Once His Wife

His New Assistant

"Love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be."

-Nicholas Sparks, Dear John

Nathaniel

"I live just two blocks away."

Chassie nodded meekly and kept her eyes on the car window as if it was more interesting than me.

Is it?

I frowned at the inner voice. She's just discomfited - her index fingers are in a shaky fidget so I can say so. The russet shades on her cheeks bestows me so much than I can remember.

Though the road was overwhelmed by the screeching traffic, it doesn't irate me as it does on every other days... when I don't have my ex-wife sitting on the passenger seat. I tried to focus on my driving but the road is a prosaic view I've ever have to keep my eyes on since I learned how to drive.

"How are things with you?" I asks, trying to make a reciprocal conversation with her.

She turned to me, uncertainty curtains her face. "I've been doing great. Thank you."

I try not to groan out of disgruntlement. "Good."

Chassie half-smiles and decided to zone out to another dimension again.

"Well, aren't you going to ask me?"

It made her snap her head to me, eyes distending with agitation.

"For old time's sake," I mumbled with a smile.

She gulps and shrugs as if to shake off the nervosity. "How have you been, Nathan?"

The smile extended further on my face. "I've been good - if late nights and hectic days are a good thing," I quipped.

Chassie chortles quietly.

Her phone rang which she immediately answered. As she do so, her face softens. "France. Yes, please."

I rolled my eyes. It's just the prick. I can't believe she nicknames him, too. 'France' is not even a good one. It sounds like a bimbo's name.

"Hi," she giggles. "How are you doing?... In English." Mellifluence geysers in her voice. "Yeah? Just stay out of trouble, okay?"

The traffic light is on the stop sign which gave me enough time to spare her a surreptitious glance whilst she's so engrossed with the phone call. Why the hell does she baby talks to him?

"Bye. I'll see you later."

The light struck green so I instantly shifted my gaze back to the road. "You spoil him this much?"

She crane her neck to face me, eyes twinkling even in day light. "I don't know. I just don't notice it like others do," she snickers.

My lips couldn't be budge to at least sport a forced smile. "He must be sweet and everything."

"You have no idea. He's so much more." Her soft laugh thawed me.

I got overwhelmed by something that feels like a blow from a wrecking ball.

Chassie turns to me, stars gathering up in her hazel eyes. "He's more than I could ever ask for."

Lame bastard.

"You're saying something?"

Holy s**t. I said it out loud. "No."

I'm relieved she just shrugged it off and continued raving about the scumbag.

"He's the best years of my life," she smiled down to her fingers.

I gripped the wheel tighter in chafe. "So, you guys are taking it slow?"

'Years. She doesn't want to make the same mistake she did with you.' Another voice resounded in my head.

"Huh?" She asks, utterly befuddled.

My brows creased together. "We're talking about your boyfriend, right?"

"Oh." Chassie look perplexed. "Francesco," she nods slowly.

"Yeah. Why? Were you not talking about him?"

She blinks. "I-I was."

Though a little skeptical, I just let it slide and pulled over the parking plot. Whether I like or not, we just made it to my condominium building. I opened the car door for her and ushered her to the establishment.

"Forester Condominium Building," Chassie murmurs to herself.

I have to put an arm around her waist since she's spacing out again. I'm glad I did or she'll bump into a swad of giggling women walking past us. "Careful," I whispered closer to her ear than I intended.

I felt her shivered.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't looking," she mumbles, darting her eyes away.

A smirk threatened to stretch my lips. "I know."

"Mr. Forester," the receptionist smiled at me and briefly examines the woman beside me.

I give her a small smile and led Chassie to the elevator. Her flushed cheeks indicates how uncomfortable she is with my hold on her. Too bad I like her blushing.

She stepped in, peeling herself off the closeness between us. I followed suit, pressing the button on the control panel.

I almost hear the crickets chirping figuratively. It's so damn quiet. "Say something." Discomfort appeared to be the toughest thing to fend off.

Chassie gazed at me, her face perfectly carved as it always was. I remember caging it between my palms; how soft her cheeks were is something I wouldn't forget about.

"Uhm. What am I going to say?" She simpers.

"Anything. Things that doesn't make sense make sense to me when you say it," I quipped.

She giggles, the hazel eyes that reminds me so much of chocolate chips glinted. I never needed stars to liven up my night because it were more than enough.

The elevator pinged open, waking me up from my reverie.

We trotted down the corridor in impenetrable silence and so far, this is the longest awkwardness I have ever have to walk through. "Chassie."

"Hmm?" she stops pacing and turned her heels to face me since she's walking ahead.

"You're in a rush?"

Chassie's eyes glazed with timidness. "I'm sorry. I just can't wait to take these stillettos off before it kill my feet."

A chuckle bubble up in my throat. So, that explains it. "I thought you're finally fond of heels."

She snorted. "Yeah, right. I couldn't be fonder."

"Just take them off," I laughed.

Chassie looks around reluctantly. "I don't want to look crazy walking around barefeet."

"Don't worry. You'll be the most gorgeous crazy person if that happens."

Her gaze scooted down the floor to hide the scarlet that blossomed on her cheeks. "Same old cheesy lines, huh?"

"Yes. Yet is still makes you blush." I grinned lopsidedly.

She looks up and frowns delicately. "It's just the make up," she says, raising her chin up in defence.

No matter how old she gets, Chassie will always look cute to me - the same obstinate girl who drives me off my rocker.

