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CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE: THE TRAP IS SET.
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-02-16 01:38:51
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BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIX: EXPOSED AND CONDEMNED.
Rose and Linda's eyes were blazing with anger and their faces were filled with impatience as they walked into the office. As soon as they entered, they turned to face Sarah, who was sitting comfortably with an odd look of joy in her eyes. Her expression was abnormally happy, like she had finally completed a long-planned project."You're a liar! What are you doing here?" Rose hissed, her voice pitched higher with each word, the anger rising into her bloodstream. "You said you went to the mall. Does this location appear to be a shopping mall?” She sensed her heartbeats through her ears while breathing erratically.Sarah only hissed and turned away, taking pleasure in their obvious anguish. Her sense of victory was fueled by their dread and frustration. They wriggled as she relished the moment and allowed it to last a little longer.Linda was sitting silently; beneath her skin simmered a tempest of anger. She kept her eyes soberly fixed on Sarah, giving her an intelligent look of warning
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-16BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN: A RAY OF HOPE.
Jerry held the phone firmly while his shaking hands and fast heartbeat made him struggle to breathe. His beating heart made him grip his chest while he waited to hear from Laura on the screen. Time moved slowly with every second that passed.Then, the call connected. There was silence.Jerry swallowed hard. Without speaking, Laura remained mute to let Jerry take the initiative. He held the phone to his ear while grabbing the counter to stabilize himself when he smoothed out his collar under stress. The dryness in his throat did not stop him from moving forward.“Laura?” He spoke with a tremble in his voice because intense nervousness flowed through his body.“Jerry… you called me. What’s it?” Normally she reacted with a soft, caring tone but she spoke at a cool distance.His stomach reacted strongly to her shifting voice. Though she had treated him with tenderness before, he faced a frigid response from her. He endured more pain than he prepared for, which created an empty pain inside
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-17BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT: A DEAL WITH DESIRE.
The sound of rapid footsteps approached Fred's office door with great volume. His eyebrows rose with curiosity as he wondered who could be rushing toward his office with such urgency. When the noise halted suddenly, Fred moved toward the door with narrowed eyes after his hand went for the handle. Laura lifted her right hand to knock while Fred pulled the door open with force.They looked at each other at once. Laura's hand was stuck in motion, hovering in midair. Fred noticed that she was out of breath, and his eyes flitted with worry. "Is everything alright? Why did you rush as if someone was after you?” His question was tinged with confusion.Laura hastily looked away, lowering her head a little as though she was trying to find the proper words. "Everything is okay; I just have an urgent matter to discuss." Fred studied her for a couple of seconds and then nodded. "Oh. I see." He uttered, "Come in," gesturing with his extended palm toward the room. After the briefest hesitation,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-18BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINE: SILENT BATTLES WITHIN.
Laura let out a deep sigh of relief as the doctor picked up the call. She began to struggle with the right words to use as her voice came out in shaky breaths. “Um… Hey, doctor." There was a little silence before the doctor answered, his voice soft yet worried. "How are you doing, Laura? You don’t sound okay. Is everything fine?”.Laura was nervous as she began to press her fingers to her forehead to ease her nerves. She only needed this to work out, she needed the doctor to give a positive response to her upcoming plea. She was desperate at that moment. Finally, she found the courage to speak. “I wanted to discuss something with you… concerning the payment.”The doctor didn’t rush her. “Okay. Remember, it’s due in a few days, but go on, I’m listening.”Laura bit her lip and looked up, whispering a silent prayer. Every word felt heavy as she finally said, “Please, I have 7,500 dollars right now. I want to make a deposit. Just… Please don’t take my home. Please.”There was an unbearab
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-19BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TEN: A BANQUET OF FATE.
The car arrived at Fred's company, directed smoothly by Laura's direct instructions. As the car came to a stop, she exhaled deeply. To get some cash, she immediately reached into her bag."Thank you so much," she said in a calm voice to the driver. She placed the cash in his palm softly and pushed the door open. The refreshing, crisp air met her outside, its weight lingering on the surface of the pavement as her heels began to click.She gazed past the tall structure, and a feeling of serenity enfolded her. Towering and grand for as long as she could remember, today it pulsed with exceptional energy. The preparations for the anniversary were in full swing. Event planners squeezed in and out of the building, bringing decorations and supplies, their hurried steps and quick exchanges making sure the air was in anticipation.Laura paused at the entrance, her stomach churning with anxiety. Her fingers unconsciously went over the fabric of her dress as a vague doubt came over her. Was her o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-20BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN: THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.
