The years had brought strands of gray to his once jet-black hair, fine lines occupied the corners of his eyes and mouth, but somehow all that only added to his charisma. Taking a quick glance at herself, a bitter smile flashed across her face and disappeared, how ironic it was, men only grew more charming with age while it was the exact opposite for women. She was hardly unattractive by any measurements but her beauty had definitely faded through the years, replaced by worldly wisdom.
She tried to imagine what his thoughts would be; perhaps he was thinking about business or perhaps he was thinking about 'her.'
His first love.
The woman he had given up in order to marry her, for the sake of their families.
But regardless of what he was thinking, she knew those were thoughts he would never share with her.
She had long ago given up on jealousy, as she knew she could never replace her existence in his heart; or more realistically speaking she wondered if there was even a place in her husband's heart for her.
He was a ruthless businessman, a filial son, and a loving father; but she never quite knew how to describe him as a husband. He was reliable and thoughtful at times but love simply did not exist.
Their marriage had merely been a marriage of convenience.
In all the years they have been married; they never shared more than a courteous friendship, she was never able to share his inner thoughts. Any inner thoughts and worries he had, he carried by himself. In most occasions they would exchange polite words, speaking for minutes without expressing what was really in their hearts. Their most intimate conversations revolved only around the lives and well being of their two children.
"A penny for your thoughts," she said in a quiet clear voice.
Alerted of her presence, Tony turned away from the window slightly startled, as if brought back to the present from another world. "Not asleep yet?"
"I saw Gillian today," she announced, cutting to the chase, awaiting her husband's reaction. It had surprised her when he publicly announced disowning their daughter. Gillian had always been her husband's sunshine, even their oldest son could not compare. It puzzled her even more that he would force Gillian to marry against her will, something he had swore never to do due to the circumstances of their own marriage.
Her eyes gazed upon his handsome face when she did not hear a response. He merely turned and looked thoughtfully out the window again.
*
With the scorching sun on her back, her pink tank top was almost soaked from her perspiration. Anxiously Charlene continued to walk to her destination, moving as fast as she could in her two-inch sandals carrying two heavy bags, each bag containing various toys and necessities. It had become her habit to volunteer at the orphanage on Saturday afternoons since Kenny was usually too busy with work to accompany her. Volunteering had become a way of channeling her loneliness into something worthwhile.
Her family and friends were all in New York; she had come to Hong Kong, knowing no one except for Kenny and had not made too many friends since her arrival. Most of the socialites that the Chungs associated with were too snobbish for her taste. There was nothing she detested more than their egoistic attitudes, acting as if their eyes were planted on their foreheads. Her straightforward nature had not made her among the popular either but she couldn't care less.
Among the many reasons she was segregate, the most important one was her family was nowhere as prominent as theirs. Her parents were honest hardworking blue-collar workers that had not been able to provide her with many materialistic luxuries but gave her plenty of love. Even now with a wealthy son-in-law, they still preferred their own simple lifestyle in New York and had no wish of returning to Hong Kong.
A block away from the orphanage the plastic shopping bag on her left hand torn from the side, expelling all the contents onto the ground. Hurriedly she tried to gather the contents into her other shopping bag. Engrossed in her own little world, a pair hands suddenly appeared holding a few of her items, her eyes looked up to see a handsome stranger approximately the same height and built as her husband standing before her. She immediately reached out to take the items from the stranger and deposit them into her bag, when she looked up again wanting to thank the man he had already disappeared from sight.
Shrugging her shoulders, she continued her way; thoughts of the kind stranger were forgotten once she heard the loud screams of children playing.
"Jie jie," many of the children called out, running up to her.
With the help of the workers, she immediately distributed the toys and supplies that she brought along.
As she passed out the gifts, she noticed from a distance, a small boy dressed in denim jumpers around the age of four or five that did not come to collect a toy. She remembered him from previous occasions; he always sat in the corner by himself. Her heart arched to see such loneliness from someone so young. Taking a small toy plane in her hand, she walked over to the small boy.
"Hi," she greeted with a smile, "what's your name?"
The young boy seem a bit hesitant to answer at first but finally did after a few moments, "Timmy."
"Hi Timmy, my name is Charlene. Would you like a toy plane?" Charlene introduced herself.
Shyly, Timmy nodded and accepted the gift, earning a pat on the head from Charlene.
The next hour and half, Charlene sat with Timmy while they watched the other children play. Even though Timmy had not said much she knew he enjoyed her company. She had noticed the curious glances he secretly stole of her and the small smile that appeared on his lips.
"Timmy, where did you get that?" she pointed at the blue marble in his hand.
"Gor gor," he replied.
"Gor gor gave you the marble?" she asked, not certain who "gor gor" was.
Timmy nodded, his bright-eyes meeting hers.
For some unknown reason, his timid, innocent demeanor made her reach out, pulling his small body into her arms. All the children there were orphans but something about Timmy made her connect with him more.
Perhaps in some ways he reminded her of herself, living in a world that was not fully her own.
*
"I think my mom really liked you," Gillian said while enjoying the sensation of her fiance's demanding lips all over her neck.
They had just arrived home from dinner with her mother, brother, and sister-in-law. Everything had gone well. The meeting made the prospect of spending the rest of her life with Daniel all the more real.
Making her all the more blissful.
"They say if you want to know how a girl will look like when she's old just look at her mom. I have to say one look at your mom only makes me want to spend the rest of my life with you more," Daniel said in a husky voice, pulling her onto his lap while he made himself comfortable on the sofa.
They kissed eagerly as the heat of their bodies increased.
In desperation, they stripped until every article of clothing was off their perspiring and throbbing bodies and thrown carelessly onto the floor. The heat illuminating from the touch of his fingers on her skin made her tingle all over, yearning for more.
They both gasped in delight the moment their bodies joined sending a wave of pleasure through each and every nerve. Need and desire grew as jots of pleasure continued to shot into their souls.
She eagerly grinded herself against him until mind-blowing pleasure slowly overtook her, sending an intense pulsing sensation through her senses, allowing an aching moan to escape from her lips, leaving her desperately praying for the moment to never end.
His erotic senses heightened at the sound of her sensuous moan as he increased speed, pumping feverishly into her before reaching his release.
They remained still, enjoying the aftereffects of their loving-making; her legs remained circled around his lower waist while his head stayed buried in the hollow of her neck. They bathed in each other's warmth, until Gillian broke the silence and looked at her fiance with searching eyes. "Will you love me forever?"
She had learned that happiness was not everlasting the moment she stepped out of her father's home. There was nothing she feared more than losing the glorious feeling of being love by the man currently holding her.
He had been her shoulder through the roughest moments and her light during her darkest times.
"I promise you, I will not let you go until you let me go," he said planting a kiss on her forehead.
She smiled believing his promise, believing in their future.
Unaware her darkest hours were only beginning.
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