He only married me to show her that he already moved on Chapter 74 - seventy-four: Still connected

"Are you sure you don't need me to go with you?" 

Martin asked me for the third times since this morning about my appointment to the City Hall of Chicago. We flew together yesterday because I need to sign some important doc.u.ments that needed to renew the business licence and operations agreement of my first restaurant. He insisted to go with me to meet my friends and to finally see my outlets. And I also need to personally file the doc.u.ments because Noelle has an important schedules for today.

"Yup, don't worry. I'm used to this." I answered getting my bag and my phone from the couch.

"Okay. Take care, babe. Text me if you need some backup or if your ex-husband surprised you again." 

I chuckled when he flexed his two biceps in front of me.

"I'm serious! I can kick him on his balls!"

I end up coughing after of laughing so hard in his one of a kind jokes.

"Okay, fine. But do the first things you really wanted to do.. or GO to the place and person you wanted to visit." I teased him with a raised eyebrow and smirk on my lips.

"Huh! What are you talking about?" he said acting surprised and he turned his back on me.

I shook my head while grinning and followed him in the kitchen.

"Ohh.. Martin-babe, do you really think I didn't know your real reason for going back with me here in Chicago? Come on, Martin!"

"Fine! But I'm serious, Madi. If you need some help, don't hesitate to call me or send me a message, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks babe." I winked at him. 

He pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead. "Take care."

"Yup... I will. Bye."

I can't help not to inhaled deeply the moment I stepped out of the taxi and the building of Chicago City Hall came to my view. It's been three years since the last time I entered this building, and that was when we registered our marriage in the Civil Registry.

After how many minutes of contemplating my thoughts, I decided to enter the building and headed my way to my purpose department.

Thirty minutes later.....

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but the name in your ID doesn't match with the name listed on our system."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked directly at the lady inside the both.

"I - I'm sorry? What do you mean my ID name doesn't match on your system?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Are you sure you're still with the name Davis?"

I was taken aback with her question.

"Y-Yes. I don't remember changing my name for the past three years."

That's true because even after our wedding I didn't register myself as Wilsons here, so that means I am still Davis on their system.

"Can you please check it again? I have some other IDs here, if you want you can check the details." I said giving her my other IDs.

But after three minutes, she gave me back all of it including all the papers I submitted to her earlier, while she's shaking her head.

"I'm really sorry Ma'am, but you're no longer listed as Davis on our system."

"W-What?"

"We can't process your doc.u.ments with the IDs you have right now. But if you want Ma'am, you can go back anytime and present your ID with the name Wilsons."

My jaws dropped with the name she mentioned. 

-'This is impossible!'-

"W-What did you say.. W-Wilsons?" I was sweating all of a sudden.

"Yes Ma'am, Wilsons. You're still registered as Madielyn Davis-Wilsons.."

"Are you sure-----" 

I didn't finish my question when she turned the computer screen to show me the details listed on it. And it's true! I am Madielyn Davis-Wilsons on the screen.

"H-How did that happen? That was so Impossible, Miss! I told you, I didn't change any of my personal information here for the past three years!"

"I'm sorry Ma'am, but I can no longer answer your questions. As stated in our data, you're still married to Mr. Gabriel Wilsons and your------"

"What?" my eyes and mouth widened like a saucer. "We're no longer married! I already filed a divorce paper three years ago!" my voice came loud that caught the attention of some people around me.

"Ma'am, are you sure you filed your papers? Because if you're sure you do, it will appear in our system. Or did you personally filed it or just passed it to your lawyer?"

"No.. to my ex-husband!"

"Hmm.. okay. If that so, are you sure Ma'am your husband, I mean your ex-husband sighed the papers and filed it to the court before? Because in our data, you're married to him three years ago-----" 

"So you mean to say I - I am still...uhm..." 

"You're still married to him, Ms. Davis.. no..Mrs. Wilsons." she's the one who finished what I wanted to say.

-'F.u.c.k.i.n.g shit!'-

I silently cursed as I brushed my fingers to my hair in a frustrated manner. I formed my fists as tears of irritations formed in my both eyes. And guess what, I just found myself laughing in front of them.

All these years, I thought I had already escaped from him and for being tied on his name, but I was wrong. Because even after all of what happened, after three years escaping from what I have felt for him, I am still connected to him!

And then suddenly I remember what he said, the time he went from the coffee shop..

Flashback...

"So, you're just staying here after all these years."

I gasped when I heard Gabriel's voice behind me. I am currently in the shop's kitchen and preparing the ingredients for the cakes I am about to bake.

I turned around to see him standing a few feet away from me with his both hands in his pockets and wearing his dominant and serious aura. I can smell the very familiar cologne he used three years ago. And I gulped before I decided to wear my professional smile.

"Mr. Wilsons. I'm sorry but this is a restricted area, exclusively for employees only."

"I know." he shrugged. "I can go out if you're also going to talk to me outside."

