Maggie halted, her wide eyes taking in the scene before her, her shaking fists gripping the door frame. As she looked at Fred and Sarah in a state of unkempt anarchy, her heart felt like a stone. She had just gotten back from the hospital with a few necessities for herself and Jack, with plans to stop by the office to pick up her misplaced hoodie. She was broken by the scene she bumped into. She had just intended to speak with Fred privately to express her regret for her involvement in Jack's medical situation. She felt a great deal of guilt and wanted to make things right. Fred, however, had obviously hurried back to the office with a completely different goal in mind.Maggie's voice trembled as she asked, "Fred, how could you?" Her shock gave way to pure betrayal, and Fred fumbled, snatching on his shirt as he hurried toward her. "Maggie, wait, it's not what it looks like!" he stammered, desperation thick in his voice. Behind him, Sarah, panicked and flustered, tugged at her tigh
Maggie felt like everything was falling apart around her. Under the thunderous boom of panic in her chest, the hospital's clean smell dissipated. Jack was not in bed. "Oh my God, Jack!”. She cried out, "Jack!" as her voice reverberated across the deserted ward. Her panicked eyes darted to every dark corner of the corridor as she ran out of the room. As she frantically looked for any indication of him, her heart sounded loudly in her ears. She hardly heard hurried footsteps until she ran into Fred, who was charging at her, his face white with haste."Fred - Fred!”. “He's not here!” Maggie sobbed as she gripped his arm shakily. Panic overcame her, and tears fell down her cheeks. Raw terror clawed at her throat, causing her voice to crack.Fred thought his chest had been cut by a knife. He felt a wave of panic as Maggie's words replayed in his mind. “What?”. “Where is Jack?” His voice trembled as he demanded. He didn't wait for an answer before running in the direction of the ward whe
Maggie shifted uneasily as the shadowy figure drew closer, her heart rate increasing. Her eyes darted about the darkened walkway as her fingers fumbled with the hem of her coat. But she let out a loud breath as the person stepped out of the darkness. It was merely a kid. Fred narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, trying to see the approaching figure. He laughed as he realized who it was. "Oh!”. "You again," he said, with a hint of humor in his voice. Daniel, Laura's younger brother, was in front of them. The boy's little stature shifted from foot to foot, giving him a sheepish appearance. He obviously needed to go to the bathroom.Maggie exhaled a sigh of relief and relaxed her stiff shoulders. "This is the child Jack was referring to, right?”. “His new best friend?” Her tone was light but nevertheless tinged with frustration as she questioned. She folded her arms and stared at Daniel, who appeared to be wishing he were somewhere else.Fred studied Daniel with his arms folded and hi
Laura's face lit up with a dazzling smile as she jumped toward the counter with her arms out. She embraced the man without hesitation, giving him the kind of warm embrace that only loyal pals receive. "Laura... With a tone full of sincere joy, the man said, "I'm so glad to see you again." After holding her for a little longer, he took a step back and glanced over her for a moment. "You now work here?".With a tiny tremble in her voice, she answered, "Yes… yes, I do." A shadow of uneasiness appeared on her face, and the radiance in her manner faded. "After the incident, you know”.Her voice trailed off, hardly more than a whisper. Unwanted memories returned, causing a pale flush to sweep over her face. It all came rushing back: the humiliation, the betrayal. Struggling to steady herself, she swallowed hard. The man knew the importance of what she had said because he had been a security guard at her previous job. He had attempted to alert her to the ruthless schemes of Mary and the ot
With a sense of urgency, Fred grabbed his phone out of Maggie's hand and quickly glanced at the screen as a notification commanded his attention. "An email?" Leaning closer to see the details, he whispered to himself. When he realized who sent it, it was Laura, his heart skipped a beat. Excitement, curiosity, and something like remorse were among the many sensations that swept over him. He straightened his collar, trying to gather himself, and then he turned to Maggie and smiled mischievously. "What is that?" Maggie's brows narrowed suspiciously as she asked. "Oh, the message?” Fred answered, his voice straining under the weight of his unconvincing lie, "Just… an email from work."Maggie kept her eyes fixed on his face while crossing her arms. "An email from the office?" "At this hour?"."Yes, exactly," he answered, speaking a bit too hastily. "I have to make the payment now and return to the office”. “I can’t be gone for too long”. Fred's tone betrayed him, Maggie's keen intuit