We stopped by the door where I swiped my keycard off to make our way in. "I'll make us some coffee." I said before showing her to the living room.

She nods as a response. And with that, I made a trek through my kitchen and head back to the living room with two cups of coffee in my either hands.

I put them on the coffee table but Chassie didn't seem to notice me. She's standing by the glass wall, fervidly looking at the glistening skyscrapers outside.

Hiding a smile, I took in her dainty frame. Four years felt myriad. But now, it was just a flash of lightning that cracks the sky then vanishes in a heart beat.

I always thought Chassie will grow up to be the finest woman that all men would slobber over but I guess it was an understatement.

How she turned out to be this much of a goddess was never a surprise to me yet here I am... dumbfounded as hell.

The heels were chucked on the floor as if in punishment for being too uncomfortable for her liking. Her brown shoulder-length hair is mindlessly tucked into a messy bun that only her could look ravishing in.

The eighteen year old wife I once had is now beyond the temptress in every man's wildish dreams.

I walked over to her. I didn't realize how close I stand until she pivoted her feet and collided her face with my chest. Chassie look up to me, face sporting the darkest hue of ruby. "I'm sorry. I didn't notice you're there. I mean here. Y-You know, there," she stutters like a baby.

A laugh was about to escape my mouth but I shove it back to where it was coming from.

I side stepped, grinning like an i***t. "You don't have to feel awkward around me."

Chassie steps back. "I don't." She mumbles, shifting her weight to her tippy toes and looping her fingers behind her back - something she does when she's lying.

"You haven't changed," I chuckled. "And by that I meant you're still a terrible liar."

She rolls her eyes and fixated it on the glass wall. "I am not a terrible liar. Mom and dad used to buy it," she shrugs confidently.

I shake my head, laughing.

"So," she sighs. "You still like the city view?"

"I like the same things, Chassie," I muttered, looking fixedly at the same view she's immersed in.

She regarded me with a charming smilet . "I can see that."

I smiled back. "Are you hungry? We can go out for lunch."

"I can't. I promised my-uhm... boyfriend I'll join him at lunch. I hope you won't mind if I leave now." She declines politely.

I would but I'm sure she wouldn't let me stop her from going. "I won't."

"Thanks. My 'orientation'- as mom would put it is over right? I'll see you tomorrow." She hurriedly put on her heels.

"Here's an extra keycard," I withdrew it from my pocket.

She took it and murmurs a thank you. "Hand me your phone," she stick her hand out to me.

I did as what I was told and stared at her as she types in her phone number. "Here. Just call me if you need me," she jested.

"Are you sure? Because that'll be all the time," I said with a lifting brow.

She cloaked her blush underneath a laugh. "I fell for your cheesy lines once, Mr. Forester," Chassie mutters, feigning nonchalance.

"I won't mind if it happens again." I smirk.

***

By midnight, Starlet called me, sounding wasted and beyond boozed. Usually, I would be extremely exasperated having to be ruthlessly waken up from my sleep. It's fine with me since I don't have any dreams to be jostled away from.

I grabbed my car keys and drove to the bar where my headstrong siblings are partying like maniacs.

I spotted Jett at the bar the moment I stepped in. "Jett. Where's Starlet?"

"She's at the dance floor," Jett says over the blaring music.

I nodded. I was about to grubbed for a chestnut blonde socialite which happened to be my sister amidst the wavering disco lights when something caught my eye.

He's sitting at the end of the bar, legs crossed.

It's the Francesco guy talking to a man as drunk as himself. Francesco throws his head back and covers his mouth with his right hand as he laughs.

I narrowed my eyes on him, distrusting it. If he's not with another guy I would say he's flirting.

"Baby brother!" My thoughts were disrupted when my sister in a silver sparkly bodycon dress throws herself at me out of nowhere. "You made it."

"Let's get you home."

Clusters of party-goers are grinding themselves in the dance floor; some are three sheets in the wind just sitting on their allocated booths.

"Where's Jett?" She looks around dopily.

I scratch the back of my neck and steadied her to her lace-up heels clad feet. "He's at the bar."

"Aren't you going to party along with us?"

"No. I came here to drive you both safely." I assisted her to where Jett was. "Let's go, Jett."

He obliged and help me with our mulish older sister. I look back to the end of the bar but Francesco wasn't there anymore.

"I have my limo. No need to drive us home." Starlet sways back and forth, barely standing up.

"Why do you always get drunk?" I muttered as I escorted her out of the bar and led her straight to the parking lot where her luxurious ride is parked.

She giggles. "I'm just celebrating my awesome life!"

"Jett." I called out but he just disappeared into thin air.

Her driver opened the car door and I secured Starlet inside. "You two are giving me a massive headache."

She slumped on the seat. "This should be your way of giving back. Jett and I used to pick you up this late." Starlet gestures her manicured fingers. "Remember when Chassie left you? You were drinking all night in different bars!" She laughed hard at her private joke. "You should've seen yourself back then. A big hot mess!"

I stiffened. "Whatever."

I closed the car door with a thud and started to search for my nincompoop brother.

He's stuck at the entrance of the bar, conquetting with a few floozies. I groaned out loud. "Jett!"

"Ops. I gotta go, ladies. My big brother is in rage right now because I skipped my bedtime," Jett winks and shuffles to my direction.

He doesn't give a damn about the paparazzi who might just be skulking in random corners. Neither did I.

My thoughts are all about Chassie's boyfriend. There's something about him that I can't fathom at the moment.

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