The Billionaire's Torment

Disappeared

Nora

We took our small party to the outside party room. It was situated on the southern part of the property. The big room was made totally of glass. The only solid things were the roof and the floor. Every part of the property could be seen from every angle, no matter where you stood in the room.

The drinks flowed, Matilda outdid herself with the food. Max poached her from Shad Rolan, the hotelier. As the day progressed, inhibitions flew out of the window. Selborne and Cathy changed saliva on the corner couch.

“Children nowadays, no shame at all. Look at your friend Nora.” Granny complained, her lips pursed.

“Leave the children alone Sophia. They are both single. Who knows, Selborne might join Max and Shad, live happily ever after.” Granny Ratliff admonished.

I laughed so hard at my granny's expression, she was really pissed. The guys drunkenly danced and horsed around.

At some point Max clicked a spoon against a glass, the noise died down at once.

“Baby, come here.”

I joined him,“ mum, it's true when they say mums know best. You took one look at this gem and you knew. Thank you for bringing Nora Reidy into my life. As you know, she graduated yesterday. Today you are looking at a full fledged Dr. She already has a post waiting for her, starting tomorrow.”

The group clapped and congratulated me. I blushed profusely.

“So, to celebrate I'm taking my bride to a game reserve in South Africa. You are not invited, sorry. It's a vacation and honeymoon trip as we didn't have a honeymoon.”

The group erupted into chaos, they demanded to go with us.

My emotions churned, my anger resurfaced. How dare Maxwell Ratliff make decisions that affect me without consulting me? Amid the noise l hauled his ass out of the party room to the house,“ hey, what's wrong?.”

l marched on, fuming. A car sped into the yard. Penny Mansfield Rolan, Shad’s wife, alighted from the car,“ sorry l'm late. Congratulations Dr Ratliff.”

I grunted a response and entered the house. l was too angry to be civil to anyone. Max hung back to talk to Penny. He was probably apologising for my bad behaviour, l did not care.

He sprinted into the room, came to my side and tried to kiss me. l moved away.

“Maxwell Ratliff, what was that back there? You take decisions on my behalf these days? Do you know my point of view on the matter? For your information, tomorrow l'm going to work. You rich people like to impose your wishes and wants on folks you deem lesser than you. I worked damn hard to be where l'm today. You want me to run around the world with you and forsake the job l sweated for. You can afford to throw your toys at me. If you leave me what will l be left with? Nothing.”

I paced up and down as l scolded him. His face changed into a mask. His dark eyes blazed, the whites instantly turned red. He was mad. He took out his phone.

“Ralph, gather the boys and Frank, we are leaving.”

He barked as he ran to the door,” don't ask me questions, just come out.”

My tantrum over, my strength ebbed. I threw myself on the couch and covered my face with a cushion. One of my flaws came to bite me in the ass today. l had a motor mouth. I said unnecessary stuff back there in the heat of the moment. No wonder he was so mad. I needed to apologise now.

I threw the cushion away and sprinted towards the door. The cars sped by as l burst through the double doors. Max's angry orbs observed me from the window. I waved my hands in the air,“please can we talk?.”

He said something to the driver. l let out a relieved breath. The car did not stop. I watched in horror as it vanished from sight.

The women, including Penny, ascended the steps slowly and halted in front of me. Marylin was the first to speak,“ what happened?.”

I burst into tears,“ I messed up mum.”

“How.?”

“I don't want to talk about it, please?.” “ Ok, go in and rest, we are leaving.” They gave me a hug individually and departed, except Cathy and granny. They followed me into the house. Their bewildered eyes roamed around the room, avoiding me.

I wished to be alone. At the same time l feared to be, lest l unravelled without support. We sat in silence until granny got to her feet.

“You know where to find me if you feel like talking about it. Your mother-in- law is right. You will feel better after some rest.”

l escorted them to the car, hugged them, and pecked granny on the cheek. Loneliness gripped me as soon as their car disappeared from sight. I wished I could follow them.

I rushed into the living room and picked my car keys. I sped to The Falcon and before the engine died, I sprinted towards Shad’s private booth.

The door was locked. l put my ear against it, no movement inside. I refrained from calling Max, he might

reject my call. I drove home slowly, where was he?

Max did not come home. Monday morning l reported at work. The orientation was a blur, my mind registered nothing. I knocked on Dr Ralph's office after the orientation. His cold demeanour nearly made me hightail it out of his office.

“Yes? How can l help Dr Reidy?.”

Dr Ralph demanded as soon as he saw me at the door. I guess l deserved that. I wrung my hands like a school kid in front of the headmaster.

“Max didn't come home last night. Do you have any idea where he is?.”

He answered me, his eyes on the laptop,“ no, l don't.”

I hesitated before l gently turned the doorknob and went out.

At home l waited and waited. Monday turned to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The phone calls l made to the Ratliff family left me devastated,”we don't know where he is’.

I did not report to work on these days. l asked for a hiatus and it was granted. Thursday morning Matilda forced me to eat, watched me like a hawk until l finished.

I dragged my sluggish body to the bathroom, did my morning routine and went back to bed. My body registered the effects of little sleep. I dozed off to be woken by movements in the closet.

I approached it on silent feet. My husband was in the closet. A white towel was wrapped around his waist. His attention was on the white shirt in his hand. My relief was absolute.

I had never been so happy to see someone in my life.

I tiptoed towards him and snatched the shirt out of his hand. He pivoted on his feet, his dark eyes bore a hole on my face. I fell on his body and hugged him tightly. I made meowing noises as I rubbed my face on his chest.