Yours, Eternally

Nineteen

The morning work shrivelled to nothing as my head was shrouded with thoughts of Nathan and Aurelia. Though it was pathetic, I managed to get minimal work done through the afternoon. I had hoped to have lunch with Nathan but was later informed that he'll be having his over a business discussion.

Feeling the air get unbearably still in this office, it felt as if it was closing on me. I made my way over to the personal pantry, one that was well furnished and clean, only to see Timothy preparing a cup of tea. An exorbitant tea, no doubt.

"Is this for Nathan?" I asked, hoping that it was indeed, for him. I needed an excuse to see him. Afterall, despite being his girlfriend, we were still restricted to a professional relationship. There was no way that I could stroll into his room without a reason.

"Yes." He answered.

"I'll bring it in. There's something that I'd like to ask him."

"Sure." He handed the cup over with a comforting smile on his face. By the looks of it, he knew what was going on.

"Thank you." I said, before heading over to the office, taking a deep inhale and exhale in hopes that it will calm my heart. As I pushed through the doors, the sight of a Nathan going through the stacks of files made me beam. 

Just a look of him warmed my soul. He, who was still oblivious to my arrival continued drowning his head in the piles of papers.

"Who's she?" I asked, prompting him to stop his scribbling as I placed the cup in front of him; hoping that I didn't sound too concerned. Nathan looked up and made his way to me, attempting to wrap his arms around me. But I dodged away.

The first reason was the curiosity I held for the conversation he had with Aurelia, and the second, I was frightened that his touch would melt away the concerns I had, preventing me from asking the needed questions.

Sighing, Nathan plopped down on the black couch situated against the wall, patting the seat next to him. Reluctantly, I sauntered over, hearing the crinkles of the leather skin as I sat.

"I need you to trust me, Ava." Nathan said, engulfing my hand in his.

"Then tell me who was she."

As with Nicholas, there was much that wasn't known about him. The gossips that surfaced in the daily news isn't reflective of who he was pertaining to the secrecy of his private life. I needed to know more.

"Alright." His voice wavered a little while gazing at our intertwining fingers. "Remember the time when I told you that my parents were divorced?"

I nodded my head, reminded of the conversation that dampened the birthday dinner.

"Technically, they are 'divorced'." He continued. "My mother, Diana Bailey was the only daughter to Victor. They were wealthy. And as for my dad, he wasn't so. James... was his name. Victor wasn't particularly excited when he got to know that his daughter was marrying a nobody."

"Victor?" I asked.

"My grandfather." He replied, causing me to nod knowingly. "But with much persuasion from my mother, he relented, but only on the condition that he takes up the Bailey's name. Their marriage was a hard one. Victor loathed my birth and my father. I remember every word he spoke to my dad, the hardship that my father had to suffer. You should have seen my parents, Av. I bet they would have loved you just as much as I do. I remembered their expression of love not just to me, but also between themselves. They were the ones that built this company to what it was today, not me."

"When was just about the age of eight, I remember my mom looking extremely distraught that morning. Her eyes were filled with so much pain and unbelief when she broke the news that my dad was dead. We didn't know how it happened. There were no signs of struggle nor marks left on his body when he was found in the office. But eventually, the autopsy revealed that the main cause was poisoning."