My smile died but I took a deep breath and looked at him directly. "I don't think we have anything to talk about----"

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Madi!" he cut me off with his hard tone and started to step forward closer to me, but I also started to take my step backwards.

"I don't owe you an explanation, Mr. Wilsons."

"Are you sure of that? Because as far as I remember, you left me without any explanation three years ago!"

I swallowed hard when my back hits the hard wall behind me. He stopped a few inches away from my body. I can feel the fast pounding of my heart inside my chest. It was bad enough that I can smell his cologne but the warmth of his body with our close proximity left me feeling nauseous.

"I left you a note----"

"Yes, you left me a note! But you think your note would explain everything?"

"Gabriel!" sudden shivers run down my spine when I put my palms flat on his chest as he tried to invade my personal space and suffocate me on the wall.

"Oh, so you still know how to call me by my name!" he smirked at me when I looked up on his face.

"What do you want this time? If you're going to offer me a new deal, I'm sorry but I'm done myself dealing with you!" I tried to push him but he didn't even budge a bit.

"What if I told you this time, I am about to offer you a deal of forev-------"

"Babe! Are you done with the----oh!" 

I felt relieved when Martin entered the kitchen. And because Gabriel turned his head on him, I used it as an opportunity to push him as he still distracted with Martin's sudden presence.

"Martin." I walked towards him and he put his hand over my shoulders.

"What's happening here, Babe?" he looked down at me before he turned his focus with Gabriel. "Who are you and what are you doing here in our private kitchen?" he asked him with furrowed eyebrows.

But Gabriel just ignored him as his eyes stay focused on me and to Martin's hand around my shoulders. I gulped when I noticed him clenched his jaws and balled his fists.

"Sir, I'm asking you. What are you doing here?" Martin asked him again.

Then Gabriel turned to him with a smirk on his lips.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked Martin.

"Should I have to?" 

-'Oh no.'- my eyes widened when Martin asked him back with the same level tone.

"So, you don't know me."

"Well, actually I don't care who you are. What I need to know is what you're doing here in our private kitchen with my 'wife'?"

My jaws dropped as my eyes turned a bit wide with Martin's last word. 

"What? Your wife?" but Gabriel just laughed on him sarcastically.

"Okay, so you don't believe me, I see." 

I looked back at Martin's face just to find him in his playing mood again. And a hidden smile crept on my lips but I managed to hide it by biting hard my bottom lip.

"Well, she's my girlfriend. And I am actually going to propose to her with the end of this month. So, I think there's nothing wrong for me to call her my 'wife', right babe?" he kissed my forehead and turned to Gabriel raising his eyebrow.

But I admit, I felt nervous with Gabriel's reactions after Martin stated that I am his girlfriend and kissed me in front of him. His hazel brown eyes turned into a darker shade while his face reddened with rage. If I didn't know this kind of reaction of him, maybe I am just laughing by Martin's silly statements.

We stand there in silent staring each other, except for Martin who's just relaxed and playing cool beside me. And I hold my breath when Gabriel walked towards the kitchen door but stopped right in front of me.

"You're going to find me one day, Madi. You will come to me and ask me some questions that no one will give you the right and exact answers, except me."

He said with a familiar devilish smirk written on his lips. And I gulped when he cupped my face in very quick movement.

"But always remember, there's only two places where you can find me. I'll be waiting." he said lastly before he turned his back away from us.

And I let out those heavy breath that I don't know I was holding when he's still in front of me.

"Whoah! That was intense!" Martin also let out a sigh.

"Huh?" I asked him confused with what he said.

"Intense. That was so intense facing your ex-husband!"

I blinked my eyes repeatedly as my mouth hanged-open.

"Y-You know him?"

And he chuckled at me."Madi! You forget, Babe?"

"Forget what?"

"I was born and lived in Chicago before. Who doesn't know the famous Gabriel Wilsons, who owned the almost 60% of business state in Chicago? Come on, Madi!"

"But why didn't you tell me you know him earlier?"

"Ops! wrong question babe! Why didn't YOU tell me, that your ex-husband was the famous 'devil' of the business industry in the whole state of Illinois?"

"I - I thought you know?"

"Yeah, I discovered earlier when I came back from the repair shop." he shrugged and walked towards the personal ref we have in the kitchen. He take the pitcher of apple juice inside.

"But how did you know that he's my ex-husband?" I asked him while giving him a glass I get from the drawer.

"It's so simple, babe. Based on his intense stares with you and the tiger-looking glared I got from him when I called you 'babe' and kissed you earlier inside the shop." he suddenly chuckled. "Priceless, Madi! I swear if his looks could kill, you're going to dig six feet under the ground just to see me again." he added laughing while shaking his head.

And I just found myself laughing together with him. I am so thankful that God gave me friends such as Martin and some of my friends before. That despite of fate gave me pain and countless heartbreaks, God still blessed me with friends like them. Friends who remained friends and stayed beside me, loyal and true people after all of what happened.

Chapter end