My beautiful wife

01

Lauren Hart

“Miss Hart, in my office. Now.”

Mentally throwing colorful profanities at my workaholic jerk of a boss, mighty Sean Peterson, I put the receiver back with a loud thud.

I eyed the intercom which had succeeded to top my list of most hated things in the world. It had gone through my anger a number of times and was on the verge to break into pieces. Poor intercom!

I took a few deep breaths, preparing myself to face the robotic boss of mine, and went to his office. There he was, sitting on his throne, going through some documents.

“Miss Hart, bring me the report of the sale of the car accessories of this month. Ask the accounts department to send me the file of accounts. Schedule my meeting with Mr. Perez for the day after tomorrow. I want you to collect the statistical data of the sale and make a presentation but first, prepare a document brief regarding the meeting I have tonight with Mr. Bill.”

“Oh, come on. Take a breath at least.” I mumbled to myself. He speaks like it’s recorded on his system. He’s a robot and thinks of me the same.

Well, hello Mr. Boss, I’m a human. Look I breathe too.

“And have you arranged for my dinner meeting?” He inquired, still not making eye contact with me. He was deeply engrossed in his work.

“Yes, sir.”

Yes sir, Sure sir, Okay sir, were the only few words I had left to say. Damn! I was missing my voice. How a talkative person like me could speak only a few words? My mute mode was literally killing me.

“Make sure to complete the document brief before the work hour ends. Now, you can leave.”

“Okay, sir.”

I left his office and without giving a second glance to anything or anyone I went straight to the bathroom, locked the door, and stood in front of the mirror. I saw my dull face which was in dire need of rest. My face had lost the colors and shine. My smile was slowly turning into a permanent frown. My eyes held permanent irritation. This all because of one person.

“Impeccable, robotic, blue-eyed, handsome, workaholic jerk.”

I banged my hands on the counter and groaned. “Ow, I can’t even curse him behind his back. He gets back at me in other ways.” I almost yelled in annoyance, pressing my palms with each other to lighten the pain.

“Sometimes I feel like revealing his only embarrassing secret that no one knows. Mighty Sean Peterson does not know to knot a tie. I am the one who does it for him. But damn I can’t reveal because of the contract he made me signed to keep it a secret.” I rambled in irritation.

My eyes landed on my reflection that was mocking me for my fate. Gritting my teeth I glared at my reflection. “Why? Why did you choose to work with this human-machine? He has taken your peace, your social life. Hell, he even took away your voice.”

My reflection suddenly glared at me, imitating my moves. “You are asking me? Ask yourself. You were the one who was bouncing when accepted for the job. You opted not to quit the next day when you got tired and irritated on your first day because the pay was huge, respect was huge, and don’t forget about the crush you have on your handsome, workaholic jerk of a boss.”

I opened my mouth to argue back but nothing came out. I couldn’t form words as I knew whatever my reflection said was one hundred percent true.

I had developed an innocent crush on my boss on the very first day of work. His striking blue eyes held me spellbound in our very first meeting. I thought the crush was innocent like I had on every fifth person on the planet but my stupid, traitor heart couldn’t stay low around him. It always battled with my ribs to come out of my skin whenever I was around him.

Sean Peterson, what have you done to me?

Sighing, I turned the faucet of the sink and splashed water on my face. After wiping my face with the tissues I went to my office to continue my work. I could only complain to myself but in reality, I had to complete the work no matter what otherwise I would be thrown out of the company which I didn’t want.

I finished my work before the deadline and gave the documents to my boss who then left for his dinner meeting. I, on the other hand, sat for a few minutes on my chair to relax then went down to take a taxi to go home.

The taxi stopped in front of a small house where I was living on rent with my housemate, Christy. The landlord was a strict elderly couple Mr. And Mrs. Harris, who lived in the adjoining house. Their children were living away from them that hadn’t come to visit them in the last two years and that turned the couple into grumpy people who would snap at minor things.

One day Mrs. Harris snapped at me for leaving the grass of the tiny part of the lawn untrimmed. She didn’t even listen that it was left by mistake. She kept on shouting until I trimmed the grass before her eyes.

And their ‘No men allowed’ code was so annoying. Christy and I couldn’t even invite our male friends to our house. One day, out of irritation, I almost, almost threw Mr. Harris out of the house when he came to ask for rent. He’s a man, or so I thought. And according to the code, I had all the right to throw him out to avoid any trouble but I had to control myself otherwise instead of him I would have been thrown out.

