Chapter 59: Chapter 59

For the second time, someone broke her heart and her trust. If her heart had been in human form, she would already be battered and bruised and currently in a coma. Just waiting to see if she would die or have a chance to live again. Rakia cried all night and locked herself in her room. After she fought with Dashtan yesterday afternoon. She didn’t come out of her room for hours, until she made sure he was asleep, she decided to go out just to eat and drink something.

By then, it was three in the morning. Rakia rummaged through the fridge and found four slices of pizza, she took them out and put them in the microwave after which she ate them with a glass of cold cola. Her face looked terrible, with swollen eyes, red nose. She ate as fast as she could. The memory of her fight with Dashtan yesterday afternoon at her current place came rushing back. The fact that he broke his promise not to bring another woman into their marriage hurt more than the pain Benjamin gave her.

The tears started again, but she was tired of crying over what had happened. She wiped her tears and finished her pizza and cola drink. She was pensive for a moment in her current place. She thought about avenging her heartache. Rakia got down from her chair and left the kitchen. As she passed by the living room and stared at the piano, she remembered the night when she and Dashtan had just arrived at this house after visiting her father in the hospital. That night, was one of the best nights she had ever had in her life. But somehow right now the memory was like a knife slicing through her heart. Rakia took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, then she went back into her room. Climbed into bed and hid under the covers.

“I must avenge him.” Her mind blurted out that sentence and she agreed. All that was left was for her to figure out what steps she should take.

**

In the morning when she woke up, there was an empty feeling that she felt. Her puffy eyes felt heavy, Rakia took a deep breath to get rid of the disturbing empty feeling but she realized that it was not a dream. The reality suddenly hit her that right now, her marriage was falling apart.

She got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. As the warm water poured over her body, she thought about her revenge plan. As she finished showering and dressing to get ready for work, she stopped in her tracks as she reached for the doorknob. Her hand just dangled in the air and she slowly clenched it into a fist. Her face was downcast with her heart beginning to radiate that pain again, but she was no longer able to cry because she was tired.

“I have to deal with it,” she muttered then grabbed the doorknob turning it until the door opened. She found Dashtan just coming down the last flight of stairs from the second floor. Dressed in gym clothes, they stopped in their respective positions and stared at each other in silence.

“I’m leaving,” Rakia said, breaking the silence with an awkward gesture. She walked away leaving Dashtan who only followed her with a gaze full of disappointment and a speck of guilt. After Rakia left, Dashtan looked down while placing both hands on his waist. Letting out a long sigh then left his place for a while heading to his bedroom. The atmosphere was different after the argument with his wife yesterday afternoon that had left them silent. And now he suspected that Rakia would slowly drift away from him.

He was busy concentrating and calming himself from thinking about his marriage that he had destroyed, not to pieces but enough to make Rakia ask for a divorce soon. That was his worst thought, while he was not able to do that yet. He still needed Rakia in his plans this time.

“Sir, are you alright?” The secretary woke Dashtan from his long daydream. He stuttered for a moment before turning his attention to the woman currently standing near his desk.

“Yes, Ms. Richard!”

The woman looked at Dashtan with a frown on her forehead.

“You... Okay? I guess you didn’t listen to my explanation,” said Ms. Richard, curious about her superior’s condition. Dashtan let out a long sigh.

“Maybe I need some coffee, please, and just send me everything via email I’ll check it out later.” Dashtan gave the directive and it was immediately responded to with a nod and the secretary’s obedient statement before walking away from him. He was just about to reflect on what he had done to Rakia lately, but the ringing of his cell phone interrupted his plans. Dalilah’s name flashed on the screen of his currently ringing cell phone. Dashtan sighed loudly, he didn’t want to talk to anyone so he flipped his cellphone over and the ringing stopped.

He took as much time as he wanted to contemplate facing his chair to the glass window behind him and casting his gaze out there, where the cityscape of Singapore looked like an aesthetic painting. If only his father hadn’t made that ridiculous deal, he probably would have married Rakia without any agreement. Now, as he begins to care about her he is faced with the all-too-quick choice to let her go.

This time, when he decided to marry Dalilah for political reasons, he was bound by an agreement with her.

“Mr. Dashtan, madam-“ Before the secretary could finish her sentence, Rakia walked in and walked with graceful steps towards Dashtan looking nothing like she did this morning, when he last saw her leave for work. Rakia arrived in front of Dashtan’s desk and handed her a piece of paper inside a light brown folder.

“What’s this?” asked Dashtan looking at the envelope curiously, he reached for it.

“You just need to sign there, I need more money to buy an apartment.” Rakia looked at Dashtan expressionlessly. The man took out the envelope and read what was written on the paper. It was a statement from the bank that she would use the money for a property purchase transaction.

“What are you buying an apartment for? Are you running away from me?” Dashtan gave Rakia a sharp look. The woman smiled scornfully, taking a seat on one of the chairs in front of the table.

“Why would I run away from you? I’m still your wife, unless you want a divorce right now.” Rakia looked at the man with a defiant and sharp gaze.

“In case we fight and I need some privacy, I can use that apartment. Yes... Because there’s no way I can go to my mom’s house or call Moma and tell her we had a fight. Or maybe... I could move in there and you’d be free to bring a new wife into your house.” Rakia’s rant sounded sarcastic and hit Dashtan right on the nose.

“Rakia....” Dashtan was stunned but Rakia signaled her not to say anything by raising one of her index fingers and wiggling it slowly left and right a few times as she clucked.

“Just sign the letter. The apartment will come in handy later, even if I move there you can freely meet me after making love with your new wife.”

“Rakia!” Dashtan’s voice began to rise in volume.

“Why? Was I wrong? You shouldn’t be angry, I’m the one who should be angry here!” Rakia began to get carried away. They argued by throwing angry glances at each other. But Dashtan relented first and quickly signed the letter. Rakia smiled, but it was a fake smile. She quickly rose to her feet and leaned over to pick up the paper and put it back in the envelope.

“That’s better. Oh yeah, I’m leaving to Peru tomorrow afternoon,” Rakia informed him. Dashtan frowned and said, “Peru? What for?”

“There’s an ancient tomb excavation there that we have to cover. And coincidentally, I’m the one assigned there. Please have fun while I’m gone.” Rakia said that then smiled and walked away, but Dashtan stopped her.

“No, you can’t go.”

Rakia froze where she was. She sighed and grinned, but when she turned towards Dashtan she displayed a fake smile that was full of falsehood.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be there long and come back with the news that I’m married to another man.” Having said that, she quickly walked away without thinking about Dashtan’s feelings who refrained from yelling at him on the spot for hurting the man’s ego.