Alex..Sophie’s eyes darkened, yet they still outshined the stars hung in the dark sky. My heart hammered as I awaited her response.She pulled away. “I can’t.” She walked out, disappearing into the building, taking my heart along with her.I stood still, the cold air filling my lungs with its chill—if only it could cool off the pain.Benjamin patted me on the shoulders. “Let’s go inside.”I puffed out and walked back into the building. Arriving at the auction hall, Benjamin checked in. After providing his credit card details. He was given a paddle with the number fifty on it. The registration staff turned to me. "Please, sir, your credit card.”Benjamin chipped in. “He’s not participating in the auction, but he has a reserved seat.” “You must be Mr. Dawson.” The registration staff cleared his throat. I flashed a forced smile at him before strutting towards the rows of seats. My eyes darted around the hall, searching for Sophie. The muted conversation faded into the background
Sophie..I remembered the medications on his table when he called in sick, and that’s how I found myself bouncing my foot on the floor of the cab, the thud muffled by the car mat. Once I arrived outside of the bar, I pulled out some cash and handed it to the taxi driver before stepping out. I pulled my beige coat tighter around myself as the breeze wrapped me, squeezing chills into my body.Stepping into the bar, I scanned around. My eyes fell on Alex, sitting in the dimly lit corner of the bar. His appearance was disheveled but undeniably compelling. His hair fell over his head, brushing against his brooding eyes. His shirt, once neat, now opened at the collar, his tie hanging loose. His sleeves rolled up, his long fingers holding a glass of alcohol. He looked good for a dying man.I settled in the seat next to him. “What’s the meaning of the text?” A wide grin—a beautiful one—crawled up his lips. He swirled the glass before taking a gulp. Seeing him in this state was surprisin
Sophie..With my shoes in my hand, I muffled my steps, tiptoeing up the stairs toward the hallways. Benjamin had dropped me off here. The sight of Alex’s medication on the back seat tightened a knot in my stomach, but he had fallen asleep just minutes into the drive, so I couldn’t ask him about it.Arriving at my room, the door was ajar, allowing a sliver of light to filter into the dark hallway. A cushioned sound sliced through the silence. Giving the door a gentle push, the door opened with an almost silent whoosh.“Your door was open when I came, so I decided to drop the painting here.” Luca placed his hand on the large painting frame."Oh, thank you.” My eyes hovered over the painting. The amount spent on the painting made it hard to accept but also made it impossible to reject it.We stood in silence, staring at each other as though we were searching for words in each other. "Uhm, good night. Tomorrow,” Luca said, his eyes darting around the room.I nodded. “Uhm, good night. T
Sophie ..Monday came too soon. I trudged into the hotel. The soft chatters of other workers mingled with the unrelentless buzz of the machines. It was as though the whole of New York City had found its way into the hotel.I stepped into the elevator that would take me to the floor of Alex’s office. I stared at the floor indicator as it ascended, and my pulse hiked. My stomach twisted—maybe out of nervousness or probably excitement; whichever the feeling was, it wasn’t welcomed. When it arrived on the fifth floor, it slid open, and I made my way to his office.I took a deep breath before knocking and opening the door. His seat was empty, and so was his desk. Realizing he hadn’t arrived at work, my pulse returned to normal. My chest tightened. Today I had to go for my antenatal. Now, Alex isn’t around. I would have to meet Mrs. Moore. Ever since Timmy was fired, her hatred for me intensified. She’d always give me impossible deadlines and complicated designs.Dropping the file he had
Alex..And once again, Mr. Watson had successfully dragged me to his office. After leaving the hotel, Mr. Watson informed me that he had found who was selling shares. The tic of the clock punctuated the silence of the room. While I waited for him, my mind wandered to Sophie and why she was behaving strangely today. She seemed angry, and I didn’t know why. I took a deep breath and arranged my tie and cuffed my cufflinks. This morning, I woke up weak and tired. It was a struggle to take a shower, let alone dress up. The door opened, and Mr. Watson's annoying voice filled the office. “I’m sorry. The meeting lasted longer than expected.” He settled into his seat. “So who is selling the shares?” I blurted out. After all, I wasn’t here for a chitchat.“Well, I haven’t found that out yet, but.”My face contorted into a frown. “Then I have no business here.” Interrupting him, I rose to my feet. “But I have something else.” He gestured for me to sit down. “I’m sure you spoke to your mot
Sophie..Coming out of the waiting room, Mia pulled me to a quiet corner of the hospital—a long hallway brightened by fluorescent light. There were several doors, but some of them seemed like they hadn't been opened in years. “Are you pregnant?” Mia pinned me to the light blue walls of the hallways. Her gaze was wild, filled with something I couldn’t discern—at least not yet.Her skin on mine made my skin crawl. Although her perfume wasn’t harsh nor was it unpleasant, the mere smell of her turned my stomach. Seeing her face made me almost claw out my eyes. She was the reason why I was going through this alone and why Alex wasn’t by my side. She stole my happiness, and she wasn’t the only one to blame. I cursed my weak heart, wishing it could hate Alex the way it hated her. I bit my inner cheeks until a salty taste filled my mouth. “No, I’m not.” I rolled my eyes at her stupid question. “I’ll just wake up and decide, Oh, I need to visit an obstetrician today.’”Mia’s grip briefly l
62..Our yells filled the morning air as Romi and I rounded the black car outside the Towering block of flats. It wasn’t expensive, and it wasn’t in the best of condition, but it would get you to your destination. “Do you know how to drive?” I opened the car door. The hint of tobacco lingered on the headliner and pet odor—maybe a cat or dog deep-rooted in the black upholstery of the car seat—told the story of the previous owner. “I have a driver's license.” A wry smile pulled a corner of her red-painted lips. She giggled as she noticed my surprise-stricken face. “I’m joking, I’m joking. I went to a driving school, and you might not believe it. I did very well.” Romi started the car engine. “If you say so.” I fastened my seatbelt and prayed to the heavens that I wouldn't get thrown out of the window. Romi leaned over and opened the glove box. She took out a perfume and sprayed it into the air. “Ain’t no way I would enjoy the chips with the chemical smell in here.” She placed it b
Alex . . “Mr. Watson, I am quite busy. My desk is cluttered with a lot of paperwork I have to attend to.” I glanced around my empty desk. “If it’s that important, I would appreciate it if you came to my office.” Ending the call, I returned the telephone to the landline base. I opened the drawer of my desk, took out some papers, and carpeted my desk. I still couldn’t understand the sick pleasure Mr. Watson derived from bringing me to his office, but I was done feeding it. Probably about control; it’s like having your enemy in your terrain. My eyes were fixed on the door as I anticipated his arrival. Though meeting him didn’t give me exactly what I wanted, it did provide answers—answers that only stirred up more questions. But answers are answers, right? A knock on the door made me jerk in my seat. “Come in.” I picked up my pen and darted my gaze to the paper before me, as though I were going through them. Mr. Watson's presence filled the room, his ever-cunning smile plas