When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.
- Alexander Graham Bell
Tyler Sanders
What the hell was that?
The ominous question ran in my head, in circles for ten minutes since Claire walked out the room.
How could I let the situation get out of my hands?
I was supposed to be cool and calm. Never let emotions get to the head, but even, tough men failed to follow through.
Remorse shuddered through my body as I recalled what I asked her. I insulted her, judged her character, but I couldn't ignore the fact she was just a woman I knew for two months only.
Those who had been with me for a year even, failed to capture my trust, then how could I just give it to her? What was so special about her anyway?
At once, the image of Claire Bishop floated before my eyes. Her hair bouncy and chocolaty felt like silks upon rubbing them between my fingers, the mixed scent of her soap, shampoo and perfume always followed her, captivated me to just close my eyes and inhale.
When she lends down, her hair would always caress her nose, making her scrunch it up and blow it away. She never had her hair tied. Only once or twice, had I seen her hair tied. It always cascaded around her head and shoulders.
Then there were her plump lips that taste like ambrosia. Even thinking of her lips had a reaction from me. Her tanned freckle-filled skin never failed to tone down my attraction. It showed she was always the outgoing type. Totally opposite of me.
There were only a handful of times when I would get out. Other than business meetings at restaurants or parties related to my parents or my business. Maybe twice, I had gone out with Lydia, but that too had been for a short amount of time.
And even at that outing, women would get in my way. It was not like they weren't beautiful because they were. If I wanted, I could had called the number from when, a young woman slipped it in my pocket while I was waiting for Lydia to choose her iPad. I could had but never did it, because women were the most vile, manipulated beings.
If you showered them with a little bit of attention, they would throw their hook on us and bid us to do anything.
Though knowing Claire for two whole months, changed my view of women. It wasn't like all of a sudden, I started thinking women were saints. No, even Claire couldn't remove my whole view of women that had been building for six years, but she was changing it bit by bit.
Claire was a complex character for me. It was hard to determine what was in her head or what passes over her face. I had always been good at reading people, but when it came to Claire, I was back to kindergarten where I would just stare at people's face and never hear what they say.
Even though Claire was a puzzle for me from inside, she was a sight from outside.
Being celibate for four months was having a toll on me. I couldn't be in the same room as Claire without wanting to touch her smooth skin or kiss those juicy lips.
I remembered how nervous she was when she entered the room and it never failed to attract me. Her nervous demeanour always brought forth my instinct to show her another reason to be nervous. Reason that would've had us both laying on the love seat I was on at the moment and our clothes scattered on the floor.
The scene had me gritting my teeth and grip the seat on the other side of my legs, to stop me from finding that short brunette and rip her clothes apart to take her right then and there.
Fuck!
I breathed through my nose to rid of the thoughts, of her delectable body. Immediately, I remembered her face when she backed away from me, to walk out the room that sobered me up completely.
Claire's image changed in my head and the immediate tightness in my chest returned with full force. Instead of brown hair, it was red hair and instead of the hurt in her eyes, it was anger. Anger that drove away a certain woman years ago.
She ruined it for me. She would always creep in my head and plant a doubt whenever I got too close to a woman. And she was doing the same thing with Claire.
I couldn't let her get to me. I couldn't let her get to Claire. That---
Curving my hands in a ball, I stood up snarling. My fingers biting my palm but my mind was somewhere else. A rage unlike anything flowed through me, making me take long strides to my desk and search around.
Where was it? Where did I keep it? When was the last time I saw it? Last time I held it?
Papers and files organised in orders were now scattered around the maroon carpeted-floor. The drawers half open and things in it now joined the papers on the floor. Among them were a picture of a woman in her mid-twenties with hairs like chocolate, but I didn't give a second thought to it.
I was so into what I was trying to find, that I had forgotten what I already had.
Leaving the desk, I went to the bookshelves, throwing the books over my shoulder, not caring where they fell, not caring how ancient some were.
I had my eyes set on one thing and I wouldn't rest till I found it. Finally, my hand touched wood and I pulled the box from behind the long stack of books. The wooden box in my hands felt heavy and my shoulders sagged from the weight of the memories, emotions locked inside the square box.
Suddenly, my legs gave out and I dropped down. Turning around, I leaned back to the shelves and stared at the box.
Why did I keep it?
Having no answer to the question, I opened the box slowly and carefully as if something would jump out of it. Immediately, two golden metals glinted at me. I picked up the chain that had a pair of rings dangling from it. The engraved names on it were still clear and clean.
How could a woman who had the rings engraved with T&L forever, do what she did?
