Chapter 175: Let me see

Melissa walked and stopped in front of him. She was dressed up now in a lavish, almost see-through dress. She stretched out her hand and said;

“Let me see,”

James didn’t move. He rolled his eyes.

“Melissa you—”

“I said let me see.” she cut him off.

“Let it be.” he tried to bypass her. Before he could react, she snatched the phone out of his hands.

“Hey—” he shouted, reaching for it, but she stepped back quickly. She didn't need to do much. He hadn't closed the chat.

Her eyes fell on the screen and froze.

“Kalyssa? You were texting her?” she said in a voice that sounded strained.

James rubbed his face, he wasn't in the mood for her drama.

“It’s nothing—”

“Nothing? You told her you got promoted. You told her you’re trying to do better. What is this, James? Some kind of redemption arc?” she snapped, raising the phone to show him the screen, almost shoving it in his face.

He clenched his jaw.

“It’s just a message, you're just overreacting,” he said.

Melissa was taken aback.

“Overreacting?” she laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You’re still chasing her even after everything?”

“I’m not chasing anyone.”

“Then why are you updating her like she’s still your girlfriend?”

James paused.  straightened slightly, his patience thinning.

“Because—” he started and then stopped. “This doesn't concern you, Melissa.”

Melissa’s expression twisted.

“Oh?”

“Just let it be.” he sighed.

“Really?” she stepped closer, her eyes sharp. “It doesn't concern me but that wasn't the attitude you had when you agreed to be with me in the first place.”

Silence.

“I’m tired, Melissa.”He said after a while. The words came out quieter than she expected.

“I’m tired of this,” he continued, running a hand through his hair. “Tired of the arguments, the suspicion, your constant drama… I'm tired of everything.”

Maybe it was the look on his face or the way he said it. But she knew he meant what he had said.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she took a step back. “My Drama? You think I’m the problem?”

“I think we’re both the problem, but I’m done pretending this is working,” he said bluntly.

Melissa stared at him, disbelief slowly turning into anger. She raised a finger and jabbed a long manicured finger into his chest.

“You're telling me this after all this time? You used me, you chose me over her—” she said, her voice rising with each word. Spittle flew out of her mouth and landed on him but he didn't seem to notice.

“And I regret it!” James snapped. She stumbled back as if she had been hit.

The room went silent.

Even he looked surprised by how loud and intense the word came out. But he didn’t take them back. He had been wanting an opportunity to say what he truly felt.

“I regret it, Everything about it,” he said again. His voice came out softer now.

Melissa’s face changed.

Something in her expression cracked. Her eyes watered. She had done everything to keep this man. She had worked hard for a long time, but in the end the man still chose that woman.

She clenched her fist. Her nails were digging into her palms.

“You’re unbelievable,” she whispered.

James shook his head, already moving. “I’m done,” he said. He turned around and went to his room. Melissa followed him.

She wasn't done with the conversation. But when she entered. She saw him pulling out a brand new suitcase from under his bed.

She gasped.

He started throwing in his things without care—shirts, documents, whatever he could find.

“You’re just going to walk out?” she screamed at him.

“Yes.” he nodded.

“Just like that?” she marched towards him.

“Yes,” he said again.

She laughed again, but this time it sounded… off.

“You think you can just leave and everything will magically fix itself?”

James slung the bag over his shoulder.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen kater,” he admitted. “But I know I no longer want to stay here with you.”

He walked toward the door.

“James—” she screamed his name. She glared at him. In her mind, she doubted him. Maybe he just wanted to scare her.

But if he passed through the door, she wasn't going to take him back no matter how much he begged.

“James if you leave now, I won't take you back,” she warned. And then waited for him to turn around.

He didn’t stop. He opened the door, stepped out, and Closed it behind him.

And just like that he was gone.

And he never looked back.

For a second, Melissa stood still. Completely still.

She counted, waiting for him to open the door, laugh, and say he was kidding and then he would console her.

Melissa stood there for an hour. The door never opened.

Then something snapped.

She grabbed the nearest object, a glass vase she had stolen from Kalyssa a few years ago. She hurled it against the wall.

It shattered into a million pieces. She picked up the next victim. It had the same fate as the case.

“Fuck you, James! Fuck you! “ she yelled at the top of her lungs.

“Everything is because of her! Everything!” she continued. Her voice echoes around the house.  Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her hands shaking with anger.

Kalyssa.

It always came back to Kalyssa.

Even when she wasn’t there. It was always because of her.

No matter what she did, she could never be better than her. She has heard people whispering, saying she was only the second best.

Melissa clenched her fists tightly.

“No, I’m not letting this go,” she muttered.

Without thinking further, she grabbed her bag and stormed out. She wanted to see Kalyssa.

By the time she reached the company building, her anger hadn't faded even a single bit. In fact, the closer she got, the madder she was.

She got down from the car and approached the company’s building from the side. After that whole fiasco, she want blacklisted from the company.

She parked her side at the side of the building, a great distance from the entrance. She was planning ok how to sneak into the company.

But just before she could head further inside, voices caught her attention.

Two employees walked out of the company and were making their way to the side.

“…I heard it was really bad.”

“Yeah, the car was completely wrecked.”

Melissa heard herself but her ears pricked up.

“…They said she might not make it.”

Her eyes widened. “Who?”

“I can't believe something like that happened to the boss.”

Melissa froze.

“…Do you know which hospital they took her to?”

“I think it’s—”

Melissa took down the name of the hospital. She adjusted her bag slowly, her expression unreadable now.

“…So that’s how it is,” she murmured under her breath.

Without another word, she turned.

And walked away from the building.