After attending a banquet event last night, today is the time for Darwin and several other business colleagues to visit two mining locations they will be working on in the near future.
Picked up and departing around eight in the morning on a bus, they all embarked on a two-hour-long road journey. Around 10 o’clock, everyone arrived at the destination.
Upon getting off the bus, everyone was asked to wait briefly at the first checkpoint. Before entering the site, all representatives from each company were provided with mining equipment first. From safety helmets, protective jackets, and even changing into suitable footwear for the mining site they were about to visit.
Once properly equipped, everyone started touring the area. They were guided to see and directly inspect one of the largest tin mines in Malaysia.
Initially, in today’s agenda, only Darwin and Sean were going to represent Wijaya and the Infinix Group to visit the mining location. However, after finishing the tour and heading back to the initial checkpoint, Darwin noticed that Veronica was also there. Apparently, his wife had followed along and was accompanying her father, who was also touring with one of the Leighton executives.
“How’s it going, Win? Have you checked out the location?” Damian asked as he crossed paths with his son-in-law who was getting ready to return.
Darwin then nodded. The enthusiasm was still evident on his face.
“Darwin has checked out all the designated locations. The mine here is indeed very large. The machinery being used is beyond expectations. It’s quite modern and sophisticated. It greatly supports production processes, whether in small or large quantities.”
Damian nodded thoughtfully, taking in Darwin’s explanation. Bringing his competent and knowledgeable son-in-law on this trip was definitely the right choice, especially given his expertise in the mining business they would be working on soon.
“How about you, Sean? Do you have a sense of things after seeing the location firsthand, which we’ll be developing together with the Leighton team?” Damian asked Sean, who was also standing next to Darwin.
Sean then nodded. Since the start of the visit, he had been observing and slowly learning about the various aspects presented before him.
“Previously, Mr. Darwin and I discussed. There are a few steps and plans that we might present in our next meeting with the Leighton team,” the man explained confidently. After all, Sean was the kind of person who was always self-assured in every opportunity that arose.
“That’s good then. I’m pleased with the performance of responsive and skilled staff like this,” Damian praised sincerely.
Finishing the first visit, everyone was guided by the Leighton team to get ready for the next mining location. Damian himself decided to accompany one of the Leighton executives to return to the main office promptly. Meanwhile, Veronica chose to join Darwin and Sean, who were getting ready to go to the next location.
“Are you sure you want to come along with us, Mrs. Veronica?” Sean asked earnestly. He was uncertain seeing Veronica’s decision to join the group that was going to inspect the second location.
Given the question, Veronica gave a faint smile. She could sense that her ex-partner was currently concerned about her. Moreover, visiting a mining site was a completely new experience for Veronica.
“I’m just curious, Mr. Sean. Besides, as someone new to the mining world, I want to be fully engaged. That’s why I’m interested in coming along to inspect.”
“In that case, be careful, ma’am. Watch your steps as well. The terrain we’ll traverse won’t be as smooth as walking around a factory or branch office. I’m worried-”
“Mr. Sean,” Darwin cut in, suddenly approaching. He had been intentionally listening for a while and was getting a bit irritated and eager to address the situation. “Thank you for the warning regarding my wife. I’ll be the one to look after and accompany her during the visit.”
Sean tightly sealed his lips. In that instant, he retracted the words he was about to say earlier. Maybe feeling a bit uneasy about Darwin, he chose to stay silent and then continued with the activities.
After this, everyone who had previously visited the first location continued their journey to tour the second mining site. Just as Darwin had said, he indeed accompanied Veronica during the visit. He answered questions when she asked about things he knew.
“Is working at a mining site like this riskier and more dangerous?” Veronica asked Darwin while they were returning to the main checkpoint. She seemed quite excited about observing the tin processing process there.
Darwin nodded when asked. He slowly provided an explanation for his wife’s question.
“Working in a mine, the salary is higher compared to those of us who work in offices. However, the higher the salary, the higher the risks that need to be accepted. That’s why there are many procedures to go through, and the worker selection process is also quite stringent.”
Veronica nodded in understanding. For a moment, she gazed at the sky, which suddenly changed from sunny to cloudy, accompanied by a slightly strong gust of wind. Looking like someone in a panic, Veronica quickened her pace. She tried her best to reach the main checkpoint as soon as possible.
Darwin, puzzled by Veronica’s change in behavior, tried to catch up. Fortunately, the heavy rain only began when they had all reached the main checkpoint.
Darwin thought everything was going smoothly. He and the other colleagues prepared to return to the bus and head back.
However, as the rain poured heavily and the wind blew fiercely, Veronica, who was standing right next to Darwin, reflexively hugged her husband. Not only that, Darwin could feel Veronica’s body trembling intensely. Exactly like someone who was frightened.
“Ve, what’s wrong?” Darwin asked in confusion. Loosening the embrace, he looked at his wife’s pale face, which was now even tearful. And Darwin had no idea what had caused her to react this way.
“Ve, are you okay?” Darwin asked once again. But his wife continued to cry. In fact, she tried to cover her ears tightly with her hands.
“Mrs. Veronica has a trauma associated with rain and wind, Mr.,” Sean said. He had been observing and stepped forward to help. Opening his jacket, he didn’t hesitate to wrap it around Veronica’s body.
“We need to take her back to the hotel immediately, sir. If she continues to be outside like this, she might faint.”
With no other choice, Darwin simply nodded. He then sought out supervisors and coordinators from the Leighton team to borrow a car in order to promptly take Veronica back to the hotel.