I palmed the wedding rings harder and the metals prickled my skin. Bringing them to my forehead, my other hand picked up the folded paper in the box. Smoothing out the paper, I read the bold letters on top of the paper.
Certificate of Marriage
It was supposed to be a blissful start of something, but within a year, all vanished. I left the paper on the carpeted-floor beside me to pick up the photo that lay inside the box.
So beautiful outside yet so rotten inside.
There was no picture of her hanging on the walls of this house. She loved hanging pictures everywhere but mostly her pictures. I had them all removed and burned. There were only two pictures of her. One was this and another with Lydia.
I stared back at the face of the woman who was ruining my present even if she was just dirt and bones beneath the soil. Seeing her smiling face broke my tired fatigue. Roaring, I stood up as I crumpled the photo with one tight fist and opened both my hands to get rid of the rings as if they burned me. The crumpled photo lay beside my feet and for good measure, I stepped on it. The rings fell from my hand and clanked with each other as they dropped on the carpet.
I didn't think after six years of loathing, I would still feel hurt. The rings, the certificate, the photo reminded me of the hurt, betrayal, death as if it had been only yesterday.
The feelings suffocated me and I couldn't go through with this again. Never again. No one could take her away from me. No harm would ever come to my Claire. She was mine and no stalker would do any harm on her.
Rummaging through my pocket, my hands met the cold surface of my iPhone. Scrolling through the contacts, I called Jax.
"Hey, boss." He picked up on the second ring.
"Did you find the fucker?" I snarled out, barely keeping my sanity in check.
"Not yet, boss." He informed. "He always manages to hide his face from the street cams."
"What about the schools CCTV footage?"
"I hacked into their files but it's the same. He had his face turned away." Jax answered.
Feeling pissed as hell, I spat out. "If you can't identify his face, then use his figure or clothes to find him. How the hell did you even become my informer?!"
"Boss, I just need time. That----"
"Jax! Get the job done as soon as possible." I threatened. "Don't make me wait any longer or else..."
I left it there and cut the call. Jax was smart enough to get the hint. If I had given importance to what Liam had said last week, I would've had the stalker's neck in my hands by now.
Last week, when Claire went to pick Lydia from the school, Liam had said he felt like they were being watched, but I dismissed it and labelled the stalker to be a curious reporter.
The next time this happened, Liam didn't even inform me, thinking the same. A curious reporter. I had yet to punch him for that. With the added jealousy, I was sure it wouldn't be the only punch.
But back to the point, if only that creeper followed Claire when she was with me, I would have caught him. But that coward never stalked her, when she was out with me.
Today was the third time. The phrase I knew in my heart, chanted in my head.
Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence and thrice a enemy's action.
Trying to keep my rage locked up, I walked toward the mess I made, in front of the bookshelves. I picked up the discarded rings, the certificate and the crumpled photo. I didn't want maids gossiping about unnecessary things when they clean up the room.
Revolving, I noted the desk. It was in chaos. I reached it and opened a drawer to drop the three vile things. Taking out my keys from my pocket, I locked the drawer. They shouldn't even be here. They should be burned. Making a note in my head to burn these things, I turned to walk out the room, but a sudden thing lying on the floor stopped me.
I crouched down and picked up the photo of Claire. Beautiful. With my other hand, I cleaned the imaginary dust from it.
She was hurt and angry with me.
I needed to mend the situation. I couldn't have her stay angry at me. Standing up, I put the photo on my table and strode across the room.
Stopping at the entrance of the dining area, I scanned it and called out. "Claire? Claire!"
For a moment, there was only silence then from the door that led to the kitchen, I heard the voice of my daughter. "In here. Mommy's in here."
My legs hesitated. I never stepped inside the kitchen. It was only once, last month when the interior designer showed me, the decor of the room. Other than that time, I never went inside. There were cooks and maids scampering around and whenever I visited, they would just stop and become statue which made me feel awkward. So I stopped visiting the kitchen altogether, but I had a feeling, Claire wouldn't come out of the kitchen for a long time. Thus, I made my legs to take large steps.
When I entered the kitchen, everything turned silent. Maids stopped doing their chores on the counters, cooks stopped cooking and Ms. Gemma stopped talking.
Sighing, I moved my hand in dismissal as I reached the granite countertops. "Please, as you were."
Slowly they started resuming their chores and I looked at my future wife and my daughter, eating burgers.
"Burgers? Again?" I couldn't help but ask. Even though they were good at taste, they were still unhealthy food.
