Chapter 13 Chapter 13
ALINA'S POV
"What is my problem with you?" He repeated, voice lazy. "What makes you feel I have a problem at all? Why will I?"
"Because you're trying to make things difficult!" I snapped, "I know what you're doing. I can see it clearly. And even if I don't understand why, I'd like to stop. Say what's on your mind and stop behaving like a child."
"Or else what?" He taunted, sitting up fully now. "You want me to stop what I'm doing, else what? What are you going to do about it?"
"What do you mean what I'm goi—
"You'll run away?" He cut in, "You'll hide. Isn't it? See you're the one behaving like a child here. Something's not going your way, you storm in here and throw tantrums. What, Oxygen is too much for you?"
What the hell is he saying?
"If Oxygen is too much for you, why did you make the presentation?"
"I did make the presentation, but you're the one that forced me here, Roman." I spat, "I didn't want to come here. Didn't want to see all those half naked people, wear this scandalous outfit or have to deal with you! It was all you."
"So what now?." He rose to his feet. Slowly. A teasing cunning smile on his face. "What now, Alina? You want to run, naked people scare you. Half naked bodies are uncomfortable for you, whereas you're half naked right now."
He stalked towards me, inching close. "You think you're above it all? Us. Me? Is that why you wore that cheap white fabric here the other day? That must be it, right?"
"Cheap?" I laughed in disbelief, "Oh God, first you say I dressed less than the staff here. Now my clothes are cheap? My dress? Well, forgive me for having some sense of decency and not walking around naked on my first day. Besides, what the hell are you saying? You're totally drifting off point here. I'm here to talk about your problem with me that is now affecting my job, not your business, Roman."
Saying that, I put my hands into the chest of my bodysuit. Below my breasts, and pulled out the carefully folded papers. All of it filled with the new ideas I'd worked on but hadn't gotten approval since he wouldn't stop behaving like a spoiled brat!
"Here," I held out between us. His eyes narrowing, no longer amused.
"What is this trash you pulled out from there?"
"You're designs, sir." I bit out, "My concept, and you're going to review it. Right now. Cause I'm done searching for you all over the place. I'm not doing that no more, did it once, and will not do it again."
He scoffed, annoyed no doubt. But grabbed the papers. Tearing them open, a moment of silence between us. My eyes on him as he scanned them. Nerves and anger simmering on the surface as I waited. For him.
A few moments more, he looked back up at me. Carelessly throwing the papers on his desk, "Trash. All trash. You're still doing the same thing I don't want."
Are you kidding me?
"I spent hours on this." I gritted, "Nights. Days since you refused to meet me and this is what you say? Trash?"
"Precisely," he confirmed, "Your concepts are trash. All nonsense poetry, but then again, how are you to make something wonderful when you're so disgusted with the business you're to design for?"
I glared daggers at his face. The condescending sneer there. "You think yourself pure and clean while in here, don't you?" He stared down at me. "You think us, this business, dirty! You're so disgusted by it, how do you expect to craft something note worthy for it, huh? How is that to happen, Alina? Or you're just being your usual self and searching for an opportunity to give up and run. Like you always do. You're a coward, Alina Monroe. A self deluding coward who thinks herself something special while she's not. And guess what? You'll keep redoing this concept until I say otherwise, you don't get to run too. Are we clear? If we are, get out and unlock my door!"
He stepped away then, the look of disgust and irritation completely painting his features. Towards me. Much like how he was during those last videos calls we had. All before the ghosting started.
I remembered this look, this irritation. Like having to talk to me alone wasted his time, like I was wasting his time. Wanting to talk about obvious issues that were affecting us, issues that we could've addressed.
He acted like it was meaningless, just as he was doing here right now. With this issue that was again affecting me directly. My job! My livelihood!
He was playing with it again. God, this all felt like 5 years ago again! 20 years old Alina getting thrown under the bus.
I watched him pour himself a drink. "You're still here?" He sneered, sipping casually. Like he'd already dismissed me. Dismissed the issue.
But unlike before, I wasn't letting this slide. I won't let him push me aside and have me crawling on my knees for bare minimum and respect!
"You have no right." I said, watching him. "You have no right to speak to me like that. You have no right to place a judge on my character or who I am as a person. You don't know me!"
"Know you?" He turned, smirking. "Did you hit your head somewhere? Or you simply think yourself unrecognisable. Which is it, Alina Monroe? Huh? Or should I say, AL? You prefer me calling you AL?"
