"I don't agree that when you love, you are blind or fool. You just get wiser and see clearer what is best and of worth."
― Hark Herald Sarmiento

●●●●●●

"Good morning, Mr. Hendrix," Amanda greeted me when the elevator's doors opened directly into her desk area.

"Good morning," I smiled weakly and she grinned.

"So are you excited?" she giggled shyly.

"Yeah," I laughed a bit at her cuteness.

"There's something I want to tell—"

"Inside my office," I said.

Whatever she had on her mind, had to be something related to Rose. I knew that. The sparkle in her eyes said it all.

She nodded and trailed behind me after I settled behind my desk.

"Mr. Smith's assistant called," she started.

"What did he say?"

"There is something that is...really important...about Rose, and he said you should know that before you meet her today."

"Are they trying to change my mind?"

"I think it's a much different topic. I heard Mr. Smith beside him telling him that's it's urgent that you know, because she'll be with you for the night."

My heart raced inside my ribcage as I thought of anything that could harm a delicate person like her.

Like Rose.

What can it possibly be that's so urgent, and how can it affect her so much when she's only staying with me for what? Three hours? I tried thinking about any hidden message that Jonathan hid in between his words when we first talked about me marrying his daughter, but everything was so clear. I didn't miss anything he said. He only gave me instructions to where we'll meet and that I should better treat her nicely.

Heck, how can he not talk about something that urgent when I was right in front of him?

Is he that stupid to not consider everything?

I guess the feeling of hatred towards that God creation people call Jonathan Smith will have to grow by each passing second.

"Did he say anything about how am I supposed to meet him?" I asked.

"He will be coming by twelve."

"Jonathan?"

"No, his assistant."

I nodded.

"It'll be fine, sir. He wouldn't have let you go out with her if it's really serious."

●●●

"Mr. Smith's assistant is here," I heard Amanda's voice come from the telephone next to me.

"Let him enter."

"Okay, sir."

The door opened slowly as the tall man with the thickest hair on the globe entered silently and walked towards my desk.

Did he consider shooting a hair shampoo advertisement? Because I think his hair can cover three heads shamelessly.

"Is there something on my hair, Mr. Hendrix?" he asked, running his fingers through his hair.

Shit.

Panic mood...ON.

I faked a laugh, "I was looking at the clock behind you, Mr. Clark."

He turned to find my wall clock hanging from above my office's door.

Whew.

"What's the urgent thing you want to tell me?"

"Mrs. Smith is suffering something."

W-What? She is suffering something? A disease? Are they only insecurities? Please God, let it be anything but cancer. Just thinking about cancer and suffering created a bitter feeling inside my head.

I remembered her, my grandmother, when she told me to stay strong and follow my dreams, when she told me how great I'll be if I had confidence, and how unbreakable I would be if I believed in myself. I remembered her last words, when she said "I love you, Ethen, my baby."

Rose can't suffer from cancer, she just can't.

"What is she suffering?"

"Amaurosis Fugax," he said.

My eyes widened in horror. Whatever this disease was, it sure sounded more complicated that just a bland, old...cancer. Fragments of her voice I heard the previous day came rushing into my brain trying to calm me down.

"Which means loss of vision in one eye," he completed. "It stays for seconds and sometimes minutes. She usually gets that when she's stressed or scared and other reasons dealing with her arteries. If it happens, you need to calm her down, and wait. If it stayed for more than a couple of minutes, you need to call the emergency ambulance."

"Is it painful?"

"Not in all cases."

He seemed okay talking about that hell of disease like it was nothing. He was resting on the chair in front of me like he was talking about a football game he just watched. I swear I could feel my jaw drop and touch the floor when he finished talking.

"So I'm assisted to tell you how you should deal with her when it comes."

What the bloody nightmares!

Is he serious!

Where did Jonathan go?!

"Speak," I said, the bitterness of knowing more about what causes my future wife to suffer ring through my ears.

Nothing seems to go easily in my life. Everything goes smoothly as a rocky road ice-cream.

