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CHAPTER FIFTY: THE EDGE OF EXPOSURE.
Last Updated:
2024-12-22 17:27:26
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BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: THE VEIL OF DECEIT.
Fred wanted her to stop calling. The ringing phone seemed louder than ever when all the eyes in the room turned towards him, their curiosity increased. Fear in his chest. Taking Sarah's call to them would be disastrous.They had a deal, and Jack's fragile health put everything at risk. Even worse, Fred feared Sarah's wrath. If she pulls, she might reveal his secret to Laura.“Give me a minute... I'll be right back”, Fred tripped, his voice tense when he left the room in a hurry.The cool air from the hospital hall did little to calm him down. He scanned the hallway, his eyes landed on an empty room on the other side. Desperation moved his legs. He slipped in and Fred found himself surrounded by darkness. The room was cold and uninviting, but it provided the solitude he desired.Fred ran into the room, locked the door firmly behind him. He couldn't afford to risk someone sneaking up on him, not now. The weak buzz of the hospital echoed outside, but within the dark room, it was creepy q
Last Updated : 2024-12-24BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO: SILENT STORMS.
The tension in the room was high as the doctor's voice cut through Fred's internal conflict. He said, "Maggie…" in a calm but determined tone. Maggie's heart was beating so hard that it seemed to reverberate throughout the silent room as she cautiously turned to face him. She hastily covered up the flash of panic in her eyes. She knew there was no room for error as the pressure of the moment weighed heavily on her. Her mind raced at that moment. At all costs, she had to keep the truth hidden and keep Fred's secret safe. It would be disastrous to tell Jerry and Laura that Fred was Jack's father. She could not afford to take the chance of the fallout.Maggie's voice was solid but strained as she said, "His father is... out of town, sir." The words were heavy and purposeful, and they fell out of her mouth like stones. Her jaw tensed as the lie, laden with necessity, began to take shape. She knew what was at risk, yet it wasn't easy. If she faltered now, Fred would be ruthlessly angry.
Last Updated : 2024-12-24BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE: THE UNEXPECTED GUEST.
"One more step forward, and I'll call the police on you," Fred said, his voice shaking with hardly disguised dread. The woman laughed in response, her tone brimming with contempt. Make a police call about me? A woman who simply stopped by to greet you? She edged closer to them, her stride uncompromising as she teased. "What are you doing here, Linda?" Jerry spoke up, his tone solid but tinged with discomfort. Fear gripped him, and his gaze pierced her. He was aware that she wasn't there voluntarily. Now in front of them was Linda, the woman who had attacked Fred in his office. Additionally, she was the woman Fred had deceived by having an affair with her sister, a betrayal that had left scars that had not yet been healed.Fred's voice rose in rage and anxiety as he checked the time on his phone. Linda! You're in my place at this hour. Why? This is 10 p.m.With suspicious alertness, his penetrating eyes followed her every step. "Come in, Laura," Jerry said firmly as he drew her to t
Last Updated : 2024-12-25BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR: A RECIPE FOR MURDER.
Laura's voice was barely above a whisper as she stammered, "This can't be happening." She staggered back, separating herself from Helen and the dead rats scattered on the floor, her breath quickening as a wave of cold disbelief passed over her. "Laura… the rats," Helen said shakily, her eyes focused on the gory scene, "they ate the pie, and now they're dead." Laura's trembling hands gripped the counter for support as the realization of their discovery set in. Laura's eyes darted to the window, her mind racing. "So that's why Linda was watching from outside," Laura muttered, her voice tingling with dread.As the knowledge set in, her chest constricted. No one deserved to be poisoned in cold blood, and Fred's reputation for playing with women did not excuse this. Laura's mind was racing, picturing what would happen if Linda had her evil plans. She gazed at the dead rats, whose bodies served as a terrifying reminder of the pie's deadly strength. Her knees felt like they might give out
Last Updated : 2024-12-26BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE: THE POISONED PIE.
As everyone huddled in the dark kitchen, the sound of heavy footfalls broke the stillness of the house. They heard a slight squeak of the door and noticed a figure coming out of the darkness. It was Fred. They all cried out, "Fred!" in a voice that was a combination of shock and incredulity. Perplexed by their response, Fred hesitated. "Yes, it's me. Moreover, why are you all staring at me like I'm a vampire?” With a slight smirk, he made a joke. He folded his arms across his chest and walked confidently into the room.However, Fred was unable to identify the edge in their eyes, which suggested that there was something hidden beneath the surface. Something he couldn't yet describe charged the dense atmosphere. Fred didn't know what was going to happen to him. He didn't realize the somber reality concealed within the space, the hushed secrets, the rushed looks, and the unspoken agreement that bound the others together. The kitchen was a trap, not just a space. And Fred had simply wa
Last Updated : 2024-12-27BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX: THE PAST BITES BACK.