I shook my head on my own wicked thoughts and paid the taxi driver. I entered the house and threw myself on the couch. After a long, hectic day it feels terrific to be home.

I was enjoying the moment of peace when I heard a sniffle. Frowning, I roamed my eyes around the living room but found nothing. Shrugging, I took out a hair tie from my bag and tied my short hair up. I again heard a sniffle followed by sobs. Now I went alert and stood up from the couch and followed the voice. The voice took me to the door of Christy’s room. Wait…is she home? She never stepped inside the house before ten in the night and it was only six-thirty in the evening.

“Christy, are you in there?” I knocked on the door of her room. To my surprise, the room was unlocked and creaked open with just one knock. I peeked inside her room.

“Chri- Oh, goodness. What happened to you?” I rushed to her when I found her sitting on her bed with her knees pressed to her chest. Sitting beside her I engulfed her in a side hug. “What happened?” I asked again.

As if only it was my support she needed, she dropped her head on my shoulder and cried harder. “He… He dumped me. Tyler dumped me. My boyfriend dumped me. Why Lauren why?”

I bit the inside of my cheek as it was an edgy topic for me too. How could I console her when I myself couldn’t get answers to my own issues? Though Christy was a bold girl, she was sensitive when it comes to relationships.

Whereas I was careless of that issue as I was used to be dumped. I have had many boyfriends but none lasted more than a month. My only serious relationship lasted for a full six months that too when I was in university. They all left me saying I was too different for their liking. Some of them broke up with me saying I was crazy.

Not my fault. It was their loss. I loved the way I was. It wasn’t my fault that they couldn’t understand me, couldn’t take the habit of talking to myself for granted. What’s the big issue if I talk to myself? Why should I change and lose my uniqueness just for a guy? If a guy wants me he must accept me the way I am otherwise I’m better off single.

I never initiated a break up so being an angelic soul, I always ended up making my ex-boyfriends my friends but only after secretly damaging their precious things, precisely their bike or car. I had to vent out anger on something to teach them a lesson for dumping me and calling me crazy. Stupid? I know.

But I was known for being crazy so why not do something worth the title?

“What…what did I do wrong? Why he broke up with me, Lauren? Why he dumped me like garbage?”

“Whoa, hold on a second.” I softly pushed her away and held her shoulders. “Keep one thing in mind, you are not garbage. Don’t ever say that again, get that?” I chided.

“But he-“

“Oh, shut up.” I stood up from her bed. “Okay, tell me one thing what did you do when he broke up with you?” I asked, putting my hands on my waist.

“I begged him not to do so and when he refused to listen to me I ran away, crying.” She sniffed and I gaped at her.

“You…you did nothing? How could you spare him this easily without teaching him a lesson?” I raised my voice, glaring at the stupid girl crying her eyes out for a douche.

“Because I love him.”

This ‘L’ word again!

“Calm down Lauren you don’t have to snap at Christy, she’s newly heartbroken.” I mentally comforted myself.

“Christy, did Tyler give you any reason for breaking up with you?” I asked in the calmest voice possible. She was fragile and needed to be handled with care. What an irony? I couldn’t handle myself with care and I was thinking to do so with her. I almost laughed but it was not the situation to show my teeth.

“No. He just said ‘it’s over.”

Fisting my hands at my sides, I gritted my teeth. How could he do this to her? My hands were itching to strangle him. He definitely needed to learn a lesson but for that, I had to convince Christy first.

“Listen, Christy.” I sat back on the bed. “Don’t define your self-worth by such a narrow parameter of garbage because you’re not. He’s garbage. He needs to know you don’t give a damn about him.”

“But I do. I have genuine feelings for him.” She pressed again.

“No, you don’t! How can you have genuine feelings for a man who broke up with you for no reason? Tell me do you know the reason?” I asked firmly to which she shook her head. Good, we are making progress.

“Had he ever said that he loves you? Did he ever introduce you to his family? Forget family, did he ever introduced you as his girlfriend to his friends? Did he ever officially and romantically proposed to you?”

She shook her head. “He might have proposed to me if he hadn’t broken up.”

God, this stupid, hopeless girl! This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

“You stupid girl! How could he propose to you when he has already dumped you? Don’t you see he’s a cheater? He might be stuffing his tongue in some bimbo’s dirty mouth right now. I never took you to be so naive and stupid, Christy.” I said in disbelief.

“I’m not stupid.” She argued back.

