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CHAPTER FOURTY-TWO: THE RIFT WITHIN.
Last Updated:
2024-12-17 19:55:20
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BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FOURTY-THREE: ECHOES OF RESENTMENT.
Jerry stood up slowly, his expression filled with disappointment as he turned to Laura. “What’s she saying, Laura?” There was an edge of concern and frustration in his voice. Laura was caught off guard by the sudden confrontation. She stammered, her words caught in her throat.She could only glance at Fred with growing disgust, unable to process the situation. She squirmed in her mind, thinking of all that had just transpired, but the tension of the room made clear thoughts impossible."Laura!" He was getting louder almost by the second, the patience in Jerry's voice was running out. He needed an answer, and fast.Laura flinched at the sharpness of his tone. She wanted to explain, to make sense of everything, but the words seemed to escape her. Her gaze shifted back to Fred, whose calm demeanor only added to the confusion.Fred, noticing Jerry’s growing anger, quickly jumped in to deflect the blame. “Relax, man! I was just helping her with the washing machine and that’s all,” Fred sa
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“You! Fred! It’s you!” the woman screamed, her voice sharp with fury as she swung at him with small, frantic punches.Fred stepped back in astonishment as he swung his arms to dodge her fists. "What is the matter with you? Who are you?” He yelled, his voice growing louder amidst the turmoil.Her attacks didn’t slow, her anger unwavering. Each blow seemed fueled by something deeper, something unresolved. Fred’s heart pounded as adrenaline kicked in, his movements desperate to avoid her. He couldn’t make sense of it, her rage, her accusations, or why she knew his name.“Stop it! What’s your problem? Who are you?” Fred yelled, his voice cracking with frustration as he struggled to fend off the furious woman. Raging like fire, her continuous aggressiveness pumped up his heart and made him move frantically.Maggie quickly threw herself in between them, grasping the woman by her arms and hauling her away from him. But the woman, preoccupied by rage and fire, resisted, but her grip did not l
Last Updated : 2024-12-18BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FOURTY-FIVE: BETWEEN GUILT AND BLACKMAIL.
Laura and Sarah walked to the table, the atmosphere between them tense and filled with uncertainty. As they sat down, Laura’s gaze remained fixed on Sarah, her mind racing with questions. What could Sarah possibly want to talk about? The last time they spoke, it was all about hostility in the air. Laura wondered whether this sudden change of behavior really meant anything or was just another game of Sarah's manipulation. All she could do now was wait for Sarah to speak, the silence between the two leaving Laura high and dry on what to expect.Fred shot Sarah a warning stare from across the room, his eyes cold and intense. Sarah met his gaze, understanding the silent threat instantly. She couldn’t help but laugh softly, the sound carrying through the air with an almost mocking undertone.Laura, sensing the tension between them, turned to Sarah, a hint of confusion in her voice. “What’s funny?” She asked, her brows furrowing slightly. The question hung in the air, but Sarah just smirke
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Fred came to a halt, frozen by Jerry’s penetrating stare, his pulse raced as he considered his next move.Jerry’s question hung in the air, accusatory. Fred looked back and forth at Sarah and Jerry, resolving that he would not let the secret out about Jack.“Listen… there’s nothing,” Fred finally said, not quite with his clipped voice but calm, a cover for the tension wrapping itself around him. He wanted to get out of this before it went south. “And I have to go. We have to go now.”Not waiting for an answer, Fred yanked Sarah’s arm as they walked out of the cafe.Fred couldn’t leave Sarah behind with Jerry; he knew her to be unpredictable, an opportunist who flourished on blackmail. The last thing he wanted was for her to play him in order to profit off his secret.Fred and Sarah left and Jerry stood there watching them go, his head filled with confusion. He had tried to fit it all together, and none of it had made sense.Jerry felt that Fred was concealing something, especially wit
