tom " ...

Over these past few months, they had grew up a lot closer. William told many more stuffs about Marie , her love for movies ,how she used to dream of a romantic love life and many more .

"Well Tom , do you think I am a bad person, so bad that my wife had left me ..."

'I guess you are ..' but he can't bring to say it to his boss.

"I know it was hard for you to manage the office works after marriage but I think you should be more polite towards Marie. Afterall she was your wife. "

******

" I am leaving you and never going to return. You made my life hell. I had already found a man who truly loves me. Goodbye forever, my fake husband. "

" Please don't go..." William suddenly jumped out of the couch.

'I fell asleep again . '

He was unintentionally watching a flim called" Calling off my fake marriage " , in which the heroine leaves her arrogant husband.

'This damn movie..'

He then glanced at the dinner table. There were two plates , one for him and the other one was Marie .

" What this nuisance brother ? You are just wasting food for someone who is not present. Come to your senses. If you really loved her ,you should atleast try to act properly." Ken told .

" No, you don't know . She will return. "

"Have you forgotten who her uncle is?"

William lowered his head and thought he is right. Her uncle is someone who can go to any length to protect his niece. He heard that he used to love his sister (Marie's mom) blindly , that when she married a daily wager , he was the only one who supported it.

Marie had lost her father in a car accident when her mother was 5 months pregnant with her.She lost her mother when she was only 3 months old , due to anaemia. Her grandparents also abandoned her thinking that she will only bring misfortune.

But her uncle was different. He raised her all alone like her own daughter. Her face resembled her mother so much , that seeing her he felt he was seeing his sister through her. He raised her well but never spoiled her .

All these things William heard from his father . He used to think that it was nothing since she atleast had a roof over her head and a rich uncle. But thinking now, he felt guilty.

He saw her face when she talked to his mother. She wanted to grow to close them. She never got a chance to call 'mother. ' or 'father ' . He can never understand her pain as he never cared about it , but thinking now his face turned pale .

'A life without parents and living with someone who can abandon me anytime..is really a..'

He then took his phone and dialed to his mother...

" Hello?"

" Mom, how are you ?"

There was silence from that side.

" Mom ."

" Will are you okay? You don't seem to be fine. What has happened? Are you sick?"

He never called his parents in his leisure. He always call them due to his work . He even don't talk random stuffs with them .

" Mom I miss you."

" Tell me Will is everything alright. Is there something bothering you at work ? Is it something I can help?"

" Mom, do I only call you for work... " ..

Mrs . Macharty was startled. His son William never called her or her husband for nothing. He was akind of son who used to give preference to his work more than anything. He was actually Obsessed with work , since his childhood days. He hardly talk with them. Last time it was less than a minute. She wondered what changed him .

Their conversation went for more than an hour. William wondered why he never talked with them apart from his works .

Their relationship changed...