One more time : Where Oblivion meets Obsession

#1 – THE IDENTITY

—Mexico—

Dr. Gardiner's Mansion

"M-12 A. Do you copy? Until now, Target clean. Papers clean. Workplace clean. Rooftop clean."

"Received." Came a strong male voice from the other end.

Myra was about to say something more when she heard slight footsteps approaching. "Over." She removed the Bluetooth and tossed it in the above shelf and focussed on the meat she was slicing.

Sure enough, two strong arms wrapped around her waist and she felt her husband's lips in the crook of her neck. Her hands stopped instinctively. “Sarah? I’m sorry about what happened on the highway yesterday. You must be so terrified.” His sweetly soothing, worried voice came.

"Yeah I was. But I’m okay now. How’s your injury Scott?” she asked.

“Yeah it’s just fine. Will take a few days to heal.” He said slightly massaging the back of his head. His soft, light brown hair scattering.

She nodded. “You need something Scott?" Myra asked with a beautiful smile. Her big, dark bluish eyes, heart shaped face with slightly visible cheekbones and innocence written all over her fairly dusky features made Scott fall in love with her every time he saw her. She was the perfect wife, in looks, wits and beauty. Her presence made Scott’s small world perfect.

"Hmm." He said huskily, pulling her closer. "It's late night Honey. Do this tomorrow.” He said slowly, taking the knife from her hand. “And... Wear that peach nightgown today. You look ravishing in it."

"Okay." She smiled and Scott left kissing her forehead. She closed her eyes frustrated. 'Not again.'

***

After fulfilling his desire, he slept with a satisfied smile on his face pulling her into his chest. She just kept staring at him emotionlessly.

‘What will happen when this man will discover the truth? His love, his smile, his trust in everything?’ She carefully peeked over his shoulder and saw the glass of water half empty. She sighed. ‘He won't wake up now.’ Not until she woke him. She slowly pulled herself out of his hold, put on the outer gown and walked out to the living room.

Picking up the landline she gave three rings to a number and hung up reclining on the sofa. After two minutes, the phone rang. She quickly picked up and the manly voice said, "M-12A here."

"Sherry? It's an unofficial line for god sake. I needed to talk to my friend." She said irritated lighting a cigarette.

He sighed. "You had to do it again? Stop being so emotionally drained over this Mye. You are ‘the’ Myra Grey. The best of my squad. It's a part of our job, so remember that. And you should be happy. The end is nearing. He is coming out clean. Now you don't have to kill him." He said wisely. Shermon Tyler was one person in the world that Myra could trust with her life. The α of their team, Their team leader, even though he never dictated, commanded them but took all of his team as equal participants and friends.

"Yes. You're right. I'll get the final checks done in a few weeks and then leave. It's been almost three months. No mission should take so long. It gets boring." Myra replied.

"Sure. Whenever you ask, I'll be there to pick you. Just make it neat. It should be like you never existed." He reminded again. Cleaning up was something Myra hated to the core but it was important, every time.

“I’m very good at it.” Myra smirked.

“BTW, what the ‘F’ actually happened yesterday? Who were those D-heads?” He asked.

“Sherry use swearwords properly or don’t swear at all.” She said irritated by his habit. “Anyways, five men attacked us yesterday on the highway. I let them hit Scott and when he was knocked off, I shot all of them dead. And told him they shot each other. Even the cops bought that. They were more than happy to close the file.” She said casually.

“What the ‘F’ Mye? They were just muggers. They don’t even kill people. They just snatch belongings. What did I tell you about mercy? This is the nth time you’ve killed for like… no reason.”

“Mercy huh? Your ‘God’ didn’t have mercy on me, I wouldn’t have mercy on anyone.” She said intensely. There was no way she was stopping it.

"Fine. Just don’t get caught. Take care." He hung up with a sigh. There was no way she would understand.

Shermon leaned back in his chair. Capping the pen, he folded a freshly written letter and traced his thumb on the last line. 'I know this doesn’t change anything but I want you to know that I ‘am’ sorry.' He folded it neatly and asked the servant to post it, first thing in the morning.

***

‘Shermon is right. I shouldn't be concerned about him or anybody else. Emotions are a venom to my soul and my job. No man should be capable of having any effect on me. That’s what makes me invincible.’ Myra reminded herself.

After finishing her cigarette, she carefully disposed of the ashes and opened the windows to let the stench away and went to the study and began searching for something. ‘Finally’. She huffed as she saw their wedding album in the above shelf. She pulled a chair and climbed on it irritatedly and pulled it out. Myra’s capabilities couldn’t be judged on the basis of her appearance. To look at, she looked like a lean, gingerly teenager, with a height of just 5’4’’. Her thin frame masked her age and her irresistible beauty, her cunningness.

She carefully pulled out their wedding Album from there and walked to the fireplace. Tearing each page ruthlessly, she kept offering it to the fire torching it with her lighter. ‘Uptil the time he discovers that this album is missing, it'll be too late.’ Her eyes kept fixated at those photographs as she kept destroying them. The emotions, the passion this man held in his eyes for her... when was the last time she saw someone look at her that way?

Maybe when Amaan proposed to me.

'Listen... I know I am dumb, silly and you are too beautiful, smart and professional to be mine but I still dare to love you. I know you have better and have more eligible men in line for proposing to you but this is not a race or selection for something. When it comes to loving you, nobody can beat me at that.'

She smiled sadly at those memories and retreated to the bedroom cause if she sat there, more memories would follow and she didn’t want that.

