Falling For The Man I Married

"Are you sure you don't need me to come with you?"
Martin asked me for the third time since this morning about my appointment at the Chicago city hall. We flew together yesterday
because I need to sign some important documents that were needed to renew the business permit and operating agreement of
my restaurant. He insisted on coming with me to meet my friends and to finally see my outlets. And I also have to file the
documents myself because Noelle has an important schedule for today.
"Yup, don't worry. I'm used to this." I answered, taking my bag and my phone from the couch.
"Okay. Take care of yourself, babe. Just call me if you need some support 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 in his balls!"
I end up coughing after laughing so hard at his one-of-a-kind jokes.
"Okay, fine. But do the first thing 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 pretending to be surprised turned his back on me.
I shook my head with a smile and followed him into the kitchen.
"Ohh... Martin-babe, do you really think I didn't know the real reason you came back to Chicago with me? Come on, Martin!"
"Fine! But I'm serious, Madi, f you need 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 but take a deep breath the moment I got out of the cab and the Chicago city hall building came into my sight. It's
been three years since the last time I entered that building, and that was when we registered our marriage in the civil registry.

After how many minutes I spent contemplating my thoughts, I decided to enter the building and headed to the department where
I was going.
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 frowned as I looked directly at the lady inside the booth.
"I - I'm sorry? What do you mean my ID name doesn't match in your system?"
"Yes, Ma'am. Are you sure you're still with the name Davis?"
I was taken aback by her question.
"Y-Yes. I don't remember changing my name in the last three years."
That's true because even after we got married I didn't change my status nor did I change my last name into Wilsons, so that
means I am still Davis in their system.
"Can you please check it again? I have other IDs here, you can check the details if you want." I said giving her my other IDs.
But after three minutes, she gave them back to me including all the papers I had submitted to her earlier.
"I'm really sorry Ma'am, but you're no longer listed as Davis on our system."
"W-What?"
"We can't process your documents with the IDs you have right now. But if you want Ma'am, you can go back at any time and
present your documents under 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.."

"A-Are you sure-----"
I didn't finish my question when she turned her attention back to the computer screen and showed me the details listed on it. And
it's true! I am Madielyn Davis-Wilsons on the screen.
"H-How did this happen? It's so impossible, miss! I told you, I haven't changed any of my personal information in the past three
years!"
"I'm sorry Ma'am, but I can no longer answer your questions. As indicated in our data, you're still married to Mr. Gabriel Wilsons
and you're---"
"What?" my eyes widened like saucers. "We're no longer married! I already filed for divorce 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. Either you have filed
them yourself or you just passed them to your lawyer."
"No... to my ex-husband!"
"Hmm... okay. If that is so, are you sure that your husband, I mean your ex-husband signed the papers and filed them in court
before? Because according to our records, you're married to him three years ago---"
"So you mean to say I - I'm still...Uhm..."
"You're still married to him, Ms. Davis... no...Mrs. Wilsons." she was the one who finished what I wanted to say.
-'Fucking shit!'-
I cursed silently as I brushed my hair with my fingers in a frustrated way. I formed my fists as tears of irritations formed around
my 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 to his name, but I was wrong. Because even after
everything that has happened, after three years of running away from what I felt for him, I'm still connected to him!
And then suddenly I remember what he said, the time he went to 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 was currently in the kitchen of the shop and preparing the ingredients for the
cakes I was about to bake.
I turned around to see him standing a few feet away from me with 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 deciding 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 talk to me outside."
My smile died but I took a deep breath and looked directly at him. "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 taking a step forward closer to me, but I
also started taking a step back.
"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 hit 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
proximity made me nauseous.
"I left you a note----"
"Yes, you left me a note! But do you think your note would explain everything?"
"Gabriel!" sudden shivers ran down my spine when I put my palms 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 when I looked at him in the eye.

"What do you want this time? If you're going to offer me a new deal, I'm sorry but I'm done dealing with you!" I tried to push him
but he didn't even move a bit.
"What if I told you this time, I am about to offer you a deal of forever---"
"Babe! Are you done with the----oh!"
I felt relieved when Martin suddenly walked into the kitchen. And because Gabriel turned his head on him, I used it as an
opportunity to push him as he was still distracted by Martin's sudden presence.
"Martin." I walked over to him and he put his hand over my shoulders.
"What's going on here, babe?" he looked at me before turning his attention to Gabriel. "Who are you and what are you doing
here in our private kitchen?" he asked him with a frown.
But Gabriel just ignored him as his eyes remained focused on me and 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 of tone.
"So, you don't know me."
"Well, actually I don't care who you are. What I need to know is what are you doing here in our private kitchen with my 'wife'?"
My jaws dropped as my eyes doubled their size with Martin's last word.
"What? Your wife?" but Gabriel just laughed at him sarcastically.
"Okay, so you don't believe me, I see."

I looked at Martin's face just to find him in his game mood again. And a hidden smile crept onto my lips but I managed to hide it
by biting hard my bottom lip.
"Well, she's my girlfriend. And I'm going to propose to her at the end of this month. So, I think there's nothing wrong with me
calling her my 'wife', right babe?" he kissed my forehead and turned to Gabriel raising his eyebrow.
But I admit, I felt nervous about Gabriel's reactions after Martin stated that I am his girlfriend and kissed me in front of him. His
hazel brown eyes turned to a darker shade as his face flushed with rage. If I didn't know that kind of reaction from him, maybe I'll
just laugh at Martin's silly statements.
We stood there in silence staring at each other, except Martin who's just relaxed and playing cool next to me. And I held my
breath when Gabriel headed for the kitchen door but stopped right in front of me.
"One day, you're going to look for me, Madi. You will come to me and ask me 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 a very quick motion.
"But always remember, there are only two places where you can find me. I'll be waiting," he finally said before turning his back on
us.
And I let out those heavy breaths that I didn'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 repeatedly as my mouth hung open.
"Y-You know him?"
And he chuckled at me."Madi! Have you forgotten, babe?"
"Forgotten what?"

"That I was born and lived in Chicago before. Who doesn't know the famous Gabriel Wilsons, who owned almost 60% of the
business state in Chicago? Come on, Madi!"
"But why didn't you tell me you knew him earlier?"
"Ops! wrong question babe! Why didn't YOU tell me, that your ex-husband was the famous 'devil' of the business industry across
the state of Illinois?"
"I - I thought you knew?"
"Yeah, I just found out earlier when I came back from the repair shop." he shrugged and walked over to the fridge we have in the
kitchen and took the pitcher of apple juice from inside.
"But how did you know that he's my ex-husband?" I asked him as I handed him a glass I got from the drawer.
"It's so simple, babe. Based on his intense stares at you and the tiger-look, I got from him when I called you 'babe' and kissed
you inside the shop earlier." he suddenly chuckled. "It's 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 as he shook his head.
And I just found myself laughing with him. I am so thankful that God gave me friends like Martin and some of my friends before.
That despite fate has given me pain and countless heartbreaks, God has still blessed me with friends like them. Friends who
remained friends and stayed beside me, loyal and true people after all that has happened.