** Ray!
685 Words
Reluctant to dwell on the explicit dream I had, I rose from the bed to locate her.
Discovering her absence in the room, a sigh escaped me. Soon, our rooms will merge into one—a prospect that filled me with anticipation.
On my way out, I noted Ray's absence from his room. Considering his recent dealings with Mr. Black, who holds significant influence in our company, I speculated that work-related stress might be plaguing him. His unusual lack of mood swings only fueled my concern.
Feeling a pang of guilt, I realized that, pre-Divya, Ray used to be a constant presence, narrating his interests ad nauseam. I had become so engrossed in my newfound love that I had overlooked my buddy.
Ray knew about my infatuation with Divya. He was the one who suggested this trip. Yet, I needed to provide my brother with some quality man-to-man time. For now, I needed to find both of them.
"If I were my old self, not on a quest for my buddy or my love, I would have abandoned the idea of finding them. I might have ensured the person responsible suffered for half of his life. But, as they say, love is always a weakness." I repeated this mantra for the last 45 minutes, yet the duo remained elusive.
After scouring the hotel, the only place left was the outside lawn. As I stepped out, what I witnessed sent my blood boiling.
There, beneath a tree, my angel sat—a vision from heaven. However, my joy turned to rage as I noticed her tenderly caressing another person's hair. This interloper seemed blissfully ignorant, soon to be in hell for encroaching on my time.
Her soul.
Her body.
Her eyes.
Her laugh.
Her time.
Her everything—mine.
I dismissed those who labeled it as obsession; she was unequivocally mine.
Enraged and envious, I closed the distance between the stranger and my angel.
I was fuming, an understatement. Witnessing my angel pampering another male was draining the life out of me. I wanted her solely in my life—my everything. The pain of seeing her with someone else, brotherly gesture or not, was unbearable.
I contemplated committing crimes of passion—harming the intruder, ruining him, destroying his future. He would pay for encroaching on what's mine.
Approaching them, to my surprise, the person with his head in my angel's lap was none other than Ray.
Ray!
My jealousy evaporated as I observed the scene. My angel treated Ray like a son or brother. Though it felt like he was stealing her attention, it gave me a sense of her caring for my family as her own. Despite my initial envy, she was an angel, caring for everyone.
As I neared them, they greeted me with genuine smiles. My angel shifted to make space for me, acting as if the whole empty ground had no room for me. An angelic quirk, I supposed. I couldn’t believe she was here with me. At the pinnacle of my professional life, I was usually cold and ruthless, but recognizing her presence had softened me.
I told Ray and Divya to continue their conversation, pretending it didn't bother me. A colossal lie. I wanted her to talk to me only, despite feeling guilty.
Ray smirked.
That arsehole!
Someday, he will face my wrath. However, my anger dissipated when I learned that my playboy friend was in love. It was like witnessing a shooting star. My angel cared about him deeply, and the happiness reflected in her eyes. I stood there questioning my place in her mind and heart.
My reverie was interrupted when my angel excused herself to bring hot chocolate. Releasing her, we needed a man-to-man talk. As she disappeared from view, I turned to Ray, who regarded me with an unknown emotion. I hugged him, conveying my feelings through actions rather than words. He understood, and the sentiment was mutual.
"At least now I have my girl all to myself," I teased.
"Yes... But she's my sis. Sister-in-law, to be exact," he replied.
"Indeed!" I concurred.
- Writer
