“How am I looking?”
He asked for the nth time as he fussed over his smartly cut greying hair, patting it into place.
I smiled softly and nodded in affirmative.
He shook his head nervously, went back to adjusting his tie.
“Seriously, how do I look? I am all nerves, as you can see!” He said a tad bit pensively as he dusted off a non-existent fleck off his coat.
“Why but? You look Perfect! Like a CEO should!” I said, hoping to calm him down!
“Thanks! Let’s not jinx it yet. The official announcement should be out just before the closing bell. It should be a good weekend!” He gulped the water quickly as he downed his morning meds.
“You betcha! It will be a good weekend.” I trilled happily as I helped him with his purse, keys and mobile.
“Why aren’t you joining me for lunch with the board. Wouldn’t you want to be with me by my side, when the inevitable happens?” he paused to plant a dry kiss on my forehead.
“You know how much I love that right? Sadly, I have my charity group meet scheduled already plus I have to meet the doc too. I will get away as early as I can, I promise!” I patted his cheek affectionately.
“Let’s pop the bubbly later. Chill one for me!”
“As you say my dearest! God speed!” I waved him goodbye.
A few tense hours passed by in anticipation.
It was all a matter of time.
And then on cue, the phones began to ring nonstop
It was my cue to move and I did so at a lightning speed
******************************************************
At the office, he couldn’t sit, nor stand, or concentrate.
He kept looking at his phone, for that all-important message, an unanimous decision from the board, announcing him to be the next CEO.
He had worked them alright. That too for months!
Breaking his chain of thoughts, his secretary rushed in
“Not now, Nina! Told you not to disturb me!” He snapped at her
“The board made a decision and it’s not you!” Nina whispered the words.
“What? How is it even possible?” He was incredulous
“It is all over the news. Check your feed!” Nina fumbled with her smartphone.
‘Wannabe CEO caught pants down! Stud Boss’s Rompades!’ screamed the banner headlines and his photos in various moods and stages of undressing with multiple women friends of his were splashed across.
It was relentless, the acerbic social media avalanche. All his escapades were out there for public consumption. His life the latest grist for the mill
A shiver went down his spine. He thought he had been extremely discreet.
Who and how were the questions he grappled with as the missive from the board came in swiftly, asking him to clear his desk within an hour.
He tried dialling his wife. The calls went unanswered.
*******************************************************
I watched the Tamasha unfold as I checked into a comfortable room facing the sea.
It felt good to let his calls be.
It felt good to be needed again.
It felt good to be in back in control.
I knew he had been making plans behind my back to ditch me and move on to his next conquest, leaving me with nothing. After all these years of marriage and its complicated compromises, just imagine!
I had been aware of all his dalliances. I had been painstakingly collecting the incriminating evidence, sniffing people in the press, cultivating the right ones, feeding them scraps, all anonymously of course!
All I needed was a grand occasion to finally pull the rug, and reveal the real him to the adoring world, by passing the lurid notes and dirty snaps to media handles on the sly.
That he routinely cheated on his wife, abused her mentally, made her feel incomplete.
That he still thought her to be a stupid old cow.
Well, as they say, revenge is a dish best served cold. And as you know, hell hath no fury than a wife scorned
Time to play the wilting, weepy, wronged wife
Big fat alimony, here I come!
AkkaAcerbic 