"Oh, mommy made it healthy. It has green stuffs but still, it's sooo yummy." Lydia answered as she took a big bite.
I raised my eyebrows at Claire, but she ignored me and picked at her half eaten burger. Great, now she wouldn't talk to me. What did I do anyway? I was just being honest. Without having her investigated once again, I directly asked her. What was so wrong with that? I admit some might find my words harsh but I couldn't put my words in any other way.
I glanced at Lydia. "Is that so? Well then let me have a taste." I extended my hand, but she pulled her burger away.
"No daddy, ask mommy to share. I'm not sharing."
Shrugging, I just picked up Claire's half eaten burger to take a bite but Claire backed away her high chair and went around the countertops to the kitchen appliances.
Calm. Tyler, just be calm.
Still I took a bite and realised it was tasty but filled with veggies. Mostly spinach. Placing the burger back to the plate, I turned toward Claire who was whisking something in a bowl. "It's good."
But she didn't even nod. She just whisked harder. Was she planning to ignore me in front of all these people?
"Claire?" I softly called, aware of Lydia's eyes on us.
When she still kept silence, Lydia spoke up. "Mommy, daddy called you."
I glanced at my daughter to find her confused. Her eyes flickered between me and her mommy. I turned to my staffs and they had their head down, trying to be as quiet as possible. Moving my eyes back to where it was, I found Claire looking at me but her eyes wouldn't meet mine.
"What is it?" She finally spoke but her voice was tight.
"I said, it's good."
"Thank you." She said curtly. With that, she went back to whisking.
Running my hands through my hair in frustration, I started. "Claire, loo--"
Tersely, her eyes clashed with mine as she hissed. "I don't have time for this."
Widening my eyes, I looked back at Lydia to see whether she heard it or not and it looked like she didn't but her face was pulled together. Her sheepish eyes were on us. Even though she was trying to be discreet, she still failed.
Whirling around, I made my voice harder. "Claire!" Did she forget my daughter was in here? Watching us? "Can we talk outside?" I said through clenched teeth.
Claire just picked up the bowl and showed me. "As you can see, I'm busy so no."
That was it. She really crossed it. Just because I made her Lydia's mother didn't mean she would start acting like I didn't matter. I still owned this house and no one could deny me anything under my house.
I stepped toward her and took a hold of her arm as I leaned closer so that only she would hear me. It was a gentle but firm hold. "Did you forget my staffs and my daughter? My little girl is watching everything." I harshly said and on a second thought, I added. "You know what? Forget it. Be like this."
I pushed myself away and went to Lydia. I dropped a kiss on her head as I said. "Daddy's going out. I'll be back soon."
With a last harsh look at Claire, I stepped out of the kitchen, through the dining and out the foyer. I shut the main door with a loud thud and shouted. "Simon! Bring the car! Now!"
Within two minutes, he brought my everyday car but still, I didn't stop shaking.
How dare she acted like that? I was planning to explain. I was planning to be as polite as I could but she had to go and behave like that in front of my little girl and my staffs.
Climbing down the stairs, I opened the driver's door. "Out."
"But sir, I should--"
"I said, out!"
Immediately, Simon got out and I got inside. Soon, I was speeding through the busy streets of New York. After barely escaping contacts with two or three cars, I drove inside the parking area under my office building.
Working always helped me. It kept me from going insane. It kept me in check.
Clicking away the seat belt, I picked up the suit jacket from the back seat. There was always a extra jacket in my car. Simon always made sure of it. Locking the car, I marched to the private lift. I pressed my finger on the scanner and the lift opened.
Stepping inside, I pressed the button and took out my phone to check things up. I was sure, Simon already informed the office of my arrival. I was supposed to be at home for rest of the day but that didn't happen. I needed to cool down before I went home or else there would be a screaming session.
When the metal doors opened, I took a right turn and walked toward my office without stopping for anything but when I reached just outside my office where the reception was, I came to a halt.
"What the hell are you doing in my office?"
Neil Harris, the master of a business wrecker was leaning by the reception, twirling his fingers in hair. My secretary's hair, who was encouraging him. Of course, she would encourage. She encouraged any male body in this office but she was good at work. Only for that, she was still working under me.
"Aww, don't tell me you missed me that much." He said, with his irritating grin.
Last time I had met him, he was a mess trying to have a proper meeting with all of his clients. Even though after the incident with him and Lydia at the engagement party made me determined to terminate Harris-Sanders contract, I went to the meeting. Only in respect for his father.
