Chapter 6 Leave everything behind
VICTORIA
I stood before the CID building, staring at it with tears in my eyes while clutching my bag. I had lost the confidence I had when I took a taxi to my workplace. Should I do this?
I shook my head and slowly turned around and began to walk away, but the moment I took a step, a familiar voice called my name.
My feet froze, and I slowly craned my neck back.
My throat knotted and my fist clenched at my sides as I stared at the confused face of my boss, Thompson Westwood.
I turned around and forced a smile on my face, my legs shaking. He was the last person I wanted to see in this kind of situation. I looked like a mess, a messed-up mess.
He tilted his head to the side, his eyes dimming in curiosity.
“Miss Victoria, care to explain what's going on?” he asked as he began to approach me. My breath was hitched, and my legs wouldn't stop shaking. I didn't know why I was feeling embarrassed by his presence. Maybe because he was always right when he said that love was just a scam.
If he found out that the only worker who stood up to his anti-love beliefs finally got scammed by the man she proudly claimed would forever love her, it would be an eternally embarrassing moment.
A loud horn snapped through my thoughts, and my head jerked as a screech filled the air. I turned my head towards the sound, and my heart jumped as the sharp lights from a speeding car flashed on my face. I was too numb to move my trembling body as I stared at the lights that kept getting closer.
“Victoria!”
Before I could respond, Mr. Thompson grabbed my waist and dragged me towards him as we fell on the ground with me on top of him. A car wheezed past us, and the alarm in his widened eyes disappeared as he slammed his eyes shut, breathing out in relief.
My heartbeat decelerated, and I gulped hard, then dropped my head on his chest. I was almost killed by a car, all thanks to the pit of pain Simon had pushed me into.
My whole body was still shaking from the shock of the near-death experience.
“Are you okay?”
I lifted my head from his chest and stared blankly into his eyes. The street was busy as always, and some detectives who came out to get coffee stood and stared at us with surprise scribbled across their faces. Did it matter? I was getting a divorce soon, and nothing affected me anymore.
“You… you are on me, Mrs Armstrong,” he muttered, and my eyes darkened.
“Don't ever call me that again, sir,” I whispered, and his brows shot up.
The only word I understood from what he said was that disgusting surname.
“What?”
“Don't ever call me by that bastard’s family name again,” I snapped.
“Pumpkin?!”
Roseanne rushed towards us and grabbed my arm, helping me up to my feet.
“What the hell! Why are you looking like this, Vikky?” Sam asked, scanning my body with his eyes. I sighed and leaned on Roseanne for support.
“When are you going to tell us what is going on with you, Miss Alexander?” Thompson said, and I looked at him. He was already up on his feet, his hands on his waist and his eyes demanding an explanation for the drama.
My head dropped, and a light smile of despair appeared on my face.
“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to cause such commotion here,” I muttered.
“That isn't the answer to what I asked you,” Thompson replied. I raised my head and looked at him. Disappointment was evident in his expression while the other detectives who emerged from the building stared on with confusion in their eyes. They might be wondering what one of the bosses was doing with a married detective.
“Shouldn't we go in? People are staring,” Roseanne said, trying so hard to keep a grin on her face. She was better at keeping an anxious environment calm. Thompson sighed and began to head in along with our other colleagues. As Thompson walked in, I noticed a tear on his customized three-piece suit and a bruise on his hands.
“Come on, let’s go in,” Roseanne muttered and didn't wait for my response before nudging me in.
All eyes were on us as we walked down the corridor that led to the elevator.
I barely said a word to the people who asked about my health as we walked by. Poor Rose took all responsibilities and answered every question thrown at me with a forced chuckle, snagged at every end of her response.
“Here, let me help you fix your hair,” she said as the elevator slammed shut, and reached out to touch my hair, but I moved away, shaking my head.
“No need,” I replied, fixing my eyes on the elevator's doors.
Roseanne sighed, and to my relief, silence descended in the elevator.
We walked out of the elevator when it got to our department’s floor and headed to our office. Roseanne reached for the door and pushed it open, then moved aside for me to walk in. The rest of our colleagues were seated at the table, patiently waiting for us.
“What is this about?” Thompson said the moment I walked into the room.
I paused on my tracks and gripped my bag, avoiding his eyes.
“I am sorry for burdening you with my personal conflicts,” I muttered. I couldn't bring myself to tell them that my husband, whom I praised, cheated on me with my best friend and has taken all my properties.
