We Have A Problem
1229 Words
Ronan had a bright smile on his face as he stared at the love of his life. He was the very picture of understated elegance.
He had rich sleek hair that fell in thick waves, and his face was perfectly sculpted to charm it's way into the heart of anyone.
Man was facially and financially handsome.
Mallory's heart flipped in her chest as he advanced towards her. Her hands turned damp from sweat.
Everyone was present - her grandma, her kids, Isla, and two of Ronan's friends. Although, Isla had a glum on her face. Her grandmother looked the happiest.
Her breath caught up in her throat when Ronan got close enough and went down on one knee. God, no! Not now.
His eyes, a deep and soulful shade of brown, held hers in a charming lock. She could see anxiety in them, as well as hope.
Why would Ronan do this? She had no idea he'd ever want to propose this way.
"Hey, Mal." He gave a tight-lipped smile. "I know this might be coming as a shock to you. But yeah, I couldn't hold it in anymore. The thought of you gives me sleepless nights, Mal. And every morning, I wake up to the fear of losing you to another."
"You're not just beautiful, you're absolutely stunning. And God! I couldn't think of anyone else being perfect for my wife. I want to grow old with you, Mal. I want to raise my kids with you, if you'd do me the honors. So, here I am, asking you, Mallory Harrington, will you marry me?"
The kids clamped their hands over their mouths and giggled, like they were watching a fun disney series. Heather beamed, placing a hand over her chest. Isla gave an eye roll. But Mallory - she couldn't take her gaze away from Ronan.
She was broken. Confused.
Ronan was perfect. Perhaps, she'd have been able to work on the bad side of him and fix things for their sake. Perhaps, if he had proposed to her the day before, she'd have said YES.
But not now. Not when she had seen the one man she had loved her whole life, even in his absence. Not when she had seen the father of her kids.
Yes, Ronan was a good guy. He was good looking, caring and well-to-do.
But he was nowhere close to Wilder. Her Wilder was exceptional, and never had she seen a man as stunning as he was. As enchanting.
Her Wilder had stood against the world for her sake. He had fought against his own family, reduced himself to her status and lived in the slums with her. All for her sake.
There could never be any like him. None she could ever choose over him.
Staring at Ronan, she let out a wistful smile.
"You're a nice guy, Ronan," she began.
Ronan's hope had began to dwindle. He could see her response coming.
"You're so awesome, and any woman would be lucky to end up with you. But I'm not ready for this right now. I'm sorry, but I'm not... I can't do this."
A heavy veil of letdown wrapped around the room, suffocating optimism. Mallory's words felt like sharp stabs to Ronan's heart, he couldn't hide the pain in his eyes.
"Mallory!" Heather called huskily.
Quickly, Ronan lifted a finger to her, signalling her not to get verbally abusive.
He rose from the floor, closing the box along. With a heartwarming smile, he took her hands.
"I completely understand. Sorry, I should've realized you weren't ready for this. I'm ready to give you all the time in the world, Mallory. I have the patience."
Mallory's heart skipped two beats. She couldn't begin to fathom the gravity of hurt he must be feeling. But it was for the better.
Placing his hands on both sides of her head, Ronan leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead.
He disentangled from her and turned around to face the rest of the people in the room. "Let's feast, however. There's still a cause for celebration."
"What cause, Ronan?" Heather gritted. "She ruined the bliss!"
"Grandma please." Ronan advanced towards her and placed his hands on both sides of her shoulders. "Mallory just needs time to think. Don't be too hard on her."
Heather huffed, her hands curled into fists. She threw a deadly glare at Mallory before looking at Ronan.
"There's nothing to think about. You're perfect! Hell! You're even ready to father these fatherless babies of hers."
"Stop that, grandma!" Mallory snapped, her eyes going wide with disbelief. "How can you even utter such nonsense in front of my kids?"
"Nonsense?" Heather scoffed. "You dare say I speak nonsense?"
"Please, that's enough!" Ronan chipped in, his voice a little high. Now, this wasn't looking good from his end.
He took a deep calming breath before looking at Mallory.
"Come on. Let's grab some air." He took her hand and led her out of the room.
****†****†****†
Safiya helped Wilder with his briefcase as they walked into their luxurious duplex. Getting to the bedroom, she helped him unknot his tie and sat on the bed as she watched him undo his buttons.
Fear was still so strong inside of her, it was making it difficult for her to breathe. She looked at Wilder, wondering If he had anything to say about his assistant. But unfortunately, he wasn't giving her what she wanted.
"So, darling; how was your first day at the office?" She flashed a smile, although she was seated behind him while Wilder faced the long wall mirror.
"It was good," he nodded.
The answer wasn't satisfactory enough for Safiya. He didn't recognize Mallory, did he?
She itched her nape. "Um... your new P.A, are you considering retaining her as your P.A? You know, I was thinking it'd be a great idea to change her."
Wilder turned swiftly from the mirror to look at her.
"Why do you think so?" He asked.
Safiya blinked hard at the suspicion in his voice. Of course, she shouldn't be suggesting that, because to him, she was just meeting Mallory for the first time.
"It's nothing serious," she chuckled nervously. "It's just... she was a little rude to me when I came to see you. She didn't want to let me in, not knowing I was actually your fiancee."
Wilder shifted his gaze from her, returning it to the mirror.
"I believe she was simply acting ethical," he muttered calmly.
Safiya fisted her hands. Goodness, she had a very bad feeling about this; a really bad feeling.
Wilder took off his shirt and started towards the bathroom.
"You should get ready. You know my grandmother hates it when I'm late." He added, just before he walked into the bathroom.
He was right. His grandmother had arranged a family dinner for him as a welcome gesture. Everyone was expected to be in attendance.
Safiya picked up her phone and tapped the screen severally as she rushed out to the balcony of the house. She kept throwing glances behind, even if she was sure Wilder was in the bathroom.
The phone beeped for sometime before finally, Wilder's mum picked up.
"Mum," she called worriedly. "We have a problem - a very big one. Wilder's ex-wife is his P.A at the office."
- Writer