The hall buzzed with excitement as Maggie and Laura joined the guests in clapping, their applause blending into the metrical echoes bouncing off the grand walls. There was a sense of anticipation, and as if called by the collective energy of the crowd, Fred Walker also appeared. From the top of the staircase, he possessed an air of confidence as he stood in a most princely yet inviting pose. His sizable frame, which adorned itself in an imposing black suit cut to perfection, drew the onlooker's attention. Below all of this was a well-pressed white shirt laid across broad shoulders and the whole ensemble complemented by a flashy golden belt. His presence was intoxicating, like a fine glass of wine, smooth, rich, and insolvable to ignore. Stretching out his hands, he waved to the crowd with a confident smile. “Welcome, everyone”. “The love is massive, I can feel it”. “Thank you for gracing this wonderful event with your presence.” His voice, deep and sweet, carried through the room,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-21BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE: THE AWAKENING OF OLD TIES.
Crawling back to Fred, who lay on the floor helpless, Laura shook her head frantically. Her heart slammed against her chest as the enormity of reality bore over her like a relentless wave. "No... no, this can't be happening, Fred!" she cried, gripping his necklace once more, with tears flowing down freely. Memories of middle school poured in; fleeting glances, shared laughter. That past which she had sealed in was coming back by mixing with the present. Her lips quivered as she pulled her hair scalp with ingrained fingers in a vain attempt to steady herself against the truth. "It's always been you, Fred," she whispered, barely loud enough and through the tears that blurred her vision.A sudden urgency seized her. Her eyes darted wildly around the office, searching for help.“Ben!”. “Ben, please come right now!” Her voice echoed through the empty building, but no response came. The silence pressed in, thick and suffocating.Her breath came in short gasps. She glanced at Fred, his st
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-22BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN: THE SECRET IN THE PENDANT.
Through half-closed curtains in Laura's room, sunlight streamed vividly the next morning. Fred rather sat at the bedside, his elbows on his knees, gazing at the things quite lost. The dull, throbbing pain hammered behind his eyes, and he felt his body stiff and strained from a bed so different from his. He blinked a few times, eyes floating over to Laura, still fast asleep beside him. His mind was a haze, fragments of the previous night slipped through his fingers like sand. But he could not remember how he had ended up here. He knew he had been drunk, very drunk, but to what length his mind was a disembodied thing penetrating a mass of emotions, the stings of alcohol, and then nothing. He swallowed hard, his dry throat protesting as he attempted to make sense of things. Turning to Laura again, he followed her body with his eyes, watching for the soft rise and fall of her breathing. Peaceful she may have seemed, but there was something exhausting in her face. He was sure that she mu
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-23
Bab terbaru
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOUR: A SECOND CHANCE.
Maggie sprinted through the empty, desolate streets, blind with tears, while the obstruction of her sobs was gently lifted off by the biting air. The city lights played before her consciousness, glimmering on her front and sending shadows flickering behind as she strayed about. Every step was torture; every single stride stabbed through the aching muscles of her legs. Yet she would not lessen her pace. She could not. The agony was becoming unbearable; a thing alive, gnawing at her, threatening to take her whole. She wished to escape the pain, to run into darkness, where he would be lost to anyone capable of finding him, where the memories and betrayals of her past could not even touch her.But then she heard them, footsteps. Fast. Determined. Chasing her.Her heart raced at the sound. She bit her teeth deep into her cheek, her lungs gasping now, yet the claiming presence grew. “Maggie, stop!”.It was the voice of Thomas, it cut through the night; authoritative and desperate.With a
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THREE: THE RUIN OF MAGGIE.
Helen’s sudden entrance into the living room sent fear spiraling through the air, for her presence suffocated them like a noose tightening around their throats. The tension that had ignited just a while ago with Fred furious and Maggie quaking in fear, now turned into this isolated silence that filled every corner of the room with the promise of a terror. Helen’s wide eyes were shifting between Fred, Thomas, and Maggie, her breath hitching while she soaked in the unspoken truths that hung between them.Maggie remained paralyzed with fear, her body rigid. Fred's fists were loosening, but the breath he took was not as even as it should have been, as though he had to hold on to something like control. Thomas jumped on his feet like he was about to say something with lips parting, but no sound came from his mouth. Not one of them was prepared for this.Not only did Helen's hands tremble on the doorframe, but her face became pale as well. “I…” Her voice was shaky at this point. “What… who,
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-TWO: WHEN THE PAST STRIKES.