“Personal conflicts? Well, if it was a personal conflict, then you should have stayed back at home and solved that!” Mr. Thompson snapped, and my heart tightened.
Home? I didn't have a home anymore!
I wanted to shout out those words to him, but I couldn't. Instead, I stared sheepishly at him, watching him fume in anger.
“Boss, calm down,” Silas whispered, and he scoffed loudly, narrowing his eyes.
“I didn't come here to share my problems with anyone!” I said in a loud voice. I could hear the pain in my voice as I spoke.
“You can't work in this condition, Vikky,” Sam said, waving his hand at my body.
“I know,” I replied and stepped closer to Mr. Thompson, then reached into my bag and pulled out the letter that I had written earlier.
“I came to submit this,” I said and dropped the envelope on the table.
“What is this?” Silas asked and peeked closer at the words scribbled on the envelope.
“A resignation letter?” Roseanne gasped as she stared at it.
“I am sorry, sir, but I wish to resign,” I said.
“Come on, Vikky, it's not that deep,” Kelvin said with wide eyes.
Everyone, aside from the boss, stared at me with shock dancing in their orbs.
“If you're having a breakdown, then you can take a break or something. You mustn't have to leave completely!” Silas said, throwing his hands in the air in dismay.
“You can come back when you heal…”
“I don't think I can ever heal,” I cut Roseanne off, and their shoulders sagged.
“Did that bastard break your heart?” Mr. Thompson finally spoke, his eyes still fixed on the envelope before him.
My throat clenched and tears gathered in my eyes again. I tried so hard to stop the tears from falling, but I couldn't. They dropped and didn't stop with one drop.
“I am starting my life all over again. This messy look and dead behaviour is the last phase of this life. Don't bother convincing me to stay because I won't, I plan on leaving everything behind, including this city,” I said.
“That bastard. He deserved to be beaten up!” Sam gritted.
Mr. Thompson got up from the chair he was sitting on and walked closer to me. He placed his hand on my cheek, and I shivered slightly from his cold touch.
“I told you, didn't I?” he whispered.
I looked into his cold, grey eyes, my lips trembling to say the words I never believed I would ever say.
“Yes, you told me.”
He let go of my cheek and stepped back, his face expressionless.
“Pumpkin…” Roseanne’s voice shook as she stared at me with tear-filled eyes.
I turned in their direction and smiled at them.
“You all were the best colleagues. You will be the only ones I will regret leaving behind,” I muttered and took a step back.
I turned around and walked briskly to the door to prevent them from seeing more tears.
“Miss Victoria,” Mr. Thompson called as I gripped the knob. I looked back at him, aware that they could now see the tears that flooded my eyes.
“If you ever heal and decide to return, we will be here waiting.”
I nodded even though I knew I would never return to this building.
I tried as much as possible to smile at everyone who walked past me as I walked out. They all gave me weird looks, perhaps wondering why I came out different.
I took a cab back to the villa, and when I walked in, Mrs Rachel was done packing my bags.
“Would you like to eat my food for the last time before you go?” she asked. I could sense the fear of rejection oozing from her as she stood some distance away from me, a glass of water in her hand. I stretched my lips into a smile and nodded.
“Yes.”
She gasped in relief and dashed into the kitchen to get the table set.
I stood at the spot, watching her until everything was ready.
“I made your favorite,” she whispered as she served me.
“Thank you, Mrs. Rachel,” I replied and began to eat.
I ate to my heart’s content, went to the room and took a shower, then slipped on the dress she had left for me.
After staring at myself in the mirror for a long time, I stepped away to the bedside drawer.
It was time to end it all. Time to begin a new life.
My shaking hand picked up the pen Mrs. Rachel had dropped for me. I bent over and input my signature on all required spaces, then dropped the pen and straightened up. The moment I straightened up, I felt a heavy pain lift off my heart. It was over, and in the end, Mr. Thompson was right. Love was just an illusion. A phrase that only existed in fiction and would remain in fiction.
I grabbed the handle of my bag and turned around, then walked out of the room without a second glance at the papers.
When I reached the living room where Mrs. Rachel was waiting, I hugged her tightly for being like a mother to me all these years of lies.
“Take care of yourself, Mrs. Rachel,” I whispered.
“And you too,” she replied, stroking my hair.
I broke the hug and bowed slightly, then walked out of the house that was once mine.
I paused and stared back at the building. As I stared at it, I swore to myself that if I did heal, I would come back and tear this home down, brick by brick.