***
Darwin continued to watch Veronica’s face as she now peacefully slept. Previously, she had looked pale and frightened. Initially, it wasn’t easy for Darwin to calm her down.
Realizing that Sean was someone who had been close to Veronica, whether he liked it or not, Darwin called him to come to his room. Reluctantly, he sought help from Sean to explain how to calm down a frightened Veronica.
“If she’s already scared and keeps crying like this, there’s only one way to calm Mrs. Veronica down.”
“What?” Darwin asked curiously.
“Hug her until her crying subsides. After that, she usually calms down on her own, sometimes even falls asleep right away.”
“Hug her?” Darwin asked, seeming skeptical. He thought it was quite simple, just hugging Veronica would make her calm down.
“Yes, sir. That’s a method I often use,” Sean confirmed.
Darwin immediately sighed inwardly. Why did Sean have to emphasize it as if he used to hug Veronica often to calm her down?
That’s why, without wasting any more time, Darwin reached out for Veronica’s body. He embraced her tightly, just as Sean had suggested.
Remarkably, it seemed that what Sean had said wasn’t just a random idea. Proof was Darwin could feel the vibrations in Veronica’s body, which were prominent before, gradually fading away. Even Veronica’s breaths began to regulate just like before.
Even though he was reluctant or hesitant to admit it, what Sean had suggested earlier really worked. It appeared that the man truly understood Veronica’s habits inside and out.
“If you don’t have any more questions, I should probably head back to my room, sir,” Sean said, starting to feel uncomfortable seeing the woman he loved linger in another man’s embrace. Although he knew Darwin was Veronica’s lawful husband, there was still a painful feeling gnawing at his heart.
Darwin nodded. Still holding Veronica, he replied softly.
“Thank you for your help, Mr. Sean. If you don’t mind, could you meet me in the coffee shop on the first floor in about half an hour? There are a few important matters I’d like to discuss.”
As Sean agreed, Darwin made sure Veronica was sound asleep before leaving for the coffee shop on the hotel’s ground floor. Actually, there were several things he wanted to ask, and he was confident that only Sean could satisfy his curiosity.
“First of all, thank you once again, Mr. Sean, for being willing to wait here,” Darwin said as he comfortably settled into a seat, facing his interlocutor.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Darwin. Since it’s not working hours and I believe our conversation isn’t about work-related matters, it would be better to use first names to make it more comfortable.”
“Okay.”
“So, what did you want to ask?” Sean inquired. He suddenly felt sure that Darwin must have many questions about Veronica to ask him.
Darwin nodded. Leaning his hand on the table, he leaned forward and began the rather serious conversation.
“I’m actually puzzled about what happened to Veronica at the mining site earlier.”
“About Veronica being afraid of rain and wind?”
Darwin nodded once again. He found it strange that there were people who were excessively afraid of heavy rain or strong winds. Especially to the point of becoming hysterical or nearly fainting, like what had happened to Veronica before.
“Like I mentioned earlier, Veronica indeed has a trauma related to heavy rain and strong winds. So, when she was still a teenager, around 14 years old if I’m not mistaken, while on her way to pick up Veronica, her mother had a car accident, and the unfortunate incident happened during heavy rain. That’s where the trauma originated. Veronica always thought that rain could take away the life of someone she loves.”
“Wait,” Darwin interrupted Sean while he was explaining. “Veronica’s mother has passed away? Isn’t she still alive?”
Sean shook his head. He contradicted what Darwin had said.
“Veronica’s biological mother passed away a long time ago. The current one is her stepmother. And up until now, she hasn’t really gotten along with Aunt Cristina. They even argue frequently.”
Darwin was surprised. He almost couldn’t believe what Sean had just told him.
“By God, I only just found out that one of Veronica’s parents has passed away.”
Sean smiled understandingly. It seemed like Darwin finding out about this wasn’t a big deal to him.
“Veronica never really talks about her family. Especially when it comes to her mother’s death. So, I can understand if you didn’t know about this. Instead of discussing her family, Veronica prefers to talk about her achievements and what she has accomplished. Even though she was born into a wealthy family, she has always been independent and achieved what she wanted in her own way.”
Darwin rolled his eyes slightly in frustration. The more he heard, the more reluctant he felt to admit that Sean truly understood every aspect of his wife’s habits or anything related to her.
“You two must have been in love back then, right?” Darwin suddenly asked. And this time, it was Sean who was taken aback.
“What do you mean?”
Darwin sighed. He smiled faintly and replied, “No need to hide it, I know that you’re Veronica’s ex, right? Her past lover, even.”
“But, it’s not what you think,” Sean defended himself. He suddenly felt uncomfortable. “I and Veronica-”
“Sshh…” Darwin hissed, cutting off Sean’s words. “Relax. No need for all sorts of clarifications. I already know everything from Veronica. She herself told me that she couldn’t marry you because she had to be betrothed to me.”
Sean took a long breath. If Darwin already knew, there was no point in denying it.
“Yes, that’s the truth. Because I wasn’t from an affluent background, at that time, I was trying to improve myself to become a suitable partner for Veronica. Our relationship was even kept secret. When I was almost achieving what I aspired to, our relationship fell apart. I had to reluctantly let her marry another man.”
Sean smiled bitterly. His eyes almost teared up. But, realizing that he was getting too emotional, he quickly corrected his statement.
“B-but, don’t worry. I don’t intend to interfere with your relationship. I won’t hurt her if you’re not up to the task or if you’re getting bored. It’s better to let her go amicably. Because here, I’m ready to take over the position you hold anytime.”
Darwin fell silent. Sean’s words had hit home. He immediately thought, should he let go of Veronica as soon as possible?