●●●

"Is there something wrong?" my assistant, Zed Dunne, asked me when he entered my office for a check-up on the database files.

"No," I lied.

My mind wouldn't stop thinking of her when Jonathan's assistant left me five hours ago. I struggled to get my brain from not imagining and picturing her in what and how she'd be feeling when she loses her sight.

I never heard of this type of blindness, and the first time I know something about it, it has to deal with someone I'll grow up beside.

My wife.

Rose.

Freaking Jonathan's daughter.

"I'll update your calendar here to match mine," he said, focusing on the screen in front of him.

"Do whatever you want, Zed," I said, then walked away from my desk and towards the door. "I'll leave early today, cancel all the calls."

"Alright."

I nodded and escorted myself to my car and sat in complete silence.

I think everyone noticed something weird with me, whenever I bumped into someone I know, they'd all offer me a sympathetic look like they already know what happened.

It feels weird to be weak in front of people that take you as a role model for strength.

I broke just because I did feel the loss once, and I never want to go through it again.

It made me feel empty from the inside.

I never want to feel empty again.

Ever.

I can't love Rose because I don't want to lose her. As cliché as it sounds, I don't want her first experience to be dull with...me. I know I am marrying her and there's no way to change it...I don't want to change it...but I feel it's unfair for her.

It's unfair for her because she never got the chance to experience life. She needs to know who she really is, and not what her father is trying to make her be. She needs to get to know people around her and not only her father and his guards.

I think it was my responsibility to make her feel everything she never felt and help her go through whatever she's facing.

I think I have a lot to do about her.

And I believe I need to do everything just right.

●●●

Isaac: Are you still going on the date with your ugly woman?

I fume as I read Isaac's message. I think he enjoys just calling her ugly. Did he not understand my lecture to him?

He never freaking saw her.

He only fricken hears what people say.

How can he be so superficial and shallow?

Me: I told you once and I'm not saying it twice, you have NOTHING to do neither with who I choose to marry nor with how she looks like! Do you understand me now, Isaac?!

Isaac: You're so stupid, Ethen.

Me: Just shut up, Isaac, shut up.

Isaac: Whatever.

I roll my eyes then toss the phone to the side of the bed again and stare into my closet. What should I wear today? This is so messed up.

A suit? A shirt and jeans? Should I even put a blazer on? Does it make a difference if I shift threw the color schemes? Why is this so hard?

Why, just why?

"Ethen Hendrix," I heard the voice of someone I am very familiar with enter my room.

He showed up in all his glory. Connor Maddox, probably the most stylish person in the world. He has the best color choices and maybe the best and most formal wardrobe of his own. He truly amazes me with what he wears.

Not.

Who the heck would wear a pink suit with a lime green tie except him? Probably nobody.

Yeah because no one wants people to think that their invaded by the pink panther. Never.

"Connor Maddox," I smiled, although he dresses himself like a...clown, he does know how to match pieces inside my closet and create wonderful 'masterpieces' like he likes to call them.

"Amanda called me," he said, then walked passed me into my closet and started picking things out. "She said you're getting married."

He sent a glare in my direction.

"How come you don't tell me?" he mocked having a heart stroke in the most fake way ever created.

"I never see you, that's why. You're always travelling."

"And that's, my friend, why they created phones," he said then tossed me another glare.

"I'll call you next time, I promise."

"Blah, blah, blah," he smirked as he collected the pieces together. "Here, wear this, and never try putting something together. I think if I left you, you'd go in a suit."

Right.

"Thank you."

"No problem, shower first because you stink," he said as he walked towards the door.

"Hey!"

"What? I was just saying the truth," he smiled then disappeared outside.

How did he manage to form this outfit in a couple of minutes? Don't ask me.

"It's because I do this for a living," he popped his head from the side of the doorframe.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Bye for now, have a good day."

I was left alone again.

This is going to be an exciting night.

I know that for sure.

Well...I hope so.

●●●

A/N

I think I should make my chapters longer just because I don't want my story to end up having 100+ chapters, 

maybe, just maybe I'll do that.

Raghad.