My heart has been filled with regrets as I remember how badly I treated Eleanor.
After our divorce, I came to realize how important she was to me. I also realized the impact she had made in my life while we were married.
I hated my pompous self for not realizing the gem I married. I also failed to admit that I fell in love with her at first sight at the hotel.
I've been to the family mansion several times to visit my grandpa and ask for his help to find Eleanor but he never yielded to my pleas as he said it was my punishment for throwing such a good woman out.
Grandpa was so disappointed in me and also missed Eleanor each passing day but she was no where to be found.
I feared that I may lose her forever.
Eleanor had suffered in our marriage of six months. I saw her as my wife in papers. I humiliated her on many occasions, especially at the company's dinner party.
My marriage with Eleanor has always been a facade to the public and my grandfather but a joke to me.
I hated her for siding with her father to get on my bed and made me end up in a forceful marriage with her.
I expressed my hatred in every way I could, even though deep down in me I felt that I was being too much. Sleeping out became my habit but now, I spend all my hours in Eleanor's room lucid dreaming about her.
The scents and old belongings that were left behind by Eleanor became my companions, as I sought comfort in them.
While I and Eleanor were married, I purposely got a mistress who was an A-lister in the entertainment industry just to shame Eleanor, though the relationship was secret to the public but I did rub it off on Eleanor's face.
The relationship got exposed to the media on the eve of the company's dinner night and I knew someone was behind it though I couldn't find out who it was.
Eleanor stormed in anger into the event hall and asked, "Desmond, how could you be so inhumane to be cheating on your wife and show it off to the public?"
For a minute I was lost, but I took a glance at the TV set that was above us to see the news of my infidelity circulating in the media.
A surge of anger ran through me for a moment but that didn't give the conniving bitch the right to judge me nor insult Ava who cannot be compared to her in any way.
"Eleanor!" I called out to her.
"You don't have a right to judge me or Ava here.
Ava is my mistress as you said and you are my wife and I hope you understand for once that you'll never be like her," I admitted shamelessly not minding the people present.
After Eleanor had left the company embarrassed, I addressed the people.
"Sorry, for what happened this evening but I do hope that whatever happened here remains here. This should not get out to the public in any way." I warned everyone present.
The party was dismissed but I ensured my men deleted any recording of the little drama between me and Eleanor before anyone left the building.
Once the party was over, I ignored Ava and went home to rest.
Thinking about these old and painful memories of Eleanor made me look like a piece of shit. I really hope I had given our marriage a chance as she and grandpa suggested.
The company was at the verge of crumbling as I wasn't in the right frame of mind to run the affairs of the company, so I had to step down as I appointed a trustee to stand in as the CEO and manager in my absence.
While I was absent from the company, I turned the country and the neighborhood upside-down in search of Eleanor but I couldn't find her.
I stationed my men across all borders and airports to find Eleanor but no news was found about her. I became desperate and frustrated with each passing day.
"Hello," a sweet female voice rang in my ears. I opened my eyes to find Eleanor smiling sweetly at me.
"Eleanor! Is that you?" I asked unbelievably.
"Yes darling, it's Eleanor, Grandfather told me how frustrated you have been so I came to find you."
Hurriedly, I rushed towards Eleanor with an open arm to embrace her. When I got to where Eleanor had been standing, she suddenly vanished as I hugged the air.
Eagerly, I looked around the room as I kept shouting at the top of my voice for Eleanor to come out of her hiding place while searching every corner for her.
I opened my eyes as the sun rays blinded my eyes.
Sadness enveloped me as I realized that it was all a dream that I could only wish to come to reality.
When I stepped out of the room, I heard voices in the room as I was surprised because I lived here alone.
What if Eleanor is back and it wasn't a dream.
Eagerly I went down to the hall to meet my mother and a woman who looked like Eleanor.
Yes, you heard me right, Eleanor's doppelganger. Even though I had never been that close or friendly with Eleanor.
I could still identify her myself, Eleanor was 5'4 ft tall but here this woman was shorter than Eleanor and was using heels to make her look taller.
Looking at this woman's face who tried to fit in as Eleanor, I became pissed.
Seeing the scars and stiffness on her face which she tried so hard to hide with makeup, I chuckled as it was evident that she went through the hazel to look like Eleanor.
"Mom, when you are done you can leave with this lookalike." I said as I walked back to my room ignoring her tantrums.
When I got to my room, my phone buzzed in my pocket. "Boss, we've found madam at the airport," my man reported.