0°Celsius: To thaw a frozen heart
0°Celsius: Chapter 3

‘…my Saph died the day she betrayed me..’

His harsh words stabbed my wounded heart.

I was left there in the room unable to believe his words.

I knew that he hated me but to this extent that he considered me dead was something which made me loose the control I tried building these 2 long years.

It’s normal to loose control.

But for me it was a curse.

A curse in the form of an anxiety attack.

which is the worst feeling in this world.

The feeling of not being able to breathe.

I have had them since I was 15 years old.

But they stopped when he came.

He knew about them and his touch was alone to calm my heart and return my breath.

Without him I was on my own.

And now when he disgusts my touch I have to rely on the bottle of medicine lying in my bag.

I frantically searched for the white bottle in my bag and on replaceing it I didn’t waste a second and gulp the tablet with water.

I seated myself on the sofa behind and within few minutes my breathing returned to normal.

Control yourself Sapphire , he was lying ,don’t trust his words.

He still cares for you.

He surely does.

After feeling normal I returned to the hall determined to get this job.

I got there just in time as I was next.

Maria looked at me from head to toe.

At last her gaze fixed at my eyes as she asked.

‘What all do you know?’

‘Everything from sewing a button to managing a company, from a plumbers chore to a mechanics technicalities…I have experience in all spheres of life ,ma’am you name it and I have most probably done it.’

I left the part of me not knowing to use a computer. As I hoped my job will not require that skill.

She raised her eyebrow surprised of my reply.

‘Sir Alessandro ‘s bathrooms shower is not working, let’s see if you can fix it.

If you succeed you are hired.’

I nodded and asked her to supply me the tools required.

With hands full of plumbers equipment I entered Andro’s room.

I thought he must have left till now but as I entered his broad back came into my view.

He was engrossed in talking to someone on his phone and was oblivious of my presence.

Without interrupting him I entered the thousand dollar bathroom.

I turned the shower on but it didn’t work as it should.

The water was flowing like it was running from a tap and not from a shower.

It lacked pressure.

If you get what I mean.

Using my tools I opened up the nuts and looked for a default.

Sludge blocked the water pipe.

Clearing it I fixed back just the way it was.

I also applied sealing clay to stop the leakages.

Once I was done.

I turned around the knob and at that same second the bathroom door closed with a thud.

A looked up to see Ando’s cold eyes staring at me.

The shower started working and I was hit with it’s cold water.

I shrieked and landed inside the bath tub.

It started raining over me and I held my hands in front of the shower to stop it.

Suddenly the water stopped.

I looked up to see Andro’s angry eyes set on me and his one hand holding the shower knob.

I was all wet and to make it more embarrassing I was wearing a white blouse and black undergarments.

I placed my hands in front of me trying to hide them.

His eyes didn’t left mine even for a second.

‘What the hell are you doing in my bathroom?

Out of 100 others you have to come here only?

Get out of here!!’

I lifted myself up but refused to leave.

How could I leave like this.

There are so many male workers here.

I can’t leave like this.

‘I said leave Sapphire!!’

‘B…..u.t I can’t ….go….ou..t l.ike ..this’

I said not meeting his gaze.

He stepped towards me and I stepped back.

My back hit the door but he kept coming my way.

I was trapped with both his arms on my either side and his eyes still staring at me

‘Look at me!!’

He ordered making me look up into his beautiful grey eyes

‘Look deep into my eyes ,does it look like I care??’

Coldness was the only thing I saw.

No this was not my Andro, he respected women more than anything

He can’t be him unless…

I made him this….

I lifted my face up to stop the tear that were going to betray me.

I will not cry in front of him again.

I felt a tug on my arm.

Next I was pushed out of the bathroom and he slammed the door shut on my face.

The tears I controlled now flowed freely mingling with the water droplets on my face.

I hugged myself tighter unable to think of a solution.

Miss Maria entered and when she looked at me she had a amused look on her face.

She handed me a maid’s outfit and asked me to change right now.

I thanked her unable to say much.

The outfit was not at all comfortable.

First it reached mid thighs which was normal but I have long stopped wearing tight fitting, body clinging short dresses since the day he left me.

I starting hating myself after that

I didn’t wanted to look beautiful as I thought no matter what I wore my ugly inside will still remain the same

I now preferred loose fitting baggy clothes which did not seeked attention.

Belle flats were the favourite part of the outfit.

Comfortable just like I preferred.

Maria started distributing duties to everyone.

I was asked to clean all the bedrooms along with 2 other helpers from next day onwards.

The next morning-

‘Saph can you please take this to Sir’s room? He will be up in a few minutes!’

Said one of my co worker in a very polite tone.

‘Sure’

I held the tray in my hands and made my way towards his room

I knocked on his door but there was no reply.

