"S-S-Sir-Sir, I am sorry. I mistook you for my husband—" She stuttered as her tears started flowing again. Her body shook while she tried to collect herself. She couldn't even face the man in front of her. After a few minutes, she calmed herself and continued to apologize, all the while looking down.
"I'm sorry I humiliated you and I rammed into your vehicle. I will pay for the damages. I am sorry," wiping her face. She looked up to see the man staring at her, his expression unreadable. After an uncomfortable amount of silence, she swallowed and looked at him pleadingly.
"I apologize. Please—"
She begged again.
"I think you should sit." He had said.
She nodded and walked to the sofa, while he followed calmly. She looked up to find him walking over to the coffee table and coming back with two cups of hot coffee. He handed her a cup, and she took it from him gratefully.
He sat opposite her and took a sip of his cup of coffee. His phone chimed, and he momentarily paused, dropped his cup, looked at the information on his phone, and frowned. Then his features deepened into a scowl with each read. He typed and then picked up a call, waiting for the caller to finish what they were saying. Without saying a word, he ended the call and looked up to find Natalie looking at him.
"I think you should start from the beginning and explain why you thought it best to defame and attack me in public." He looked at her squarely in the face, and her shoulders slumped; a defeated sigh escaped her, and she looked away. Then looked up at him again.
"I don't know where to begin," she sniffed. "I had thought you were my husband. I saw him, he saw me, erm- "
She swallowed and sniffed. She looked up again.
"He was cheating, and he saw me." Then she gave a short, bitter laugh,
"he knew I saw him, and he just-"
She spread her hands to gesticulate, and the almost empty cup fell out of her hand to the lush fur carpet. She didn't seem to notice.
"He said he was away for a business trip." She continued, "But that lying son of a bitch had been lying, cheating, and gaslighting me. He had turned my life into a living hell; he hurt me, and he appears to enjoy it." She stopped midway and stood up. "I was going to tell him I had had enough of him treating me like garbage," she continued angrily, completely oblivious that she was talking to a stranger. The depth of every emotional distress she had faced rushed forward to the surface like an unlocked dam.
She raised her hand to her mouth when she noticed she had said too much and looked at her surroundings, then noticed the smashed coffee cup and the mess.
Then she sighed and quieted down and sat at the edge of the couch.
"I am sorry, Sir. I am not usually like this. I don't even know who I am anymore. I honestly mistook you for my husband," the title feeling like black coal in her mouth. She hated the feel of it.
"I promise to make amends and compensate you for every damage caused."
"Hmmmm," he replied.
The elevator chimed, and a man came in. He was dressed in a black suit. He had this walk and bodyguard-like stance and was quite tall.
"Sir Jake," he gave a curt nod of the head. "Your car has been shipped to the manufacturing company, and the reporters have been taken care of." He then looked at Natalie briefly and back at his Boss.
"The missus' vehicle is a total wreck too, and sent for repairs." He stopped to drop a phone and a purse on the table between Jake and Natalie. They were Natalie's.
"Thank you, sir". She said barely above a whisper.
"That will be all, Samuel," he replied, looking at Natalie. Somehow, he couldn't find his words with her.
Natalie sniffed, then glanced up to find the time approaching 11 pm. She looked back at the man and spoke again as she tried her best to wrap up this mess she was in. Luckily, he had taken the initiative to get her car repaired and shut down possible bad gossip. She was glad, but she was also exhausted, tired, and messy.
"I appreciate your help, Sir. If you could give me your card so I could contact you for the repair cost and for any other damages. I am sorry I hit you and called you names, erm, it wasn't meant for you. You are a kind man and and….." she trailed off as Jake stretched to pick up her phone to dial in his number, then ring his phone. He stood up and handed her phone to her.
"Jake Morton. I'll be in touch then. Samuel will drive you home. It's late," He then walked away, leaving Natalie stunned.
Did he leave? She wondered, only for him to walk back in from the room he disappeared into and hand her a tissue. She looked at him dazed, then he bent closer, staring deeply into her eyes, and whispered.
"You need that to clean up your face. You look ugly." Then he stood to his full height as Samuel walked in.
Natalie looked embarrassed, color rising to her cheeks. She looked at her hands holding the tissue and dabbed her face. After a while, she sighed, stood up and picked up her purse, and looked at Samuel to follow him out. She stepped into the elevator, and then she saw Jake staring right at her as though he was looking into her soul.
Her lips parted, but no words came, and her chest heaved just as the elevator closed, leaving her with Samuel.
Her encounter with the man left her suddenly aware of herself. Little did she know that she was now the object of his desire.