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Jerry hesitated, feeling his heart race as he saw the woman in front of him. Her presence was unexpected and almost surreal. "Linda?" He whispered, barely audible, as he cautiously stepped closer. She gazed at him, calm and confident, her expression inscrutable, but oddly familiar. Her dark eyes gleamed with curiosity of knowing, and her lips formed a small smile that didn’t seem to reach her eyes. "Yes, Jerry, it's me," Linda said, her tone steady as she extended her hand towards him. There was no hesitation in her gesture, only a subtle firmness that showed her self-assurance. Jerry reached out carefully and briefly shook her cool, deliberate hand. He pulled back quickly, his mind racing. Why was she here, of all places? "You seem surprised," Linda observed, tilting her head slightly, her soft smile unchanged. "I can see it written all over your face." Jerry tried to compose himself, but questions flooded his mind. He couldn't shake the unease creeping up his spine. Why now? W
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Fred and Maggie rushed into the car, their hearts pounding with fear as if the walls of their reality were closing in.“Go… please go!” Maggie sobbed, her voice quaking as she kept hitting Fred's arm, urging him to drive faster. She cried out in agony, tears flowing down her cheeks almost as if every drop was tearing at her very flesh. Fred's palms quivered as he held onto the steering wheel.The car sped off, leaving the company and its cold, indifferent walls behind. His focus remained locked on the road ahead, though his mind raced with dark possibilities.“Maggie, relax, please,” Fred pleaded, his voice cracking under the weight of his own rising panic.But Maggie couldn’t be calmed. She wept uncontrollably, her mind echoing the haunting words of her neighbor. “Fred… they said something happened. Is my son dead?” She choked out, her body shaking as she buried her face in her hands.Fred glanced at her briefly, his chest tightening. He had never seen her this broken. He fought bac
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As Fred continued to pace nervously, his eyes once again met Daniel’s. The young boy was still standing at a distance, his gaze locked on Fred with an intensity that seemed unusual for someone his age. Daniel’s concern was visible, his eyes filled with worry as he watched the unfolding drama.Fred paused mid-step, instinctively sensing that the child was more invested in the situation than he should be. He stared back at Daniel, feeling a strange weight in the boy’s gaze, as though he recognized something about him. The feeling was unsettling, as if he had seen Daniel somewhere before, but Fred couldn’t quite place it. His mind raced, but the connection remained elusive.Shaking off the nagging thought, Fred looked away and resumed his restless pacing. Each intense step he took made his heart pump faster, squeezing tighter in anxiety. He could hardly concentrate on anything with the indescribable fear of Jack's well-being attached to it.He glanced toward the doctor’s office, waiting
Last Updated : 2024-12-21BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER FIFTY: THE EDGE OF EXPOSURE.
Fred was frozen and stared at Jerry and Laura. The air became strangling. His throat felt as dry as sand and beat feverishly in his chest. Despite the coldness of the air, trickling sweat began to run down his face."What are you doing here?" The voice of Jerry swooped through the silence and cut like a knife, sharp and accusing.The question made Fred flinch, his hands trembling a bit as he tried to keep his cool. His gaze flickered at Laura, who stood rooted, expression-free.Jerry took a step closer before him, moving slowly and narrowing his eyes as they locked on Fred. He leaned forward, scanning Fred’s face with a look that was both probing and unnerving.“You’re sweating,” Jerry observed coldly, his brows furrowing deeper. “Nervous, are we?”.Fred opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. The room seemed to shrink around him, the weight of Jerry’s gaze pressing down on him like a storm about to break.Laura’s gaze flickered between the two men, tension etched into her
Last Updated : 2024-12-22
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BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR: A HAPPY EVER AFTER.
