CHAPTER TWO: Another day with a jerk.

Bella 's pov

The night was steamy and passionate and I enjoyed every bit of it , I had even forgotten the pain I had gone through the previous night. Jake was toxic but he had a sweet side to him that kept me wanting more, this thought went through my mind as I turned to look at him going in closer for his warm embrace .

As he drew me to himself wrapping his hands around me ,I thought to myself maybe he actually didn't mean what he did yesterday.

"I love you baby"

I let out as I drifted off to sleep and Jake warm lips brushed against my forehead, his warm breath whispering 'I love you too ' in my ear. The softness of his breath and the gentleness of his voice served as a reminder of the hold he had on me .

As the morning sun spread across the room and the sounds of birds singing soothed my ears ,I opened my eyes slowly feeling very pumped from the night.

I turned to where Jake was but the bed was empty, the sheets still warm from his presence. I stretched, feeling a mix of satisfaction after our steamy night. But as I reached for my phone, I saw the time - 8:30 AM. Jake was already gone, off to work without even a goodbye.

I quickly got dressed and rushed to the office, my mind racing with the presentation I had to give Jake today. As I arrived, I saw him sitting at his desk, his eyes fixed on his phone.

"Good morning," I said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Morning," he replied with a light smile, not looking up. "I'm busy right now. Can you just file these papers for me?"

I felt a surge of annoyance. This was the meeting I had been preparing for all week.

"But I thought we were going to discuss the marketing strategy?" I asked, trying to hide my disappointment.

"Not now," he said, his tone curt. "Just file the papers, Bella."

I hesitated, sensing something was off. But I didn't push the issue, instead taking the papers from him and heading to the filing room.

As I walked away, I saw Jake's eyes flicker to his phone, a hint of a smile on his face. I wondered who could be texting him, and why he was being so secretive but I waved the feeling off .

As I filed the papers, my mind wandered to the girls' night Camilla and I had planned for this evening. We were supposed to try out that new wine bar and catch up on each other's lives. I pulled out my phone to send her a reminder text, but as I scrolled through our conversation, I saw a message from her sent an hour ago.

"Hey, something unexpected came up. Can't make it tonight. Sorry!"

My heart sank. I had been looking forward to this all week. And now, Camilla was cancelling on me? I felt a pang of disappointment and wondered what could be more important than our plans.

I tried calling her, but it went straight to voicemail. "Camilla, it's Bella. What's going on? You cancelled on me without even asking. Is everything okay?"

I left the message, feeling a bit frustrated. Why would Camilla do this to me? We had been friends for years, and I thought we were closer than this.

As I hung up the phone, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. And then, a nagging thought crept into my mind - was Camilla's cancellation somehow connected to Jake's strange behavior earlier? But I pushed the thought aside.

I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, my stomach churning with a sudden intensity. I tried to focus on my work, but the sensation only grew stronger. I knew I needed to get up and move around, hoping to shake off the queasiness.

I pushed my chair back, the nausea hitting me . "Excuse me," I murmured to my coworkers, trying to make a quick exit.

In the bathroom, I splashed water on my face, hoping to calm my stomach. I took slow, deep breaths, willing the upset to pass. It was probably just stress or a side effect of the coffee I'd had earlier,I thought to myself.

As I returned to the office, I scanned the room for Jake's familiar figure. But his chair was empty, his computer screen dark. I frowned, wondering where he could have gone.

I approached his desk, looking for a note or some indication of where he'd gone. But there was nothing,even his car keys were gone .

"Has anyone seen Jake?" I asked my coworkers, trying to sound casual.

They shook their heads, oblivious. I tried to focus on my work, but my mind kept drifting back to Jake's sudden disappearance.

Where had he gone? And why hadn't he told me?

I tried to focus on the spreadsheet in front of me, but I wasn't feeling myself really .As I stared at the numbers blurring together on my screen , a wave of dizziness washed over me. I felt lightheaded, like I might pass out at any moment.

"Need to get out of here for a minute."I muttered to myself , pushing my chair back.

I made my way to the break room ,hoping a chilled soda would help calm my stomach and clear my head. 'Maybe I was just lightheaded because I hadn't eaten anything yet' I thought .

As I opened the fridge and grabbed a cold can , I felt a slight sense of relief . I popped the tab and took a long sip, letting the coo liquid slide down my throat

"Ah that hit the spot." I let as I gulped the drink down.

I checked my watch for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Only 30 minutes to lunch , maybe some food will help settle my nerves." I mumbled to myself .

Then I turned to return to my desk , but on my way, I staggered losing my balance , the whole room began to spin around me then i felt a wave of dizziness hit me . I tried to take a step forward, but my legs felt like jelly beneath me.

The chilled soda can slipped from my fingers, clattering to the floor as I stumbled . I reached out to the wall to steady myself but it was too late. My vision blurred and I felt myself falling, weightlessly ,through space .

The last thing I remembered was the sound of my co-workers' voices, distant and concerned, as I hit the floor with a soft thud,

Everything went blank .