I sat on the balcony of my hotel room as I gazed at the serene beauty of the Swan Lake. There were couples strolling hand in hand around the lake and families of three with their children.
I looked on until the night fell but she still had not come back or replied to my messages.
If it was in the past, I would have been panicked and anxious. I would try to call her and send her messages. However now, I simply sipped my coffee calmly and did not have the urge to do those things.
It wasn’t until the deep hours of the night that I heard her footsteps. I was about to fall asleep at that time. She approached quietly, slipping her arms around me from behind. Her breath brushed against my ear as she whispered, "I'm sorry about today. It was an unexpected incident. Tomorrow, We’ll take a peaceful walk around the lake, just the two of us."
I gently removed her arms from around me.
Gemma was puzzled. “What's wrong? You’re not still upset over something so trivial, are you?”
I turned around and looked at her. “No, I’m not upset, because you won’t be here tomorrow.”
Her eyes looked deeply into my eyes for a long time before finally saying, “Nothing will keep me away tomorrow.
Then she took my hand and pulled me up. With affection in her voice, she said, “Let’s take a bath together. It’s my ovulation period tonight.”
The next morning, when we were eating breakfast, her phone buzzed again. She hesitated but eventually answered.
"Gemma, I’m having surgery today,” said Stefano. “Can you stay with me? I’ll feel much better if you’re there., without you I'll be anxious."
“I’m on vacation with Dominic Emerson right now. I can’t leave,” she replied while glancing at me.
I kept eating while looking coldly at her. My gaze must have shaken her because the woman who was usually cold and confident, looked a little in a daze and unsure.
Suddenly, a different voice came through the phone. "You must be my son’s boss, right? I'm Stefano's mother. He won’t go into surgery unless you’re there. He says he’d rather risk permanent disability than enter the surgery room alone. Please, I beg you."
“My son broke his leg and was hospitalized because he works for your company and works for you, as his boss, how can you be so cruel and turn your back on him?” she continued.
Then she added, "You can take your vacation whenever you want, but my son can't afford to wait! If you still have a conscience, please hurry over now and get my son into the operating room, count this as me begging you!”
Gemma hung up the phone and looked at me several times. It seemed she wanted to say something.
"Go ahead," I said flatly while watching her closely. “After all, it’s not like the surgery can happen without you, right? After all, you're his attending physician.”
I thought my sarcasm might make her reconsider. She was not a doctor, just an ordinary person. What could she possibly contribute to Stefano's leg recovery?
Yet, without any hesitation, Gemma got up and promised, "Once he's in the operating room, I'll immediately return here to accompany you!”
I stared at her coldly and didn't say another word.
Gemma's mouth opened and closed and finally, she said, “I know what you're thinking. Two hours. Tops! I'll go and come back quickly!”
She then left without another glance.
"Fuck! Just go then! I won't wait for you anymore! I said as I threw the gift that I was about to give Gemma to the trash.
After I checked out of the resort, I returned to the company.
Last year, the company opened a branch in another city and needed someone to manage it. When I brought it up with Gemma, she dismissed the idea.
Gemma told me, "There is no need for you to do that. I earn enough for us and we aren't short of money. There is no need for you to go far away to advance your career. If you need more money, you just ask me for it."
However, when Stefano talked about the importance of “a man’s career,” she took the matter seriously and wasted no time to personally promote him to become her marketing manager.
Back at the office, I approached my boss. "I’d like to take the transfer to the branch office," I said.
He beamed with happiness when he knew I was willing to go. “That’s excellent news, Dominic! I always knew you had potential. I'm glad you're willing to go. You are our best candidate. I’ll have HR process the paperwork immediately.”
I agreed with him and thanked him respectfully, "Thank you, Sir, for training me."
At home, I packed my belongings and posted on Instagram about my upcoming relocation. Many of my friends flooded the comments with well-wishes and asked where I was going. So, I responded to them one by one.
However, none of them are from Gemma. She even did not come home for the whole day either.
The next day, I had packed my things and was ready to leave. Knowing that I was going to relocate to another place, some of my friends came to say goodbye.
"Don’t forget us when you make it big!" one joked.
“Safe travels, Dominic,” said another.
“You won't know your way around in the new place. If you ever need help in there, don't forget to call us,” added a third.
Then someone looked around in confusion and asked, "Hey, where’s your wife? Why isn’t she here to send you off?"
I gave him a small smile. “We’re probably getting a divorce soon.”
Just as I finished saying this, my friends all changed their faces abruptly.
When I followed their gaze and turned around, I saw Gema who stood behind me in silence.