Maggie froze at the entrance of Fred’s living room, clutching her breath, and became stunned as her eyes found the two men sitting, looking straight at her. This space is large, yet it seemed to be suffocating, with its very walls pressing against it. Shadows foreboding in the dim light extended the shapes of Fred and Thomas almost to the point of monstrosity. Her eyes darted between them and Maggie could hear her heart thumping in her ears as she tried to gauge the nature of the trap she had unknowingly walked into. Amusedly, Fred reclined in his chair, a devilish grin on his lips. His sharp eyes gleamed with something sinister, his posture exuding dangerous confidence. "What's the matter, Maggie?" He said, dripping with falsehood and mockery. "Cat got your tongue? Come in. Don't be shy Maggie. Join us."Maggie's breath caught in her throat, and she had to barely swallow to force her quaking legs forward. Each step was like marching toward the inevitable. She could feel Fred's steel
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE: BETRAYAL UNVEILED.
The next morning. Fred Walker lay motionless in bed, staring at the ceiling while the tempestuous thoughts of fury and regret further entangled his mind. The betrayal burned within him, raw and relentless, deeply sank into pride like a jagged knife. It tortured him now as Maggie would deceive him for years through an intricate web of lies, convincing enough for him to see nothing till now. And now that he had seen it, he was going to make sure she faced the consequences. Not yet, however. Not until Thomas was there.Fred required Maggie to see him standing before her, feeling undeniable and suffocating weight pressing down upon her by her own deception. He wanted her to know what she had done and see it reflected in his eyes, knowing there was no escape.Shame clawed at his chest, a little bitter and unwelcome companion. He hadn’t even had the courage to tell Jerry everything that had happened. Not yet ready to confess the truth about him and Laura, but Jack’s situation was one thing
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY: THE TRUTH THAT BURNS.
The weight of betrayal felt like a stone upon Laura's chest; Laura had held on to the letter with trembling fingers that grazed over its frayed edges. A thick choking lump was rising from her throat, one that the harsh truth of what she had just read was now finding its way into. Her heart was behaving erratically, each blast sounding against her ribs with a warning sound she could no longer ignore. She thought she had broken a heart and hurt someone enough to last a lifetime. Yet nothing compared to the raging storm that now engulfed her from inside. Jack was not Fred's son. Maggie had kept deceiving him for over ten years, making him believe he had fathered the child when the truth was far darker. The revelation burned like acid in Laura's gut, as each thought seared through her mind while she forced herself to breathe. Fred had the right to know. With that conviction, Laura stuffed the letter into her bag and held on tightly to it, imagining that it might be able to disappear if
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE: BITTER REVELATIONS.
Laura gasped, retreating from shock as Jack suddenly threw himself between her and Maggie, his small body shaking with an odd frenzy of fear and urgent determination. His large brown eyes, usually so innocent and childlike, expressed something more desperate, aimed at accusations against his mother."Mom, no!" Jack shouted in a cracking voice. "You put something in her food! I saw you!". Silence crashed over the dining room like a suffocating wave. Maggie went even paler, instantly losing her color. For a second, she had opened a window into her soul, revealing something genuine and unguarded behind her mask. The napkin rested in her lap and was now twirling and twisting between her fingers and around her clenched fists. Then the placid, practiced expression came back onto her face again, the one she had worn so many times before and which froze every heart with its innocence."Jack," she said, her voice sharp, even venomous. "That is enough." But Laura was not there yet; she had n
BEHIND OFFICE DOORS CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT: FATAL INVITATION.
Maggie had her phone clasped tightly while sitting stiffly on the couch. It glowed faintly on her face but burned hotter deep within her mind as Laura's message went into her through each excruciating word. The words blurred as Maggie's eyes became obscured with fury. A sharp breath ripped from her lungs, and she expelled it slowly as the strangling pressure inside her chest felt like it could crush her from within.Laura was pregnant with Fred's child. Maggie still could not believe her eyes.A cold hollow ache lodged deep inside Maggie’s gut, swiftly engulfed by an almost furious tide so powerful that her hands began to shake. Her jaw was clenched, grinding her teeth as she reread the message, every single word fueling the fire that ravaged her."Fred's child..." that thought slumped into her mind like a deadly toxin, curling around her heart. She could see it happening: Laura, radiant with the beauty of motherhood, next to Fred, her palm on her distended belly, whispering his nam
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