A puny cry gave its echo through the corridor of the hospital, sharp against the heavy silence, as a sudden sprinkle of light in the darkness. Short, yet long enough to create a ripple of emotion in the waiting room.Fred raised his head, his eyes wide in disbelief. "What... was that...?".Helen gave a gasp and within a moment her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes were filled with tears. "Oh my God, that’s the baby! That’s Laura’s baby!" Jerry sprang up from his seat, almost toppling his chair. "She did it!”. “She really did it!".And for a moment in Presbyterian Hospital, time came to a screeching halt. The coldness of the white corridors was stifled with raw, unfettered emotion. Fred, Jerry, and Helen stood utterly still, their hearts thumping, while the set of double doors at the end of the hallway held their attention.With that, the doors flung wide open, and the doctor emerged, his face blissfully lit up with joy and pride. Tension snapped in an instant."Congratulations!" h
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE: THE UNEXPECTED LABOR.
The sky was deep gray when Fred, Jerry, and Helen reached the hospital. The car with headlights sped through darkening spaces, spilling brassy rays onto the glimmering glass entrance of the hospital. As he screeched his tires, Jerry drove the car to an abrupt stop. "Here!”. “We are here!" shouted Jerry as he jumped from the car, running to the rear door. Fred held Laura in his arms, a mask of horror and concern.“Hold on, Laura. Just a little more”. "We are at the hospital," said Fred, hopeful, his voice straining, almost breaking under the burden of panic. Laura wrung her face as she shed tears. "It hurts… Fred… it hurts so badly… I can't...". A voice trampled by agony held in her throbbing, swollen tummy.Moments to spare, Helen dashed toward the hospital entrance and shoved open the glass doors. The sound of her voice arched in desperation through the reception area as she yelled, “We need help here! She’s in labour!”.Responding instantly, two nurses sprinted down from behind the
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-TWO: A NEW BEGINNING.
A soft golden sunlight fell across the driveway, bathing it beautifully as Fred's car gently rolled to a stop in front of the house. The trip from Laura's family house was quiet, really quiet, as though it spoke volumes in silence. Fragments of thoughts inhabited Fred and Laura, offering their thinking as they were trying to build a new life and future together. Fred turned his face toward Laura and noticed that her expression was calm and almost radiant. With one hand resting on her bulging belly, she was a silent but very potent reminder of the new starts ahead of them."Home sweet home," Fred said tenderly, with an affectionate smile as he turned toward her. Laura gazed in return, lips curling in a gentle smile of her own; though there was a sparkle in her eyes, one of wonder, hope, and just a hint of nervousness. "It feels... different now. More real." Fred gave her hand a squeeze before going on to add, "We will make it our home together."Out of the car they stepped, with warm a
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE: THE MORNING AFTER I DO.
The soft morning sun filtered gently through the curtains; it fell into the bedroom with a mellow light. It warmed the tumbled sheets and stillness of the room, bathing everything in gold, in a hush. Fred stirred first to awaken slowly from the very deep slumber that had followed yesterday's clutch of emotions and celebration. When his eyes fluttered open to adjust to the sweet light, the first thing that came into sight was Laura.She looked serene, her features were calm and composed, yet some signs of fatigue hung heavily on her features. The previous day's joyful nerves, tears, and chuckles left nothing for her to hide under the restful appearance of sleep. Somehow, Fred could tell that the day had not been easy for Laura, physically and perhaps even more emotionally. He gazed at her for an unusually long moment, physically taking in her look, he had now possessed her as a wife, a woman who carried his child.He reached out gently and brushed Laura’s cheek. The gesture was silent,
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY: WE MADE IT HOME.
Jerry smoothly navigated the car into Fred's driveway; the tires barely made a sound crunching on the gravel under the soft evening light. At the gate, the security guard immediately recognized the newlyweds. With his face glowing with happiness, he quickly jogged towards the vehicle; his accession was respectful and yet openly thrilling."Congratulations, Mr. Fred, Miss Laura," he greeted them sincerely and graciously opened the car door with a courtly bow from the others. "It is an honor to welcome you home as husband and wife."Fred was the first to alight from the car; his movements were slow and deliberate. He turned towards Laura and extended his hand as she reached out and placed two fingers gingerly into his. As she stepped out of the car, indirectly from the porch light, that soft glow bathed her face, capturing those quiet, lovely smiles. Behind them, Helen and Jerry walked out of the car and gazed at each other, sharing a silent happiness reflected in their eyes.With a voi
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE: A WEDDING OF SECOND CHANCES.
