Chapter 5

Charles couldn't help but look at his ex-wife whom he hadn't seen for how many days. Elizabeth was no longer living in their house and for some reasons that he couldn't understand, he seemed to feel that he was missing her.

It felt like there was a missing part which he couldn't tell what. He felt it was weird because why would he feel such emotions when he was the one who asked for a divorce.

Every time that he gets back home from work or even when he is leaving for the office, his eyes seem to be searching for her presence. He noticed that Elizabeth seemed to gain weight.

He wondered if it was because she was already free from him and she wasn't feeling stress and toxic on the relationship they had?

Charles was aware that they didn't have a happy marriage. He didn't treat her well and most of the time, he chose to ignore her but he never yelled at the woman except for the day that he asked her to sign their divorce papers.

Elizabeth signed the papers without a word. He knew that the woman accepted the fate of their marriage and he was thankful that he didn't need to go through a long and dramatic conversation with her.

The next day when he came back home, Elizabeth was not in their house anymore. She moved out and he didn't know where she was living now. He didn't pay much attention to her until now and he couldn't understand himself. Why did he feel like he was mesmerized by looking at her? Charles felt like there was something different to his ex-wife's aura which he couldn't determine.

The sound of the elevator brought him back to sanity.

"Bro, by the way, where is my office?" Albert asked him as soon as they got out of the elevator.

Albert was his eldest brother. Yesterday, he was shocked when he received an email from him. He said that he wanted to take his position. He wanted to be the president of the company since it had been vacant after their father's death.

Supposedly, Albert should be the chairman of the company instead of him since he was the eldest but he said he wanted him for that position since he also had to manage his own business which was out of the country.

Though he was shocked at the sudden interest that his brother had with their business after a long time since their father was gone, he was also glad that he was there to help him in the company.

"No worries, bro. I will guide you to your own office," he mumbled. "I will personally give you a tour of the company that our father dedicated his life to."

"Thank you, bro. I appreciate the warm welcome. I am sorry if it had been all of a sudden. Since I am already back, I thought that it would be better for me to talk to you about my share," Albert said to Charles and smiled at him. "I am also hoping that my secretary has her desk in my office. I want her to be near me," Albert added and then he winked at Elizabeth. That gesture didn't escape in his eyes.

Charles couldn't explain the sudden irritation he felt when he saw what his eldest brother did. It seemed that he was flirting with his wife. No, ex-wife. He felt his temple suddenly hurt when he realized that Elizabeth was no longer his wife. So, he had no right to get jealous. He couldn't even understand why he felt that way when before, he didn't even bother to look at Elizabeth.

"Of course, bro. We will request someone to bring a desk for your secretary," he said in a firm tone, especially the word secretary. Charles felt annoyed knowing that Elizabeth would be sitting next to Albert and the fact that they would be staying in one room really made him think a lot of things about the two.

He couldn't help but wonder what else the two would be doing aside from working? Do they have an intimate relationship? Do they have more than a boss and a secretary relationship? He was at loss in his thoughts. He couldn't stop the things that suddenly flashed in his mind.

The sound of the chair that was pulled on the side by one of the employees dragged him out from reality.

He immediately looked in the direction where he heard the sounds.

"Oop, I'm sorry," the employee said and then he bowed his head when he recognized him.

He immediately shifted his gaze on the corner where the sounds came from. "Oops sorry." The employee said after he bowed his head.

Charles shook his head and then he walked towards his brother's office.

He opened the door and led Albert and Elizabeth inside.

There was a big mahogany desk in the middle of the room. It's positioned in the way that the president would be able to see the person that would come in as soon as they opened the door. There's a file cabinet at the left side.

When you lean in the window, the sky can be seen so bright. The office had a brown carpet.

There was a leather couch just near the window.

The office was not small nor big. It was just perfect to have a cold temperature inside. It was big enough for Elizabeth and Albert to do whatever they wanted to do inside when no one was around except for the two of them.

"So, how do you find it?" He asked his brother. "If you want to change anything, just let me know. I will get our people to fix it for you. This design was the design of our late father that's why I didn't have it changed because where he is now, I know he wanted it to remain this way but it's up to you bro, since you will be the one using it starting today," he added.