Fred's eyes were wide with panic, and his heart was racing as he gazed at Jerry. He got up from his chair slowly, his hands shaking. "Jerry... What is Linda requesting from me? He removed the phone from Jerry's hands and whispered in a raspy voice. He glanced back at the bright screen, as though attempting to interpret a mysterious message that made him shiver. The uncomfortable silence was broken by Laura's careful but steady voice. Jerry, what is it? What did you observe? Her curiosity overcame her reluctance as she leaned in and took small but purposeful steps. The uneasiness that pervaded the room was reflected in the urgency of her tone.The three of them gathered around Fred, craning to see the source of his terror. “How… was… the… pie… Fred,” Helen and Laura read aloud, their voices trembling as their eyes widened in shock. The words seemed innocent, but the sinister undertones in their context chilled them to the bone. They exchanged uneasy glances before staring at Fred, t
Last Updated : 2024-12-28BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN: THE HAUNTING CONNECTION.
The sheriff's forehead creased as he observed Fred's response to the picture. As he put the photo down, Fred's face had gone pale and his hands were shaking as if it had burned him. Having witnessed his fair share of odd behavior, the sheriff was uneasy. Why would someone react that way to a simple photograph? The sheriff's voice was harsher this time as he repeated, "Fred?" "What's the matter? Are you familiar with my daughter?”.Fred moved uneasily, his shoulders rigid, his eyes focused on everything but the sheriff's piercing gaze. The tension between them seemed to crackle as the atmosphere grew quieter. The sheriff felt a jolt of intuition. There was a problem.His tone demanded answers as he leaned over slightly and said, "Fred." "You're behaving oddly. You should speak up if you know anything”.Fred dragged a hand through his tangled hair and took a shaky breath. His mouth twitched, but initially he made no sound. His internal conflict was apparent as he seemed to be strugglin
Last Updated : 2024-12-29BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT: A TANGLED JUSTICE.
As the strain increased, the sheriff's poise began to falter. In a silent attempt to maintain control of the scenario that was erupting before him, his normally steady palms were clenched into fists. He inhaled deeply and tried to speak in a calm manner as he walked up to the furious young lady. “Linda... it is me, your dad," he murmured gently, trying to break through the flaming barrier of her rage with a firm yet calming tone."Oh, Dad! I see that you were also pulled into his pitiful mess by the scared cat”. With a tone full of disdain, she spit out, "He should have just eaten it and perished."The sheriff’s brows narrowed, his thoughts rushing to piece together her scream. What had led her to this level of rage?He started by purposefully using her real name to ground her, "Meredith, darling." "How did you know it was consumed by the rats?" He tried to entice her out without frightening her anymore, so his words were purposeful, and his eyes were keen. “Indeed!”, “How did you k
Last Updated : 2024-12-30
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BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN: LOST AND FOUND.
It was weirdly still in that office, amplifying the noise of Laura's own heartbeat in it. She stood frozen, taking shallow breaths, trembling fingers clutching the photograph in place and eyes skimming over the glossy image, disbelief tightening around her like a vice. Her late father was in the picture, standing alongside Maggie. That crash over her mind was the very realization that it knocked the air out of her lungs. "No..." she whispered softly, her voice trailing off. Her hand shot into her mouth as if trying to prevent a sudden gasp from rushing out.But the truth was right there and undeniable. Her father, whom she had loved and dreamed of since his passing, was smiling in the photograph with his arm around Maggie. They looked happy. They looked like family. Like they belonged together.Memories surged through Laura’s mind, swift and relentless. The warmth of her childhood, the love she had once known, before it all shattered.The arguments. The bitter accusations. The pain
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX: THE MOMENT THAT BROKE HER.
The small white piece of paper trembled in Fred's hands, the two bold lines staring into him like a silent accusation. The very well-structured life that he had lived stood on the verge of being devastated-nothing else but the evidence that dangled in front of him forfeit. Gingerly, he tightened his grip around the paper; his knuckles turned white as sharp bursts of breath followed. Underneath his skin, anger simmered so closely to boiling; but, it was just a matter of time for it to explode. "What the… what is this?" He said in an intrusive, icy voice.Laura winced under the venom in his tone. This was not how she was expecting the moment to turn out. She hadn't really envisioned it at all. Still, if she had, surely it would have and should have been different. Different from this. "Fred?" Her voice became soft; she paused. “Why are you looking at me like that, Fred?”. Fred gave a bitter laugh, a short one without warmth. He shook his head, disbelief in evidence by the way his eye
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE: THE PRICE OF ONE NIGHT.
As the doctor's words vibrated in her ears, she found herself stuck when she sat staring into blank air.“The test came back positive”. The doctor revealed. A sharp pang shot through her chest. The world blurred around her; her vision swam. "What? No”. Her voice trembled like a whisper. "How? It was only one night. That's impossible."Her cold, unsteady hands reached forward to grab the paper resting on the table. And she grabbed it without care, wrinkling the edges with her fingers and quickly scanning through the results. With her tear-stained vision, she barely saw the words, but she understood their meaning beyond doubt. A heavy surge of emotions inundated her, guilt twisting her insides, shame scorching her heart, and anger bubbling just beneath her skin as images of her mother flashed through her thoughts, the tenderness of her voice erasing into utter disappointment in memory.She lied to her mother, to Jerry, to herself. The truth lay buried within Fred, believing that one
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR: A CROSSROAD OF CONSEQUENCES.