***

"Scott you're late again." Myra called fastening her pace. "Here's the tiffin. Your laptop, phone, handkerchief, earphones, car keys, your coat and stethoscope." She said placing the things on the living room coffee table when Scott walked out of the room with socks and tie in his hands irritating her more.

"Oh God! You're not ready yet?" She walked to him and began to knit the tie around his neck while he continued eating.

"Sarah, I'm done." He said getting up.

"No you're not. Finish it." She ordered pulling him back to his seat.

“I’m getting late." He whined.

"You're already late. Ten more minutes won't matter much." She said strongly.

He finished, and was about to leave when he turned around. "Sarah?"

"Hmm." She asked, turning to him.

"Be ready tonight. We'll be dining out. I’ve booked Mexico City’s best diner, just for us." Saying this, he kissed her forehead and left.

Three months was a long time for someone as sharp and observant as Myra. She and her team had been studying him for a long time. They knew him more than he knew himself. She could decode every word he spoke and every word that he didn't and what they meant. He takes it to dinners when he wants to apologize for something or announce something.

***

Scott walks in the house with a bouquet of fresh, colourful tulips and a charming smile on his face. "Sarah? Where are you Love?" He called but no one answered. He checked the washroom and the entire house but found her nowhere. Ten minutes passed Searching.

He fretted seeing the emptiness. ‘Sarah doesn’t go anywhere without informing me!’ He panicked at the thought when two soft palms held him from behind. "What happened? Someone is terrified."

He turned around and relief washed through his veins when he saw her. She looked breath-taking in that black strapless gown with matching diamond studs, Pearl pendant, bracelet perfectly complementing its silver border and hair tied up in a messy bun allowing few perms to caress her face. He pulled her in her arms and said, "Don't ever do that again. You have no idea how panicked I was."

"Relax Dr. Scott Gardiner. I was just kidding. What woman on earth would leave you? You’re so perfect. So caring, sensible, handsome and owns Mexico’s largest chain of hospitals.” She held her wrist in front of his eyes and traced a finger on the diamond bracelet. “Who is stupid enough to remove these diamond cuffs and go?" she spoke manipulating him deftly and imprisoning him with the net of her words.

She had this talent to speak in a way that it penetrated the skin, entered the soul and anaesthetized a person’s thinking. That talent combined with a heavenly Indo-Canadian beauty was indeed a deadly combination.

He cupped her face. "Promise me you would never do that again." He asked, the same fear evident in his honey brown eyes.

"I promise Love. I'm not going anywhere. Yeah I just needed you to sign a few papers." She said handing him a pen and some stamp papers.

He took it with a smile and sat comfortably on the sofa. Wearing his glasses, he began reading it. "If you trusted me you wouldn't be taking so much time." She angrily snatched them back. She couldn't afford to let him read those.

"If it is about trust, take everything I own Sarah... The Mansion, the properties, hospitals everything. I trust you with my life." With those words, he signed each of them without breaking eye contact with her and returned them.

"Thank you, Scott. And sorry for being rude earlier.” She spoke innocently holding her ears in apology. “I'm ready. You want to rest a little before we leave?" she asked.

“No. I'll just change into something casual. Then we leave.” With a smile he patted her face and retreated for the room.

“Sure.” She smiled as he walked to the bedroom. Myra heard the sound of the door closing and she quickly removed the papers from the file and placed it carefully in her handbag. Taking out her phone, she messaged someone,

‘Sending you location. Be there. Handing over the documents.’

‘Done. Be careful over the unofficial line next time.’ Came a warning text. She sighed. This was the iPhone that Scott gifted her. She never used it for her purposes except a few times but for enemies, one chance was enough.

***

“How’s the food?” Scott asked her.

“That’s the modern way of asking ‘How’s your mood? Should I start my rant?’” she asked looking around. True to his words, Scott had booked the entire dining area for her. There was no single soul to cover up Shermon's presence here. She had to go and find him. “I’m not used to this extravagance Scott.” She said looking down. “Well, the food is really tasty. You know my likes and dislikes so well.” She said, taking another bite.

“Yes Sarah and so do you. How nicely have you managed my home? I can never thank you enough. Thank you for everything, for coming into my life and making it so special.” He placed his hand on hers.

“Scott please. This worked because we took equal efforts. You chose to marry me even after knowing about my social anxiety disorder, me being an orphan without a family and everything else. You never judged me.”

‘Social anxiety disorder’- A perfect way to avoid photographs, media, people, questions and be the wife of a billionaire at the same time. Not that she couldn't handle it, but it was risky. She had been in touch with many high profile people and didn't want anyone to mess this up. Everyone knew her as a different person with a different profession.

“That’s what I wanted in life Sarah. Someone who loved me for just me. And not what I own. And you were the one. You never wanted publicity, social status, my money or anything else.”

“Okay okay. Too much emotional talks. Now… can I know why all of a sudden my husband who prefers home-made food wants to dine out with me?”

He smiled. “You’re smart. Well, I was thinking… I am not giving you enough time. After our honeymoon, I've been so busy with work and everything but you never complained or got angry. You did all your duties so perfectly and now I feel guilty. So… to make up for it, I’ve decided to take you to Paris for a week, our second honeymoon, just we and no one else. Not my work, not your home responsibilities, just us.”

“Paris huh? Great. I'm so excited.” She tried to sound excited when she wasn't. She almost choked.

How was she going to get out of this one!

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