Luke Fitzsimmons was a selfmade multimillionaire, working on billionaire. At age 36, he owned a software company providing both hardware and software to businesses and private citizens alike. He'd always had a knack for computers and that, coupled with an aptitude for business honed by a scholarship to Harvard University, had sealed the deal: the only way was up for Mr. Fitzsimmons.
Luke had never forgotten the opportunities he'd been given, and it was in the process of trying to give something back that he'd sealed his fate. He'd set up a private scholarship for gifted kids, and he prided himself on sitting in and interviewing applicants whenever he could.
It was during one of those interview rounds that he'd first met Celia. She was a pretty young woman who'd seen her share of hardship, and Luke regretted having to turn her application for a scholarship down. So much so that, when she left the offices, he followed her and convinced her to at least let him buy her lunch as a small consolation prize.
Lunch turned into a very long conversation about life and goals, and Luke really felt for her and the struggles she'd had to endure to get even here. Just like that he invited her to dinner, and just like that he invited her home to his apartment where he surprised her by not jumping her bones. He honoured what he'd said: a movie, and then she could sleep over if she wanted. She did, in a bed separate from him.
The morning after, she had surprised him with breakfast in bed, followed by her seducing and sleeping with him. It was one of Luke's dearest memories.
A whirlwind romance followed, and then a fairytale wedding. She had captured the hearts of some of his friends and family, but others whispered and murmured about Celia being a gold digger. Luke, on the other hand, had decided to trust her to the extent that he did not sign a pre-nup, and he had given her free rein of the available cash assets in his bank. So far her spending hadn't been outrageous by Luke's standards.
A hitch in the marriage was this: Luke travelled a lot, as he insisted on a very hands-on approach to his business. And even when he was at home he worked long and late. He missed Celia dearly, and he'd considered bringing her along on his business trips. But how could Podunk in the flyover states ever compare to New York? He didn't have the heart to bring her to the boring industrial parks and office buildings that were the bread and butter of his business.
And so, inevitably, what had started as a wonderful romance was starting to look like an arrangement between two strangers. Whenever he was home he was usually tired and just happy to be near her and to see her, smell her, and listen to her latest adventures. But even so, he sensed that something was off. Sex grew infrequent and perfunctory, and he was starting to wonder if it had all been a big mistake.
Presently, Luke sat on his business jet pondering this. He had finally wrestled a Hydra of a virus to the ground, and he had promised himself to take some time off and let his deputy run the business in his stead for a while. Luke had, on many of his jetlagged late night ponderings, come to a conclusion: he'd neglected Celia, and he wanted to salvage their marriage.
The plane touched down, and a car was waiting to take him home. He heaved his muscular 6' frame into the back seat, unselfconsciously straightened the lapels on his jacket and his tie and drummed nervously on the armrest. A sudden urge to surprise her had made him not tell her he'd be back two days sooner than planned.
He saw in his mind's eye how she would melt into that smile he loved so much, and how she would embrace him and kiss him and just start talking about what she'd been up to while he was away, and how she'd have to alter her plans now that he was back...
Lost in his daydreams, Luke's chauffeur had to tell him twice that he was home. Luke leaped out of the car and trotted into the lobby. The elevator seemed to take forever coming down and then going back up, but he was finally home!
He opened the door and with a childish grin called out: "Honey, I'm home!"
Luke had never forgotten the opportunities he'd been given, and it was in the process of trying to give something back that he'd sealed his fate. He'd set up a private scholarship for gifted kids, and he prided himself on sitting in and interviewing applicants whenever he could.
It was during one of those interview rounds that he'd first met Celia. She was a pretty young woman who'd seen her share of hardship, and Luke regretted having to turn her application for a scholarship down. So much so that, when she left the offices, he followed her and convinced her to at least let him buy her lunch as a small consolation prize.
Lunch turned into a very long conversation about life and goals, and Luke really felt for her and the struggles she'd had to endure to get even here. Just like that he invited her to dinner, and just like that he invited her home to his apartment where he surprised her by not jumping her bones. He honoured what he'd said: a movie, and then she could sleep over if she wanted. She did, in a bed separate from him.
The morning after, she had surprised him with breakfast in bed, followed by her seducing and sleeping with him. It was one of Luke's dearest memories.
A whirlwind romance followed, and then a fairytale wedding. She had captured the hearts of some of his friends and family, but others whispered and murmured about Celia being a gold digger. Luke, on the other hand, had decided to trust her to the extent that he did not sign a pre-nup, and he had given her free rein of the available cash assets in his bank. So far her spending hadn't been outrageous by Luke's standards.
A hitch in the marriage was this: Luke travelled a lot, as he insisted on a very hands-on approach to his business. And even when he was at home he worked long and late. He missed Celia dearly, and he'd considered bringing her along on his business trips. But how could Podunk in the flyover states ever compare to New York? He didn't have the heart to bring her to the boring industrial parks and office buildings that were the bread and butter of his business.
And so, inevitably, what had started as a wonderful romance was starting to look like an arrangement between two strangers. Whenever he was home he was usually tired and just happy to be near her and to see her, smell her, and listen to her latest adventures. But even so, he sensed that something was off. Sex grew infrequent and perfunctory, and he was starting to wonder if it had all been a big mistake.
Presently, Luke sat on his business jet pondering this. He had finally wrestled a Hydra of a virus to the ground, and he had promised himself to take some time off and let his deputy run the business in his stead for a while. Luke had, on many of his jetlagged late night ponderings, come to a conclusion: he'd neglected Celia, and he wanted to salvage their marriage.
The plane touched down, and a car was waiting to take him home. He heaved his muscular 6' frame into the back seat, unselfconsciously straightened the lapels on his jacket and his tie and drummed nervously on the armrest. A sudden urge to surprise her had made him not tell her he'd be back two days sooner than planned.
He saw in his mind's eye how she would melt into that smile he loved so much, and how she would embrace him and kiss him and just start talking about what she'd been up to while he was away, and how she'd have to alter her plans now that he was back...
Lost in his daydreams, Luke's chauffeur had to tell him twice that he was home. Luke leaped out of the car and trotted into the lobby. The elevator seemed to take forever coming down and then going back up, but he was finally home!
He opened the door and with a childish grin called out: "Honey, I'm home!"