The woman stood with her hands firmly on her waist, glaring at Fred with a look of complete contempt, and her shrill, taunting laughter reverberated throughout the room. "You mean Laura?" Her voice brimmed with derision as she scoffed. “Is she the one? Your new catch”. Her smirk widened as she leaned closer and her dark eyes met his. "I wonder what your company has in store for her”. “Maybe I will share the secret with her”. “Fred scowled at her, his rage barely controlled, and his jaw hardened. "Rose, it's none of your business!" he said, his voice shaking with rage.Fred felt the atmosphere tightening, his carefully constructed facade starting to crumble under the weight of her evil grin. Rose didn't flinch, though; she thrived on the chaos she caused. Fred's heart sank as the threat hung in the air. She knew too much, about the email, about his plans, and if she told Laura or, worse, Linda, everything would fall apart.Fred's mind was filled with vivid, unnerving memories of Rose
Fred stood staring at the screen while his phone shook in his hands. Rose was the one. With an eerie text attached, she had emailed him a selfie of herself standing assuredly outside his company door. "I'll come up myself, or you can meet me downstairs." As Fred read the message, his rage surged up like a wave, and his jaw tightened. His voice reverberated in the deserted office as he screamed, "What do these women want from me?". As he struggled to settle his thoughts, he threw the phone onto the desk and furiously ran his fingers through his hair.Fred paced back and forth, trying to think of what to do next. He couldn't afford the scandal or his employees suspecting anything, so he said to himself in a resigned sigh, "I'll go, I just have to." He straightened his shirt, brushed away invisible dust particles, and picked up his phone before going downstairs. At the entrance, he paused, and closed his eyes for a moment to gather himself, then curled his fingers around the doorknob
"Di-Diana?" Jerry stumbled, his face going white, his lips quivering, like he might pass out right there. Although he was overjoyed to see her again, the moment wasn't perfect. His relationship with Laura was at last beginning to improve. "Yes, Jerry! It's me!” Diana sobbed as she rushed directly to him, sweeping past Laura. She flung herself into his arms, clutching him as if she were terrified he might disappear if she released him. Laura tried to take in what was happening while standing motionless with her mouth slightly wide. Her chest tightened with uneasiness at the sudden drama playing out in front of her. "Diana?" Laura's mind raced, she raised her hand slightly, almost as if to point, then let it fall by her side and muttered. "I - I looked all over for you!”. "What made you leave like that?". "Diana, I missed you!" Jerry closed his eyes and gave her a hug in return, his voice brimming with emotion. "What's happening?" Laura put her hands on her waist and mov
Laura and Maggie hurried into the reception area, looking around the room to see what was causing the disturbance. Ben was positioned squarely in front of a man in the middle of everything, his arms outstretched as though he were preventing him from going inside. His posture was defensive and stiff. Maggie moved forward and touched Ben's shoulder tenderly before yanking him back a little. "Wait, Ben. What does he want, and who is he?” Her eyes shifted to the man as she asked.Laura abruptly met the stranger's eyes as she followed Maggie's movements. Her face flashed with recognition, and her demeanor changed instantaneously. She rushed forward and pleaded, "Oh, please, let him in." "He's part of the maintenance and cleaning team." With a worried expression, she stepped closer to the man. She clasped her hands together in a begging motion and said, "I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding." Maggie scowled with perplexity. "Do you know him?" She asked.Laura gave a nod. “He's here to
Laura's whole body shook with anger and rage as she clenched the paper in her trembling fists. The day in the cafe, the day that everything changed, flashed through her head in a flurry of recollections. In her haste, she had abandoned her purse and fled into the streets without thinking to avoid Fred Walker. She could still hear him calling after her in a low, frantic voice. "Wait, Laura!".Fred had stormed out of the restroom, fumbling with his trousers as he rushed in her direction. His expression was strained, a mix of remorse and desperation. Laura, however, had already retreated a few paces and held out a quivering finger to prevent him from approaching. Her pulse was pounding, her breath ragged."Stop! Just stop there!” Her voice was rough with emotion as she screamed. "Don’t you dare come close to me." Her whole body tense, she backed away toward the exit, her vision obscured by tears. She felt disgusted by the sight of Fred. Laura didn't wait for Fred to take a step forw
Fred ushered them into his office, took a seat, and pointed to the two chairs facing him. "Please sit, Maggie and Laura. Let's get things done quickly before a customer arrives”. They sat down, Maggie and Laura watching him intently, waiting to hear his thoughts on the anniversary celebration. Fred spoke to Maggie first, leaning forward a little and folding his hands on the desk. “You're used to this, Maggie. We do it annually to honor this organization's accomplishments”. Maggie smiled at him and nodded. As usual, she was too preoccupied with ogling his face to pay much attention to what he was saying.Fred turned to look at Laura. "This will be the company's eleventh anniversary celebration, Laura. I only want a few friends, our employees, and a few customers, not a large crowd”. Laura listened carefully and replied, "That sounds amazing." Fred went on, going back to Maggie, "Going on." "Show me the expenses, refreshments, event coordinators, and anything else that needs money.
