I slid into my car. It was a birthday gift from my dad which I remember had caused a fight between him and my step mother. Then, I'd been blinded and willed myself to think it was something else or someone else. The engine stirred as soon I turned the key in the ignition. A smile spread across my face as I swerved out of the driveway and onto my journey.
Involuntarily, my fingers toyed with the music button and “Perfect by Ed Sheeran” filtered into the car, coloring the seats with love and the filling the air with the fragrance of love. David's handsome face slipped into my vision as I hummed the tune of the song. If love was a person, I could feel the presence overflowing in my car. David is the one I've found for me, He'll never hurt me.
Never!
It was all a silly plot of a conniving witch like Audrey. A sister who never saw me as anything important.
The ride was smooth and love-filled but I didn't let it get in front of my vision. I can't risk going back to the hospital and maybe waking up to the shattered world I'd been in some hours ago.
Slowly, my car took a spot in the parking lot of David's company. I wouldn't mind mentioning the name but that's not my major concern right now. He was in there, probably in his office and I can't wait to get to him and snap him out of any magic spell Audrey has placed him on. I checked my face in the mirror and left the car.
Getting into David's office was super easy due to the amount of times I'd sneaked in to bring him lunch or have a quickie at his request before hurrying back to work pumped with excitement. David was sweet to a fault and I know Audrey wanted such sweetness for herself alone.
“Heyyyy ma'am, you're looking exceptionally good today.” Chloe said immediately I walked through the doors and into the waiting room.
Over time, we've gotten a little platonic in our pleasantries and I think it's because I usually tipped her every time I came. It started as a means of encouragement but soon became a culture.
“Thank you.” I cooed as I slipped a few dollar bills onto her desk. Joyously, she grabbed the notes and without counting them, she shoved them into her purse.
I rolled my eyes and let out a chuckle. “Is he inside?”
“Yes” She quipped which was unlikely so I waited for her to continue but when she wouldn't look up from her computer, I lost patience and took some steps towards the door. Her voice stopped me, making me reiterate to the front of her desk.
“Ma'am, he has a visitor.” Her tone was almost berating but I ignored it and held a stiff smile on my lips. His office was one the third floor of the building which contained only two rooms: his extra large and gloriously furnished office and the meeting room specially made for him to meet with clients and the board. He never saw much of his staff unless they had reports to send to him which was due to his grave habit of cleanliness sprinkled with zero interpersonal relationship skills.
David was the kind of man that showed affection or got close to only those he intentionally had to. Knowledge of his staff didn't really intrigue him or contribute to his high sense of intentional relationships and so it was crossed out.
Sighing, I leaned into her desk.
“I know he has a visitor. I didn't plan to barge in.” I cooed, picking a fairly serious expression in order to sound convincing even though we both knew that had been my plan all along.
“I don't think you can wait, ma.” She continued, defiantly and I began to smell the fish placed in her demeanor. What was she hiding? This little redhead with bulgy grey eyes and a scary dentition… what could she hide under such facade?
“Why is that?” I queried taking a step back from her desk. She looked unsettling. Her eyes narrowed and she leaned in as if she wanted to whisper something important to me. But instead of indulging her, I stood erect and waited for her to complete her show.
“Fine.” She blew out a breath which I could tell was formed just now. “He was in a heated argument with his father this afternoon and asked that nobody should see him…”
I waived off the anxiety etched into her expressions, “Including me?” I interrupted, sarcastically. Even though David didn't want visitors, I wasn't a visitor and she knew that. Her actions were only getting even more questionable by the moment.
“Cat got your tongue? Huh?” I asked when she could only click her tongue and go back to typing.
Her face crumbled and I saw despair seating comfortably on it. “You shouldn't go in there, ma.”
“For Christ's sake, what the hell are you hiding from me?!” I yelled but she didn't flinch. Shrugging my shoulders, I used the last idea that came into my mind - a threat.
“You know I facilitated your employment, Cathy.” At the mention of her other name, she shuddered. “I don't know what's behind that door but whatever it is, I want to know and you can't stop me.” Before I could complete my sentence, I rushed past her desk and slammed my frame into David's door.
It didn't burge but my right arm hurt badly. I fell to the ground, writhing in pain when a key clanged over my head.
“Be still. Don't make it obvious and nobody should know you got the key from me.” She warned as she turned the key in the hole and walked back to the desk.
I was left alone to face whatever was behind this door. A part of me wanted to dash out of the waiting room into the elevator, never to return but another part … the curious part wanted to know and it won.
I pushed the door open gently and my eardrums were bamboozled with loud moans and grunts. My entire body began to vibrate as I carefully peeked into the room.
David, naked from the waist down was ramming ferociously into a wailing Audrey on his large office table. My brain acting like the idiot it is decided to take me to an exact scene but David would be ramming into me instead of Audrey and I'm sure as hell that I don't scream that way.
I didn't scream or wail.
I'd cried enough.
They'd been fucking each other even before deciding to come clean to me. I bet he wanted me to scream like Audrey or drag his balls like my life depended on it.
What was it that I don't have?
Gently, I closed the door and turned to bump into Chloe. She wrapped her arms around me and led me to a seat in the waiting room.
The silence between us spoke volumes as my tears soaked her cotton shirt. A few minutes passed and I braced up myself for the tough decision I had to make.
“Thank you, Chloe.” I sniffled as I stood up to my feet. “You warned me.” I added then turned on my heel and dashed down the hallway to the elevator, making sure that no trace of my arrival was left.
As the elevator dinged and I got out into the general office on the first floor and nodded to the guards by the door, I knew I'd never step foot into that company as David's fiance.
I won't let them tell me this time. I'll tell them, I'll tell the whole city of Rubenn that I was no longer interested in marrying a beast like David Nelsons and I'll never be!
NEVER!