There was an awful silence in the house, the deadlier with the slight rubbing of leaves against each other outside, while on the edge of the couch Mrs. Charlotte excitedly tapped her fingers against her right knee. Her mind had, for a time, fought against her growing unease, but the suspicion would not yield any further. There's something really wrong with Laura.Over the past couple of days, the girl had been acting really weird, pale, weak, and a shadow of her usual energetic self. Initially, Mrs. Charlotte was convincing enough to persuade herself that her daughter was simply wearing herself out, probably getting over a passing illness. But the signs got hard to ignore eventually. That feeling of concern transformed into sheer determination. Steeling her breath, she stood up and made her way again toward the hallway that led to Laura's room. This time, she would not simply let a vague conversation fade away on easy reassurances. Her feet settled against the floor beneath the doo
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREE: UNSPOKEN FEARS.
Laura stood in Fred's office with her arms crossed in front of her and inspected him closely as though his face was some complicated puzzle. The atmosphere between them was tightly strung with an electric hotness, as hundreds of different thoughts raced through her mind, all forming around the same question that had been torturing her painfully for the last few days. She wanted answers, real answers, no comforting platitudes or charming words thrown out there in reply to her discomfort. Dropping one foot after placing it gently in front, then lowering it into a whisper to bring him in. Laura began as she stared into his eyes softly, "Fred," “I don’t get it”. “If we are together, why should we hide it?”. “What are you afraid of?" She paused for a beat. "Why does it have to be a secret?".Fred did not answer right away. He remained still, an inscrutable expression on his face. The charismatic man she fell for now appeared far away, his gaze averted from hers while he tapped his finger
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO: A LOVE WRAPPED IN LIES.
Laura narrowed her eyes at the cashier; her suspicion was falling into the deep abyss of mistrust as the sharp, jarring laughter had escaped the lips of the woman standing before her. There was something, obviously, wrong about this, which made an awkward little tingle run throughout Laura’s neck. "I asked…”. “Why are you laughing?" She rephrased the question, forcefully subduing her feelings, but unmistakably the heat laced her voice. For a split second, the cashier's gaze held that of Laura's and seemed for a moment as though she might remember. But the idea dissipated quickly; her smile turned into a frown for a second and shook Laura off, saying, "Oh, it's nothing," now a voice suddenly too casual to be comfortable while sliding Laura's phone across the counter.“The payment has been successfully processed. You’re all set to go.”Laura hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around the receipt. That laughter, it had felt pointed, like there was a hidden joke, one she wasn’t in
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE: GILDED LIES.
One could feel the energy in the cafe buzzing about tenfold, the thick scent of coffee, sharply contrasted by the sweetness of baking, and then made a loud, annoying harmony of swishing voices and clinking mugs, one that seemed to focus on absolute nothingness for Laura. Her world had shrunk to nothing else except for the awkward broken silence between her and Jerry.Laura stood at the counter, making herself stiff, aware of his nearness beside her, and he had been waiting, waiting for answers, for just one explanation that could somehow justify the change in her behavior. His patience was wearing thin, evidenced by the way his knuckles pressed down against the polished counter, his legs were drawn tense and his expression unreadable.Jerry did not want to prolong the silence any further and, after a few moments, reached behind him for a rag and began cleaning the counter, pretending that he was busy. His own eyes remained glued on Laura, watching, searching.Before he finally spoke,
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY: THE TRUTH HE CANNOT HANDLE.
Jerry paced restlessly before the doorstep of Laura’s apartment, fixated on Fred’s car parked close to the building. He tried to fit pieces together of the dark thoughts surging through his mind regarding what Fred could be doing in Laura’s place for the entire night. Slowly, his jaw stiffened, and his hands curled into fists. He really got angry at the thought of Fred choosing this instead of returning home; him being there for Laura filled Jerry with fury. Jealousy coursed down his veins, giving him a tense posture. After a deep breath inward, Jerry turned back to the door and knocked loudly, the impatience building within him slowly with each moment of unresolved silence.Inside, Laura and Fred rushed toward the door while tightly holding each other's hands. “Open the door, really, come on!” Fred exclaimed urgently. His gaze passed over the door's glass panel, then managed to catch Jerry’s silhouette standing outside.“No”. “You open the door,” Laura insisted, wildly adjusting he
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN: SECRETS BENEATH THE SHEETS.
Her memories enveloped her mind, still moments of stolen intimacy, with the warmth of his touch barely sliding off her skin. They made a pool of emotions rush through her, almost stealing her breath away while anticipation was mounting inside her. But water splashing in the bathroom jolted her from the bliss of memories. Seconds later, Fred stepped out, water droplets glistening down from his wet hair onto the floor as he passed his hand through the strands and shook them dry, his eyes glistening on her. His lips danced with a small smile as he advanced toward the bed, still bare of clothing. With the utmost tenderness, he knelt down and placed both his hands on her legs while saying, "Come here, beautiful" with a voice that sounded steady but was thrown in with tenderness.Laura hesitated for a moment but let him pull her closer. Known warmth trickled through her and chilled her deep heart. She inhaled strongly, as if the atmosphere were electrified by the pulsating moment. Fred's
