Chapter 55 Chapter Fifty Five
CANDY’S POV
I closed the chapter of my life that was working as Adrian Cunsulo’s personal assistant and I have no idea how I feel.
I know it was a decision I made for the sake of my sanity and because I desperately needed a fresh start but I didn’t expect it to feel this devastating, like I lost a big part of me . I lost more than my job, I lost my routine, the familiarity of my office and to crown it all, I lost a friend that made my life bearable in the ways that counted because I didn’t know where to draw the line.
He’d looked so withdrawn and resigned when he finally came into office after his sabbatical and approved my resignation, refusing to look at me. He’d been cold and I fucking hated myself for it.
I would have taken any other version of him, even the one that was rude and mean to me the first time we met than this one that doesn’t give a fuck about me anymore and I’d tried, I fucking tried to break through the walls he suddenly had up but apparently whatever Nikandr said to him was enough to cut me out and toss me into the cold.
In the end I apologized for ditching our plans that night for Nikandr, apologized for whatever was said and done that I had no idea of and I’d walked away with an open invitation to fix things whenever he was ready.
I miss him.
I miss having someone in my corner especially now that it feels like the universe is working overtime to strip me of it.
My only consolation is the fact that Peach and I found away to fix our relationship.
She’s back to the sister I grew up knowing and loving and it’s nice knowing she’s past our fights and has my back now.
And then there’s Liv and Jane.
They’re my colleagues at the new firm that rescued my broke ass from the torments of job hunting and they’re nothing like the people I’m used to working around.
For one they’re neither snobbish or selfish, don’t have their heads up in the clouds just so they can look down on everyone else and they’re definitely not stuck up bitches like I’m used. They’re carefree and chaotic and super welcoming to the point it’s jarring to witness.
But it’s also sickeningly beautiful.
My first couple days in the office, I’d envied what they had and hated Lindsay even more for taking that away from me because these girls are exactly how I saw us but I’d also stayed away because there was no way I’d fit in their sunshine world.
But they’re as inclusive as they’re persuasive and they’ve made it their mission to drag my sulky ass out of my dark, gloomy shell into the sunny, messy side of theirs. No matter how many times I’ve turned down their offer, they just keep it coming and yes, today, I finally agreed to get out of my head for once and stop sulking for things I can’t take back.
So yeah, here I am, at lunch in the restaurant across from the office, listening to them bicker while convincing myself that the worst is finally behind me and I can breath easier for it.
“You’re coming with us, right?” Liv’s chirpy voice asks, breaking into my head.
I look up from my plate, my face definitely wearing my confusion.
“Jane and I are going clubbing on Friday night and we want you to come with.” She says matter of fact, clueing me in.
Oh.
“I don’t think....”
“You know you won’t burst into flames if you just agree right?” She interrupts, her face dropping like she’s already anticipating the rejection.
“You never come anywhere with us.” Jane says to support her friend.
“I came here.”
“I practically dragged you.” Liv counters.
She’s the bossier of the two and she reminds me so much of Lindsay it’s insane. I guess it’s part of the reason I keep trying to stay away.
I don’t want to go down that road again, no with anyone.
“It’s not even that serious, babes, we’re just going to support Jane’s boyfriend on his debut as a DJ. I mean it’s his fourth debut as something this year alone but it doesn’t matter, we show up and it means free drinks for us.”
“Liv...” Jane moans in a dramatic display of embarrassment .
“What? Where’s the lie?” She answers with an eye roll at Jane who just looks used to it.
“He promised this is the one.” Jane says holding back a laugh.
“He’s practically gone through everything there is to, it has to be.” Liv turns back to me.
“So......are you coming? Promise to make it worth your time and if you don’t like it, we’ll leave. Pretty pleaseeeee.”
Ughhhhh......call me weak, go on say it because that did it. I caved woefully for that.
“Sure, Friday.”
I watch them act like my coming along will somehow make the night magically better before drifting back to dissing Jane’s boyfriend, whoever he is, together.
We finish up eventually and headed back to the office after the break, talking and laughing like gossipy school girls and not grown women and for the first time, it’s starting to feel like everything will really be okay.
After we get back into the office building, I remember that I'd forgotten one of the files I was supposed to finish working on by the end of today in my car in my rush in the morning so I leave them to go on and detour to the parking lot instead to pick it up before heading back upstairs and for a moment in that empty parking lot, I start getting this uneasy feeling of not being alone.
Again.
I don’t know how to accurately describe it but it’s uncanny and makes my skin crawl every time it happens.
And it’s been happening a lot this past week to the point where I’d almost called for help. I’ve been brushing it off as my imagination going into overdrive because of the things I know now but sometimes it feels too real to me, enough to make me apprehensive enough to start carrying a bottle of pepper spray everywhere with me.
It’d gotten worse over the past few days to the point where the back of my neck prickles and burns every time I’m outside and even my own home feels unsafe, like someone goes in it while I’m away with intent to let me know but so far there’s been no concrete evidence to prove I’m not just going insane.
I don’t even take the time to go through my bag anymore for what I need as the unease starts to knot my guts, getting worse with every passing second as if someone is closing in on me.
Without pausing to think, I just yank the whole bag out instead, taking it with me as I hurry back into the lobby, my heart beating so fast and loud I think I’ll pass out from it.
I only start to feel better when I make it back inside, amongst other people, the feeling slowly dissipating.
Fuck, I don’t need this in my life right now.
And dear brain, if you’re responsible for it, can you respectfully fucking quit!?
As I step out of the elevator, heading to my office and still very much rattled, my phone suddenly starts vibrating in my hand, scaring the shit out of my already spooked soul.
Cursing, I glare down at the screen only to stop dead at the name sitting on it.
Why the fuck does he want from me now?