Della and Jim

Della and Jim Part IV

Jim returned home, trudging, extremely exhausted. The hangover that day had a horrid effect on him. It was his first day as CEO and Christmas Eve, and he had stayed in his room the whole day, afraid that his staff would see him in his terrible state. He had barely gone through the stacks of documents about the company's revenue, documents for his signature and many other more.

"Darling, you're back," Bella purred. She had surprisingly forgiven him for the remarks he had passed the previous day.

Jim did not reject her. He needed a source of comfort and Bella would provide him with consolation and understanding. She knew him the best; moreover she was his first girlfriend.

Throwing his suitcase aside, he sat down at the dining table. He hoped that Della was still at their dilapidated "home". He had bought this posh apartment and planned for it to be a surprise for Della two years ago, but he decided that Bella and him deserved it more when it had been built.

Bella had whipped up a spread for Christmas eve: steak, soup, fish fillet, chicken chop, salad and crème brulee. The foods whet his appetite and gulped it down. As usual, they chatted about all kinds of things.

At the end of the meal, Bella looked at him awkwardly.

"What's wrong?"

Bella silently handed him a brown envelope.

Opening it hurriedly, Jim's jaw dropped as he saw that it was a divorce letter from Della!

"No way I'm divorcing you!" he exclaimed.

Bella looked at him, tears in her eyes, and said, "If you do not love her why do you not divorce her?"

"Her Dad's fortune," he said.

"I get it. It's just an excuse. You still love her! You've been toying with my feelings. You still love her over me!" Bella screamed accusingly.

"No...I..." Jim stuttered.

Bella got up and ran into the room, slamming the door in Jim's face.

"Bella! Bella listen to me! Bella!" Jim pleaded, rapping the door desperately. However, he only heard sobbing sounds.

He collapsed on the floor. He had lost Della, now Bella? He was caught in a dilemma. Fortune or love?

After a while, the door opened. He walked up to Bella, but she turned away defiantly and headed towards the door.

"Bella, don't leave me," he said.

"Go back to Della, since you love her so dearly. Now I know how you truly feel."

"It's not that. If I inherit her father's fortune, we'll be able to lead a luxurious life, where money can be spent like water! Do you not get it?"

"It's not money I want. I want a title as you wife, a confirmation that you are the one I love! You are already a CEO, is that not enough?"

Bella looked at him longingly, and seeing his hesitation, dashed out of the house.

Jim, overwhelmed by his emotions, ran after Bella and declared, "I'll sign it! Come back!"

Bella stopped in her tracks and eyed Jim suspiciously. Jim brought out the divorce papers and a pen. "I'm signing them."

Without thinking, Jim signed the papers and posted it.

Bella, still a little angry with Jim, asked, "Are you really faithful to me?"

Jim nodded his head vigorously. Bella, beaming, returned home with him.

That night, after Jim had fallen asleep, Bella reached for a glass and a bottle of wine. Seated on the rattan chair on the balcony, she sipped some wine from the glass. She smiled and gazed at the night sky studded with stars. Deranged was the gleam from her ice-blue eyes. Her long fingernails tapped the keyboard on her phone furiously, and the message to Timothy read: Job done.

A minute later, her phone lit up and the reply was: Usual place. Arrangements have been done.

Timothy was a man of wit, she knew. A loving father, yet calculating, sly and could read her like a book. Unwillingly, she would have to obey him and leave the country, never to return.

She sat on the bed next to Jim, and stroked his hair tenderly. Her gaze hardened as her fingernails curved around his neck, but the message on her phone rang in her head and she resisted the temptation.