What should I do??

Leave or enter??

But she said he is going to wake up in a few minutes.

I pushed the door open slowly to make sure there is no creaking sound

He was peacefully sleeping on the bed.

His spectacle still on and his laptop lying next to him.

He worked so hard.

Managing conglomerate and concentric businesses requires skill ,patience and perseverance and I always knew he had it in him.

Even though he was offered everything on a golden platter since birth still he worked hard to grow and globalize his fathers empire instead of demolishing it.

I placed the tray on his side table and stood next to him staring at his beautiful face.

My hands twitched to touch him, to wake him up just like I used to do back then.

But I knew I lost that right long ago.

I gently removed his spectacles and placed them on the side table followed by his laptop.

I turned around to leave but.

when I opened the door it accidentally made a loud noise.

I hoped it didn’t wake him up but my hope died the next second.

‘Why were you here?’

I turned around to face him.

‘Andro…I came..-‘

‘What is your position here in this house miss Sapphire Brown?’

‘A …maid..’

I replied in a low voice.

‘So who the hell give you the right to call me Andro?

I am sir to you just like I am to everyone else here!’

I flinched under his high tone.

‘I …am Sorry…Sir.’

It felt so weird to call him that but it also made clear his relation with me

That of a boss and a mere servant.

‘So..Why are you here?’

‘Your ..morning..Tea…Sir.’

He looked at the tray next to him.

I stood there looking at my flats waiting for his next command.

‘I am having a special guest for next few days, make all the necessary arrangements ,she is special so no mistakes will be tolerated, make sure her demands are satisfied…Also clean up the other side of my wardrobe as she will be staying here in my room with me’

On hearing this I looked up immediately to see him busy on his phone.

He didn’t even looked at me to see how this new found information affecting me.

He was not lying when he said he found my replacement.

I felt envious of her even before seeing her.

And why wouldn’t I when she had the only thing I wanted.

Him

I managed to reply in a broken voice.

‘Ok..ay…..Sir.’

I marched out of the room at full speed not able accept the truth that he had actually moved on in life.

I reached the kitchen and told Maria about the arrival of our new guest

‘Aah that must be Miss Andrea Stone….I really missed her…she Is coming after so long….. I am so excited!! Let’s hurry up and start the preparations!!

We have to cook her favourite food…Roses…she loves Roses we need to order bouquet of roses…..Ari you go and order them…..and remove hazelnuts from the kitchen ..she is allergic to it…hurry everyone..’

I love hazelnuts and she is allergic to it, how ironic.

But who is she to him.

Everyone was busy in preparations, she was just a guest why are they all going over the board for her arrival.

I asked a co worker

‘Ari..who is she..I mean Andrea Stone…what is so special about her?’

‘Are you crazy Saph?? You don’t know!! Don’t you read newspapers and magazines??

She is THE Stone.

Stones own more than half of London.

Miss Andrea and Sir Alessandro are dating since last 6 months and she stayed here multiple times when she came to New York

She is such a lovely person!! You will definitely like her!!She is so polite and caring!!

No one knows they are dating. It’s a secret only those who live here know…

So don’t tell anyone..okay??’

‘Don’ t worry I won’t’

I said burning with the fire of jealousy.

Jealousy is only experienced when you love someone and claim them as yours.

It is not a bad thing but because we forget our limits it turns bad.

I love Andro with the same intensity my heart burned with jealousy.

Such is the path of love which makes you loose your sanity at once.

I lost it years back when I decided to harm myself to seek repentance of the pain I caused him.

One question still lingered in my mind which will answer all my questions.

‘Does..She ..stay in sir’s room? Because he asked me to clean it?’

‘Of_course she does after all she is his fiancé.’

As those words left her lips my hopes shattered into million pieces like my broken heart.

His… Fiancé

He is getting married….

I turned around and locked myself in the washroom.

Endless tears flowed through my eyes depicting my state inside.

He was not lying…

He replaced me with a girl much better than me.

She was more wealthy ,more beautiful, more loving, caring …

In every aspect she was better than me..

Even the workers were praising her.

She must be much better than me.

No one ever praised me in my life except Andro

But everyone praises her.

Alessandro has moved on in his life.

He has long forgotten me.

And he was right.

This world forgets people like me.

They always do.

After all I was a dark piece of charcoal used as fuel everyday to meet daily needs while she is a shining diamond worn rarely to flaunt beauty, elegance and wealth.

This piece of charcoal may have dirtied your hands with it ashes but it will also make sure to give you light in the darkest of night.

I will always be there for you Andro.

Always ….

You can forget me ..hate me…

But I will never stop loving you.

I can never forget you Andro

You taught my heart what love is and it will not stop loving you till it stops beating.