All Over Again

Chapter 5: My Mistake

A sunny day, bustling city crowd and high-rise skyscrapers were a common picture for the people of New York. Living there was a dream, but surviving there was no less than a nightmare. Dreams can come true only when the dreamer is not actually dreaming, but working day in and day out.

To have the most successful company was wishful thinking for most industrialists, but to Aaron Whitlock it was reality. The empire that his father built did not flourish overnight. He worked hard all his life and handed it to his son, who was equally determined to take Whitlock Industries to greater heights.

Ever since he turned 21, all he could ever think about was this company. He worked day in and day out, like a maniac, keeping each one of his employees on their toes, so much so that some of them could not handle the pressure and resigned before Aaron took notice of their deteriorating performance because they knew that if he got the wind of their under efficiency, not only would he sack them without batting an eyelid, but would also make sure that they remain jobless for the rest of their jobs.

His work meant everything to him, and hence people mistook him for a heartless man, something that he agreed with until he met her. The girl who made him realize that he had a heart. But the bliss of this discovery could not last long, because he ended up losing that heart to her. As cheesy as it might sound to anyone, it was the truth. Aaron was not someone who easily felt attracted to anyone, even though he had met numerous women from all walks of life (courtesy of his mother), but the moment he laid his eyes upon Tenysi, he knew he was a goner. She was everything that he never wanted in his life, or so he thought. His world turned upside down, the moment he saw her, and as he got to know her better, his resolution to make her his became stronger. Although it took some amount of hard work to persuade her, Aaron managed to make way into her heart. She caved into his antics and reciprocated his feelings with equal passion.

There was a lot of hesitation on her part initially, because of Aaron’s dominant and possessive nature. Even her grandparents advised her to think through her decision of getting in a relationship with a powerful and privileged man. Tenysi could understand their concern, hearing what the media had to say on the ‘relentless’ business tycoon. People had a lot of negative things to say about him, and though she was not the one to believe the popular beliefs of society, there were still some doubts surrounding his personality.

After months of persuasion, Tenysi finally agreed to date the billionaire. She realized that he was not what the media portrayed him as. His ways and actions might have seemed cruel to some people, and sometimes they were, but a lot of thought went behind them. He hated betrayal and that’s why he came off as cold and ruthless to others. His family, and now Tenysi, had the privilege of seeing his softer side- the one he hid from the entire world.

The happiest day of his life, as far as Aaron could remember, was the day when Tenysi said yes to his marriage proposal. It had to be the most unromantic love confession of the century, but Tenysi could see his efforts. The man was literally shaking, so much so that he had to keep his hands in his pockets just to hide them from her. Apart from that, she could read his eyes, and that’s how she could make out how much he loved her- the truth and sincerity of his words scarcely showed up on his face, but were clearly visible in those black orbs.

Women everywhere were jealous of their union. After all, New York’s most eligible bachelor got married to an ordinary woman. Tabloids and gossip columnists had a lot to speculate about the bride’s background, but Aaron made sure that Tenysi’s life remained as inaccessible to the public as their close-knit wedding ceremony. They both had a blast at their wedding- meeting their extended family, dancing, and becoming one forever.

But nobody knew that even forever had its limits. Aaron could never believe what he saw that day, or in other words, what his mother made him see. He could literally feel the Earth moving beneath his feet, reality slipping from his hands like sand. What was true and what was not, he could not distinguish. All that time spent with each other, all those promises made in the name of love...it was a sham.

Aaron was so hurt and jeopardized by this betrayal that he left his office right away and barged into his penthouse like a mad man. He knew Tenysi would be at home judging by the time.

Home

He really thought she would make the house a home for them. A place where he could come and feel at peace in the arms of his love. But little did he know that all this time he had been tricked like a fool. He acted on his impulse and let his emotions take over his rationality. He did what he thought would be the best thing to do in that situation...he asked her to leave.

He asked her to leave his house as well as his life. He didn’t listen to whatever she had to say in her defense because he knew it would all be a lie, and he didn’t want to fall into her trap again. And that’s how he was left in the coldness of his living room, lonely all over again.