After the death of Parker Harris, this was the first business meeting the new CEO, Neil Harris had held and remembering what a mess he was at handling the frustrated clients, I just knew the destruction of Harris Steel would soon follow.
Holding my right hand in a fist, I pointed my other hand at the direction of the public lift that was on the other side of the floor. "Out, Harris. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."
"Wait." He raised his finger and turned back to Mary, who was flipping her hair and blushing. "The number, sweetheart." When Mary slipped a paper to him, he winked. "Wait for my call."
I glared at him. "Can you not?! This is a workplace."
His behaviour was all over the newspapers. He was not fit to be a owner of a million-dollar company. He was not fit to take his fathers place but remembering his attitude toward the last time I had said anything about his father's place, I refrained from objecting my opinion.
Harris held out his hands, palm up and grinned. "So many beautiful ladies. Hard not to."
Rubbing my forehead, I started walking to my door and Harris fell onto my steps.
"Stop following and get out."
"Oh come on man, don't be like that." He whined. "My dead father spoke so highly of you...well when he was not dead of course. Anyway, I'm curious on what he saw in you."
I stopped mid-step, my hand on the door knob. I glanced back at him but he was normal. Well, as normal as he could be. He really was a changed man. Nevertheless, I still found this man very strange.
Shaking my head, I opened the door. "What are you really here for, Harris? You should be at your office, taking charge."
He entered the room and closed the door behind him. "Yeah, well about tha--"
I turned back to him and crossed my hands. "I'm not done." I scowled at him and he raised his hands in surrender. "Your company is really going down, Neil. Your clients are planning to sue you. I am planning to sue you."
That was true. I had been putting that off out of respect for his father. Again. Hell, there seemed to be many things I had been doing out of respect for Harris Senior.
"Now man, that's too harsh." He dropped at the black leather couch and pouted, making me more annoyed. When would he stop acting childish and act like a grown up?
"Neil! Do you even know how backed up your production is? I bet I know more about your business than you."
"Yeah, that's true. I know nothing about the place." He agreed, nonchalantly.
That irked me. Why wasn't he taking anything seriously?
"Then know the place, for fuck's sake!" I shouted, unable to control my emotions. What happened back at the house was still fresh in my mind and this, irresponsible overgrown boy showing up in my workplace didn't help my mood. At all. "My workers haven't received their materials for over a month now. I have contractions on hold because your company failed to provide. When your father was in charge, nothing was delayed. Nothing!"
This time, my words definitely hit a nerve. Replacing the playful face came a hard face. He glared at me as he bitterly said. "Well, we can't bring him back now, can we? Guess you're stuck with me."
I rubbed my hands over my face and sighed. How could I forget his father passed away only three months ago? And I just had to go and remind him all about his father.
"Look, Neil, I apolo---"
"Is that Cherry?" He cut me off before I could complete my sentence. Was he intentionally avoiding the topic of his parents death? He would bring it up easily but when others brought it up, he would switch back to something else. What was up with this guy?
When I failed to catch his words, I looked at what he was pointing. It was a picture of Lydia. She was four years old at that time. It was her first day at pre-school. She looked so happy for meeting new people. I wished I was there myself to see the moment with my own eyes rather than see it in a picture.
"How is she doing? Is she rebelling yet? Any boys?"
Turning back to the man who comes up with the most ridiculous things, I rolled my eyes. "She's six years old, you dumbass. Not sixteen. And what did you call her?"
"Cherry. It does have a ring to it, huh?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively and smiled widely. "Plus it's far more better than Ariel."
Neil Harris looked hideous at that moment. If girls saw him right now, they would label him as a creeper.
"No." I shook my head as I took a seat at one of the chairs, in front of my desk. "Ariel is more better. Cherry sounds like a nickname you would give to your girlfriend."
After a long pause, he waved his hands in front of him. "Ew man. That's a kids name for me. Your kid's name. Don't ruin it for me."
I rolled my eyes. How old was he again? Even Claire acted more mature than him. Remembering Claire brought forth how she acted earlier in the house. It brought the anger but more than that, it brought out the damn desire. She looked so fucking beautiful when she had her eyes blazing at me, her lips pulled together, her head straight, chest out trying to be taller than me.
Goddamn it. She was too damn beautiful for her own good and my good, if that even made sense. It was really hard being angry at her. Hell, I couldn't even say I was that angry with her. I was probably displeased and that was it. Though my behaviour toward her spoke different. I should really try to be in control more when it came to Claire but she messed up things in me. Already before we even married.
"Boo!"