I gritted my teeth, anger flowing through me like lava. How dare he call me that? How dare he call me by that nickname?!
"See? You remember me." He grinned, "But the truth hurts, huh? Hurts to hear what a coward you actually are. I know it myself believe me, but watching it happen again before my eyes? You at that parking lot, with that other girl... already wanting to run before I even declared you and your company disqualified. I couldn't take it. Made sure you didn't get to run, and now here you are."
Yeah, here I am. Here I am you bastard!
"I have to ask though," he drew closer, putting down his glass. "Why are you running now? I know why you ran back then, your cheating ass...But now I'm confused."
He reached my face, holding my gaze. Our bodies less than 2 steps closer. "Are you still in love with me, Alina?"
I choked.
"What???" My features twisted instantly, disgusted. But he smiled, "You have to be in love with me. You said you'll never work with me at the parking lot, so I must make you really uncomfortable then. You were the same back then. Said I made you uncomfortable and bam! You fell in love with me. So now you're uncomfortable, you love me. Am I making you distracted from work? You can't look at this face and do your job? Because we once dated, and you're secretly starting to fall for me again?"
"You're sick!" I spat, pushing him off from me. Disgusted. "You're so sick in the head, I feel nothing for you! You're nothing to me. Completely and absolutely nothing. The fact that you'll think so just shows how clueless and self consumed you are!"
I scoffed, running my hands through my hair for a bit. "You think I can't do my job because of you? Your face? Oh my God! You hold no such value to me, who's feeding you all these dirt? I was so disinterested in you that I wanted to give up this contract in that parking lot! That's what I was doing not running away, dumb brain!"
His face darkened, jaw clenched tight. My satisfaction level surging instantly. "I wanted to give up," I said, standing in his face. "I wanted to give this project up because I knew you'll be this way! Immature and childish. Just because you and I have some measly history you can't comport yourself? Can't do your job and review a common concept so we can get your designs started?! Well shame on you then."
He glowered, green eyes staring daggers but I didn't stop. Not now, not ever! This stupid bastard owed me that much!
"You keep saying I'll run and hide. That I'm uncomfortable, to be here, surrounded by half naked people, this business, your own business. But the truth is, all I hear from those words are your insecurities. You have a problem, Roman and you don't even know."
He narrowed his eyes. "What stupid problem? What are you insinuating here?"
"I am saying that you're ashamed." I answered, grinning in his face. "You are ashamed of Oxygen, Roman. Your own business. You're scared it's not the right morals. Scared of other people's opinions. That's why you force everyone here to dress half naked while you parade in a suit! Does that make you feel better? Fill that hole inside of you? Inside your empty black heart?"
"Alina," he growled, pissed. Well so was I!
"If that's the case, Roman. Then this is a YOU problem . Your insecurities not mine. I'm not a coward, you're just a whiny. A weak little pussy, ashamed of his own creation! Now that is something to think about, I'll leave you with it."
With that I pulled away. Smirking, happy and proud as fuck to have shut that mouth of his. Leave him scowling and angered.
For sure tonight's sleep will be good!
I grabbed my papers from his desk. All of which he called trash. His eyes watching me. "You have some nerves calling me a pussy, Alina." He growled,
I didn't respond to him. Not caring whatever he had to say at this point. I won. He knows it.
When I was done, I turned on my heels to his door. Making sure they were loud as fuck. "Alina." He called again, voice thick with authority.
I paused, uninterested but facing him. He was after all in charge of my paycheck. "You better think about what I said and draft new concepts according." He gritted, acting tough. "You can fail as much as you want, but I'm running a business here, one that cannot accommodate your excessive failures. 2. You have 2 more attempts, then you're out. I'll like to hear what Boldlines has to say for your inadequacy."
Inadequacy?
Pfft! So typical. Using Boldlines to threaten me. He and Joe really were cut from the same cloth.
Selfish, proud and full of shit. Total bastards!
But I already let Joe play this card, that's how I landed here entertaining this nonsense from him. I won't be letting yet another person play this card on me.
Most especially not Roman.
Over my dead body. So just you wait, I'll handle you properly. Just you wait.
Without wasting another second, "Goodnight, sir." I sneered mockingly. Unlocked his door, and threw it violently w
ide open! Making sure it banged against his wall so loud it rattled. Anyone in the hallway definitely heard it. How much more him?
I hope your eardrums burst, sir.
With that I stormed down the hallway.
Heading home.