Every business deal I closed came with a sense of victory - fleeting, sharp, and hollow. People said power and honor looked good on me, that they admired the control in my aura and the precision in my words. Until I realized how powerless, how out of control I truly was when I fell in love.
I had built an empire from scratch but never felt this normal, this peaceful, until I met her. She completes me. She is the peace I kept trying to find in all those expensive trips I took abroad as an excuse to be at ease. I wish I knew it sooner... that I never needed to climb the hills to feel the closeness of the sky or walk beaches at sunset chasing the cool breeze across my skin, thinking it would bring me peace. The peace I was looking for around the world lies in her gentle eyes, her pleasant smile, and the warmth of her skin when our fingers intertwine as we hold hands.
It was our first date after we got married. I was afraid of how her world felt rarely normal compared to mine. It wasn't like I hadn't seen it before, but seeing it through her eyes made me realize there was more to the world than the digits in my bank account. It was unexpectedly freeing walking through the streets in the evening instead of dining at an expensive restaurant.
My eyes wandered for a few seconds before they landed on her. She looked breathtaking under the streetlights, her brown eyes twinkling like they carried their own secrets. I didn't know what was so enchanting about it, but I couldn't look away. My gaze fell to her lips, the small smile she kept throughout the evening tugged at something inside me. I forced myself to smile too, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable, even though I already was.
Suddenly she stopped in front of a food stall.
"Let's try this one!" she said, eyes lighting up.
"You want to eat here?" I asked, half amused, half hesitant.
"Yes! They have three different things we should try." She looked at me like a child convincing her parent for a treat.
I paid for it, and we waited while the vendor prepared the food. She kept talking about how she used to come here with her mother, how this stall was her favorite place. I couldn't relate to her excitement. I never had those kinds of memories. But watching her, I realized she carried pieces of happiness that never faded, the moments she wanted to live again and again.
When the vendor handed her three small plates, she held one toward me. "Come on, just one bite."
"It looks delicious," I said, raising a brow, "but I'll let you have all of it."
"You're impossible," she laughed, shaking her head before taking a bite.
I smiled quietly, helplessly, looking around to brush off the awkwardness. When I turned my head back, she was already holding a fork to my mouth, and I knew I couldn't say no to her any longer. So, I took a bite. I chewed, my eyes widening.
"It's really good," I admitted.
She looked at me with that knowing, proud smile.
"See? I told you."
Moments after we left the stall, we wandered around the streets while she looked at the inexpensive things the vendors were selling. She tried on a hat that looked funny on her.
"How do I look, Riaan?"
I smirked, squinting slightly as I pretended to play along.
"Umm… is this cute artist going to be a cosplayer now?"
She let out a small laugh, catching on to my teasing, and put the hat back.
"Hey..." Before I could finish, she was already running toward something that caught her attention. I followed, only to find her standing in front of a claw machine.
"What is this stuff?" I asked.
She looked at me with wide, mocking eyes. "Don't tell me this handsome businessman who travels the world has no idea about claw machines?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her smart mouth. "I'm not saying I don't know about it, but why do you want this plushie? We can simply buy it."
"We won't buy it," she said with a grin. "We'll earn it." She was already counting the coins in her hand. She inserted one and gestured for me to try.
Someone please tell her that I was bad at stuff like this. I hesitated, then stepped closer, standing in front of the claw machine. I tried again and again but couldn't even grab one.
When I turned back to her, ready to laugh at myself, she was already holding her phone, recording me with that amused grin.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I asked.
"A little," she laughed, lowering the camera. "For memories."
I shook my head, smiling despite myself. Maybe she was right; some moments were meant to be kept, not won.
We reached home a little later than planned. She dropped her bag on the counter and collapsed on the couch while I loosened my tie and stepped into the kitchen.
"You don't have to," she said when she saw me taking out the pan.
"I want to," I replied. "You did enough today, running around and dragging me from stall to stall."
She chuckled, getting up from the couch and stepping closer to the counter, watching me cook. The smell of garlic and butter filled the room, and for a moment, everything felt simple.
When we sat down to eat, she looked at me with that gentle smile of hers.
"Honey, come home early tomorrow evening," she said. "I've invited my friends and cousins for dinner. They've been asking to meet you since our wedding, but you've been quite busy lately. And also…"
She looked up at me and continued softly, "I'll be making your favorite dish tomorrow...exactly like how you surprised me with mine today. It's delicious." She added smiling at the plate in front of her.
I looked at her with a proud smirk. "Sure. I'll be home early tomorrow."