I was ripped so hard from my mind that I would have fallen off the chair if I hadn't had a hold of the table edge. Wide eyed, I looked up and found the annoying face of Harris, just inches away from mine.
Instantly, I grabbed the crystal ball from the desk and raised it. "You ba..."
"Hey, hey! Hold up." He raised his hands, shielding his face as he backed away from me. "No need to be violent. It's not my fault you weren't listening to me."
I growled, taking deep breaths. I felt like I would have an heart attack. I threw the crystal on the floor, aware that it wouldn't break. I ran my hands through my hair and gripped them and growled again and again before I finally dropped back on the chair.
"Ahh, Sanders? Big guy? Why do I feel like it's not me, it's you?"
The look I send him could freeze the desert but in reality, all it did was broadened his grin and brightened his amusing eyes.
When only he got the same look in return, he widened his eyes and made a noise between a chock and a laugh. "No way! I got it now! From the moment, you arrived I knew there was something. You aren't even angry. Dude, you're frustrated. Like really frustrated. Like frustrated for a good old fashioned roll in the hay or a modern roll in the sheets."
Then he laughed, holding his stomach. And this time, I picked up the crystal and did throw it but with little bit of relief and a great deal of regret from me, Harris moved away, making the couch it's target.
"What the hell!"
"Harris, you better tell the real reason of your unwanted presence or else I'll have your ass thrown out immediately!"
"Jeez. Claire should really do something about this." He muttered, under his breath but in the silent room, I heard it well enough to pick up another item to launch at him. At the last moment, he raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! No more. I'll be serious. I promise. Jeez, does anyone know you're this violent? Hey..wha..? Ow! Ow! That hurt man. What is that? A pen holder? Really?!"
I sighed, feeling so tired all of a sudden. I came to the office to calm down but even here, I couldn't get the peace and calm. I covered my face, breathing in hard. Frustration rolling off me in waves. Of course, the guy would know. Even I knew what the main problem was but that didn't mean I would talk about it and that too with this guy? Never.
"Okay. I can see you have many things in your head so I'm going to be serious and just say it." Neil said, as he took a seat on the couch and rubbed the arm where the pen holder hit him. To be honest, I didn't feel sorry. He had it coming. After all, he was warned.
When I just kept on staring at him with a straight face, he continued. "Look, you know I can't handle the workplace. It's in uproar. Even though I have no interest in it, it belongs to my father and I'll keep the place alive for him, anyhow possible."
Parker Harris was a great businessman. He knew how to handle everything. He knew how to keep peace between his office and his clients. But his son turned quite different. Though, I could see great potential in him. He had a drive, a hungry drive. If he sets his mind on something, he would do it. Rough around the edges but not so useless after all.
"My father admired you. So I know there's something in you. That's why I'm here. I want to learn. I want to prosper the company to great heights, to achieve anything and you're going to teach me that." He said, slowly but with great conviction.
"Let me get this straight, you want to do internship with me?" I raised my eyebrow, making him squirm. "Is that what you are saying?"
He shook his head and stood up as his face took his usual relaxed expression. "No, no. That would put a dent on my reputation. What will people think? What will ladies think? That I need help? Please!"
"Technically, you do need help."
"Yeah, but they don't need to know that." He suggested, making me sit up straight and roll my eyes. "Let's keep it between us. I'll come to your office twice a week and you could come to mine, check out things and show what's wrong you know."
I listened attentively and nodded. "Fine. Let's say we did it but what will I tell my employees or the reporters who'll see you coming here?"
Suddenly he froze as if he didn't think about it earlier then he started pacing on the floor. "Shit. We need to tell them something or else they would think we have....something going on."
"Hey, I find my fiancée very attractive." I pointed out, with raised hands. "Very!"
Pacing stopped and turning, he rolled his eyes. "As if I don't know. It shows anyway. She's having a toll on you." He said as he grinned, suggestively and pointed to my groin area.
This son of a.....! Enough chit-chat with this overgrown boy.
Abruptly, I stretched my legs and stared him down. "We are going to say our company is bonding and we are working on new projects. That's it."
"That's fine with me." He agreed and strode to the door quickly, probably noticing my tight fists. "If that's all, I'm off. I got someone to call. I'll see you tomorrow."
Wrinkles appeared in my forehead as I said. "Mary's still working. She wouldn't be talking now."
He opened the door and glanced over his shoulder as he smirked. "Who said anything about Mary?"
Then the door closed.
This man had the hormonal drive of a teenager. But I should be more worried about my drive since it only speeds for only one woman.
One woman with hair like chocolate and who was currently, very hurt and very angry.
******