As the tension in the room increased, Laura experienced a feeling of unease. She demanded, unable to contain herself any longer, "What's going on?". She protected Diana behind her and automatically drew her away from Fred's rage. Jerry turned to Diana, his words filled with fear and bewilderment, and his heartbeat raced. "Diana, talk to me. What's happening? Do you know my cousin?” He looked for answers in her eyes. Fred became enraged before Diana could reply. He spat, "Of course she does!". “One night, I took her home. This thief took my watch after we were both intoxicated and made out! Ten thousand dollars was its value”.Helen, intrigued by the noise coming from the kitchen, crept over to the doorway of the living room. Diana's heart was racing as she stood motionless. That night, she hadn't recognized it as Fred's house. Believing that the past would never catch up with her, she had stolen from him. She had no way out now, though. She cried out, overcome with shame, "Yes! I
Laura's lips moved as she mumbled the words to herself, squinting as she read the message on the screen. “Hello, Jerry, are you available tomorrow so we can see?” A beat skipped across her heart. "Diana is asking to meet Jerry tomorrow." Her voice was hardly more than a whisper when she whispered. As she attempted to digest the information, a mixture of confusion and uneasiness settled in her chest. Jerry's voice came from the hallway before she could finish thinking, and she heard his footsteps getting louder as he hurried toward the living room. "Laura! I'll be there now! Are you prepared for the moment of greatness?”.Laura was startled, and her eyes widened in fear. "Oh no!" she mumbled to herself. She crossed her legs and threw the phone onto the chair in a single motion, trying to look calm as though she hadn't seen anything. "Yes, Jerry! I'm prepared!” Just as he walked in, she gave him a fake smile in return.Jerry smiled, bowed playfully, and stepped forward, his right han
Fred stood motionless, staring at Laura while his fingers made soft strokes across her hair. Slowly and deliberately, as if committing every strand to memory, he touched, relishing the moment. He whispered, "You're... you're so beautiful, I must confess," in a deep, appreciative voice. His thumb delicately caressed her skin as his hand moved from her hair to her fingers. Laura's body shivered at the unexpected feeling, and she saw a strange weakness settling over her. One part of her tried to resist the allure of his presence, while the other part yearned to give in to the warmth of his touch.She could now see why so many women felt helpless in Fred Walker's presence. He exuded a seductive charisma that made it simple to get swept up in his charms. It took a strong-willed woman with sufficient self-control and determination to avoid adding her name to his lengthy list of victories. Laura, on the other hand, was not going to be another win for him. "Thank you," she said hastily, try
Laura had already taken a seat in Fred's office, waiting for their chat to start with her fingers gripped together. She didn't know why, but there was tension in the air between them. Every few seconds, Fred's gaze shifted toward the entrance as though anticipating a distraction. Then footsteps reverberated down the corridor, loud and determined. Laura's heart beat in time with the footsteps that were approaching. Her stomach churned as she and Fred looked at each other uneasily, both of them automatically turning to face the entrance. Maggie suddenly burst through the door, pushing it open until it struck the wall behind her. She paced like an animal in a cage as she stomped deeper into the office, her eyes wild and her face enraged.“Seriously Fred?” Maggie spat, anger leaking into her voice. After glancing back and forth between them, she called out to both of them with a finger. “No one should enter your office until you're finished! I think that was an instruction?”. Tension
As he shut off the engine, Fred's deep rumbling faded, and he pulled up in front of his companions. The fresh morning air was accompanied by the faint murmur of city life. Laura paused for a second before continuing. As she carefully slid open the car door, she whispered quietly, "Thank you for the ride." She walked out, waiting for him to follow, her eyes still on the classy car. Ever self-assured, Fred opened his door and stepped out, leaving the sound of the door slamming reverberating over the silent parking lot. As he walked toward her with a knowing sneer on his lips, his ego was clearly visible. In a silky, quiet voice, he whispered, "You're welcome, Laura," before giving her a playful wink.Ben, the security officer, saw them from afar and came running over. He said, "Good morning, sir," as he extended his hand to grab Fred's work bag. His motions were quick and well-practiced, an unwritten habit. Fred Walker was fun for Ben to be around. He occasionally gave him large grat
With his work bag firmly grasped in his hand, Jerry proceeded directly to Laura's seat. His resolve was clear as his gaze never left her. Unaware of the tension, Fred kept eating his cookie and drinking his juice while idly observing Jerry. Laura sensed Jerry standing next to her, and her face flushed. His presence was intolerable to her because of the rage she still carried from the recent revelation. She wasn't prepared to talk to him, much less confront him. After hesitating, Jerry slowly extended his hand and touched her shoulder. She shivered at the comforting warmth of his touch. She leaped out of her chair, startled, and knocked the table a little.Fred felt the abrupt change in the air and cut down on his juice. He was still unaware that he was the cause of Laura's aloof behavior toward Jerry. Jerry's voice broke as his emotions overflowed. "Please, Laura, I... I apologize." Laura suddenly turned to face Fred. "I'll see you at work tomorrow”. She hurried away after saying