Gasps rippled through the crowd, like waves crashing upon a still shore. Slowly, every head turned towards that sudden sound coming from the road. A hushed silence draped over the ceremony. Laura's breath stuck in her throat as the doors of the first vehicle flung open.Thomas stepped out first, calm and composed, and next to him was Maggie, her face unreadable. It was the second car that stole the moment. The doors opened, and three figures stepped out that Laura hadn't seen for what felt like forever: Sarah, Linda, Rose and Mary. Time seemed to halt. Every eye widened in disbelief. As if that weren't enough, Mr. Tim followed behind them, walking steadily. Then came the sheriff, his presence commanding even in silence.Laura felt her knees weaken. Her fingers clutched at Fred's arm for support. Her voice trembled as it slipped from her lips in a whisper only he could hear."Fred... who invited them? Linda and Mary... what are they doing here?". Fred's eyes were narrowed and confusio
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-EIGHT: INTERRUPTED VOWS.
The early sun caused a golden glare over the town, still sleeping against the softly glowing rays indicating the heaviness of that day. In her own little cozy bedroom, Laura stood at the window while a gentle breeze curled the curtains. She held her phone to her ear, while the presence of flutters in her chest showed excitement.And then his soft, warm voice fluttered in on the line. "Good morning, my love. I hope you slept well.""Yes," Laura replied, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers shyly, "though not without dreaming about today." A gentle chuckle came through the phone. "Guess what," continued Fred. "The event planner is on her way with everything you need: shoes, dress, and a few little extra touches." For a moment, her heart skipped a beat, dissolving into gales of giggles while she shook her head and pressed her fingers to her lips. "Fred, I cannot wait to see you"! She declared with all the joy she could muster."Same goes, beautiful; I want our day to be that p
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN: THE CALM BEFORE THE VOW.
Thomas picked up the call after a few rings, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. "Fred? What's up? Been a minute." Fred did not answer immediately. His eyes strayed towards Laura, who sat at the edge of their bed, fingers knotted together tightly, nervously. The evening light softened through the curtains, catching the shiny anxiousness in her eyes. On the call, Fred could hear possible laughter, a comical chuckle of Maggie's blended with Jack's lighthearted voice. It painted a picture of peace, a home filled with warmth and healing. The sound stirred something in him. Was it guilt? Regret? He couldn't name it, but it was heavy inside his chest. Fred tried to focus, coughing in an attempt to clear his voice. He reckoned: "I know it's all so sudden." "But Laura and I are getting married... in a few hours”. “Monday morning. Rockaway Beach." There was a pause at the other end. Not static, not silence, just a long moment that tied emotions in the quiet. "What?" Finally came from
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX: ARMS THAT WAITED YEARS.
Time unraveled, his breath slightly impeded, and his chest suddenly tightened with the apparent new stiffness of the atmosphere. For a split second, his legs were rigid and would not allow him to advance. The reverse of time seemed to be in action. Unending photographs flashed through his mind: dusty photo albums, grainy pictures taken in hospitals, the gentle voice of his parents telling bedtime tales, and the image of a woman who had become a treasured legend enshrined in the folds of memory. No, surely, not. It could not have been her. But the contrary was undeniably true. Years had conspired to inscribe their stories on her skin; once dark hair turned lustrously silver, but her eyes had remained constant. Kind and wise, Fred had never forgotten them. Even if time had sculpted her features, everything those eyes stood for was untouched. An agonizing heartbeat followed, and he took a step in her direction. There was another woman beside her, probably her daughter. The family rese