"I think this is perfect. This is more than enough for me and my secretary," Albert replied and that made him annoyed. He silently cursed the woman because of what he suddenly felt. He couldn't understand what's happening to him every time he could hear Albert calling Elizabeth, secretary. Irritation would suddenly rise inside him which he couldn't explain why. He had nothing to do with Elizabeth anymore. Everything between them already ended so he should stop himself.

He had to control himself from thinking to drag Elizabeth out of his brother's office because that wouldn't do any good. He had no right to do that and on top of that, he wouldn't be putting his relationship with his brother at risk just because of the woman.

Elizabeth was no longer his wife. So, he should stop whatever he was thinking about her and he shouldn't care about whatever kind of relationship she had with his brother.

He had no idea where these two met and how they had known each other because as far as he could remember Albert didn't attend his wedding with Elizabeth. Albert had no idea that Elizabeth was his ex-wife.

He has no idea where these two met, and how they've known each other, as far as he remembered Albert wasn't there in his wedding with Elizabeth. Albert has no idea that Elizabeth was his ex wife and he didn't have any plan to tell him about their past.

Charles swallowed a lump on his throat. He tried to calm himself before he spoke. He didn't want Elizabeth to see that he was affected by her presence.

"Oh, yes, don't worry. I will ask someone to bring all the things that your secretary needs. I will also have someone to buy you a laptop that you can use," he said but he didn't even glance at the woman standing beside his brother. "I am sorry if I am not that prepared. I had a lot of scheduled meetings yesterday and I wasn't able to let the people know that you are coming in today."

He swallowed a lump of his throat, calming himself before he spoke. "Oh yes, don't worry I will ask someone to bring the things needed by your secretary." He said without looking at Elizabeth.

"Oh, that's great. Thank you so much, bro. You're such a good brother. I never thought that you would do all of these for me," Albert said and then he patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I should be good even without the laptop. That's no rush."

"Ellie," Albert said as he turned to Elizabeth. "How do you find this room? Are you okay with this? I think it looks cozy and relaxing, especially how the window gives us the view of the sky. We can do our work with peace of mind, isn't it?" He added and then he got closer to Elizabeth while he was waiting for the woman's answer.

Charles saw when Elizabeth smiled towards Albert. Those smiles that he always saw at the woman even when he treated her coldly. Elizabeth never failed to show her sweet smile at him even if he never bothered to look at her most of the time. But, why did he notice those smiles and those perfect sets of white teeth that the woman had? What's going on with him? Why all of a sudden Elizabeth was running inside his mind? Didn't he force the woman to sign the divorce papers?

"Yes, I like the ambiance. I like everything in the right spot, especially this painting on the wall. I think it's just perfect, the sky and then the green plants with beautiful flowers on them in this painting, it's just relaxing," Elizabeth responded to the man while she was looking at the painting of a garden that had a different variety of wild flowering plants. "I felt like I was just home, you know," the woman added while she was not removing her gaze to his big brother.

Charles really wanted to pull her out of the room but he tried his best to hold himself. The moment that he did anything to Elizabeth, he knew that Albert would react and that was the last thing that he wanted to happen.

"You are right,it seems that you love flowers. Do you want us to have fresh flowers on your desk? I can ask Charles to get one for you. I am sure that should be okay to my brother," Albert suggested and then he gave him a glance.

Charles didn't know what to say. It seemed that his brother was enjoying his ex-wife's company.

He didn't know how to react in front of his brother because it seemed that he knew nothing about the two of them.

"No, it's okay. I should be alright. Let's not bother your brother. He must have a lot of things to do," Elizabeth said and a smile was still on her face.

"Alright, bro. Just feel free to explore. I almost forgot, I have a meeting," he said as he excused himself. He felt like his heart was sore as he was looking at the happiness in Elizabeth and Albert's face as they talked to each other. "I am sorry but I have to go now."

His ex-wife was smiling ear to ear which made him more irritated.

"Oh, okay, bro. Thank you so much for bringing me here and taking care of everything that I need and Ellie," he said to him.

"No problem, bro. I better get going now because in a few minutes, I will have a meeting and then the meeting that I had called will happen. I will officially announce your arrival and you being the new president of the Jones Holders," he said while looking at his brother's face. He didn't know why but he didn't have the strength to see the happiness in Elizabeth's eyes.