“Oh, You are not? Then prove it. Prove it to him that you don’t give a flying fuck to him. You are not someone to be dumped, You are someone to be loved. Show him where he stands and where you stand. You’re a bold, independent, and strong girl whose life can not be ruled by a man.”

I finally took the time to breathe after speaking in one breath. Christy kept on looking at me without blinking then she suddenly blinked and stood on her knees.

“Lauren…” She paused for a second and slipped out of the bed. “I guess you’re right. I’m such a fool crying for a person who doesn’t even care about me. I’m not someone’s puppet or trash to be dumped easily.”

Slowly but surely a proud smile made its way to my lips. “Good job, Lauren. Your convincing powers are improving day by day.” I mentally praised myself, feeling proud.

I clapped excitedly. “Then let’s teach him a lesson.”

“What can we do?” She asked.

A wicked smile formed on my lips as a sinister idea popped into my head. “I’ll not tell you, I’ll show you but first tell me where can we find him at this hour?”

“Umm…at his restaurant in the mall.”

“Perfect. Let me change then we’ll leave.”

Finally! It had been too long since I did something crazy. I was super excited.

We drove to the mall in Christy’s car as I didn’t have any besides it was her problem I was going to solve so her car it was. She parked the car in the parking lot and unbuckled her seatbelt.

“What now? Are we going to confront him?” She asked.

“Nope.” I grinned. “Something better.” I gazed out of the window looking for the particular thing I was here for. “Can you tell which one is his car?”

“Look straight. That black BMW parked near the yellow board.” She pointed at the car. “But why do you want to know about his car?”

“Because we’re going to damage his car.”

“What?! No, Lauren, this is insane.” She shrieked, her eyes turning wide like saucers. I gave her a deathly look which made her release a sigh.

“Okay fine but we don’t have to damage his car. We can flatten the tires of the car or something, that would be enough.”

I gave her a sweet, innocent smile. “Deflated tires won’t make any difference but a single scratch will pierce through his heart. And my darling, we are going to scrape his car.”

“What? No! This seems like some childish prank.”

“It’s not.”

“You are behaving like a high school girl on revenge, Lauren. This is ridiculous.”

“Revenge is revenge taken by whosoever. Besides, I’m not harming anyone, am I?”

“No, but—“

She tried to argue back but I didn’t give her a chance to speak as I stepped out of her car and dragged her out too.

“Let’s go,” I said as I prepared myself as if I was going on a war.

“Lauren this is stupid. We will be reported if we get caught. We’ll have to pay a huge price.” She kept on rambling.

“Exactly, if we get caught. See, no one is here, not even CCTV covers this spot. Now, don’t be a chicken, and let’s enjoy the moment.” I said, taking out a flexible knife from my jeans pocket.

“You keep a knife in your pocket?” She asked in utter surprise.

“Self-protection.” I shrugged my shoulders and ran my finger through the side of the blade, inspecting the sharpness.

“It’s sharp. Perfect.”

“Take this and do the honor,” I said firmly, giving her the knife but she stepped away.

“I’m not doing this. Lauren this is a crime.”

I banged my one hand on the hood of the car, showing the knife to her with the other one “Now.”

“No. It’s not right and besides this car-“

“Oh, shut up. If you can’t then let me do the honor.”

A screeching sound pierced through my ears as I grazed the knife on the hood. The black metallic color started to fall off. I felt satisfied like I gained serenity.

“Lauren, no-“

“Don’t worry Christy your friend is here. I will take you revenge.” I said absent-mindedly. My heart and soul were dancing in glee as I carved patterns on the car. Ignoring Christy’s rambling I kept on scrapping the color. It was childish but there was a sudden rush of adrenaline that had me continuing my work. It was giving me immense joy. My eyes were glittering like stars in the clear night sky.

“Lauren for god sake listen to me for once. This is not his car. You are scrapping someone else’s car.” She whisper-yelled, grasping my upper arm.

But it was not her statement that stopped my hands from carving the beautiful patterns on the hood of the car. It was a deadly, firm, and utterly familiar voice that forced my hands to stop and my heart to drum louder.

“What’s going on here?”

“Shit‼ Imma outta here.” I heard Christy’s dreadful voice before she decided to leave me alone.

My heart got filled with fear, my own soul cursed me for my stupidity and my legs gave up on life, still, I managed to turn and face the owner of the voice and when I did, my face lost colors. All the wicked plans flew out of my mind and the knife I was holding dropped to the floor.

I was doomed.