Chapter 70: A glimpse of her
Chapter 70: A glimpse of her
Gabriel's POV:
Three years later...
"Thank you, gentlemen, for coming and participating in this meeting..."
Blah.blah.blah.blah...
I didn't hear what the speaker's next words were as I lost concentration as I watched passersby passing along the busy street of the Am-Phil building in Denver Colorado. I was currently in an important meeting in the city, but as we're almost done discussing some business strategies and investments, I can't help but look out and watch those people walk one by one.
The meeting room was located just on the second floor of the building and surrounded by huge and clear glass panels, so I can freely see the happenings outside the building.
It's been three years and I'm still trying to find Madi. And because I am too desperate to see her, I also tried to watch every people passing by even in this kind of busy street while I silently prayed she might be one of them.
I've been flying from a different country almost every other month, trying my luck to catch a glimpse of her. I became addicted to her perfume scent and it made me insane every time I smell the same scent of her on other women. I also became a fan of entertainment and business news on tv and online, hoping to be able to see her from one of them even in their every commercial.
I hired several people to watch their house in Florida, and each one for her friends in case she ever showed up to them one day. But like every day of these past years, the result was the same as in my first year of searching... nothing. And here I am, trying again my luck to watch those people pacing their way across each other.
But then my eyes widened as my heart started pounding inside when I suddenly caught a glimpse of a very familiar woman. I was stunned in my seat and I don't know what to do.
"Madi!"
I mumbled loudly and finally walked over to the glass panel. I haven't noticed the stares I was earning from the people inside the room. My heart was pounding loudly as my eyes tried to search again the crowd down the building.
"Mr. Wilsons?"
-'It's her! I'm sure of it!'-
"Mr. Wilsons?"
-'I saw her!'-
I kept muttering to myself as I craned my neck to see her again until I felt a tap on my shoulder. I glanced at the owner of the hand. It's Sandy, Madi's friend, and my secretary.
"Sir, they're all waiting for you."
I looked around to see all of them watching me with different questions swirling in their eyes. I sighed and tried to look out again before returning to the long table.
"I'm sorry gentlemen. I just thought I saw my wife." I explained with a half-hearted smile.
"Your wife, meaning you're married?" asked one of the gentlemen at the table.
"Yes, three years ago."
"If so, where is she? What happened to her and why do you look so down?"
"Actually, right at this moment I don't where she is, and I don't know how I can find her. I made a huge mistake in our relationship before, that's why she left me. And until now, I'm still searching for her. I'm hoping I can still correct all those mistakes and hopefully, she can give me a chance."
I said with a sad smile but looking in no particular. I'm just looking at the red roses that are beautifully arranged in the middle of the long table. How I wish I could turn back all those times and reset what happened. Maybe we are now a happy couple, probably with one or two kids. Maybe she's now with me or waiting for me at our home wearing her beautiful smile just for me.
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Sandy's POV:
He's always like that, always looking blankly at the crowd. At first, I can't really understand why he's doing that, then I realized he wasn't completely looking blank at them. Yes, his body doesn't move, but his eyes do, searching and trying that maybe..... maybe he can see her, he can find her by watching each of the people passing by in the busy streets not far from where he is.
I sighed as I continued to watch him share his married life and all his mistakes with the gentlemen inside the room. After more than three years of working with him, I can say he changed so much, his personality, outlook on life, and most of all his behavior.
Well, I know it wasn't easy for him to become what he is right now, but it's worth it. I remember the old him when I and Madi were just starting to work in his company. He's cold, distant, rude, and arrogant. And Madi told me one day, that the word 'thank you' and 'please' wasn't listed in his vocabulary. But that all changed when he offered her his deal, to be his wife. I noticed how he slowly transformed into a jolly and always smiling person.
Madi loved him at that time, without him knowing her feelings. But she stayed with him until one day... he called us one by one and asking if she's with us. Then I heard the shocking news, she finally left
him. And after that, from a cheerful, always smiling, and jolly personality, he turned into a more lifeless, merciless, cold-hearted, and cunning person.
He became the 'devil' of the business industry not just in Chicago but throughout the state of Illinois taking all the opportunity he can get. And maybe due to the constant advice of his father, the screams, and the sermon of his mother and other relatives who visit him in his office, he has become what he is right now. A dedicated businessman and a husband dedicated to finding his wife and getting her back.
"Oh, that's so sad, my son." one of them patted him on the shoulder. "But you know what, nothing is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes, but the most important thing is that we correct them and stand for the right the next time."
"I agree, Mr. Wilsons. I'm sure you can find her, and we hope she can give you a second chance." one of the young executives smiled at him.
"Maybe you can show us her picture, so we can easily recognize her in case our paths cross."
"Yeah, that's a good idea."
He opened again his phone and sent them one of Madi's pictures. And then we started gathering our things as we congratulate each other... one by one.
When we were about to go to the hotel where we're currently checking in, instead of going to the car, he ran to the street in front of the building. John and I exchanged a look but eventually followed him.
"Mr. Wilsons, you still have one more meeting, Sir."
I shouted behind him, but he just ignored me. So I have no choice but to run after him, while Jhon shook his head as he ran next to me.
"He's doing it again," he murmured.
"You mean this street searching?"
"Yeah. He has been doing this for almost two and a half years after he returned to his normalcy."
"Well, we can't blame him," I said taking a large step to keep up with his pace.
When we got in front of him, I was really catching my breath, but to my dismay, he ran again--- to the other side of the street.
"Huh?" I complained while looking at Jhon with a tired look.
He chuckled at me. "That's what we called afternoon exercise."
"Yeah, you mean two o'clock in the afternoon exercise." and he chuckled again.
After ten or fifteen minutes...
"I saw her, I'm sure of it!" Mr. Wilsons grumbled when he came back to us.
"Sir---"
"I can't go wrong with it, Sandy!"
That's one of the things that changed in him. Ever since Madi left, he started calling me Sandy instead of Ms. Aguilar.
I really don't know what to say or how to react to what he said because honestly, I'm not sure if he really saw her earlier or he was just hallucinating. It's not the first time that Jhon and I ran after him down the street just because he said he saw Madi, but in the end... he hired men to look and search for those streets he said he saw her.
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Gabriel's POV:
When I could no longer stand the heat of the sun, I followed the two inside the car. I'm definitely going back here one of these days and set another team to start searching on every street of Denver because I can't be wrong with it. It's her, I know it's her.